WHAT VIDEO GAMES TAUGHT ME ABOUT WORKING IN A TEAM

- Archit K. 

Working in a team can be an exhilarating experience. The thrill has no comparison. It is really pleasing to see work being done by everyone, whether in a school project, a college assignment or even in the workplace. I am an avid fan of video games and have had my fair share of online multiplayer games. Even in these games, there are many scenarios where I find myself working in a team towards an objective. Playing these games, I learnt a few things about teamwork which I realized, could be very relevant in the real world:

Interaction is key

I’ve been part of squads online that do not converse at all during a fifteen or even a twenty minute game and I have been part of squads that are full of chatty people. It is always better to be in the company of the latter. Not only does constantly interacting keep us focused on the conversation and game, it makes for great bonding. I’ve never sent a friend request to a player I haven’t spoken to. More importantly, I’ve lost a lot fewer games when I was part of a squad that spoke to each other. 

People always bond better over work

I always thought bonding only occurs in dedicated sessions. Boy was I wrong. There is no better way to get to know a player than to play a game with him. Over the course of the game, you will learn a lot about his playstyle, his preferences, the way he swears and even a bit about his personal choices. All of these are great conversation pieces that you can use should you wish to approach the person again. It is important for you to reciprocate this by expressing yourself as well. More often than not, people online love to listen to other people. Again, this requires the player to interact well. 

Hard times create ownership

In a team game, you either collectively win or collectively lose. Therefore, in most cases, it is absolutely necessary for each member to perform well. In my experience, whenever the squad/team is in trouble, every member takes to their field of expertise and uses it to save the situation. In a matter of seconds, you have a high-functioning squad who are capable of facing problems that were only moments ago too difficult. Nothing has changed. It’s just that each member has actively taken up a responsibility. 

You always progress faster in teams

To be honest, most video games are deigned in a way that pushes players to participate in teams and interact with as many people as possible. They do this by providing incentives in-game such as being able to progress and unlock equipment faster. More importantly though, playing with other people means there is always someone to answer your questions. This is especially useful if you are a new player. Most video games have player bases who will gladly help you and give you useful advice. If you ask, you will even find people willing to take the time to play a little with you and help you progress. In my experience, players who don’t interact or play in a team are more likely to progress slowly and perhaps even quit the game altogether.

Being part of a team is always fun 
In all of my favourite moments in video games, I was never alone. Every unexpected win, every goof-up and funny moment was always in a squad; a squad that was always interacting and kept me engaged. These are moments that I will cherish forever. At the end of the day that’s what it’s all about: kicking back, having fun, making memories.

What are your favourite gaming moments? Do you have a particular squad to go with? Let us know in the comments below. Please share the article if you liked it and as always, thanks for reading!