Why do you play games?

I was looking at a feature article on Kotaku about the reason gamers game every day of their lives and it got me thinking about why I play video games and I would also like to have you readers think about why you play your Fallouts and your Call of Duties.

Family is a big part of why I play video games today. I’ve been playing games ever since I was a little boy. My cousin introduced me to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and the Sega Genesis and it was a match made in video game heaven. I played Super Mario World and Sonic and I couldn't stop after those two experiences. . 

Video games take me out of my reality and place me into someone else’s life with someone else’s take on other subjects that I would of either wise never thought about or never of had a clear opinion about. I enjoy my life greatly, but I would like to get the other side of a story and video games are the platform that supports that desire. Video games have gone from being time wasters (which they still are in most cases) to interactive stories. Mass Effect is a great example of a game that is an experience told through mostly conversation I can control.       

I also play games because they help pass the time by between classes. Plain and simple.