Is Gaming A Hobby? (Let’s find out)

With more and more people staying at home nowadays, it is not surprising that a significant number of people turn to online or video games as a hobby to amuse themselves. Not only is it entertaining but also very convenient to do at home. However, is gaming really an appropriate hobby to have?

Classifying gaming as a hobby is a subjective matter because it comes down to the individual person. Gaming in the modern era is considered a hobby when it is done for leisure and pleasure during the person’s free time.

Gaming is no doubt one of the famous practices that people of all ages enjoy these days. There are also many things to learn about it. Continue reading as we take a further look into different gaming topics including their benefits, drawbacks, and more.

Is gaming a hobby?

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a hobby is defined as “an activity that someone does for pleasure when they are not working.” If you are one who adheres to this definition, then you can definitely regard gaming as a hobby.

So how long can I play video games to consider it as a hobby? According to Forbes, you should spend 20% of your time daily, that is 4.8 hours, on hobbies that spark interest for you. Spending more than this suggested time may lead to addiction and affect your way of life.

When can I say that I am addicted to gaming?

When video games start interfering with your life and affecting your daily activities, then you are likely to be addicted. For adults, the amount of time doesn’t matter as much so long as they are able to live their life with complete balance and productivity.

How can gaming be a job?

Essentially, a job is a task or work that is done in pursuit of earning money. Hence, if you are able to sustain a stable amount of money to support yourself and pay your bills, then you can consider gaming as your job.

Gaming-related jobs are now gaining popularity among younger individuals. One particular way of earning money through gaming is live streaming. As more people get into video games, more people are also interested to improve their gaming by way of watching others. That is probably why live streaming is catching on nowadays.

How can gaming be a sport?

You must have probably heard of Electronic sports or Esports at least once in your life. Esports works the same way as the conventional sports that we are used to. Basically, Esport players use skills to win in a competition just like other sports. Some professional Esports teams also have coaches, managers, and analysts to strategize and train players.

Some popular Esports nowadays are League of Legends, Call of Duty, Counter-Strike: Dota, Global Offensive, Overwatch, and many more.

How popular is gaming as a hobby?

Video games have evolved to be one of the most popular entertainments in the world. In fact. more than 214 million Americans play video games regularly, that’s 64% of the US adults and 70% under 18 according to Entertainments Software Association’s (ESA) “2020 Essential Facts About the Video Game Industry”.

This popularity also led to the enormous growth of the video game industry and other video game-related activities. Believe it or not, this industry generates billions of dollars per year and provides almost half a million jobs in the US alone.

How can I improve my gaming skills?

There are several factors that can influence your gaming skills such as hand and eye coordination, reflexes, focus, and more. Working on these factors can really take time but this shouldn’t discourage you in any way. The main key to improving your skills is being patient and consistent.

Below are other things you can do to level up your gaming skills.

• Play as many games as you can.

By doing this, you can gain relevant experiences and develop gaming techniques that work for you. However, make sure to only play accordingly without affecting your day-to-day life.

• Researching

Games differ from each other in terms of many things. Knowing about these differences can surely help your decision-making skills and strategizing.

• Talk with your fellow gamers

Sometimes, you can learn the most valuable lessons from simply listening to other people. The same thing applies to gaming. Getting involved in a community of gamers will give you a chance to receive advice and suggestions that can improve your skills.

• Stay healthy

A healthy body gives you a healthy mind that is more alert and focused when doing fast-paced tasks like gaming. Remember to pay attention to your body, get proper sleep, eat healthily and exercise regularly.

What are the advantages that I can get from gaming?

Over the years, people believe that there are more drawbacks to video games than their benefits. While it’s true that gaming has its drawbacks, they are not enough to actually outweigh the benefits of gaming in moderation.

First of all, video games can be good for your brain. Yes, you heard that right. The different puzzles and obstacles in video games can serve as a workout for your brain. Having this workout regularly can increase your brain’s gray matter improving your muscle control, perception, and even memories. It can also help enhance brain connectivity and improve mental health reducing the chances of anxiety and depression.

Gaming also promotes better social and communication skills. In fact, children who played video games regularly were able to excel in their social environment according to past study findings.

Another benefit that might surprise you is that video games can actually improve vision according to a study published in the Sage Journals. The results have shown that gamers have better visual abilities compared to non-gamers. This showed in their lane-keeping and visuomotor skills while playing driving or first-person shooter game.

Are there any negative effects of gaming?

One specific drawback that we often hear is that video games are addictive. While many may argue, this is actually a fact. Gaming improves our mood and gives us that boost of dopamine. Dopamine is a type powerful neurotransmitter in the brain that plays a part in how we feel pleasure. Because of this, gamers want to play more and more.

Video games can also promote violent behaviors, especially among children. While there is not much tangible evidence to back this up, research suggests that playing violent video games increases aggressive feelings, thoughts, and behavior.

Excessive video gaming is also associated with losing focus. increase impulsiveness among individuals.

To avoid any of these negative effects, limit your gaming time and get yourself active in other hobbies.

Wrapping it up

Gaming has evidently become one of the most loved and famous hobbies worldwide. At present, it is not just a hobby as it can also qualify to be a job and sport. There are also many benefits that gaming can give, however, there are also negative effects that every gamer should learn about.

Playing and winning a game is sure thrilling and exciting, but we shouldn’t let these extreme emotions control us in any way. Remember to always game responsibly!