Why Playing Video Games Is GOOD For You

The question of why we play video games can be boiled all the way down to one simple desire. We want to win. A video game is just that, a game to be beaten and with that success comes a feeling of satisfaction and emotional reward.

And as research into game-play loops, level and boss design, UI and AI and everything else in between has expanded, so too has the mediums ability to illicit true emotion from the player without them even knowing it's happening. No one likes to lose and so hidden tweaks such as Bioshock Big Daddies running at a slower pace when your back is turned or Street Fighter allowing a generous window of input buffering for you to chain together combos all makes you feel empowered without spelling it out to you.

This nurturing of success in audiences isn't the same as simply giving them a free pass, but what it does is make them engage and learn skills at a pace that isn't so punishing that they become angry and leave the title altogether. So whether you're eking out a bit of coyote time in Crash Bandicoot or having your last bullet deal extra damage to help out in a pinch, the result is the same. You can do this, and you're getting better each and every time you try.