The positive effects of video games on society Essay

The positive effects of video games on society - Essay Example These changes have made video games realistic, complex, diverse and social and have resulted in an emergence of research on the positive effects of these games (Ferguson, 2007). In this regard, this essay will consider the positive effects of video games on society. The association of violence to violent video games has amplified the view that video games have negative effects on the society. It is for this reason that a vast majority of research conducted on this topic has concentrated on the negative effects of these games on society. Despite the lack of extensive research on the positive effects of video games, the benefits associated with play can be linked to video games. The general benefits associated with play include the ability to experiment social experiences while simulating possible emotional consequences and the opportunity to reproduce real life situations and find solutions. This is essential in the development of social skills (Durkin and Barber, 20002). However, unl ike traditional games, video games are interactive and may not allow physical involvement in the game. Video games allow users to interact with gaming systems and these systems react to the behavior of the player. Video games can be played alone with the physical presence of other players or can be played online with other numerous players. These games can also be played alone, competitively or cooperatively. The games also take various genres and allow the players to interact in different contexts.