Gaming Communities And The Gaming Community

Video games are an ever-growing franchise that is constantly undergoing change. Ever since the dawn of video games, new consoles, games, developers, and teams have come together, fallen apart, triumphed, and failed. What is it that has allowed some to thrive where others failed? Several different factors have changed and influenced the world of gaming, including the history that is continuously being written, the people who have built the games behind the scenes, and, of course, the actual video games themselves. Numerous video games have been more successful than others, but identifying what components set the successful apart from the unsuccessful is something definitely worth observing.

Video games have become a key element of popular culture, because they have attracted players from many different cultures and age groups. Video games have come a long way since Pong and Spacewar. Since the first video games, there have been innovations in this industry nearly every year, always striving to defy the impossible. Today, the newest generation of gaming consoles are extremely powerful, and with this comes the ability to make games that are increasingly realistic and advanced. Because of this advancement in video game technology, video game genres have expanded to include racing, shooting, adventure, horror, and so many more. Many of the games today even feature a historical element. To the outside viewer, it may seem as if these

If you are a parent during this time of information and technology, chances are you have a child who has played, is playing, or will be playing video games. The video game industry is a rapidly growing market that went from being worth $100 million in 1985 to $4 billion in 1990 (Gartner, 2013). Prior to the 1980’s, there were rudimentary computer games, commercially sold coin-operated games, and home consoles. Shortly after the North-American Video Game Crash of 1983 the industry took a big hit until the Nintendo Entertainment System induced a resurgence in popularity that has only continued to grow (Cesarone, 2014). In the years since, the gaming world has expanded and divided into numerous categories. There are casual, serious and educational games in mediums ranging from console games to online RPG’s also known as role playing games to the most recent and flourishing market of mobile games. In 2013, the worldwide value of the industry totaled $93 billion (Metrics 2.0, 2007).

Now that technological companies all over the world have set most of the seven billion individuals in the world with a computer, smartphone or tablet, it is time for better software to use with them. This is where games come in. Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello stated in a recent interview that PC gaming is the ‘fastest growing platform’. This shows the growing interest in gaming bearing in mind that gamers also have the means to play on. The term ‘gamer’ refers to an individual that plays a game or games, typically a participant in a computer or role playing game. The gaming community has grown so wide in the last few years because of the shift from single player games to multiplayer games on the internet

Due to this “possibility space,” people can not only imagine different scenarios, but they can be involved in and create them. Gamers expand their people skills learning “creativity, community, self-esteem, and problem-solving” because they are able to “create and interact with elaborately simulated worlds, characters, and story lines.” Thus, video games have become a vehicle for self-expression. Moreover, in the near future, these games will adjust themselves in accord with who the players are and what they like. “And more than ever, games will be visible, external amplification of the human imagination” (279-283).

To start with, gaming is a sizable industry of significant economic importance. More importantly, video games have great potential to be a tool for learning. Educational games combine entertainment with learning and are increasing in popularity (Lenhart et al, 2008). Additionally, video games connect those within similar communities or across the world in positive ways. Technology has made it possible to enjoy this hobby with individuals from almost anywhere in a matter seconds. While video games are a product that primarily serve to entertain and make profits for companies, one of their latent functions is to connect and socialize with

For my research paper, I decided to write about the gaming community. As a gamer, I know that the community strives on technology and the Internet. Over the years, technological improvements allowed the gaming community to communicate and share information through multiple platforms. Additionally, video games allow people of all ages to learn or develop skills.

