Why Guys Love Video Games So Much

Among the great mysteries that modern women ponder are the reasons why men love video games so much. Does your girlfriend or wife think that you're a geek or a bore because you spend more hours on the console than with her? Are you bugged when she nags you to do chores when you're just about to jump to level 434 of your latest gaming obsession?

The next time you're interrupted by your girl, take the time to explain the reasons why men love video games so much. She might be convinced well enough to give in gracefully. She could even join you on the sofa with your spare controller!

1Live Out Fantasies

Want to be a sword-wielding horse rider in Calridian wars? Then, play Mount & Blade. Want to be an ultra-powerful magical being? Then, play a Final Fantasy game. If you want to shoot hundreds of nameless soldiers in a "Vietnamesque" or urban battle, then play Call of Duty.

There are few limits to what you can be or do when it comes to playing games. Many people in the '90s were surprised that they wanted to play as hedgehogs or a fat plumber. But they did, and they still do.

2Pinnacle Of Modern Escapism

This is one of the most powerful reasons men love video games. It provides a little bit of escapism. It's about breaking free from real life and entering a virtual one.

There are literally thousands of forms of escapism, from eating strawberries in a pick-your-own field instead of paying for them to watching TV. Video gaming happens to be one of the most immersive forms of escapism. It is also based around achieving some sort of goal, and guys are very goal-orientated and competitive, so video gaming slips naturally into their preferred form of escapism.

3It Beats Boredom Better

When you are bored, you have a number of options, but one of the most convenient and fun is video gaming. You could watch an antique special, or you can pilot a secret military aircraft. You can even paint a picture, or you can mill trees to get wood for your cabin. While there are lots of things you can do when you are bored, video gaming is a convenient and fun boredom breaker.

4Real Life Has Many Hardships

Steve Smith from American Dad says something similar to, "Real life is full of pain and hardship, but as Agathor, I am a king amongst men." That is paraphrasing his speech a little, but it helps to show how guys feel when they play video games. You can make your virtual sprite into all the things you want to be, and you can remove yourself from the real world and feel your sprite's glory vicariously. It is one of the main reasons men love video games.

5No Physical Effort Required

One of the reasons men love video games is because it requires no real physical effort - Wii Fit excluded, of course. A man can just sit there and play. At the end of a long, exhausting day, it's nice to sit on the couch and be lazy, without any more physical effort than moving your thumbs.

There you have it, guys - a few of the reasons men love video games so much. Now, you'll be fully armed with a persuasive and rational set of arguments the next time your girl hears the rev of Grand Turismo. Will you be able to convince her? What do you think?