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Entity discusses the benefits of video games for couples.

Let’s be honest. No matter who you’re hanging out with, there are really not that many free things to do anymore.

Unless you’re watching four hours straight of Netflix. Although having binge after binge after binge can be really repetitive. But you know what’s not repetitive?

Blowing up stuff with banana grenades and teaming up to fight against the forces of evil. Yeah. Now that’s where the *real* quality time happens.

So without further ado, here are the reasons you and your S.O. should seriously consider borrowing (or buying) a gaming console.

It can access levels of happiness neither of you have ever experienced.

Entity discusses the benefits of video games for couples.

Image via Giphy

The Radboud University in Nijmegen conducted a full-blown study of the benefits of video games, and they made an interesting discovery about the emotional roller coaster of video gaming. An emotion that can be described by the fancy Italian name, “fierio.” It describes the pride you feel after you overcome a complex obstacle.

And in video games, you overcome several complex obstacles in about the course of two minutes. Certain feelings like this, which psychologists call “flow” or “transport” feelings, can be accessed often with video games. How can you have a bad time together if you’re basically elated with self-accomplishment the whole time?

It can increase your sense of commitment.

Entity discusses the benefits of video games for couples.

Image via Giphy

You know those “transport” feeling we were talking about? Well, according to our friends, the psychologists, large amounts of transport feelings basically tell your brain “see how good it felt accomplishing that goal? You should commit to more things, so you can feel accomplished again!” We might have phrased it a little differently than the psychologists did, but you get the picture.

Large amounts of these flow or transport feelings have been linked to better commitment and performance in high school for adolescents, so it may apply to your young adult life as well.

Didn’t think one of the benefits of video games was extreme happiness? Neither did we!

If you’re playing on the same team, you can affirm each other’s skills and feel awesome about yourselves.

Entity discusses the benefits of video games for couples.

Image via Giphy

Have you ever seen those awful survival movies where two people have absolutely nothing in common, but then they fight for their lives together and all of the sudden they’re like two moose in mating season? (Cough, cough, “Blue Lagoon” cough, cough.)

So this is one of the coolest benefits of video games. That weirdly strong attraction comes from two people working toward the same goal for a long period of time. When you and your S.O. are working toward the same goal, and you’re slightly stressed about it, it provides more opportunities for you guys to affirm and appreciate each others’ skills.

eHarmony even advises its users to engage in team activities: “When you have a common purpose, you’ll be more likely to congratulate each other for jobs well done.” And if eHarmony says it, it must be true, right?

So yeah, shoot down some bad dudes together, and you’ll be closer! Sounds fun, right?

Edited by Kayla Caldwell
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