Jayden Szeto - Week 7: The Impact of Videogames on America
When an adult hears the word “video games,” the first word that commonly comes to mind is something that children can get addicted to. They think about all the negative effects, but have they really thought about all the good things that video games have brought? Video games actually have a huge economic impact. If you did not know, the video game industry generates more income than most movie and music industries, which is honestly quite surprising. According to VisualCapitalist, it is estimated that the gaming industry will “surpass $300 billion…by 2026.” To put that into perspective, the movie industry makes around $70 billion dollars and the music industry makes even less. Video games have even influenced movies, TV shows, and literature, creating more opportunities to write and make shows about. The video games industry creates jobs and opportunities for many people, and overall contributes a large amount to the economy. Additionally, video games also help create demand for better technology. With new games that require virtual reality, AI, and better graphics, the video game market provides ideas and opportunities for tech companies to try to create for the gaming audience. These advancements can even help in other areas, such as medical, educational, and military applications.
Gaming has also changed the way people interact and socialize with each other. Multiplayer games have allowed people from all over the world to connect and play together. One example would be League of Legends (I DON'T PLAY THIS I SWEAR), which has a solid mix of Americans and Asians playing together. Related to the topic of interaction would be learning things from video games. Many simulation games, such as flight simulation for pilots, or even medical procedure simulations, have been used professionally. In schools, some teachers use video games to teach their students in a more interesting and engaging way.
Creating video games is also like art. Video games are increasingly being used as a form of artistic expression, as it requires a lot of creativity to create a game. You need to combine graphics, music, and interactive gameplay to have a successful game.
And of course, video games provide something for children when they want to relax. That’s likely something that many people already know. When playing fun and engaging video games, your brain releases dopamine, which helps make you feel good and help you cope with the harsh realities of life. I usually only play video games when I am with my friends because recently, I have been a lot more busy. Also, sometimes when I play I get more mad than happy… I think playing video games is good as long as you limit yourself and find one that you have an interest in. Otherwise, you will not have fun playing it and it’ll lead you down the rabbit hole of gaming, which is when you keep on playing and losing and playing and losing, and it will make you feel worse off than when you started playing.
Hi Jayden! The topic of your blog post was very intriguing to me, since gaming used to be my largest hobby when I was in middle school. The details you included about the economic output of the gaming industry being larger than that of the movie and music industries were astonishing to me; just ten or fifteen years ago, gaming was not nearly as much of a behemoth in the entertainment industry. Your claims about games being a form of artistic expression are unique, and I enjoyed thinking about my views on that topic; I think that big-budget games made by large companies such as Activision are not a form of art. However, I definitely feel like indie games made by individuals or small groups of people have enough soul to be considered pieces of art. As technology progresses and facilitates game-creation, I hope that more indie developers are empowered to create unique games to express themselves (games could be considered a type of interactive art). On another note, the conclusion of this blog post brings up interesting ideas relating to the addictive nature of some games; however, I feel like many addictions can be blamed on the intentional choices that game producers make to keep players engaged.
ReplyDeleteHi Jayden! Your blog was really interesting to read because a lot of people focus on the negative impacts of gaming when there are really as many positive impacts as there are negative impacts. Gaming has been an integral part of the American economy since, like you mentioned, it contributes $328.6 billion to the U.S. economy per year. The industry also supports 1.8 million jobs and $104 billion of wages and salaries across the country. While gaming has an immensely positive impact on the economy, what about personal impacts? A lot of people argue that gaming is a waste of time and leads to gaming addictions that are hard to overcome. While it’s true that spending every hour of your day playing video games is sure to have a negative impact on a person’s life, all forms are entertainment are negative when they are not consumed in moderation. I personally think that gaming can be beneficial since it requires more brain power than other forms of media entertainment such as watching movies, but it is also important to play video gamed in moderation in order to keep yourself from become too addicted to playing video games. Your insight on how video games are a form of artistic expression is interesting since it made me realize how game design is one of the few industries that work on combining art and technology, an interesting field that is still developing today.
