The Benefits of Competitive Gaming

The news cycle often portrays and inundates its audience with opinions that video games melt brains and are a complete waste of time with negative consequences without acknowledging the positive impacts. Parents are terrified of allowing their children to engage in these activities and buy into the negative stereotypes applied to gamers. In this essay, I argue that individuals should engage in competitive gaming, exemplified by CS:GO, because of the numerous positive impacts on cognitive ability, social benefits, and potential career opportunities. This essay will be a case study of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), but the observations apply to all team-based competitive games. I will begin by defining and explaining what competitive gaming, specifically CS:GO, is. I will then lay out the positive impacts competitive gaming has on individuals in terms of cognitive ability. After, I will move on and explain the positive impacts on social skills and social life. Finally, my third and final argument will discuss the many career opportunities brought about by competitive gaming and why it is a feasible area of interest. I will then conclude these three concepts and explain why they tilt the scale in favour of playing competitive video games.

What is Counter-Strike: Global Offensive?

CS:GO is a competitive game in which players play the role of either terrorists or counter-terrorists with the objective of either killing all enemy teammates, planting a bomb or defusing a bomb before the timer runs out. Players must manage their economy to purchase weapons and equipment, work together through communication and deciding strategy, utilize skill and reaction time and make split-second decisions. CS:GO is known as a difficult game to master due to the complex nature and hours required to play the game at a high level. Throughout this essay, CS:GO specifically, and competitive gaming in general, will be discussed; all positive impacts apply to other team-based multiplayer, competitive games.

The Cognitive Benefits of CS:GO

When one plays a competitive video game such as CS:GO, a high level of cognitive ability and strategic decision-making is necessary for a successful experience. Research conducted by Bediou et al. (2018) concluded that “individuals who choose to play action video games regularly exhibit better cognitive skills than those who play little to no video games.“ All actions in the game result from the mind working and using quick reflexes, decision-making, and problem-solving skills. When playing a competitive video game, large quantities of information must be rapidly processed to effectively win rounds. Firstly, there is the visual input, the map, enemies, moving parts and action happening live on the screen. Second, there are memory aspects to do with the layout of the game maps, the function of different controls, what components of the game do, the information communicated by teammates and dominant strategies to be employed while playing the game. Reaction time is vital, where one must take all these inputs in and make split-second decisions on where to shoot, run to, or throw a grenade. Due to the nature of competitive video games, especially CS:GO and other first-person shooter multiplayer games, cognitive ability and reaction time are employed regularly during gameplay.

The first aspect of cognitive ability improved by playing a game like CS:GO is problem-solving skills. A given situation that the player has little control over presents itself, and a plan must be determined and executed in real-time; this involves employing and exercising problem-solving skills, such as how to avoid an obstacle, where to plant the bomb, should this doorway be smoked off, or where the enemy player is potentially located. Players must make quick decisions in high-pressure situations in very short amounts of time. By repetitively putting oneself in these scenarios, one becomes comfortable with making a decision and acting on it under stress. Research supports this with Reynaldo et al. (2021) stating, “video games tend to train a person’s mind by doing actions and puzzles that require thinking problem solving in a short time, thus improving their intelligence on problem solving, cognitive aspects and time management.” Decision-making and problem-solving skills are extremely valuable and transferable to real life, whether in the workplace or dealing with common day-to-day challenges and tasks.

Players develop focus, hand-eye coordination, reaction time, spatial awareness, and visual processing abilities while playing a game like CS:GO. Games can last anywhere from 20–60 minutes, requiring undivided attention to teammate communication and what is happening on the screen in the game. In the age of 10-second TikToks and YouTube shorts, focus is not very common among people, and gaming is a way to practice it. An ability to focus is very advantageous in the workplace and in ensuring that one can complete everyday tasks promptly. A study conducted by Griffith et al. (1983) discovered a significant advantage in hand-eye motor coordination in video game users. Hand-eye coordination, reaction time, spatial awareness, and visual processing abilities are employed every second one is playing a competitive video game, needing to be the first to make a shot, recognizing the distance between the player and a wall for safety, how far moving enemies and objects are, and navigating complex environments. An experiment conducted by Dorval et al. (1986) showed that video game players achieve higher spatial visualization test scores. These skills are also directly transferable to real life in any activity, from driving to playing sports.

The Social Benefits of CS:GO

Besides cognitive impacts, team-based competitive gaming, such as CS:GO, also offers benefits in social skills and friendship circles. Gamers are portrayed as strange, antisocial loners; however, extensive communication skills and collaboration between teammates are necessary for successful gameplay. Individuals may also improve their leadership skills as game strategy is discussed and decided upon.

CS:GO, a game in which players play in a team with four other individuals, requires real-time communication over voice chat to plan strategies, share enemy positions, and coordinate attacks. The information must be concise while providing all necessary data but not become distracting to other players. For example, one must inform teammates that he is about to throw a flashbang to avoid blinding the entire team and compromising the round. This area easily translates to the real world, such as in the workplace, in personal relationships, or even in a situation as simple as giving someone directions to the nearest hospital.

Effective teamwork is also a positive aspect of social skills improved by playing a team-based competitive game like CS:GO. From planting a bomb to defending a bomb site, players must work together to achieve a common goal. A study by Gentile et al. (2009) concluded that games that reward effective cooperation support the development of important prosocial skills. Trust and reliance on teammates are essential aspects of the game and help develop teamwork skills used with other individuals toward shared goals in the game and in life.

