Our lovely Cam, and a few others in the office, have a proclivity for playing games: strategy games, online video games, board games. Even watching people play games and offer tips and hacks online.
It got us thinking about the benefits of game playing, particularly in times like these where isolation means many of our colleagues are on their own. Gamification is becoming more popular as a comms trend. Using some of the principles of these games there are obvious benefits to organisations which could mean a real win.
Here’s ten reasons why we think gaming can provide some much-needed positivity, followed by some great handpicked games for you to try;
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Games can promote more physical activity
Games like Pokemon are designed to get people moving.
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Games can help people become more strategic in their thinking
Working towards the end game can help colleagues see the bigger picture and what the steps needs to be to get there.
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Games can help develop decision making skills
Like the strategy games many games are designed to improve your decision making and to show a reaction. It can be very telling to see what the result of your choice could be in the context of a game setting.
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Games help with team building
Working together to build worlds and using resources and insight in a more manageable way helps build stronger teams. Using peoples individual strengths can be a great way to work together and build a stronger team.
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Games can pique interest in new subjects
Games can be a great, fun way for new topics or themes to be introduced.
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Games can slow down the aging process
Many ‘brain games’ have been developed and are being used by all ages as a way of keeping the old grey matter ticking over.
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Games can improve family relations
You may have had a bad experience of a dire family game of monopoly but new games content means that there has never been a better time to connect with your families.
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Games keep people connected
Online gaming, quizzes and race nights allow everyone to keep in touch, making the transition back to work and school less daunting when the time comes.
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Gamers are often less likely to bully
While a controversial statement, some people argue that being the hero and the villain in games allows players to see life from both sides.
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Games help you make wider social connections
Online gaming communities open up social networks of introverts who may be shy in forging new relationships.
We asked Cam for her top 5 games. For a pro-gamer this was an impossible ask. She has many games she has collected from her travels and many she wanted to talk about. But here are a few of her all-time favourites you might like to try.
Classics:
Ticket to ride
Carcassonne
Settlers of catan
With the kids:
Escape curse of the temple
Happy pigs
Downforce
Team games:
Concept
Between two cities
Mysterium
