Okay, okay, almost everyone who comes here loves video games, or at least enjoys them to a certain extent.
Over time, a lot of experts, be they actual experts or not, have mostly claimed that video game usage is actually bad for all aspects of your health in some way: Physical, social, and mental.
I've recently been writing an essay on this, and have been researching multiple (fairly credible) resources on both sides. My opinion is that while they can cause some bad effects, the potential benefits of video games outweighs such downsides.
So what do you think?
I'd love to hear your opinions on the matter, be they backed by facts or not.

My personal opinion is based on what I've experienced is that videogames are like anything else in life. If you mind how much you play, there's no harm to it. Overdose it and it can have negative effects on certain areas. It's like food water or oxygen or alcohol or candy or medicine or watching movies or series. Anything can be bad for you, if you use it that way. It's not the videogame's fault. If people have a disadvantage because of it, it's because they use it that way. It's all up to the person. I don't get it why it recently get's treated like it's heroin. McDonalds is unhealthy for you in several more ways, yet people don't nag you about it.

I wrote a paper for this too at some point and I got the same results as daimajutsu13. There are cases that video games are good for you like for example kids recovering in hospitals. Child's Play charity gives eases their mind during their recovery by giving them games to play. Same goes with the military, healthier and less stressful recovery if video games are used in rehabilitation. So it all really depends on what the situation is; grand theft auto does not encourage crime unless someone is impressionable and becomes obsessed with it.

Any activity where you look at a screen and sit in a chair for prolonged periods of time is bad for your health, especially if you're not properly hydrated. I would say video games are pretty good for your mental health. Everyone needs a distraction or something that stimulates their brain.

I wrote an essay about video games-good for stress relive, and I got perfect score. Well its most likely, that my classmates are still learning English and have a limited vocabulary. But as the others said, it depends on the situation. It can be good and bad for you at the same time.

It depends, there was a person (somewhere) that died of a heart attack, but wasn't found dead until a few hours after, the family said it was because he "took naps between games" that, is not many people but that sort of stuff is not good, but then theres the social aspect, you can find many different people from all over the world playing video games, faster reflexes and better hand-eye co-ordination

I don't think they really affect you as much as some people want you to believe. Realistically, as with anything, moderation is a good thing to consider. That goes for the physical, mental and social aspects.

Really? I'd heard that there was a measurable benefit to playing some form of game for half an hour a day.