Anyone who hasn’t been living underneath a rock for the last decade will know that video games are everywhere. People can scarcely watch TV or go online without seeing an advert for a video game or seeing a review of the latest release from the industry. This is not to say that this is a bad thing – it is clear that video games are the most loved medium in entertainment, surpassing everything from books to films. Those who grew up around the time that video games were first released might look in awe at how the industry has grown to a point where the whole world loves video games. This is because this fact was not always the case.
Video games have had their fair share of controversy, but thankfully, this is becoming less frequent as the years pass. In the past, they have been blamed for perpetuating the development of aggression in children because of violent video games. Video games have endured the brunt of all sorts of stigmas, so it is amazing to see how they are embraced by all today. There will be many wondering what the appeal of video games are though as they have soared to astronomical heights. The answer to this is clear to see, and the love for video games can be argued to be in direct correlation with the development of technology.
New technology will always affect most industries within the world, but for an industry that explicitly relies on it to exist, such as gaming, this effect is magnified exponentially. For example, online gaming was not always a thing, and many will remember a time where they could only play with others if they were side-by-side and sharing a screen. The creation of gaming essentially made that practice obsolete and allowed friends to play with each other regardless of location. Even better people were also able to play with strangers from all over the world, something that is enjoyed widely today. This social activity would have been great following recent world events when many were stuck in their homes.
Gaming has become so popular that it has caused a demand for it in terms of content. One only must look to sites like YouTube to see how popular the activity is, as the gaming section on the platform is saturated with gaming videos that people have shared. The same is true for other platforms like Twitch, which has a focus on live streaming. Other industries, such as gambling, have utilised streaming too and it might surprise some to learn that they can access live dealer casinos in the same way that they would watch their favourite streamer play video games. The rise of streaming and content creation can also be attributed to developing technology, showing that it certainly does impact many other industries.
It should now be clear why so many people enjoy video games. As technology has progressed, video games have become more interesting and can appeal to a greater range of people. As the two are related, it is unlikely that the world’s love for video games will ever die.