Everybody says games are bad for you, but everybody is a total jerk, because games are in fact awesome for you. I think. Maybe. Well, some of the time anyway. Games are awesome anyway, and they might well have some real world benefits as well. Edge had this thought provoking rundown of 15 things they think are clear benefits from gaming.
To be honest, I think they probably stretch a little to put some of these on the list. But one of the one's I've noticed is really true for me that you don't hear people talk about is the benefits of the Distraction Factor when it comes to avoiding other, even worse for you habits like smoking or overeating. I've found that, contrary to stereotypes, there's no better way to stop me from snacking between meals than getting engrossed in a good game for a few hours. If the game's good, it's easy to ignore the munchies. There's some interesting science to back this up, as a study of hard core online gamers recently showed that the BMI of those who play a lot is actually lower than average. Now, I really should go to the gym, but I think I'll play some more F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin instead...
