Let’s Bust Those Gaming Myths

Gaming makes players into fat, anti-social, cold-blooded killers. Right? Right?! Nope! The BBC has a nice piece called “In Defense of Computer Games,” which aims to clue in John Q. Public about what gaming actually means. Think of it as antidote for questionable dummies like wacky Florida “lawyer.” From the BBC piece:

It’s a common misconception that gaming is a solitary activity, as today an increasing number of titles are for gamers to get together and play in turn. In this respect, it’s no different to golf — a game which can be a source of marital friction but is rarely accused of incitement to murder… Games like Halo are part of such a large sub-culture that people who don’t play them are likely to be seen as oddballs and excluded from many conversations — in much the same way as people who aren’t interested in football or who don’t have a television.

The piece goes on to cite a university professor who says gamers have more friends than non-gamers and mention evidence that games improve eye-hand coordination. Maybe it’s something in the air, but I get the feeling gaming’s days as the scapegoat for society’s ills are numbered. More of this level headed reporting please!
In Defense of Computer Games [BBC]