How to Use the Universal Language of Video Games

Educators and scientists are now beginning to catch on

Ihave had a love-hate relationship over the years with video games. There were points in my life where I was obsessed with them and invested way too much time in games. However, as I look back, it wasn’t just the games themselves that tied into my life. They became almost like a language or communication tool between me and other kids.

When I was regularly playing there wasn’t the term “gamer,” but every kid was one. We also spoke the language of the gamer. It was an innate ability developed over hours of play. Through osmosis, the language of the characters and stories became our own. It was a secret initiation and instantly gave you access to an invisible club of sorts.

As a quiet kid who wasn’t exactly popular, learning this universal language helped tremendously. It enabled me to navigate the local social hierarchies. Consequently, kids who never would have anything to do with me suddenly had a common language. We may not have had the same personalities or social circles, but we could communicate.

However, this isn’t just a story about nostalgia or video game culture. Scientists, therapists, and educators have started to notice something we all knew forever — games are a language. They’re…