Myths About Video Games Busted

While video games are on the rise and it's a booming industry today, there are still many myths about them circulating both the online community and the non-gamer community. If you're not a gamer yourself, it may be hard to "get it" and if you only play certain types of games, you may have a hard time understanding what others enjoy about certain games. This is the beauty and the mystery behind video games.

The video game industry is growing bigger than ever before and it's not likely it's going to go anywhere, whether you like it or not. Even if you don't enjoy playing video games for fun, we see them being implemented in training programs, schools and colleges and more.

In an article on PBS.org, Henry Jenkins talks about eight common video game myths that have plagued the industry for some time now. Henry Jenkins is the director of comparative studies at MIT at the time of the article publication and presents many valid points to common video game myths.

The eight myths he debunks are:

1. The availability of video games has led to an epidemic of youth violence.

2. Scientific evidence links violent game play with youth aggression.

3. Children are the primary market for video games.

4. Almost no girls play computer games.

5. Because games are used to train soldiers to kill, they have the same impact on the kids who play them.

6. Video games are not a meaningful form of expression.

7. Video game play is socially isolating.

8. Video game play is desensitizing.

Jenkins says it best in his article so if you want to know the scientific answers to these myths, check it out on PBS.org. But that's not the end of the video game myth debunking. I have a few of my own to add to the list.

Myths about video games busted:

Game Testing Makes an Awesome Job- While it sounds good in theory and makes for great spam fodder, video game testing is not necessary as awesome as you think. It can be tedious and stressful, low-paying and can take all the fun out of playing video games.

Playing Video Games Makes You Smarter- While there are myths that they make kids stupid, there are also myths that they make you smarter. Playing video games won't necessarily make you smarter but there are certain games that can help you hone your thinking skills and your intelligence. Video games can also help your hand-eye coordination and other skills but there is no evidence that they can actually raise (or lower) your IQ.

All Girl Gamers are Fat- This one is so ridiculous it's funny it even has to be here. Many believe it was invented by men/boys who hate being beaten by females in video games. Somehow it makes the loss better if they can accuse the female of being fat or unattractive. Many Hollywood actresses, models and other healthy, attractive females admit to playing video games. This is a silly myth that has no merit on a gamer's actual skill or ability.

Casual Gaming is Killing True Gaming- Here's another myth I am so sick of hearing. The debate regarding what constitutes "casual" or "hardcore" gaming is withstanding and could be an entire article of its own but casual gaming is in no way killing or damaging the gaming industry. In fact, it's the casual gamers who are helping to build this industry so that those of us who have been video game fans for all of our lives will see bigger and better content.

So now that you have these myths about video games busted, it's time to rethink how you view video games as a whole. Even if you are not someone who appreciates video games for their many benefits, you at least have to be open to respecting them for the good that they can do, when used properly. You also have to take some awe in the massive growth of this industry and what that says about our society and technology as a whole. Video games are here to stay; what does that mean to you?

Source:

PBS.org - Reality Bytes: Eight Myths about Video Games Debunked

Jones, Gerard. Killing Monsters: Why Children Need Fantasy, Super Heroes, and Make-believe Violence. New York: Basic, 2002.

Salen, Katie and Eric Zimmerman. Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals. Cambridge: MIT Press, 2003.

Personal experience