ReplyDeleteHi Jayden, your blog has put video games in an entirely new perspective which makes me somewhat appreciate them. I have never been a fan of video games because my 7 year old brother plays Roblox any chance he gets to the point where it has become the most important part of his life. He is so addicted that he secretly plays it in his room or at night when he is not supposed to. I personally believe that he could spend his time doing something much more interesting or productive but after reading your blog, I have decided to focus on the positives. Roblox has helped him make many friends and connections with people through the fact that they both enjoy the game. Whenever I have seen him play, the game has always looked very chaotic and requires a lot of multitasking, concentration and teamwork so it has been helpful in developing some useful skills. I like the inclusion of facts in your article, especially the fact that the gaming industry will be making $300 million in a couple years which is far more than the movie and music industry, as it demonstrates the importance of video games in America. In spite of many people detesting video games, it is hard to ignore that they have become an integral part of society and American culture.
ReplyDeleteHey Jayden, I am personally not into video games but I know you are because I watch you play brawl stars all day at school and then when I text you, you tell me to shut up because you are playing brawl stars. From what I can see it seems pretty hard to maneuver the characters around the way you want them to and also communicate to your friends in order to reach your goal. So I agree with you, that it could be helping you with important skills like communication and mutitasking. I remember in elementary we would play this video game called prodigy that would make us solve math problems in order to beat the game. This motivated me to play since I loved to unlock new levels and get coins for my character. I believe that video games can help kids learn either basic skills like communication or to used as a tool for other more niche subjects.
ReplyDeleteHey Jayden, your blog was very intriguing to read. I do agree with your point that many adults do see video games as something that “rots our brain” without looking at the benefits. I used to play video games all the time too so I understand how it feels to get told that often. The evolution of games throughout the years has amazed me and we can only wonder what else is going to happen to the Industry. I do agree with you that any game can be considered a form of art. I also do agree that video games brought more people together. Especially during the pandemic where everything was online, I would find myself playing games with my friends and making new ones over games and those are people that I am still close with today. While they can be a distraction if overused, the benefits that video games have had are often overlooked and should be recognized more.
ReplyDeleteHi Jayden! I feel like the impact of video games is usually underestimated, as they are seen as simply a form of entertainment, and not something to be taken seriously. However, as something that not only is consumed by the masses but also something that people go out of their way to consume, the effect of video games is undeniable. I like your commentary about how video games contribute not just to society, an aspect that many focus on, to refute arguments that video games are detrimental to society, but also to the economy, creating jobs and industries. I also like how you included a quote and a statistic to prove your point, showing how you put a lot of effort into your blog's arguments. I also like your usage of comedy to make your writing more intriguing, and your arguments appeal more to the audience. I agree with your statement about how video games are okay, but only in moderation. Anything, when done too much, is harmful. However, I feel like video games can be an addiction, as many of our parents argue. The brain can become addicted to anything that releases dopamine, and as something that is generally unproductive, an addiction to video games is undeniably harmful. Also, I like your addition of video games fostering negative emotions, such as depression, an aspect that is rarely touched on. Overall, your blog was thought-provoking, and written clearly and concisely.
ReplyDeleteThe various aspects you draw to convey the positive light of gaming shows that this is an activity your passionate about. I found your comparison of the incomes of the gaming and movie industries so so compelling — Your inclusion of the numeric values really helped to emphasize the substantial gap in profit, but more so, I found myself in surprise of just the simple fact. I would have assumed that the movie industry generates more income as it appeals to a wider audience. Furthermore, I respect your acknowledgement about the importance of limiting oneself. I have personally always held this resentment for the gaming industry and the hold it has on its consumers, particularly teens, relying on their vulnerabilities in order to profit. I would definitely say my perception has been influenced by my younger brother, however, who I have seen gradually get drawn into “the rabbit hole of gaming,” as you described, losing sight of the more important things in life. The insights you shed light on, nevertheless, allowed me to gain a more comprehensive perspective.
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