Why I Recommend Video Gaming to Almost Everyone I Know

Gaming is one of my favorite pastimes and I think that gaming has benefits for a range of people. Here’s why I recommend gaming to almost everyone I know.

1 Gaming Is More Accessible Than Ever

While in the past people recommended powerful PCs or dedicated consoles for gaming, the rise of mobile gaming means that it’s easier than ever to get started with games.

Mobile gaming is often associated with match-3 titles and simple word games. But increasingly complex games, including RPGs and MOBAs, have made their way to mobiles. The rise of gacha games has also resulted in some pretty impressive titles appearing on mobile. You can even try out some of the best two-player mobile games if you want to play with friends.

This means that gaming no longer requires as much of a investment, so it doesn’t hurt to try out a few free titles to see if you like it.

2 Games Can Help You Meet People

The rise of online games means that you can find people with shared interests. I’ve met quite a few of my friends through online games. In fact, two of my friends got married after meeting in Guild Wars 2.

Online gaming is a great way to meet people if you’re shy. You can join guilds, which create a sense of community, or team up regularly with fellow players in games like Valorant.

3 Video Games Let You Socialize From Home

Video games are a great way to socialize — especially if you’re at home a lot. Many of us have busy work schedules and chores that mean we don’t go out as much as we used to. In my case, my disability makes it more difficult to socialize outside my home as my chronic pain and fatigue make it difficult to spend time with others in outdoor settings.

But I’d still say I’m pretty social. I game most nights with my friends on Discord. Even if we aren’t playing the same game, we stream our single-player games and comment on them with each other.

I’ve also made my gaming setup more comfortable, so that I can enjoy chatting with my friends while playing games.

4 Gaming Can Help You Relax

Even when I’m not in the mood to socialize, gaming is a great outlet for stress at the end of the day. I find cozy games especially relaxing and can easily sink hours into them.

I think that there is a game genre for everyone that can help people relax. Whether it’s blowing off steam in an FPS game, whiling away the hours in a simulator game, or simply unwinding while playing a word game or other relaxing mobile games.

In fact, for a while I was too burnt out to really escape into games, so I spent my time listening to lo-fi playlists while playing Jigsaw Puzzle Dreams on Steam.

5 You Can Expand Your World With Games

Games with immersive and detailed stories can help open up your world. It’s one of the reasons that RPGs with rich lore are my favorite genre.

Whether it’s battling aliens in a game like Mass Effect 3 or enjoying the whimsy of a game like Stardew Valley, the tales and details of these games opens you up to interesting stories. Often, a game will feel like an interesting novel that completely absorbs me into its mythos and world.

6 Gaming Can Teach You New Things

While there are educational games that are specifically made to teach you things, you’ll be surprised just how much you learn from playing ordinary video games. My time in Divinity: Original Sin 2 taught me that the poisonous toadstool I often see depicted in fairy tales is called fly agaric.

Games like Sim City taught me about the importance of rescue services and road management. And it’s actually in Red Dead Redemption 2 that I first tried my hand at poker. There are even animals I have never seen in real life that I recognize from video games.

Gaming is a hobby that’s more accessible than ever, with a variety of genres that can help you meet people, socialize, learn new things, and provide escape and relaxation. It’s why I recommend gaming to almost everyone I know—because it has so many potential benefits to those who give it a try.