Studies suggest that both children and adults have multiple motivations to play video games and both experience positive benefits from the interactive form of entertainment

• Children play video games because they are a fun way to pass time, they bring excitement, they are a challenge, they immerse a player into a virtual world, they are interactive, and they are relaxing.
• Some feel that as they grow older, they want to engage in more brain stimulating activities such as music or reading to pass time, while many others still enjoy video games.
• There are games designed for all types of personalities that offer positive benefits for people of all ages.
  

There is no denying the fact that kids love video games. These popular forms of entertainment are available in numerous genres, allowing almost everyone to find a game that interests them. When I was a child, my personal favorite game that I would play on my Nintendo Game Cube was “Super Smash Bros.” But what is it about these games that attract children to become engaged with them?

There are various reasons why children may desire to play video games in their free time. A study conducted by Cheryl K. Olson of Massachusetts General Hospital found that the top reasons children give for playing video games include that games are “fun, exciting, and have the challenge to figure things out.” Players report that they feel a sense of achievement if they succeed in a game that was originally difficult for them.

When children participants in focus groups were asked what made a video game fun to play more than once, challenge was a key factor.

Another article from “Net Family News” states that children appreciate the engagement with a virtual world that is created through video games. It states, “Children love immersion, they love to really get their heads into things and stay with them for a long time – stories, games, relationships.” Personally, I loved playing “Super Smash Bros” because I was able to pick a character that I could pretend to be and enter a fantasy world.

The trademark of most video games is that they transform traditional forms of entertainment into an interactive form that allows players to participate in shaping the games.

In addition, Olson’s study displays that “two thirds (62%) of boys and 44% of girls who played electronic games somewhat or strongly agreed that they sometimes used games to help them relax.”

These are only a few of the many reasons children have stated to enjoy playing video games. As a kid, I loved the immersion aspect of the games, as stated earlier. I found video games to be a great activity to pass time while with friends, and I thought that they were simply fun and enjoyable overall.

Some, including myself, though, reach a point in time where they no longer find video games as desirable. Several reasons that I eventually lost interest in "Super Smash Bros" include that I no longer had an abundance of free time to spend in front of my television, I began to find more real-life forms of interactive media such as social media to be more appealing, and my friends and I began to find enjoyment in other activities than interactive games when spending time together.

Ryan Sims blog on medium.com states, “Maybe this change of perspective is just me getting older. Instead of craving a silly new game to entertain my brain, I want to feed it now.” He has spent 1,300 hours of his life on one video game and now feels he needs to stop. He has decided to use reading or listening to music as a new way to pass time. Not all video game users have shown to stop playing as they age, though.

According to a report from the Entertainment Software Association, the average age of today's game player is 37.

Winda Benedetti from the Today Show suggests, “Games are not just mindless entertainment, but a pastime that keeps your brain active as you age.” Video games allow you to solve creative puzzles, partake in a wide array of fitness activities, and enjoy a good shooting game as one may enjoy watching an action movie.


According to a survey of 2,000 respondents conducted by Ipsos, a private research organization, 37% of video gamers are over the age of 36. This number can be surprising to many, as the average video game player is commonly thought of as a teenage boy. Due partially to the development of various genres of games, though, the market is extremely broad.

Although I may not play video games anymore, I certainly do not represent the average person. "Super Smash Bros" lost its appeal, as it is a game designed for young players. Possibly if I partook in a game designed for females of my age, I would find it to be more tempting.

Benedetti enforces in her article, “Whether you're a kid, an adult, someone who likes lots of action or someone who prefers something more thought-provoking — there's a game out there for you.”

Video games offer a positive interactive environment for people of all ages. Statistics have suggested positive impacts from game playing on adults in the same way that they impact kids. Even though I am no longer interested in playing in an interactive world with Mario and Luigi, the video game industry now provides many other games that will provide my brain with challenge and may provide some relaxation in my often stressful lifestyle. The graphic provided to the right shows many of the numerous genres that are available.


There are many obvious reasons why video games appeal to children. These same benefits of video games apply to people of all ages and genders. The user interface and interactive media has improved with technology over time, and these enhancements have proven to be taken advantage of by all. The video game industry has designed itself to provide entertainment that will satisfy a wide market, and it has succeeded in doing so.


This article answers question 6 in the textbook.