If there were any industry that not only survived the pandemic but thrived, hands down, its answer would be the “gaming industry.” The global entertainment market is growing, and experts believe that it might reach 2.2 trillion U.S. dollars by the end of 2021. And everyone knows that gaming is an inherent part of this industry.
As per the survey, the online gaming portals alone generated around 568 petabytes of data alone last year. Moreover, there are so many options to choose from, like social, mobile, free-to-play games, and MMO gaming. The experts think that the number of online console gamers will grow to more than 57 million.
But why is there so much hype around this industry? Read on to learn more about it.
Online Games Are Becoming Social Spaces
Many parents or family members always find themselves hollering to their children to “STOP PLAYING.” They often think that there is a life beyond games and they need to be with people. For them, online games are pretty equivalent to being all alone or staring at the screen for hours.
Contrary to this notion, people spending time on online games connect with their peers through games rather than being isolated. In fact, more than 75% of players spend time with their friends while playing games. It doesn’t end here!
If you look at study statistics, more than 5500 messages sent while playing were either socio-economic or task-oriented. According to this, children conveyed their thoughts across the portals to let others know what’s going on in their minds. Surprisingly, the online gaming parties allowed many users to connect with their friends/ family on a personal level and even celebrate things together, which was otherwise not possible because of the pandemic.
It is safe to say that the pandemic opened the eyes of many people, even non-gamers. Precisely why, no matter the age group, many people were trying their hands on various games available online.
What do Researchers Say About The Rise in the Online Gaming Industry?
A team of researchers studied more than 700 MMO players. In their findings, they found that online games helped to foster social connections. Yes, you heard it right! They revealed that players involved in MMO engagement had a stronger sense of social identity. In layman’s terms, the strong sense of social identity corresponds to self-esteem and more social competence.
Not only that, the same feeling resulted in lower levels of loneliness. That clearly shows the positive side of the games. In fact, many players build friendships and relationships while playing together.
Many researchers are even saying that these online games can be socially valuable. It is true, especially when the players involved showed lower signs of depression or loneliness. In fact, friendships mediated through technology hold the same importance as that of an offline relationship.
Is that all? Keep reading to know why the online gaming industry is skyrocketing even when other industries are crumbling.
Online Games- Their Tangible Benefits in The Real Life
As we mentioned before, many dismissed online games as unsophisticated or something that often results in couch potatoes. But there is much research confirming that the same games are helping everyone, irrespective of their age, develop problem-solving skills and their stress-busting benefits.
To know more about their multitude of benefits, keep scrolling through.
They Are Great For Your Hands
Many studies show that online games can help improve manual dexterity. In fact, as per a study involving a group of surgeons, scientists found that the ones who played video games had faster reflexes and were better at performing their advanced procedures.
Further, more than 35% of games made fewer mistakes. Many even consider online games as a part of physical therapy, where these games helped the victims to gain control of their hands/wrists.
They Are a Great Brain Booster
While many people might correlate games with fun, they are as good as a workout. Surprised? Many studies showed that playing games consistently increases gray matter and improves brain connectivity.
They Help Gamers to be More Physically Active
This might come as a surprise. But many online consoles allow gamers to get off their couch. And with virtual reality making its way into this industry, things might move to an entirely new level. Many developers are creating games that involve a physical space or using real-world location data. This inspires the gamers to leave their couches and advance into the real world if they wish to achieve their targets.
They Inspire You to be Persistent
With video games, there are only two possibilities, either you win or lose. So, until you achieve, you’ll keep trying. Right? This allows the gamers to learn from their mistakes to progress. Thus, it’s helping people to be more confident and work towards their goals.
Besides these benefits, online games are creating a safe place for vulnerable people. These include people with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Insecure attachment Styles, Depressive Symptoms, and social anxiety.
How?
Online video games allow such people to communicate when they want to without any pressure. Thus, helping them open up more quickly than in any other space and build confidence to replicate the same in offline settings.
Final Takeaways
Online games are becoming a way to connect with people, especially when going out and having fun is not possible, at least for now. And since it is providing a positive experience, it is becoming a valuable social space where everyone can join in and play while forming connections.
Besides fostering connections, it’s helping people build confidence and skills that are quite helpful in navigating the challenges presented by the real world. For instance, researchers believe that online games could be beneficial in improving reading and math skills.
And since the games incorporated our lives in many ways, you might even see their role in different niches in coming years. This is why experts predict that the online gaming industry will see a rise even when things get back to “new normal.”
What do you think?