Why do people play video games?

I initially wanted to write a blog that makes fun of how game designers patronise their players when they put in npc's that congratulate them for completing mundane and uncreative tasks(here's lookin' at you WOW). But I somehow expanded into why people play video games in general.

Someone recently suggested to me that the reason people play videogames is to improve their self esteem(which this person assumed must be pretty low if your hermit-like enough of a nerd that you resort to playing videogames). And I thought to myself: I'm sure some people do.

The reason I play games though is to entertain and challenge my mind. Now the challenge part here is very important, because that implies that I will have a feeling of accomplishment if I beat the challenge. And that is true. But when I am done playing I will still go back to my job working at a women's shoestore(I don't actually work at one, I am just trying to make a point). So it doesn't really affect my self esteem. You are aware when you are playing the game that you are actually not a hero or a super soldier. Perhaps you are even more aware of it after playing the game. Yet you still enjoy it because it immerses you in what it might be like to actually be one. Whatever self-esteem improvement there is, it is certainly temporary and only during game-play.

In fact I don't even think there is a self esteem improvement at all. And here I would like to point out the zombie expansion for COD: World at War. The goal is to last a long time. You will always eventually be killed. Now is being killed a good way to improve your self esteem? Possibly. If you do it killing a million zombies. But the fact is you will be defeated eventually. Now why would people opt for this game where you are eventually defeated? This is like a lot of games - once you beat them they lose their lustre. The fun is in the challenge. I have had the most fun playing games that I am not able to beat. I don't always feel cheated - sometimes I like it.

The only reason to play then, is to improve yourself. There is no competition with other people. And so it does not really affect your esteem compared to other people. It is simply something to keep you sharp and keep you entertained(and possibly informed depending on the game). The point is, you can know that you suck at a game(compared to other people) and it can still be alot of fun.

The question I asked myself before writing this blog was: Why do people play videogames? And the answer is: there are many reasons; many of them unrelated to self-esteem.

Some people play videogames because they like math, statistics and understanding economic problems (eve-online, sim city, civilization)

Some people play them because they like the adrenaline and scariness of fighting zombies(left 4 dead 2), (Doom series) (Dead Space). In other words they like to be frightened.

Some people play them because they think they are beatiful(fantasy themed games like oblivion, WOW)

Some people play them because they like the emotions, or they have an obsession with Japenese culture; japanophiles (final fantasy series).

Some people play them because it allows them to socialize, cooperate and relax(wow, mmorpgs, x-box live games)

Some people play them because it allows them to explore vast lands and areas(minecraft, WOW, lots of others)

Some people play them because they like space, space exploration and sci-fi. (Eve online, Colony wars)

Some people play them because they like to forget about their mundane lives.(almost every game)

Some people play them because they have pent up frustrations(Postal I and II, possibly GTA series)

Some people play video games because they want to get some idea what it would be like to be in a certain historical situation. (Call of Duty 3,2,1, Robert E Lee Civil War General)

Some people, believe it or not, play them to learn(Microsoft Flight Simulator, You'd be surprised how many games teach you real world concepts - I'm still waiting for a game that can make mundane office work exciting though).

And it is indeed true that there are some poor bastards out there that play videogames solely for the purpose of improving their self esteem by hearing npc's congratulate them for collecting 200 bear pelts or clicking on that patch of dirt well.(WOW, anything ending in ville) - but I think the number of gamers like that are relativley small compared to all the other possible combinations of reasons they could be playing for.

So I've come up with a better and more encompassing reason for why people play videogames: It gives people the opportunity to have adventures, face their fears and live out their fantasies without any physical or financial risk to themselves. And that is a powerful and beautiful thing. Especially in a world that seems more and more bent on concentrating wealth, knowledge and opportunity in a relatively small portion of the world population.

In addition, I firmly believe that if videogames(and media in general) were designed by people with the betterment of the common folk in mind; that they could be used as a tool to inform and teach people about how to pursue their dreams. Unfortunately, right now, I don't always feel that that is the direction we are heading with games.

Why do you think people play video games?