Over the past decades, videogames have undoubtedly come under fire from a multitude of sources, whether it’s a bill claiming games incite violence, a musician damning Guitar Hero or agenda-driven researchers coming to questionable conclusions.

Just like prescription drugs or food, gaming outside the bounds of moderation can lead to serious drawbacks. But most reasonable experts in fields such as psychology, education and research acknowledge that interactive entertainment has important benefits that have the potential to shape the world’s future.

An important idea to keep in mind: Iowa State University psychologist Douglas Gentile said at the 2008 American Psychologist Association convention, “The big picture is that there are several dimensions on which games have effects. [Dimensions include] the amount they are played, the content of each game, what you have to pay attention to on the screen, and how you control the motions.

“This means that games are not ‘good’ or ‘bad,’ but are powerful educational tools and have many effects we might not have expected they could.”

Edge spoke with Chicago-based psychologist Dr. Kourosh Dini, Sharp Brains CEO and education expert Alvaro Fernandez and XEODesign president Nicole Lazzaro, in addition to compiling other authoritative opinions on 15 of gaming’s most prominent benefits.

Are you interested in reading about the 15 benefits of gaming? If so, click the following link: 15 Benefits