Pitfalls of Children and Cloud Gaming
Video games have long been a hotbed of controversy when it comes to children, with both sides of the argument heatedly insisting that their contentions are the right ones. This argument stems from a wide variety of issues, spanning from the religious to the legal. The introduction of cloud gaming has increased this argument, given some of the attributes it includes.
So who is right? Is cloud video Gaming more of a benefit than a detriment to our children? Let’s take a look at some of the most important aspects of this argument, which will hopefully shed more light on this electrically-charged topic.
Advantages
Brain Train: While video games in general are considered to be helpful tools in the area of teaching kids how to think better and solve problems with more efficiency, this actually can come more into play with games played in the cloud. Due to the fact that everything happens in real time, decisions must be made much faster. This can lead to children recognizing solutions even quicker, a quality that can easily spill over into everyday life.
Social Development: Given that one of the driving forces behind cloud gaming is the interaction with other, real-world players, direct impact on social development is one of the results. This can include the enhanced ability to wok with others, as well as developing solid team-building skills.
Hand-Eye Coordination: Much of the activity in cloud gaming includes performing different actions at once, such as running and shooting. As such, it comes as no surprise that studies have shown that hand-eye coordination is an area shown to see marked improvement in children who play these games from an early age.
Pitfalls
Violence: No more hotly-contested point exists on the negative side of cloud gaming than violence. Studies have shown that aggression can increase in direct correlation to the amount of time children spend playing violent video games.
Strangers: The virtual worlds that make up all online and cloud gaming are filled with all kinds of people, from all ages and walks of life. Unfortunately, this also includes predators who are always on the lookout for unsuspecting victims. These nefarious characters can reach children in any number of ways in cloud gaming, including the games themselves, as well as forums and player communities.
Addiction: Video games are a lot of fun. While this is obviously an asset, it can also lead to addictive behavior in children. In fact, the most recent version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM-V, has included Internet Gaming Disorder a condition that needed to be studied for possible inclusion in future versions.
Conclusion
While the direct effects of online and cloud gaming on children is still a topic that requires quite a bit of additional study, it is not something you should dawdle on when it comes to your children. Always remember, the most effective way to help you children learn is to teach them yourself.
Do you have children and have an opinion on cloud gaming in terms of children? Let us know in the Comments section below!
By Joe Pellicone
