Gaming has evolved from a somewhat niche activity within certain subcultures into an absolute cultural phenomenon. You’ll likely be hard-pressed to find a house that doesn’t have a gaming PC or console of some kind, and the eSports industry is projected to become a billion-dollar industry within the next few years. The number of gamers worldwide is also expected to exceed three billion by 2023.
Given numbers like that, it’s likely that you either play video games or have at least tried getting into gaming at some point. With so many options for platforms and games these days, it can probably seem intimidating for newcomers to get into the hobby. No matter your experience level, here are five great tips to help boost your enjoyment with video games.
1. Invest in comfort.
Many gamers spend many hours at a time logged in to their favorite games, and it’s important for you to make sure you’re comfortable and that your back, shoulders, and neck are supported properly. That’s why you need to look into the best gaming chairs to ensure comfort and help you maintain proper posture. You don’t need to break the bank buying a $1,000 chair that has built-in speakers and gives you a massage, but you probably shouldn’t risk a super cheap chair that may not give you full support, either.
2. Get a good headset.
While we’re on the subject of equipment, you’re probably going to want a better headset than the singular earbud that may have come with your console or PC. Again, unless you’re planning on being a streamer or pro gamer, you don’t have to spend on the most expensive headset available, but it’s always a good idea to look for features you think would be useful.
If you’re playing online with friends, you’ll definitely want a headset that makes it easy to mute/unmute yourself. You’ll also want a pair of comfortable headphones, and you’ll want to check for glasses-friendliness if you wear them. One of the worst mistakes you can make is to get a pair of headphones that painfully digs your glasses into the side of your head. A headset with convenient volume controls is also a good idea since different games can have wildly different standard volume settings.
3. Play with friends.
They say everything is better with friends, and this is certainly true for video games. Fortunately, there are plenty of developers, like Blizzard, who develop multiplayer games like Overwatch and World of Warcraft. Whether you’re cooperating with friends in some of the deadlier challenges available or competing in PVP, sharing your gaming experience will make it better for everyone. If your friends don’t play the same games you’re interested in, there are plenty of LFG (looking for game) sites online you can use to team up with other players.
4. Keep up with gaming news.
Even if you aren’t one to buy new games that often, in an industry of constant updates and DLC, you’ll want to keep up with gaming news. If you’re an Overwatch player, for instance, you’ll definitely need a good source for Overwatch news. Frequent updates can make significant changes to popular characters like Widowmaker, Tracer, Baptiste, Reaper, and Zarya. You also never know when legendary new looks can be added for characters during holiday events, plus there’s the sequel coming out with even more new looks and likely balance design changes.
5. Try out a solid-state drive.
Are loading times getting you down? Switching from a hard drive to an SSD can greatly reduce, or even eliminate, load times from your favorite games. It shouldn’t be much trouble to install one in your PC, and modern consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S come with them built-in. With the best technology, you and your friends can make the most of the time you spend in your games.
