Response (Video Games)

I think that it is amazing that in a world of time-shifted television, pirated movies, and free music, one aspect of the entertainment industry has blossomed and grown considerably in the last 20 years: the video game sector.

I think that as interactive media students, it is very important for us to take a good look at video games which could be considered the most interactive of media.

In my questions that I posted earlier this week, I questioned the idea of demographic shifts in the video game audience. In recent years, we have seen a historically young male dominated industry embrace a much more diverse audience. There are now there are many more female gamers and older gamers. It is no longer considered a pastime for nerdy guys in their basements. The game systems have moved from the basement to the middle of the living room and are as ubiquitous as television sets.

Industry legend, Nintendo, knew they couldn’t compete with the hardcore systems like XBox and Playstation, and instead they decided to utilize their low-priced Wii system as a family-friendly device. They have released motion-controlled games like Wii Sports and Wii Party that appeal to families and are positioned to replace the board games of old. There are also games like Wii Fitness that target women and can even be used by the elderly for aerobics. Nintendo has found great success with their Wii system and the industry has definitely taken notice. We now are seeing rival companies, Microsoft and Sony, creating motion-control add-ons that form much more immersive gaming experiences and are targeted towards families.

Gaming is also become more relevant to diverse users via free games on the internet, especially through social networks. We have recently seen the explosion of games like Mafia Wars and Farmville that not only are engaging and addictive but also allow a variety of users to connect with others to compete and cooperate…and all for free.

It’s only going to grow more. As mobile phone technology continues to advance, we see more and more games popping up and being used by all types of users. We are even seeing these mobile games taking it a step further and shifting their game-like elements from virtual to the real world. Apps like Foursquare, could be considered social media video games but still involve people exploring the real world and earning rewards that are both digital and real. There are also QR codes and other scannable interfaces that hide digital content in the real world that transfer to the virtual world.

I feel that this idea of augmented reality will continue to advance and become more relevant in everyday lives. This idea and the increase in motion-based controls will continue to push gaming to the forefront of the entertainment industry and bring in users of all different backgrounds. Will we eventually see every person with a virtual avatar in a virtual world like Second Life? Will we eventually find it difficult to separate the real world from the digital game world? These are questions that remain to be answered and it will be interesting (and maybe a bit scary) to see what happens.

Tags: video games