This Surprise Fact About Video Games Might Shock Wyoming

This is going to give every gamer kid in the Cowboy State a little cannon fodder on why there parents should fork out some serious cash to purchase them the latest home gaming system and/or a multitude of games.

The Surprising Fact About Playing Video Games

Get ready, because this might be a shocker to some, but according to several studies, playing video games can significantly increase creativity.

According to a 2021 study conducted by Cambridge University:

Creativity contributes to both personal and societal growth. Recently, new methods for assessing and fostering creativity using video games have been proposed and tested. Our main findings show that not all video games can enhance creativity – some game genres have more potential to enhance creativity than others. Specifically, video games that have the most potential for enhancing creativity are those that facilitate flow, allow players to co-create the game, and enhance players’ intrinsic motivation.

That was a summary of a single study. Over the course of the last fifteen to twenty years, there have been several. A separate study from Michigan State University conducted in 2011, featured five hundred 12-year-olds and found that the more kids played video games, the more creative they were in tasks such as drawing pictures and writing stories.

What Types of Video Games Enhance Creativity the Most?

As the Cambridge University eluded to, open-ended sandbox games and games that encourage player co-creation, design, or strategic thinking work best. Research suggests that regardless of genre or violence, playing video games can foster cognitive flexibility, imagination, and problem-solving skills.

The key factor is “Active Creation” versus “Passive Consumption“. In Layman’s terms, playing a video game like Minecraft enhances creativity more than say, Super Mario Party Jamboree.

So What Are “Sandbox Games”?

Sandbox games are a video game with a gameplay element that provides players a great degree of freedom to interact creatively, usually without any predetermined goal, or with a goal that the players set for themselves. They are often associated with an open world concept which gives the players freedom of movement and progression within the parameters of the game’s world.

The term “sandbox” derives from the nature of a physical sandbox, which lets people create nearly anything they want within it.

Example of sandbox games are:

• Minecraft
• Fortnite
• Roblox
• Portal 2
• Crayon Physics Deluxe
• Little Big Planet
• Physics Playground
• Sim City
• Grand Theft Auto III

There Can Be Negative Effects of Playing Video Games as Well

Like with literally everything on the planet, moderation is key. You can have too much of a good thing. A Harvard University study found that excessive video game usage can lead to significant negative effects on both your mental and physical health, such as:

• Addiction
• Reduced Academic and/or Work Performance
• Increased Aggression
• Obesity
• Eye Strain
• Musculoskeletal Issues
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Sleep Disruption

Again, the key is moderation, but it is nice to know that there are positive and beneficial factors to video gaming.