Playing video games used to be “just a game”, and for many gamers it still is just an idle hobby. However, for a lot of people, gaming has become their primary social network, both in person and on the Internet, and a consuming—and expensive—habit. Gamers develop intricate expertise; games influence their “real” lives, and has become an encompassing lifestyle for a whole generation.
In the past decade, video games have entered the mainstream society, and their infiltration is growing. Improved graphics, better, more engaging stories, and enhanced playing experiences have brought more and more people to the gaming arena. In addition, the popularity of systems like Nintendo Wii, which allow people to play video games without mashing buttons, allows people of every generation to move and interact more naturally, bringing even more people into the world of gaming.
Also popular now are exercise games like Wii Fit. Perhaps this will finally get rid of the stereotype of the couch potato gamer. Wii-style gaming systems seem to be the wave of the future. Microsoft and Sony are now introducing motion capture controllers of their own. These systems are more than mere game controllers, however. They serve as total home entertainment centers, which can play movies and music, connect you to the Internet, and more.
For hardcore and next-generation gamers, the power and reach of the gamer life continues to grow, with added features like online multiplayer capabilities, meaning you can always find someone to play with, whenever you want, whether it’s your friend down the block, or a person halfway across the world.
A word of caution, however: computer-hosted MMORPGs are seriously addicting and their influence will only spread further as more people get hooked on them. Graphics and interface have advanced beyond mere games; they are feature length movies, with well-written stories, engaging characters, and mind-blowing cinematography. You can play and explore forever: there are entire worlds to discover, missions to accomplish, treasures to unlock, and records to beat.
Gaming Video game tournaments and trade shows are also growing in popularity, and they are influencing the entire realm of the gaming lifestyle. The best players from all over the world travel to the major tournaments and compete for big cash prizes. Players devote their lives to honing their skills on a single game; it’s their craft, their job, and their passion. At the trade shows all of the major gaming companies tempt their fans with the latest technologies, attracting the media and fans on a global scale. It’s now big business.
Also contributing to the gaming lifestyle is the G4 television network, which is not only cover major tournaments and E3, but it has lineups entirely filled up with programs devoted to gaming: review and preview shows, technology shows, walk-through shows, and more.
With all this media attention: TV stations, tradeshows, tournaments, games with broad demographic appeal, and sophisticated systems which turn into home entertainment centers, it’s no wonder that gaming has spread across the globe and will continue to influence the lifestyles of future generations.