In modern society, the creation of various types of video games has captured a growing interest among teenagers. It is commonly believed that gaming has bad effects, but many disregard the positive effects it can also have. Depending on the type of game, the player can learn and practice many skills which involve hand-eye coordination, cognitive abilities, problem solving, multi-tasking, decision making, and more. There are different genres of video games, ranging from Real-time strategy (RTS), First-person-fighter (FPF), Action-adventure, Multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA), Sandbox, and sports.

Those against teenagers being exposed to video games often argue that video games only have harmful effects. Some bad effects can be sleep deprivation, insomnia, aggression, depression, and anxiety. This can be the case when too much time is spent playing video games on a daily or weekly basis. It is recommended to play between 30 to 60 minutes per day, or less than 15 hours a week. (Child Mind Institute) If the playing amount is between these numbers, video gaming can have positive results for players.

One genre of video games that is very popular among teenagers is the First Person Fighter games, which is where the player plays the game from a first person point of view. This genre has a popular subgenre called Battle Royale. Battle Royale games are games where players drop into a map with a team to find resources and weapons to eliminate other groups and be the last ones standing. This fast-paced video game requires the player to always be alert for danger, have quick thinking, and have creative strategies for winning fights. 

Senior Anooshik Tahmasian started to play Battle Royale games her freshman year in high School. The game helps with teamwork, communication, and listening among teammates. “I really enjoy the verbal aspect, as in communicating with my team to play while trying to win together,” Tahmasiansaid. It can be argued that these games can make you more violent — however, Tahmasian disagreed. “Though the games can be violent, I wouldn’t say it has made me and my friends more aggressive because we play a moderate amount.” For Tahmasian, it’s a way to take a break and have fun.

Another genre of video games that is very popular among teenagers is sports games. There are many types of sports games ranging from soccer, basketball, baseball, and football. Sport games not only require players to play in teams to score points, but also require them to put their skills to the test to win their matches. Sport games enhance the player’s precision, reaction time, creativeness, ability to work in a team, accuracy, and smart decision making skills. 

Sophomore Rene Mehdikhani has been playing FIFA, a popular soccer game, for many years now and agrees with these effects. “I enjoy playing FIFA and buy the new one every year because I really appreciate the sport,” Mehdikhanisaid. Mehdikhani feels that playing FIFA has increased his hand eye coordination, decision making skills, and his overall confidence to push his limits. “Since I also play soccer in real life, I feel that my perspective of the game has changed and my team playing has improved.”

Gaming can be often looked down upon by those that oppose it, claiming it does more harm than good. After all, too many hours spent on it can lead to harmful behaviors and side effects. If done in the right amount, it can help to benefit the gamer in many ways, which include learning and improving many essential skills.