“Game Over” is a common pairing of words that most, if not all people who play video games have seen in their time. Most people shrug off that phrase and simply restart in the hopes of clearing the level or beating the game.  Restart and chill out.

As it turns out, video games provide other benefits aside from an escape from the world for a little while. Players may gain valuable lessons in decision making, moral choices, and may even become more sociable.

There are many different types of video games, which suit the interests of many different types of people. These can range from the action-packed games like “Call of Duty” to the lighter fare casual games such as “Candy Crush.” Just about any type of game can provide a lesson or benefit for the player. 

Reporter Danny Gallagher in  The Week writes, “Most video games require fast reactions and split-second decisions that can mean the difference between virtual life and virtual death.” Popular first-person shooter games such as “Call of Duty” and “Battlefield” challenge players with how fast they can react to the situation and to enemy players. The ever-popular online multiplayer game “League of Legends” also takes this into account, with players having to stay aware and use their abilities accordingly to either chase an enemy or escape death. 

A misplaced cross-hair or a mistimed mouse click can mean having to re-spawn and having to rethink one’s strategy. By having quicker reaction times, players can make decisions and stay alive.  Maybe this reaction time could translate into real-life situations, like the quick decision-making needed in sports or while driving.

Many games also make use of moral choices, in which the player decides the outcome of the game and fate of it’s characters. The critically-acclaimed “Fallout 3” makes excellent use of this by providing different rewards for either good or bad deeds performed by the player. Baylor University professor, Daniel Shafer wrote, “such games are engaging and realistic, and offer a deeper experience.” 

One popular title, “The Walking Dead Game,” makes use of both of these ideas. In order to progress, the player must both react to “Quick-Time Events”, which cause a player to react in a set amount of time, and quickly make moral decisions which affect the story and its outcome. If not played carefully, many characters will not live to see another day, so players must decide on how to interact with others in order to keep them alive. 

Depending on how the player decides to approach a situation, the outcome of the game changes. This isn’t the case for many games, but more and more games are integrating this idea into their game-play.  This causes players to think about their decisions in order to have a favorable outcome, and may reflect their own personal ideals.

That’s not to say people won’t pick the other choice just out of curiosity, but they may feel a sense of guilt or regret for having picked the unfavorable choice.

On the subject of being sociable, the age old stereotype of “People who play video games are introverted” is very untrue. Psychology teacher Mrs. Dawn Murphy said, “I’ve seen both extroverts and introverts completely become absorbed in them.” She describes that it doesn’t matter what type of personality a person has. It simply depends on if a person enjoys playing video games or not.

Along with this, people gain interests while playing games, and, in turn, may become more sociable with people who share those interests with them.

Of course, everything is best when done in moderation. A “Game Over” or “You Lose” every so often isn’t such a bad thing. Always make sure to take a break while playing. In any case, video games can become a valuable source for real world skills and social interaction.