Late last evening (More like early this morning) I was caught up in my favorite pass time, video-games. While the victory cries of my teammates echoed in my mind, my eye was caught by the lonely clock widget at the bottom of my screen. At first I thought that my eyes were deceitful. 3 am? It couldn't be. I've only been playing for a few minutes. So, I swiftly got up from the comfort f my desk chair and opened my bedroom door. What I was met with, was pure darkness and silence. The clock was right. 3 am. But how does this happen? The notion of playing video-games until the early hours of the morning might seem ludicrous, however it's something that I find quite common, especially during the holiday time.
I've recently been busy with exams at school (Fortunately the exams have been successfully finished) and I haven't had the time to play much. This time away from games has given me a lot of time to reflect on my virtual escapades. It made me realize what qualities make video-games so special, more so than most other forms of entertainment.
Virtual Comradery
Nothing brings people together more effectively than a common goal. This is no exception in video-games. Almost all multiplayer focused games have goals, and these goals are mostly reached by working together with other like minded players. Whether it be banding together against computer generated foes, or real life users. The use of teamwork is usually very strongly incentivized. And nothing quite matches the thrill of reaching victory with your virtual comrades.
A team of players partaking in a World of Warcraft raid.
Home away from home
This might sound odd to the uninitiated, however many people (including myself) view certain video-game worlds as a second home. This feeling of deriving comfort from video-games is often stigmatized against, and is wrongfully labeled as having an addiction to your virtual world of choice. The truth (In my experiences at least) is that gamers spend a lot of time in certain video game worlds. This creates a sense of familiarity and comfort when playing your favorite game, due to the amount of time spent experiencing it This sensation could be best compared to the feeling of watching your favorite film when you're sick, or listening to a special song when you're feeling down. Video games have a calming effect on those who associate these virtual worlds with good memories, and time they've enjoyed spending there.
Stromwind city, a location in World of Warcraft.
Image source
Spending time with friends
Video games, like most other forms of entertainment, can be a social affair. Some of my best friends have been made while adventuring in virtual worlds. The main appeal of playing games with your friends, is the ability to spend quality time together, without being in the same room. This enables more people to be social, despite physical limitations. You could be sick and still play with your friends. Another benefit of playing games with other people, is the ability to meet other like minded individuals online. Their avatars might be virtual, but the person controlling them certainly isn't.
My time away from video-games made me realize just how fond I am of completing virtual quests with my friends, and the fact that I'm not planning on stopping anytime soon.