What do a passion for video games and a successful career have in common? A recent study conducted by OnePoll on behalf of World of Warships by Wargaming asked approximately 2,000 American adults to answer this very question, assessing the impact that video games had on their professional lives. If you’re short on time, you can check out the infographic here, or in the handy video below:
The bottom line? A whopping half of the respondents indicated that video games helped them succeed in life, with 42% additionally saying that they learned more helpful life skills through video games than the skills they gained in school. Given that games of all kinds (educational or otherwise!) are designed to foster critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication, it’s no wonder that gamers are walking away feeling empowered.
Survey respondents also spoke to myriad other benefits – 48% indicated they turn to games for an enjoyable challenge, and 79% said that the competitive element of some games can be therapeutic for them. One of the great benefits of learning through games is that games provide a safe place to fail, so it’s no surprise that gamers find relief in a form of competition with limited real-world consequences. Speaking of which, for those of us who are a bit stressed out by the real world, 60% of respondents also indicated that games are excellent stress relievers. Depending on the game, some titles are the perfect escape to help you chill out. You can check our list of games to chill out with here.
In terms of raw skills, respondents spoke to a number of positive benefits realized by their game hobby:
- Problem solving (58%)
- Memory (54%)
- Hand-eye coordination (53%)
- Concentration (53%)
- Strategy (50%)
- Multitasking (46%)
- Patience (32%)
- Creativity (30%)
- Social skills (27%)
- Communication (26%)
(source: SWNS Digital)
We’ve spoken before about how games can benefit skill training, and it’s encouraging to see that even in the absence of pedagogical design, players are realizing upskilling benefits. That being said, there’s no replacement for quality education design and the research proves it out, for everything from STEM learning to the Humanities.
Learn more about the positive benefits of games: