Why do men like to play video games?

Video games capture the feeling of being a man - of going on a hero's journey and Becoming The Man - without requiring that the men playing them overcome any true adversity. You can pretend to be a legendary warrior, a venerated leader. Men may like video games for a variety of reasons. Brain activation: A Stanford University study found that men's brains are more activated in the areas of the brain associated with reward when playing video games than women's. These areas include the nucleus accumbens, amygdala, and orbitofrontal cortex. Fun: Some say that video games are fun, and that they can be an outlet for competitive spirit. Hero's: Video games can allow men to pretend to be a hero, leader, or adventurer without facing real adversity. Male audience: Game designers may shape the plot, characters, and entertainment of video games to appeal to a male audience.