We have all at one point heard that video games are a poor way to spend our free time, and that it is better for us to go outside. But are video games really that horrible for us, and if not, do they have positive effects? The consequences of video games have been viewed as a bad influence by numerous numbers since video games first were created. As someone who has researched this topic to great extents and also has experienced the effects of video games, I will be discussing with everyone here how they influence our society in an ethical way. Like any other topic, video games have a yin and yang, but which side outweighs the other?

How many people here enjoy playing video games in their free time, whether it be on your phone, a console, a computer, or some form of gaming device? These games we play come in many different forms, such as exploration, puzzles, MMOs, simulations, and the list continues to go on. Depending on the genre these games can affect our emotions. Games act as a gateway for us, a way to take a break from our stressful lives and relax. They allow us to connect to other people and interact, to play a game together with a friend, have some competition, work together to solve a problem, they challenge our skills. Succeeding in a challenging fight or puzzle gives us a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction, as if you got a perfect score on a challenging test. During an interview with different gamers, 84% of them said that video games have improved their mental health. Snodgrass, a scientist that has done various experiments on this subject said this, “it’s deeply relaxing, what some gamers describe as akin to meditation”  

However, as I mentioned before everything has a bad side, and video games are no different. The most common and well heard argument is that video games cause violence. There has been research on the idea of video games increasing violence, but in contrast they seem to lower the amount of violence in gamers. As Ferguson says in his report, “It is also noteworthy that the explosion in popularity and availability of video games has coincided with a precipitous decline in youth violence, not a rise” 

This shows how video games have a positive effect on your life while having miniscule drawbacks. However, video games can still have a negative impact on our society if they are used frequently, or replace time that should be spent doing chores, or homework, or sleeping. A researcher on the subject said this, “Many teens chronically fail to get the 8-9 hours of sleep they need to function optimally, and for some kids gaming time makes the difference” We can find ourselves getting enticed into a game and not wanting to quit, or skimming through our work so that we can get back to the game. Because of this video games should be a way to spend our free time, not to neglect work or other important activities.

From the points I have made today I hope that you and others will realize how video games have a positive impact on our society. In the right circumstances video games can improve our mental health and contrary to popular claims do not cause violence. They give us a way to interact with friends and can strengthen our skills. I hope that from this speech you have learned the importance of video games and their true effects.