To Ban or to Pardon: Debunking Myths About Video Games and Exploring Their Benefits
Video games have recently become an easy scapegoat: they allegedly corrupt youth, pose a terrifying threat to young, impressionable minds, or something else equally outrageous. A quick glance at the news headlines could make the list of accusations almost endless.
Following the sensational headlines about the dangers of video games, new ones appear with words like "restrict," "block," "ban." That’s why we decided to compile all the reasons why such actions are unnecessary. Some of them may even surprise you.
What’s All the Fuss About?
Concerns about video games have been around since their very inception. Many people likely recall how parents, catching their kids playing a console, would exclaim: "Why do you spend so much time on that SEGA? You should read a book instead." Grandmothers were convinced games would ruin the television, while mothers feared that 40 minutes spent with a joystick in hand would "ruin the eyes" and destroy any ability to think.
Do you remember SEGA consoles?
Then, as PCs became a household staple, similar myths arose around computer games. Headlines such as "Parents saw what their children were playing and were horrified," "Video games suppress the hippocampus and cause depression," and "Computer games lead to the degradation of the frontal lobes" started to appear.
But even these claims seemed harmless compared to what came next. Video games began to be accused of something truly horrifying—some journalists and politicians suggested that gamers were more likely to become school shooters. As recently as 2024, such claims surfaced on Fox News, one of the largest U.S. television networks.
Human life has less value because of many of the social mores that have changed over the decades. From violent video games -- which I can tell you right now, I fully believe play a role in these type of tragic situations -- to the culture that has evolved surrounding the glorification of gangs and of violence and of lyrics to songs that espouse violence. It cheapens life and it gives a methodology, if you will, to these children.
To be prepared for future discussions, let’s debunk a few myths and look at video games from a different perspective.
Myth One: Games and Brain Health
Misconceptions about video games have been debunked many times, but as they say, repetition is the mother of learning. Let’s start with their impact on the brain, especially young ones. A study by European scientists, published back in 2011, introduced and reinforced the myth that video games "damage the brain." Some even claimed they "liquefy" it.
Yes, researchers did find something interesting: teenagers who played a lot of action video games showed slightly different hippocampus functioning—this part of the brain is involved in emotion and memory formation. However, scientists couldn't determine cause and effect. Was interest in such games responsible for the brain changes, or did pre-existing brain differences create an attraction to action games? Then, journalists (like us) sensationalized the findings.
Later, in 2022, American scientists conducted a similar study with a larger sample and published their findings in the scientific journal Media Psychology. This time, they concluded that there was no correlation between gaming and cognitive abilities.
Overall, neither duration of play nor video game genres played had significant correlations with the CogAT measures. Similarly, when using an “extreme-groups” approach to examine relations with playing a subset of games previously linked with certain enhancements in cognitive skill (i.e., action video games), no significant effects were observed.
Myth Two: Games and Mental Health
The first myth leads to another: that playing video games causes depression and social skill degradation. And that they supposedly lead to addiction. While the former is easily refutable—games, including computer games, are actually used in psychotherapy (which we’ll discuss later)—the latter is partially true. In 2023, the World Health Organization officially classified gaming disorder as a mental health condition. But there’s a nuance.
This doesn’t mean that games inherently cause addiction. Humans can become unhealthily obsessed with anything, especially if it brings pleasure.
Dosage is important. For something to become an addiction, a person has to cross a certain threshold. The issue isn’t with the games, but with people who sometimes act unwisely. Some people gamble without it becoming pathologic.
If you overdo anything—even seemingly beneficial activities like certain foods, exercise, or even water—it can be harmful. Water, for example, can be fatal due to hyperhydration. And yet, it hasn’t been banned!
Myth Three: Games and Violence
The campaign against video games that unfolded earlier this year was based on a simple, clear, and accessible slogan: "Protect the children."
The question is—protect them from what? From video games? As Vladimir Spiridonov explained to us, video games are just one form of play, which is an invaluable tool in child psychology. Learning and upbringing through play are among the most effective approaches.
You focus on video games, but how are they different from regular play? Only in form. At their core, they are the same. There's even a period when children are particularly receptive to play
But no one would argue that games come in different types—some are suitable for children, while others are not. Distinguishing one from the other and ensuring that a child doesn't end up playing a violent shooter is the responsibility of parents.
Still, this leads to another aspect of the myth: the claim that violence in video games directly correlates with real-life violence. As an example, people often cite school shooters.
The assumption is that these young individuals spent excessive time playing shooters, which led them to pick up real weapons. However, research does not support this claim.
Scant evidence has emerged that makes any causal or correlational connection between playing violent video games and actually committing violent activities
Some psychologists outright dismiss these fear-inducing claims.
