Playing video games is something much more than "escaping from reality".
Yeah, they can help you to get over the monotony and boredom of the everyday life, to escape the turmoil and the trouble that's surrounding you, but also you can get addicted if the time you spend on them, is not managed properly. Yup, gaming has its downsides like everything else, so balance is the key.
Nowadays many triple A games compete with movies, and some of them are even better, giving you the chance to be the protagonist or even the antagonist in some cases.
However funny or absurd it may seem, videogames are intuitive, they have a learning potential and you can experience things that you can't experience otherwise. They can be your sidekick in the fight against anxiety and depression, you can learn from them and apply those things you've learned in the real life. You can discover new music, and you can establish new friendships as well.
Furthermore they can expand your knowledge in certain topics, they can improve your cognitive abilities, your creativity and your way of thinking and seeing things.
There is so much more to it, this was just a raw , overall description, or better said, a subjective perspective regarding videogames.
Unfortunately there are a lot of naysayers who try to throw shade over the gaming comunity, and video games in general, because they are blinded by the downsides which are far more less than you would imagine.