 Video games are more popular than ever. Games like Fortnite have gone completely mainstream, and now almost everybody considers themselves a gamer. In the past, video games have been looked down. They have been accused of causing habits of violence or addictive behaviors. But what about the benefits of playing video games? Here are some reasons you might want to game hard in 2019. 1. Video games are linked with emotional stability. Here at Psych2Go, we're all about helping and educating others on everything related to psychology, and emotional stability is a huge part of that. A 2012 study suggested that immersive games in particular appear to be the most beneficial, because they allowed gamers to try out different versions of themselves. Games like Red Dead Redemption 2 are so immersive that people can go anywhere and do anything. We're allowed to explore our own personalities and see what fits best with our ideal selves, and according to research, this helps a lot with emotional stability. 3. Video games improve visual motor coordination. You might have heard previously that video games improve hand-eye coordination. It's true. In fact, a recent study found that video games improve all visual motor coordination, which is when vision and movement work together to produce actions. For example, in first person shooters, gamers must aim quickly and accurately at small targets. In driving games, we make small steering adjustments at high speeds. When we boost our visual motor coordination, we get better at all kinds of tasks, including walking, driving, sports, and even basic tasks, like getting dressed in the morning. 4. Playing certain video games boosts social skills. We all know that in 2019, some of the best video games are the ones we can play online with our friends. But until recently, no one really considered the benefits of these games. In 2014, a very interesting study was published on the subject, which proposed that immersive, social video games help gamers develop pro-social skills. In these games, you have to figure out who you can trust, who to make friends with, and how to lead a group. And yes, those skills can definitely be transferred from the game world into the real world. 5. Video games are linked with better vision. We've been told that staring at a screen all day is bad for our eyes, but what if video games actually improves our vision? There have been quite a few studies on this. Games can boost visual contrast sensitivity, which is basically the ability to distinguish between different shades of grey. One study even found that video game treatments can cure a lazy eye, which is also known as ampliopia. That being said, don't stare at a screen all day playing video games with the excuse of trying to improve your eyesight. 6. Video games might help with dementia. Almost everyone's a little fearful of getting old, and one big reason is dementia. Once again, it's video games to the rescue. A 2016 study found that playing video games helped older patients restore their cognitive functions. This included benefits like improving walking abilities, better moods, and better social interactions with friends and family. 7. Video games can help teens blow off steam. Being a teen isn't easy, and most of us remember having a lot of pent up emotions during this time. If anybody needs to blow off some steam, it's your average teenager. And according to a 2007 study, video games are a great way to do that. The study found that teens were relieving a lot of stress by playing video games. So instead of causing aggression, video games might actually be helping teens vent by getting aggressive in the game world instead of the real world. To summarize this video, what's your favorite video game? Comment below. Share this video with a friend of yours who plays. Also, we started a Patreon recently. If you'd like to support our mission to make psychology more accessible for everyone, consider checking out the link in the description below. Five people will randomly get a free physical psych-to-go magazine for simply donating $2 or more a month.