When I was gaming in the early 2000s, video games weren't exactly popular with the adult figures I grew up with. For obvious reasons back then, video games were only supposed to be considered as a leisure activity and were otherwise said to rot my brain, have no contribution to society, and were just overall a waste of time. While it may have been true back in the day, video games these days have become an ever-growing influence in today's world, touching both the economic market, our psychological development, and our ability to form and cultivate communities.
While I may not be able to express every single effect video games have had on today's society, here are a few insightful connections I've noticed video games have in shaping the world.
Gaming in the Market
We've heard of Twitch Streaming, popular YouTube channels dedicated to gaming, and even Annual Conventions held to display upcoming projects. These are all great examples of how video games have become popularized in todays society, but I'd like to dive a little more deeper on how it can affect the market.
The popularization of video games means that there is a traffic of people being funneled through this area of the web. That means companies, tech or non-tech, can advertise or be endorsed through this network. Snack companies have been seen to promote their sales by providing special codes to unlock in-game content, and renowned gaming teams can develop their own profitable product lines or receive commission from the sale of another's. There is also the possibility of more jobs being created if digital gaming designers decide to take their ideas to the public. With games increasing in popularity, there's a new area of the market that other companies can expand into if they'd like to develop their business, no matter the industry.
Some companies, like those in the computer industry, almost thrive in the development of more technically intense projects. Most of these companies use these games to advertise their products capability to withstand it's technical demands. For example if a game decides to have complex audio details, companies that specialize in speakers and headphones can increase sales by exploiting their products ability to satisfy the game's offerings.
Once again, gaming influences the market by inducing companies to render their products and services within its ever-growing atmosphere, increasing the possibility of business opportunities, and therefore more jobs!
The Positive Ways Gaming Develops The Way We Think
No matter the game or platform, it all comes down to the game being a simulation of something. Some may have played simulation games directly -learning the basics of whatever the simulator mimics- and Virtual Reality games may get us closer to using our bodies in a digital world, but even flat-screen shooter and RPG games are a simulation of the actions done within them. For example survival games can be seen as simulation of resource management, and shooter games are a simulation of directing your focus/aim with fast precision. That being said, gaming can be utilized to train our brains to function a certain way.
Puzzle games have been studied to build our critical thinking, but what about games like Call of Duty, Battlefield, Halo, or whatever fast-paced shooter you might enjoy? As a big first person shooter gamer myself, what I've noticed is that these games train your brain on the fail-fast mentality.
Humans learn off of failure. Experiencing failure is what taught us how to stand, then walk, then run. It's how we might've learned not to touch a hot pan. When playing a fast-paced game where respawn's and redo's are available, the automatic thought to "try again," has become naturalized in how we expect to become better.
We look at the professionals of anything, and we know they became professional because of the practicing they've done- learning from what didn't work and what did. Some of the things we do may not always provide instant feedback that'll make us improve faster- like doing our job or losing weight. So while our subconscious mind learns the value of practice, games can maintain our thinking of having a set goal in mind, trying one way to achieve, failing, and trying another way.
In addition to games being viewed as simulators, it also provides us with knowledge that may not have otherwise been learned if not for its presence in a video game. Consider again the example of first-person shooter games. The objective of the game is not entirely developed to teach the player how to use a weapon, but if one were to be handed a similar weapon in real life, the person may at least be familiar with the operation of one. This goes the same for other scenarios like recognizing paths while traversing an environment, or the quantity of resources to hoard. If you're into competitive shooters- the way you determine the important things to communicate in a team.
I'm not the first person to advertise the psychological developments that come from playing video games, but for those who play and are studying their own thought-processes or functions, should not discount the affects video games have on developing them.
Rise of The Gaming Community
Community is an important resource. Not only was it instinctively important for our species to have a community in order to survive, but it provides us with a sense of belonging. As technology continues to advance our daily lives it also peels away from our functional need for human interaction. While some things will continue to deteriorate as a result of increased technology, the edge that video games still have however is it's ability to bring people together through the use of online features. It's innate ability to have users experience things together is what makes people still have a connection with one another. without the typical leg work a lot of other interactions may require.
Games without an online feature still can have a communal affect by providing experiences and stories worth having discussions about. However, failure to provide anything unique in comparison to existing games can result in fatigue among it's members. This potential slip in the atmosphere is what keeps this community lively and in-search of fresh ideas.
As the community of gamers continue to grow, falter, and thrive, it creates another relevant pool of people to consider as the world continues to evolve. Eventually gamers will have a big enough community to be recognized in mainstream media and perhaps even policy making. With the internet being so integrated into our lives and modern gaming usually having an online component, somehow politicians are going to learn how to capitalize on the resource- and the gaming community will be part of the people fighting on a decision/vote.
Above all else, it's important to recognize that as time moves on, the power and responsibility of shaping the world will shift onto those who's lived through an era where video games were normalized. This is true with every other advancing trend or technology. And as computer technologist strive to develop more immersive virtual worlds, the implementation of video games and it's affects on today's society will undoubtedly evolve with it.
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