The term “gamer” tends to be synonymous with “geek” in many people’s minds. They see gaming as a device that absorbs the majority of the time of the user, leaving them as mindless empty, pale husks with no ambitions other than beating that next boss or shooting the enemy in the face. However, few gamers waste their life away. On the contrary, many of these so-called geeks tend to be more social than the average person, and farther down the technological curve than most. For the truth is that gaming is a rather useful and beneficial hobby. It gives people an outlet to focus on, and can connect them with many others worldwide. It can teach and entertain at the same time, and can be a useful distraction at other times. In this essay then,

A gamer is someone who plays video games as a hobby. Gamers are usually quite good at this hobby. Gaming has been around since 1958. It’s ancient. Few people in the United States have gone untouched by video games at some point in their lives. In fact, it is estimated that the number of gamers around the world is about 1.2 billion people. That is a good portion of Earth’s 7.2 billion population. Gaming is huge. Despite that, there are quite a few stereotypes regarding gamers. Some people seem to think that gamers are all a bunch of nerdy losers who do nothing but sit around and waste their lives behind a monitor and with a controller in their hands. No matter how many gamers are not like this, there will always be at least one individual who will fit this stereotype perfectly. But, this paper will bring to light some things that are more typically true of most gamers, regardless of what other stereotypes they may happen to fit. Believe it or not, video games can actually be

Gaming has been a controversial topic with a line drawn between it. One side believing that video games ruin culture. On the other side of the line people believe gaming has cultural benefits. Will Wright writer of “Dream Machines,” writes how evolution of gaming has changed over the decades and how it benefits today's youth. No longer can we say they will rot your brains, when todays studies show how we benefit from them. As a gamer myself I would like to prove to the doubters how beneficial gaming is.

Aside from the point of access for online games played, it is important to understand the market segments for online gamers. A study by Park Associates as cited by David Edery, CEO of Spry Fox, outlines a diversification of gamers into six categories: 1. Power gamers who are 11% of the total gamer market but represent 30% of current spending. 2. Social gamers account for 13% of the market. 3. Leisure gamers hold 14% of the market and spend an average of 58 hours per month playing casual titles. This group prefers challenging games and show high interest in new gaming services . 4. Dormant gamers are 26% of the market. They enjoy gaming, but spend very little time playing due to life’s obligations. 5. Incidental gamers are 12% of the market, with an average of 20 hours a month game time. They usually play out of boredom. 6: Occasional gamers comprise 24% of the market and play puzzle, word, and board games (Edery, 2006).

You walk into a room full of people, you see LED lights and colors everywhere. You hear voices and conversations coming from every corner of the room. Do you think that videogames are destructive to social behavior? Or, do you have a belief that games help to produce skills that can be later used in life? It is in my personal belief, based upon my years of gaming and meeting new people who shared my passion. I believe that the online gaming and the fans and community behind them, are beneficial to the development of communication skills and teamwork. I believe this not based upon textual and factual evidence, but based upon my own and many other gamers experiences. However, alternate arguments could be made that would have you believe that games are promoting isolation.

Gaming has a special place in the hearts of many because the games use can vary from user to user, it could be a be a form entertainment, to stress relief or even becoming a professional gamer. Today the gaming world has hit an astronomical at 1.8 billion players worldwide and is continually growing. Many have argued that gaming has influenced negative behavior, however, through the abundant amount benefits gaming provides and the constant stream of fresh innovations gaming has proven to have a positive impact on society.

Video games in today’s society have become very popular. Every new game that comes out to be played and conquered by the average gamer has its own category. There are several other types of genres of games that people play but because of big hit titles and the new popular game systems like the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, people become more interested in a game that is well known than a game they have never even heard of before. Every game has its own storyline and own way of how it unfolds and where the game ends according to game play. Some of the biggest reasons people sway to certain genres of games is because of the game titles released under them and the demand of people who want a good game under that category. The top three most

Herman et all (2002) points out that history of video games begins from 1971 year, when Nutting association released 1500 machines with Spacewar video game. At the beginning it was too difficult to control the game process and playing machines had huge dimensions. But by the time with new technologies they become more compact and easier to play. According to the information given by Herman et all (2002), the period between the years of 1978-1981 is called ‘golden age’ of video game industry. In this period the arcade games ‘Football’ and ‘Space Invaders’ were released. All previously known sale records were broken by these two games with nearly equal wages. In this time interval great breakthroughs in the field of graphics were achieved,