Is it too bold a statement to say that video games will always hold a place in our society? How about that there will always be quality titles available? Or even artistically valid and thought-provoking titles? I think it’s reasonable to expect this sort of future – and here’s why.
The movie industry is pretty big, right? I would say so, considering that movie stars are pretty much the closest thing to royalty America
Video games are not quite as mainstream as movies are; but they are steadily getting there. No longer is the average gamer left to sit alone and become socially inadequate in his mom's basement. Now we see throngs of people of all ages waiting in line to pick up the newest Call of Duty, and yet other folks connect through games on Facebook. I have heard countless discussions at work between grown women about certain Wii games that I never expected to hear. Slowly but surely the medium of the video game is permeating our society, creating new markets for developers as interest grows among the populace. The unfortunate stigma of the gamer as weird, nerdy and awkward is dissipating; and in its wake dollar signs are twinkling in the eyes of developers and publishers all over the world. I don't want to suggest that game makers are greedy (not all of them anyway), but let's face facts - opportunities for profit are continually opening up and it's only natural someone will be there with a product to sell.
Here we run into what I think is a large misconception among some people. Let us consider the music industry now - I have heard time and time again that no one is making good music these days. It is a common lament and frankly an unfounded one. It's true that popular opinion changes, creating a flood of mimics as everyone tries to cash in on "what's cool"; but if any self-respecting music fan digs past the mainstream onslaught they will find something that suits them. And for me, sometimes finding that diamond in the rough makes the discovery that much better. To an extent, the same can be said of video games. Notice I say "to an extent" - this goes back to my statement that video games aren't quite as mainstream as they will be. Currently, to dig past the Call of Duty's and Facebook games (not that these are all bad, mind you) and find something suitable to the discriminating gamers' tastes, some concessions may have to be made. Call of Duty not "deep" enough for you? Then try the third-person Mass Effect 2; there's plenty of action as well as top-notch story telling. Whimpering that there are no good horror games anymore? Well, you may have to pony up for a decent PC so you can try Frictional Games' amazing Amnesia. It's certainly not ideal, but there are options even now if you look hard enough and have the means to play what you find.
I say give it time. Today the average movie lover can enjoy mindless action, tear-inducing love stories, and deep and thought-provoking films that some may even call art. And as the popularity of video games increases so will the number and variety of games increase. Some gamers want the instant thrills that online multiplayer games provide, while yet others want that deep and time consuming experience that is the RPG. There are markets for all types of video games, and through the years we will see these markets grow and shift - yet they will be there and so will future developers and publishers. There will be demand, there will be money to be made, and there will be plenty of options for us gamers in the future.
*On a side note - this is all assuming there is no global economic meltdown; and in light of recent events let's hope things improve. ; )
Video games are not quite as mainstream as movies are; but they are steadily getting there. No longer is the average gamer left to sit alone and become socially inadequate in his mom's basement. Now we see throngs of people of all ages waiting in line to pick up the newest Call of Duty, and yet other folks connect through games on Facebook. I have heard countless discussions at work between grown women about certain Wii games that I never expected to hear. Slowly but surely the medium of the video game is permeating our society, creating new markets for developers as interest grows among the populace. The unfortunate stigma of the gamer as weird, nerdy and awkward is dissipating; and in its wake dollar signs are twinkling in the eyes of developers and publishers all over the world. I don't want to suggest that game makers are greedy (not all of them anyway), but let's face facts - opportunities for profit are continually opening up and it's only natural someone will be there with a product to sell.
Here we run into what I think is a large misconception among some people. Let us consider the music industry now - I have heard time and time again that no one is making good music these days. It is a common lament and frankly an unfounded one. It's true that popular opinion changes, creating a flood of mimics as everyone tries to cash in on "what's cool"; but if any self-respecting music fan digs past the mainstream onslaught they will find something that suits them. And for me, sometimes finding that diamond in the rough makes the discovery that much better. To an extent, the same can be said of video games. Notice I say "to an extent" - this goes back to my statement that video games aren't quite as mainstream as they will be. Currently, to dig past the Call of Duty's and Facebook games (not that these are all bad, mind you) and find something suitable to the discriminating gamers' tastes, some concessions may have to be made. Call of Duty not "deep" enough for you? Then try the third-person Mass Effect 2; there's plenty of action as well as top-notch story telling. Whimpering that there are no good horror games anymore? Well, you may have to pony up for a decent PC so you can try Frictional Games' amazing Amnesia. It's certainly not ideal, but there are options even now if you look hard enough and have the means to play what you find.
I say give it time. Today the average movie lover can enjoy mindless action, tear-inducing love stories, and deep and thought-provoking films that some may even call art. And as the popularity of video games increases so will the number and variety of games increase. Some gamers want the instant thrills that online multiplayer games provide, while yet others want that deep and time consuming experience that is the RPG. There are markets for all types of video games, and through the years we will see these markets grow and shift - yet they will be there and so will future developers and publishers. There will be demand, there will be money to be made, and there will be plenty of options for us gamers in the future.
*On a side note - this is all assuming there is no global economic meltdown; and in light of recent events let's hope things improve. ; )
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