Home video gaming systems have been around for decades. Older generations may remember home console gaming systems such as Atari, ColecoVision, or even IntelleVision. Parents of the 1980’s were equally concerned about the dangers of playing video games as they are today. What many critics of video games don’t appreciate is the enormous potential these games have in developing optimal hand / eye coordination, endurance, and focus for careers that will depend on these key characteristics for success and survival. Robotic surgery, radiology, underwater or even future planetary navigation, are but a few of the examples of careers where its success is directly proportional to how well the users hand eye coordination and focus is.

The future will undoubtedly continue to bring us advances in technology, and with these advances, we will rely less on manual labor and more on robotic and controller-assisted equipment to complete the surgeries, remove the cancers, or even read the imaging exams that check to see if a patient has cancer.

‘The Imperial Animal’ by Tyler and Fox, raises an interesting fact regarding human genetics and how we evolve naturally, as supported by Darwin’s theory of evolution. Despite human interference, whether intentional or not, specific genes have a higher likelihood of continuing on thru generations as long as it helps the animal or species survive. In other words, even by playing video games, this action alone can ultimately influence or change our DNA in a way that helps us get even better at video gaming, while at the same time preserving those genes that improves our fitness and survival. Tyler and Fox discuss our evolutionary past and how our DNA can provide a look into what life was like at that time, what are challenges were, and the DNA mutations that are supposed to help us deal with what the future brings.

Evidence supports that the human genome responds quickly to stimuli and can evolve its DNA within a matter of decades. Considering that video games have been around for close to 50 years, and that two to three generations have passed, we can assume that video games have already started to influence the evolution of human genetics to benefit our survival.

Jane McGonical, is a game designer who presented a TED talk in 2010 on the topic, ‘Gaming Can Make a Better World’. Jane supports increasing the amount of hours playing video games, to “solve the world problems such as hunger, climate change, and obesity”. Jane recognizes the positive implications that are gained through playing video games. Although her focus is on how large-scale world problems may be solved, we can apply her rationale in developing player’s hand/eye coordination and focus to ultimately produce highly effective robotic surgeons, navigators, or ballistic missile operators. Today’s generation likely has a few sets of DNA mutations altered, or evolved, as a direct consequence of decades of playing video games. Keep in mind, these altered genes are supposed to enhance the talent the video gamer has, in this case focus and hand/eye coordination, improvements in focus and hand/eye coordination from playing video games has been extensively studied and proven. Two particular studies, published in the journal, ‘Frontiers in Human Neuroscience’, confirm that playing video games increases sensitivity to contrasting colors, increases hand-eye coordination, improves long-term memory, and visual selective activity (being able to differentiate between important and non-important information within a fast-moving environment).

Taking this talent development alone into consideration, video gaming is an excellent precursor in early development for careers, which require a high level of focus, coordination, and visual selectivity. However, this alone is not the only advantage from playing video games. Jane McGonical goes on to say in her TED Talks discussion that video gamers adopt a sense of optimism as they are used to welcoming challenges and take great pride in succeeding a particular task. Where many would approach difficult circumstances and challenges with an attitude of fear, video gamers rise up to the challenge with a sense of being able to accomplish a difficult but doable task. We have a unique opportunity to harvest these skills early and hone in on developing our next top robotic surgeons, radiologists, or even operators utilizing remote controls, where focus and coordination are critical skills for success.