For those who never play them,
videogames make a convenient
scapegoat. Such people would
tell you that games are a menace
to society – airing views fuelled
by a certain sector of the press
exemplified by the Daily Mail which, in 2004 alone,
ran infamous front-page splashes entitled: ‘Murder
By PlayStation’ and ‘Ban These Evil Games’.The reality is very different, though: games can
be and are a force for good. The truth is that games
are used in education. They improve mental health –
treating cognitive disorders and improving the social
skills of those with learning disabilities. They have
physical benefits, too: as well as improving hand-
eye co-ordination and reaction times, they are used
in physiotherapy and occupational therapy, and can
be prescribed to help with pain management.Games are routinely reviled by those who don’t play them – but in
reality, they are a powerful force for good, for everyone
STEVE BOXER052 THE OFFICIAL XBOX MAGAZINE