Within the entertainment sector, gaming is enjoying an almost unrivalled period of success currently. In 2017, it was thought that 2.2 billion global gamers ensured that the gaming sector generated over $100bn in revenue. These figures are likely to only increase in 2018 with more people getting into gaming.
However, can gaming do more than just give you a fun way to kill a few hours?
Gaming can help you train your brain
Various studies over recent years, such as one carried out by University College London and Queen Mary University of London, found that gaming could help you improve your brainpower in vital areas. Strategic thinking was one major skill they found could be improved by gaming. This ability is becoming increasingly sought after by employers, who need people who can think for themselves in fast-moving environments.
Here are some ways that gaming helps boost this important facet of your cognitive skills:
- Cognitive flexibility – this is a specific skillset within strategic thinking that can be improved by playing games that involve any kind of strategy or puzzle-solving element. It gets players used to responding to the changes within the game to succeed and constantly being able to redefine their overall game plan as a result.
- Improved decision-making – another aspect of strategic thinking that can be improved by gaming is your decision-making. Research found that you are able to transfer the abilities that you develop when making in-game decisions quickly into real life.
- Creative-thinking skills – being able to think strategically also means having a healthy dose of creativity. This means that you can react to the world around you and find new or innovative ways of solving problems. The many strategy games out there, such as StarCraft, are great at making you be more creative to win out in the game.
- Forward planning – a major aspect of strategic thinking is being able to plan ahead in games. This is not only in terms of what you want to do but also what other external factors may affect it. Once more, gaming helps greatly here as it always makes you keep other players in mind while allowing you to hone your planning skills.
Think strategically for success
There is no doubt that regularly challenging your strategic abilities can improve your cognitive skills. A sharper mind can help in your professional and social life and so gaming suddenly becomes a hobby that can drive you towards success.
The availability of high stake games online means that gamers who feel capable of taking the challenge to the next level can do just that. There is no better example than online casino games which are designed to test your strategic skills with great rewards. Rather than jump in at the deep end, though, you can play for real on Stakers or just play for fun until you feel comfortable taking that next step.
If you really want to get on in life, then being able to think ahead in a creative way while being agile enough to move with the situation is key. Luckily for all you gamers out there, this is just what many of the most popular games around help you to do. Naturally, it can depend on the game you play, but many of the most popular online games around now are suitable in this way.
