The video game industry, a relatively new industry, was created based off of two separate developments unrelated to the computer. In the beginning of the early 1930’,s the first pinball machine was created by David Gottlieb and was made popular through entertainment arcades. These locations were home to numerous coin-operated machines. While mechanical developments such as the pinball machine continued, large universities around the U.S were using computers to create new games. In 1972, Atari became the first successful United States company to sell video arcade games. A decade later, social change surrounded this newly formed industry. The rise of the internet created popularity of gaming online and new software that allowed users to message with other users (these were known as bulletin boards). Concentration of power began to shift to Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft. Each major firm came out with separate gaming systems and the Nintendo Wii captured the broadest audience. As time has moved on, it is evident that the video game industry is controversial from the sex and violence seen in many games today. Although the video game industry is fairly new and it has changed as a result of struggles to control its channels to audiences, it has come a long way since the development of the first pinball machine in the early 1930’s.
The landscape of the entire video game industry is very unique. Currently, video game use has been reported at around 67% in U.S households. It is important to note that the average gamer is 30 years old and has been playing for more than 12 years. Convergence has played a major role in the development of gaming consoles. For example, an Xbox 360 can be used to play DVDs as well as the regular gaming functions. Video game use has stretched to desktop/laptop use to interactive TVs and mobile device. And although video games used though consoles and handheld manufacturers get much attention, the largest amount of games are created through third party publishers. In the production field, these companies create games unrelated to the hardware companies. Although the video game industry continues to grow, its rich history and different uses make it unique and special.
The video game industry has a large number of genres of games known as “software genres”. These genres include action games, adventure, casual, simulation, strategy and sports games. Young men have always been the dominating force of video games, until 2009 when simulation video games became popular and other women decided to give it a try. This led to programmers creating a target audience for their viewers having to do with gender race, and marital status. These different audiences led to different concerns about the media overall.
When the video game industry became more popular there became more concerns on privacy, content, and self-regulation because more people were using the games. The content was controversial because of a video game character known as Lara Croft lots of critics say she has unrealistic body type than most women and is a negative role model for young girls today. A video game known as Grand Theft Auto, which was in controversy for having too much sexual content and violence. People have many concerns with their own privacy on certain online video games such as FarmVille and CityVille. The U.S government has many different laws about collecting data when it comes to privacy and self-regulation. There is an act known as the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act also known as COPPA this law requires websites, which includes games sites, to get the consent of the parent to know what site their child is on. The law gets permission from the individual to be on the site.
Video game addiction is something that happens a lot in today’s society. The use of advanced technology has made especially young generation reliant on only technology and not the world around them, that they are invested into this one game. In an academic journal in Media Psychology that was created in 2011 there was a study done by Livingstone and Helsper in 2007 that resulted that higher sensation children are more likely to go online. In a study done in 2004 by Livingstone and Helsper it was proved those children would also be more likely to be addicted to video games. There is not evident proof but it can be suggested that kids that are playing video games want to play a specific type, which is violent video games, and they get addicted to them. In fact, a 2007 study suggested that teens who play violent, shooting video games may have lingering effects on the brain that trigger emotional arousal(“Violent”). Violent video games leads to kids and teens becoming more addicted to online gaming and thinking they are in the specific game such fighting games, shooting games and other violent criteria.
The video game industry has become a huge enterprise for all ages of people looking for a minute to escape and be in a different world. However, there could be effects from the industry that could be negative such as addiction and violence. Whether it is in kids, or adults. The video game industry has come a long way since 1931 with pinball machines and with the negative effects of addiction on children and youth violence today, the industry must go on another level.
Works Cited
- Jensen, Jakob D., et al. “Developing A Brief Sensation Seeking Scale For Children: Establishing Concurrent Validity With Video Game Use And Rule-Breaking Behavior.” Media Psychology 14.1 (2011): 71-95. Communication & Mass Media Complete. Web. 2 Aug. 2015.
- Violent video games. (2007). The Science Teacher, 74(1), 12-12,14.
- Carey, Benedict. “Shooting in the Dark.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 11 Feb. 2013. Web. 30 July 2015.
- Miller, Tracy. “Kids Addicted to Video Games May Become Violent: Experts.” NY Daily News. N.p., 25 Mar. 2013. Web. 30 July 2015.
- Struthers, William M. “Gaming Addiction.” Addictions & Substance Abuse. Ed. Robin Kamienny Montvilo. Vol. 1. Ipswich, MA: Sale
