Video games also challenge us mentally, improving skills such as problem solving, eye to hand coordination, and many others. There have ven been many, many studies conducted over the years proving the positive impact that games can have on the human psyche. Unfortunately this fact hasn't stopped video games from being blamed for all types of atrocities, by those who were looking for a scape goat to society's problems, but this is a problem that will fade away with the passage of time. The biggest enemy of video games thus far has been ignorance; so as time progresses and the number of people who don't understand video games decreases, so will the problems that face them.
The impact of video games on society has been significant, to say the least. For starters, the video game industry, in it's young life, has already eclipsed that of it's older siblings in terms of yearly sales. Games like Halo and Call of Duty have repeatedly shattered opening day sales across all forms of entertainment. Video games have also played a large role in the progress of computer technology with their high demands on processing power and memory. One has to wonder where computer technology would be right now without video games. Would we even have dedicated graphics processors and sound processors, or super high end machines? Think of the markets that exist because of video games.
It constantly amazes me how much video games have changed in the last 30 years. When I was a kid, I was lucky enough to live on a street full of other kids. This was especially beneficial when it came to video games, since at that time you needed another person to play multiplayer games with. But today, kids like my son who may not have many, if any, other kids to play with in person, can still spend time together through their gaming machines. I've seen my son and his friends, who live out of town, just hang out in their rooms and talk to each other while using video Kinect. He spends more time watching Netflix than he does normal broadcast television and many times watches Neflix with his friends. Video games have become a very efficient tool for human interaction and fostering relationships.
But in the last decade, as video games have become more realistic and taken the lead as new king of the hill in terms of revenue, the question of where video games fit in has been brought front and center. Far too often we hear people, often people from within the gaming community, speaking negatively about the state of video games. Many criticize their ability to tell "adult" stories, while others point to a lack of innovation. But these claims tend to come from a minority, rather than a majority. Sometimes they come from people outside of the video game industry, people who feel threatened by the success of video games.
But in reality, video games do tell adult stories. They tell fantastic stories of all types, that can appeal to any taste. If a person can't find a video game with a story that appeals to them then they aren't looking very hard. And there's definitely no lack of innovation in the industry. Every month we see or hear about new and exciting games that are coming that challenge what we think a video game is or could be. And of course we can't forget the multitude of devices that games can be played on, each offering it's own unique way to play. Every day game designers are coming up with new and interesting ways to tell stories.
Video games are often compared to other forms of entertainment media such as literature, film, and music. But what makes video games so special, is that they encompass all of these things. Video games are none of these things and all of them at the same time. Carefully blending art, music, film, and literature - among other things - video games are the natural evolution of human entertainment. Attention will always be garnered by those who speak out and make negative remarks about the state of the industry; but it's the people who are silent that we should be listening to, because they are the ones working on the next great experiences.
The Nintendo Wii showed that video games could reach a massively larger audience than what was previously thought. With Wiis filling nursing homes across the land, I think it's safe to say that there isn't a demographic out there that video games can't appeal to. And once you're in, you become a part of one the most passionate groups of people you'll ever see. Gamers love their hobby, whether it be cosplayers, tournament players, or just players in general, they all share the common bond of video games. No matter the age, race, or sex, get a group of gamers together and they'll be laughing and smiling in no time.
The worth of video games won't be found in comparisons to other industries or in the remarks of individuals. The worth of video games lies in the people that love them. Game developers, game media, and the gamers themselves all represent the worth of video games. No other industry can claim the same level of passion and the same close relationship between all levels of the industry that video games enjoy. And because of this, video games don't need to find their place or prove their worth. Video games are not movies or books or music. Video games are video games, and that's what makes them amazing.
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