Although I personally don’t play games at all, many friends around me are “veteran gamers,” and some have been deeply immersed in gaming worlds since childhood. One friend, who has over 30 years of gaming experience, once earnestly told me that the impact games had on his growth went far beyond mere entertainment. Out of curiosity and respect, I asked him to share his insights from years of gaming. He summarized four key aspects that shaped his life path and way of thinking. Below is his story and reflections.
1. Broadening Horizons — Expanding Worldviews Through Games
He recalled his teenage years in the 1990s, when the internet was not widespread and games were still in their infancy — his golden age of gaming. His first PC game was Angel Empire 2, which introduced him to a fantastical world and sparked his interest in games. Then he played Ultima Online (UO), one of the earliest online sandbox games, which offered a revolutionary experience interacting with real players.
During those years, he tried almost every game he could find on the market — nearly a thousand titles — from arcade machines to computers, from text adventures to strategy wars. Each game became a window to explore the world. For example, playing Uncharted Waters 2 taught him a lot about global geography, sea routes, and historical eras; Romance of the Three Kingdoms not only offered strategy battles but also inspired him to repeatedly read the original Three Kingdoms novels, immersing himself in that turbulent period. His love for the Heroes of Might and Magic series led him to explore extensive Western myths and historical accounts, gradually building a rich knowledge base.
The diversity of games sparked his curiosity and drove him to read extensively — from sci-fi to history, geography to culture, and even odd trivia — broadening his horizons and enriching his mental world. This accumulation of knowledge gave him a broad perspective on life and laid a solid foundation for his future development.
2. Building Strong Confidence — The Sense of Achievement from Gaming
“Being good at games gives you immense achievement and recognition,” he confessed. Especially during adolescence, gaming was a crucial way to gain social approval and confidence.
In the heyday of arcade halls, he could masterfully play games for an entire day with just one coin, becoming a “legendary player” at the arcade. At school and around town, his gaming skills earned him respect and a wide social circle, greatly boosting his self-esteem. In the PC gaming era, he reached high levels in certain strategy and action games, even briefly considering a professional gaming career. Although the industry was immature and stressful at the time, causing him to abandon that path, the experience still provided a valuable reservoir of confidence.
This confidence permeated all areas of his life, making him firmly believe: no matter what challenges arise, if you set your mind and work diligently, you can succeed. This conviction became a spiritual pillar for his studies, work, and social interactions. In many ways, gaming helped build one of the most important foundations of his inner self — unwavering faith in his own abilities.
3. Defining Career Plans — Technical Skills and Life Blueprint Behind Gaming
Games brought not only entertainment and knowledge but also sparked his passion for computers and technology. Especially in the early 90s, playing PC games required certain computer skills, such as DOS operations and memory management. He recalled using the MemMaker command to optimize memory and run special DOS games, which gave him a basic understanding of how computers work.
He subscribed to various computer magazines like Computer Report, Computer Enthusiast, and Computer Business Information, carefully reading each issue. He built his first PC by himself, skillfully handling hardware issues. He even ventured into hacking and network knowledge, broadening his technical horizon.
In college, thanks to his computer expertise, he took on many part-time jobs — assembling PCs, maintaining internet cafes, selling game discs, and setting up networks — earning a decent income. Teachers and classmates held his skills in high regard, and even his wife was “wooed” because of his computer prowess.
Before university, he had already planned his career path: to enter the IT industry, work in internet and software development. Although circumstances prevented him from moving to Beijing or Shenzhen as planned, he eventually became a programmer and started his IT career. Over the years, he has remained closely connected with the internet and digital technology, now producing content as a self-media creator within the same realm.
The interest and skills sparked by gaming provided him with a firm professional foundation and a clear life direction.
4. A Way to Enjoy Life — Games as a Cost-Effective Spiritual Enjoyment
He said that a good game often involves investments of millions to billions of dollars, embodying the collective wisdom and hard work of top programmers, artists, planners, designers, and project managers worldwide. Game designers aim to let players temporarily escape real-world pressures and immerse themselves in a meaningful, enjoyable experience. Many classic games are masterpieces of human intellect, regarded as the “ninth art.”
As long as you avoid addiction and manage your time wisely, gaming is an extremely cost-effective form of entertainment. Compared to many expensive leisure activities, games offer tremendous sensory enjoyment and emotional release for relatively little money. He even bought a 98-inch TV and hooked up a PS5 to enjoy occasional immersive playtime.
More importantly, as his children grew up, he played games with them, using interactive gameplay to teach life lessons and teamwork. Gaming became a lubricant in their relationship, making the father-son bond as close and natural as friendship.
Now, he enjoys games without addiction, viewing them as a way to improve life quality. Throughout many stages of life, games have brought him joyful moments and precious memories.
Although I don’t play games myself, listening to his story made me truly understand the growth value behind gaming — broadening horizons, building confidence, clarifying career goals, and enriching spiritual life. Games are not just entertainment; they can become an essential nutrient for personal growth, shaping a more complete self.
So, for those of us who don’t play games, can we approach gaming and gamers with an open mind, discovering the growth stories beyond the screen? Perhaps that is the true meaning of gaming.