According to Verizon, a week after the coronavirus quarantine went into effect, gaming in the US increased by 75%. Among teenagers, gaming increased by 35% during the lockdown. Despite the concern of parents who may worry that their kids are spending too much time on their gaming devices, new research shows that the benefits of playing video games may outweigh the risks.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has endorsed the gaming industry’s #PlayApartTogether, which encourages social distancing in an effort to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. In addition, game developers and publishers have been actively promoting WHO health guidelines with in-game messages.
As schools around the country shut down, games have provided educational opportunities for teachers and students. Minecraft has created an Education Edition, a set of tutorials and game features that bring subjects to life and support teachers with classroom management and educational assessment. Ubisoft has also granted teachers free access to Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, which is set in Ancient Greece and features history quizzes, on the Google Stadia platform.
Gaming also has a positive influence on girls. Research in the UK shows that 13 to 14-year-old girls who play games often are more likely to develop an interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects.
In the past, many parents feared they would be unable to control the content their children accessed on gaming platforms. Nowadays, though, most popular gaming platforms have parental control options, including ESRB game content ratings that allow parents to filter games by ratings. Also, social gaming platforms like Twitch and Discord allow users to report online abuse, and parents can restrict gaming times and in-game purchases.
Parents are encouraged to play games with their children to better understand what draws them to gaming. The Family Online Safety Institute, an international nonprofit organization, is also a good resource for parents concerned about their children's gaming habits. The organization emphasizes that gaming can help kids make friends around the world, improve collaboration and communication skills, and enhance creativity, strategy and problem-solving skills.
Source: Verizon