There's not evidence of a correlation, let alone a causation" between videogames and violence
In 2023, yet another study was conducted, this time focusing on GTA 5 players. The results remained unchanged—playing the game had no impact on empathy levels. And empathy, the ability to feel for others, is a crucial factor in determining human behavior. Those who commit murder typically have either diminished empathy or a complete lack of it.
What’s the Benefit?
We’ve debunked the myths. Video games aren’t as bad as they are made out to be. But it’s also worth noting that they have evolved beyond mere entertainment. In psychology, video games are becoming a valuable therapeutic tool.
Studies have shown that video games help patients with post-traumatic stress disorder. Surprisingly, Tetris has been an effective treatment for nightmares related to PTSD.
Following therapy, hippocampal volume increased in the Tetris-playing group but not in the control group. Additionally, hippocampal growth was associated with a reduction in PTSD, depression, and anxiety symptoms.
In the US, there is even an entire institute where video games are actively used in therapy. For example, couples facing marital issues participate in sessions where they play It Takes Two together. Jokes about this game being a substitute for a marriage counseling session have become a reality.
No single game can fully capture the complexities of relationships, but this one at least gives players the opportunity to recognize their strengths and embrace the experience of overcoming challenges together. It's a beautiful reminder to see our loved ones as if we were meeting them for the first time.
Vladimir Spiridonov also highlighted in our conversation that this tool can and should be used. If a game is a simple and effective way to work through issues with children, then why should it be any different for adults?
A Coin Well Spent
If arguments about the general good aren’t convincing enough, then perhaps a more compelling argument is money. Video games today are a thriving, lucrative, and promising industry. Take Poland as an example. CD Projekt RED, the studio that brought the world The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, was once a group of talented but little-known developers. Today, not only is it a giant of the industry, but it also drives the entire country's economy.
The gaming company’s valuation hit 27.6 billion zloty (€6 billion) on Thursday, reported Gazeta.pl, surpassing three state-controlled firms: PKO BP (Poland's largest bank — ed. VGTimes), worth 27.3 billion zloty, as well as insurer PZU and oil refiner Orlen.
They overtook an oil refining company! So how can one not say that video games are the new oil? Cold, hard facts: in 2022, the global gaming industry generated approximately $184.4 billion. Meanwhile, the music industry brought in $26.2 billion, and the film industry grossed $26 billion at the box office.
Many are eager to "extract" this "oil." There are plenty of promising developers capable of creating the next big hit. However, they dive into this field for reasons other than money.
Let’s Talk About the Higher Purpose
Why do people play games? The answer is relatively clear: for entertainment, relaxation, unwinding, and sometimes to experience something truly beautiful. But why do people make games? As the developer of the indie hit Tiny Bunny told us, even he finds it difficult to answer this question at times.
The answer isn’t obvious. I think it's not about money or fame (though I admit, it’s nice when your name is at least somewhat recognized and you can make a living). For me, video games are a way to create an entire world—with its own logic, rules, and history. It’s a chance to share my thoughts, fears, hopes, and even the darkest corners of my soul. I believe video games are an art form. Perhaps even the most modern one.
If we view video games as an art form, then all the debates about violence become irrelevant. Like any piece of art, a game can explore disturbing themes. Tiny Bunny, for example, has plenty of them. And its most defining feature—interactivity—allows creators to shine a unique light on the complexities of the human soul.
It's like drawing a comic book, but with the ability to let the reader participate in the story, influence its course, and truly feel it. When I hear feedback about Tiny Bunny, I realize that it resonates with people. Some say the game made them think, experience strong emotions, or even change something in their lives. Some found solace in it. And that is the most valuable thing of all.
For hundreds of thousands of people around the world, game development is a job. And for many, it's more than that—it’s their life’s work. Something in which they have found their calling and a way to leave a mark on history.
It’s an opportunity to create something that will outlive me, something that will touch the hearts of others. I believe that games are a force capable of making the world a better place, teaching us empathy, understanding, and, ultimately, reminding us of our humanity.
Does that sound pretentious? Overly grandiose? As the author of these lines, I say not at all. And I have proof.
Try to recall your favorite game. Now think about the emotions that made it stay in your memory. The most emotional moments—whether it was a death that brought you to tears or a victory that filled you with pride—surely, something specific comes to mind.
Can you recall any moments from games that touched your heart?
Now consider this: it didn’t happen on its own. Somewhere, someone—just like you—reached across space and time and stirred your soul, even if just a little. And that is beautiful. That is art.
It would be a shame if a few people in offices with buttons decided to put an end to it, wouldn’t it?