Finally, leadership is the final aspect of social skills that develop while playing CS:GO. Research conducted on another team-based game discovered that “the data indicates that individuals with greater leadership roles were more inclined toward transformational leadership styles and saw value in leading and helping others.” (Kaplancali et al. 2011) In a team of five players with different backgrounds, experiences, and strengths, someone must forge them into a single cohesive unit. An in-game leader calls the shots and leads the tactical and teamwork aspects of the game toward victory. The leader calls for tactics and makes economic decisions while raising teammate morale to maintain optimal performance. Situations must be analyzed, with the leader making informed decisions, then communicating these decisions and delegating tasks to perform effectively as a team. Leadership skills are essential to success in the workplace and family matters and instill a sense of competence and confidence that is necessary.

Besides social skills, gaming provides a way for individuals to connect with people and build social circles and make new friends. Common interests are activities that bring people together and allow them to make friendships critical for well-being. The sheer amount of people playing online at once, surpassing 1 million (Clement 2023) provides a vast amount of potential connections to be made. Humans are social creatures by nature and need interaction with people to live happy and healthy lives. There are opportunities to build community by joining teams, streaming to an audience, attending competitive gaming events and meeting new people. A sense of belonging is a core aspect of life as stated by Klinger (1977), “It is within relationships with others that most people find meaning and purpose in their lives.” To conclude, the social benefits of competitive gaming, the skills developed through the necessary teamwork and human interaction occurring while playing, are vital and accessible from home on a computer.

The Career Opportunities of CS:GO

Competitive gaming, also called esports, among which CS:GO is one of the biggest, has grown immensely throughout recent years, with millions of fans watching live events and competitions. The PGL Major Stockholm 2021 tournament had a peak viewership of 2,748,434 viewers (Esports Charts 2023). Tournaments feature prize pools of 1 million dollars, immense viewership and tons of corporate sponsorship and backing. Usually viewed as a hobby, esports has become a massive enterprise and a legitimate industry with multiple career opportunities for those interested.

Becoming a professional gamer is the most obvious career path in the field as they are in the spotlight during these tournaments and makeup crowd favourite teams. Similar to traditional sports, organizations build teams for a specific competitive game and sign players to compete against each other at the highest level of gameplay. This career is potentially very lucrative through sponsors, salaries, and large tournament prize pools. According to Esports Earnings (2023), the highest-paid professional CS:GO player is Peter “dupreeh” Rasmussen, having earned $2,044,164.40 throughout his career. Teams have regular practices, are coached, managed, and travel for competition, similarly to traditional sports teams.

Besides being a professional player, there are roles in the esports industry that are not in the spotlight, including coaching, managing, event organizing, journalism, and broadcasting. There are multiple ways one can employ their skills and abilities to work in the esports industry, besides playing the game professionally, by just being a part of the community. Many of these are similar to traditional career paths, but if one has a passion for gaming, they now have a niche and work environment that they will enjoy. The rapid industry growth supplies prospective workers with a plethora of specializations and opportunities within the esports field.

Furthermore, for those who may not play at the highest level but still wish to be in the spotlight, the growth of esports and the corresponding fanbase has created a demand for content creators and streamers. Players and fans of CS:GO are a prime target audience for creatives who wish to entertain and inform through media. Streamers provide live gameplay with commentary while fans engage with streamers in real time by chatting and donating money to support the content. According to Win.gg (2021), CS:GO’s richest streamer is Alexandre “gAuLeS” Borba, having earned $2,863,780.63. Content creators enjoy opportunities for earning sponsorship money and advertising revenue, creating a lucrative career path.

There are numerous and varied career opportunities in esports and the players who enjoy playing the game have a real option of pursuing a career in the field. There is an ecosystem of professionals, a thriving global audience, and a massive industry. According to Gough (2022), the eSports industry is expected “to grow to as much as 1.87 billion U.S. dollars in 2025”. Video games have become a feasible area of interest as a potential career for those skilled enough and dedicated to pursuing monetary rewards for engaging with the game they love.

Conclusion

Despite the poor view older generations have of video games when played in moderation, numerous benefits encourage engaging in competitive video games such as CS:GO. Any activity can have negative effects if done outside of moderation, forming obsessions, but far too often, the positives of a game such as CS:GO are overlooked. As was stated in this essay, the positive impact that CS:GO has on cognitive skills, such as problem-solving and decision-making skills, focus, hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness and visual processing should not be overlooked. The second benefit of competitive gaming is the overwhelming positive social skills and subsequent forged personal connections. These include building communication, teamwork, and leadership skills while gaining a network of friends sharing a common interest. Finally, there exists a multitude of varied career options one can use to turn their passion into monetary gain. The esports field includes everything from professional players, coaches, managers, content creators, and journalists. In conclusion, because of the numerous positive impacts that stem from competitive games such as CS:GO, such as cognitive, social and career benefits, individuals should be encouraged to partake in this fun activity.

Bibliography:

Klinger, E. (1977). Meaning and Void: Inner Experience and the Incentives in People’s Lives. University of Minnesota Press. The quote can be found on page 43 of the book.

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