A study performed by researchers from the Chinese University of Electronic Science and Technology and Macquarie University showed that gamers have more grey matter and superior brain connectivity than average folks.
The study was conducted on a group of 27 pro gamers and 30 non-gamers, and researchers concluded that the gamers have increased connectivity between certain subregions in the insular cortex and more grey matter. What this means is that the gamers have superior muscle control, perception, reaction times, and motor skills, among other things.
For anyone that is a gamer, this shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Take fighting games for example. In most fighting games, mastering a character comes down to memorizing all of their combo chains, overheads, invincibility frames etc. It’s pure muscle memory, and mastery comes from hours upon hours of play.
In games like RPGs, where permanent death is a possibility, gamers will analyze every possible scenario to determine which path will ensure that no characters in their party dies. This skill isn’t pure luck, but something that you will naturally develop over time.
The people who claim gaming is nothing more than a mindless hobby have probably never seen a ‘Starcraft 2’ match. These guys and girls are likely good enough strategists to join the military. In the near future, real life may turn into a version of ‘Ender’s Game,’ with gamers being the next best military minds.
TL;DR: say yes to gaming, folks. It’s good for your brain.
