Video games have been popular since their introduction in the United States in the 1970s. In the early days, video games were basic, animated interactive games. More sophisticated graphics were introduced into the medium in the late 1980’s.

Nowadays, the term “video games” includes video games, computer games and hand-held electronic games.

Video games are a ubiquitous part of today’s world, being the more preferred leisure activity for more people, including youths and adults.

There is also a rising trend of movies being converted into video games to target a wider audience. For instance, Enter the Matrix the video game, was released together with the film, Matrix Reloaded. Video games are also often used in training.

Both Singapore and the US army modified available video games to hone the strategic and decision-making skills of officers. The US army version was also released into the mass market.

Accompanying these trends is the underlying concern of the effects of video games on children or youths, especially with the move towards increased violence and realism in these games. Though the impact of video games is not yet as evident in Singapore, studies, in particular the United States, have shown that video games can affect youths both positively and negatively.

Positive Impact of Video Games

Researchers have found that video games are invaluable in health care settings. Some mental health professionals felt that in playing video games, certain children can develop a sense of proficiency which they might otherwise not achieve. Some adults also believed that video games offer benefits over the passive medium of television, these include:

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