Essay on video games

Can playing video games be considered a sport? If so when and where? Video games have effectively infiltrated today’s sport almost beating traditional sports in terms of popularity (Hallmann, Kirstin, and Thomas, 2018). The popularity of video games has been a cause of increasing concern among parents who feel that some games especially those that have violent or sexual subject matter are harming their children psychologically and emotionally. Some critics of these video games have also argued that they influence the behavior as well as the attitudes of the players. Such critics have called for increased regulation and oversight as far as these games are concerned. However, proponents attribute such negative press to media sensationalism and argue that video games are simply an educative as well as expressive medium-no different from music, drama and so on.

Most people argue video games are simply an imitation of traditional sport. This is a similar attitude to the one most people had about the capabilities of the internet to revolutionize retail during its early stages of adoption. On the other hand, video games should be considered a sport despite its minimal physical engagement. The time we live in is different and a definition from centuries ago also has to evolve with the times. Consider this, video gaming is very entertaining and there is a video game for literally everything. Golfers are also considered sportsmen and yet they hardly have any physical effort in their sport. To justify why video games should be considered a sport, several issues need to be considered. For instance, in terms of professionalism, video games are catching up.

Part of the reason they were considered games is because, there are no professional video gamers in the same way there are professional athletes, golfers etc. Today there are thousands of young people who earn exclusively from being good at playing video games (Anderson, et al, 2007). Whereas other sports put physical limitations on the participants, video games don’t; anyone can play. There is no need for conditioning to build muscle and so forth. They are also very safe. Critics of video game argue that they add no value. This is a misinformed opinion most likely offered by people who do not partake in playing the game. There seems to be a double-standard as far as appropriateness is concerned. How come the violence, nudity, and coarse language in most digital media gets overlooked or simply censored and accepted.

In the same way, games can be censored and tailored for appropriate audiences. This way, if an adult wants to play an adult game, they can. And when an under-age child wants to enjoy the game, the parental controls can be activated so that only select content can be viewed. The youth of today derive more entertainment from partaking in these games than they do in from traditional sport activities. Video games allow for inclusivity, that is, everyone can learn and play them. The gaming craze that is currently sweeping the world is just beginning, and it’s here to stay. Rather than fighting it due to the alleged negative effects, it would be more prudent to regulate the gaming industry appropriately to ensure appropriate audiences are targeted and engaged. References Hallmann, K.

A. Buckley, K. E.  Violent video game effects on children and adolescents: Theory, research, and public policy. Oxford University Press. R. Human aggression: A social cognitive view.  The Sage handbook of social psychology, 259-287.