In our modern age there is a constant need to point fingers and call something evil that was created only to improve people's lives. It happened with television, it happened with the internet and now this epidemic has also set its sights on video games. This media has been unfairly criticized, especially by parents, since its release. They claim it causes violence and isolation but more importantly, in their arrogance, they claim it is nothing more than a blatant waste of time. What these people don't see is the true nature and potential of video games and those who participate in the experiences they have to offer. Video games provide a person not only with the opportunity to improve their social and analytical skills, but also offer the potential for tangential learning. If you are a gamer, you already know how video games develop a person's social skills. You come home and turn on your favorite board for a relaxing game of Call of Duty, Halo, or Star Craft if you like that type of game. Your next step will most likely be to plug in and put on your headphones, immersing yourself in a social experience unlike anything you'll find in real life. Most video game play is socially interactive. “Almost 60% of heavy gamers play with friends. 33% play with siblings and 25% play with spouse or parents.” (Jenkins) And it is not only cooperative play that guarantees social growth, but also competitive play. “Two players could fight to the death on screen and become friends off screen.” (Jenkins) The big misconception here is that video games are socially isolating, a child sits in their room and tunes out the rest of the world, when in reality they connect to more people than they could… in the middle of paper.. .... He lives. Penny Arcade. Network. March 29, 2012.Jenkins, Henry. “Reality Bytes: Eight Video Game Myths Debunked.” PBS. PBS. Network. March 13, 2012. Meyers, Katy. "Lessons from Assassin's Creed for Building Educational Games." Play in the past. October 25, 2011. Web. March 13, 2012. Olivia Bruner and Kurt Bruner. "Video games are a waste of time", Video Games. Laurie Willis, ed. Opposite Viewpoints® Series. Greenhaven Press, 2010. Olivia and Kurt Bruner, Playstation Nation: Protect Your Child from Video Game Addiction. New York: Center Street, 2006, Copyright © 2006 Olivia and Kurt Bruner. Quinn, Sean. “Historical Accuracy of Video Games: Assassin's Creed Masyaf.” Video Game Historical Accuracy: Assassin's Creed Masyaf, HalfBeard HUD. MezzaBarba's HUD. Network. March 13, 2012. "Tangential learning." - Extra Credits for Tangential Learning. Network. March 13. 2012.