During this unprecedented year, online gaming came to our rescue during the lockdown. It provided us with a fun and sociable way to spend time and connect with others despite social distancing. But, like everything in life, it has its pros and cons.
Jump to
1. What Is Online Gaming
The Internet offers a variety of online games for everyone. There are harmless cartoon-like games for young generation as well as aggressive and violent examples. Whether it is a small kid, a student or an adult man, there is a game for everyone.
2. What Are the Pros and Cons of Online Gaming
Sine the beginning of mankind, ‘games’ were a source of fun, enjoyment, teamwork, adventure and imagination. If played in a healthily manner, they are an essential part of a child’s development and the same goes for gaming. Gaming fuels brain development by improving motor skills, coordination, memory, math and reading skills, quick thinking and decision-making ability, as well as concentration. Additionally, as many modern online games can be played in teams, they are also beneficial for developing one’s cooperation skills. Moreover, in order to win, the player must recognize a strategy and try different approaches, which is why gaming boosts problem-solving skills. There is also the opportunity to experiment as in games, unlike life, we can always and instantly choose a new identity which is both liberating and insightful as it helps us realize in what direction we want to develop as a person.
But, there are also drawbacks of gaming that any player needs to be aware of:
Consequences of isolation
Gaming is so much fun that there is literally no need to get out of the house. Being isolated can harm one’s relationships, mental health, productivity and drive the PECO utility bill up to record highs.
Safety risk
By allowing to play and chat with anyone with the world, one can encounter offensive language or bullying. Children can easily find themselves being bullied or bullying others in an effort to win the game.
Hackers
Just like in life, not everyone is who they say they are. In the online world, it is even easier to trick to others as one can even hide behind a screen. Children especially need to know not to give out personal information and their location to strangers.
Extras are not free
Many parents have woken up one morning and almost fainted when they saw a skyrocketing bill. It is easy to create a large bill without even realizing.
Addiction makes it hard to stop
Gaming can lure students away from studying. People can easily get drawn into a virtual world, losing touch with reality.
Detrimental influence on one’s physical health
Just like working in front of the computer, gaming is detrimental for our eyes, necks, shoulders and spine. For those who wear headphones, even their ears are under pressure.
3. Online Gaming Safety Tips
To begin with, use family settings on an Xbox for child and teen accounts to protect your account against unwanted purchases. Microsoft provides parents with a report on what have their children been up to: what are they playing and who are they playing with.
To stay safe, keep your personal information personal by setting your privacy settings to the highest level. You are not obliged to chat to anyone if you do not want to.
To stay secure, keep you Wi-Fi secure. Create a guest Wi-Fi that limits access to other computers on the network.
To stay healthy, treat your body with breaks to stretch, move your brain away from your console and your eyes from the screen.
Takeaway
Developing good online gaming habits is a must to ensure that gamers get the most out of their experience. Online games are incredibly popular among those who seek new emotions in the virtual reality. Every game you play can take you on an epic adventure, result in life-long friendships and offer opportunities for creativity and fun. However, despite the benefits, the negatives can easily outweigh the positives if we are not careful.
