For as long as I can remember I have been an avid sports fan. I grew up watching Eagles and Sixers games with my dad, and I have carried that heavy interest in sports with me my entire life. One media culture I never really found myself a part of would be the video gaming community. While I have of course played different games over my life, Ive never owned a gaming console and have always wondered why video games engross such a large demographic of people. Through this post, I will talk about the appeal of video games and how they provide valuable ideals to people of all ages.
The video game culture uses doesn’t just use media, it is media. Games are developed first and foremost to provide entertainment, but some games also provide valuable lessons that can be expanded upon in real life. For example, let’s take the game Animal Crossing. Animal crossing is a game where you live as a little animated animal in a small town. Through the game, you can do chores for neighbors, fish, garden, and pretty much just live. The game provides a sense community and inspires joy through helping neighbors and others in need. While not all games provide these uplifting themes, there are many that do and it can leave a lasting impact of the community as a whole.
Video games also can hold multiple different roles in a person’s life. One of the front-running reasons is that the games are just fun, and serve as a form of entertainment. Others can see games as a way to unwind from a stressful day. Video games can also help develop cognitive and learning skills. This article from the American Psychological Association talks about the learning, health, and social benefits that video gaming can have to children. This youtube video also attests to the cognitive and memory skills that gaming can enhance. Additionally, video gaming can offer people a sense of competition, just like in sports. In just about every game, there is some level of competition, whether it’s against other players or versus the game itself.
In our lecture videos, we talked about the different needs that play into a media culture. One of these needs that is satisfied by the video gaming culture would be the social need. One would think sitting in front of a screen playing games doesn’t allow for socialism, but it is quite the opposite. Games can be played online, meaning that you are able to play with, connect with, and socialize with anyone around the world. Friends log on to games and play with each other all the time, but there are even instances where people become friends playing together that have never actually met in real life. This article from BBC talks about a group of friends that had never met in real life, but had formed an incredible friendship. When one of the friends fell terminally ill, the whole group flew out to his hospital bed, which was the first time any of them had met in real life.
Overall, video game culture is quite impactful in many people’s lives. I was never really aware of the effect video games have, and the benefit it can bring to so many different people. This post opened my eyes, and I think this culture is now something I want to be a part of.
