Wednesday, August 14, 2019 Game On! The skills developed by playing video games may help you get a job and boost your career. Guide Magazine When you’re off the clock, do you like to relax by playing a little World of WarCraft? Do you spend copious amounts of time on Fortnite? As gaming slowly sheds its bad reputation and nerd culture emerges from the basement to mainstream, employers across a range of industries are noting that gaming lends itself to other desirable work skills—specifically, roleplaying games (RPGs) and massively multiplayer online (MMO) games, which encourage teamwork and collaboration. 5 Gaming Gains to Help You Pwn* at Work 1. Memory – Many of the most popular video games like Fortnite and Minecraft require large amounts of concentration and memory: where you found specific resources or where you need to go next. Juggling multiple tasks and navigating a virtual space exercises your brain’s hippocampus, which improves long term memory and keeps your mind sharp as it ages. A 2015 study from the University of California found that those who played complex video games performed better at memory tasks than those who did not play video games. The study also found that when nongamers played a video game for just 30 minutes per day, their memory improved over time. 2. Decision Making – Fast-paced video games such as Need for Speed or Call of Duty require players to make quick decisions in a virtual high-pressure setting. In real life, many jobs call for quick decision making in stressful environments, with little to no deliberation or room for error. Video games can also improve long term planning, as many strategy games require players to plan ahead and make decisions that will benefit them down the road. 3. Problem Solving – Strategy games and RPGs challenge players to solve complex problems in a limited amount of time—whether it’s figuring out a puzzle or finding an escape route from your opponent. These problems involve memorization, critical analysis, creativity, and experimentation with trial and error—skills that are extremely beneficial when faced with complex challenges at work, where there’s little to no instruction. 4. Social Skills – Some people still hold the belief that gamers are antisocial loners, or that playing video games causes social isolation. But research out of the UK found that 70 percent of gamers played with friends. The online community is massive and growing, and people can play with others worldwide at any time. Online streaming and chat forums allow for real-time communication and connection, and many have even made careers by streaming their game experiences to a wide audience. 5. Brain Flexibility – Certain video games require constant thinking, strategy, and player input, which bolsters better brain flexibility and the capacity to learn new things. This carries into our jobs, where we constantly need to be taking in new information, thinking clearly, and developing new skills. Game Over! As with most good things, moderation is key. Recently, the World Health Organization updated its International Classification of Diseases to include gaming disorder to its list of modern diseases. Experts see gaming disorder on the same level as drug or alcohol addiction, defining it as “a pattern of persistent or recurrent gaming behaviour, which may be online or offline, manifested by impaired control over gaming, increasing priority given to gaming to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other life interests and daily activities and continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences.” If you believe you or a loved one may be addicted to gaming, many resources are available at olganon.org. *From urbandictionary.com: “An act of dominating an opponent. Originally dates back to the days of WarCraft, when a map designer misspelled ‘Own’ as ‘Pwn.’ What was originally supposed to be ‘player has been owned’ was ‘player has been pwned.’ Pwn eventually grew from there and is now used throughout the online world, especially in online games.” Sources: thestar.com, recordhead.biz Previous Next You might be interested in Standing Your Ground, and Staying Steady on the Job 4 Jun 2026 CLAC Partners with Alberta Government to Advance Skilled Trades Training and Accelerate Certification 4 Jun 2026 Strathcona Mechanical Workers Ratify New Agreement Providing Wage, Scheduling Improvements 3 Jun 2026 Ready to Deliver 3 Jun 2026