Video game

What Exactly Is a Video Game?

A video game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface to generate visual feedback from a display device. Most modern video games are audiovisual, with audio complement delivered through speakers or headphones. Imagine playing a game where you can hear the footsteps of your virtual enemy – it’s like having a real-life experience!

The Evolution of Video Games

The first video game prototypes emerged in the 1950s and 1960s using electronic devices with various display formats. The first consumer video game was Computer Space in 1971, followed by iconic hits like Pong and the Magnavox Odyssey. These early games laid the groundwork for what we now know as modern video games.

The Birth of the Video Game Industry

In 1966, Ralph H. Baer devised a system to play a basic table tennis game on a television screen. With the company’s approval, he created the prototype known as the ‘Brown Box.’ Imagine if you could have played video games in your living room back then!

Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney went on to form Atari, Inc., and with Allan Alcorn, they created their second arcade game in 1972, the hit ping pong-style Pong. The success of the Odyssey and Pong launched the video game industry, making them the ‘Father of Video Games.’

The Term ‘Video Game’

The term ‘video game’ emerged around 1973. In a BusinessWeek article from November 10, 1973, Nolan Bushnell used the term twice, suggesting that it had been proposed and readily adopted by those in the field.

Platform Diversity

Video games require a platform, a specific combination of electronic components or computer hardware and associated software, to process player interaction from some type of input device and displays the results to a video output display. Platforms include PC games, home consoles, handheld consoles, arcade video games, browser games, mobile games, cloud gaming, and virtual reality (VR) systems.

Virtual reality (VR) games require special head-mounted units with stereoscopic screens and motion tracking to immerse players in a virtual environment. Some VR systems include control units for hands. Emulation enables old games to be played on modern systems by simulating the original hardware. Backward compatibility allows older games to be played directly on newer platforms through hardware and built-in software.

Game Genres

Video games are classified into genres based on gameplay interaction, such as action game, role-playing game, or shoot ’em up. Genre names can shift over time, with some having derivations from influential works that defined the genre. For example, do you remember when you first played a survival horror game like Resident Evil?

Game Modes

A video game’s mode describes how many players can use the game at the same time, primarily distinguishing between single-player and multiplayer games. Within multiplayer games, various modes exist, including locally connected devices, LAN parties, online gameplay through separate Internet connections, competitive, cooperative, team-based, and asymmetric gameplay.

Types of Video Games

The video game industry has expanded into mobile gaming, virtual reality systems, and remote cloud gaming. Independent video game development gained prominence, and the commercial importance of the industry has increased. The global video game market had estimated annual revenues of US$159 billion in 2020, making it a significant force across the entertainment industry.

Video games can be subject to national and international content rating requirements, which identify the target age group for players. Regulations vary from country to country, but most use a primary identifier based on a minimum age along with additional descriptors to identify specific content. Major content rating systems include ESRB, PEGI, ACB, CERO, USK, and IARC.

Game Development

Video game development is often a cross-disciplinary field, including programmers, graphic designers, sound designers, musicians, and technicians, managed by producers. In the early days of the industry, a single person managed all roles in creating a video game. As platforms evolved, larger teams were needed for art, programming, cinematography, and more.

Game development teams range from 5-50 people and can exceed 100. The growth of team size led to increased pressure to complete projects on time, resulting in missed deadlines, rushed games, and unfinished products. Amateur and hobbyist game programming existed since the late 1970s, but indie game development has become a recent trend, with small teams creating smaller-scale games outside publisher control.

Game Theory and Studies

Narrativists approach video games as an artistic medium, focusing on storytelling and interactive fiction. Ludologists break from this idea, rejecting the notion that video games are solely about entertainment. Narratives in gaming often compare to Cyberdrama, a concept presented by Janet Murray, where players act out another person in a virtual world.

Most games rely on emergent principles, including simulated story worlds where storyline can be created by player interaction. Emergent behavior occurs in various forms, such as traffic jams in racing games or AI-driven events in other simulations.

Legal and Ethical Considerations

Video games are protected by copyright, but gameplay itself is generally not considered copyrightable. The underlying code and artistic aspects are eligible for protection, while the underlying principles of the game are not. This leads to frequent replication and building upon gameplay ideas in popular games.

The Industry’s History

The industry has a complex history, with numerous companies forming to create clones of popular games. This led to oversaturation and loss of publishing control, resulting in the North American home video game market crashing in 1983. Video games rely on intellectual property protection, but countries like China have lax oversight, enabling grey markets for cloned hardware and software systems.

Japan’s growing game industry was briefly shocked by its crash but recovered with Nintendo’s release of the NES in 1985, establishing core industrial practices that continue today. The industry became conservative, focusing on low-risk triple-A games and large development budgets. The Internet brought digital distribution, contributing to the growth of indie game development as an alternative to triple-A games.

Industry Roles

The video game industry includes publishers, developers, distributors, retailers, hardware manufacturers, journalists, influencers, esports professionals, trade groups, and gamers. Publishers oversee game development and marketing, while distributors and retailers sell games to consumers. Hardware manufacturers produce consoles and components, and journalism and influencers shape public opinion on games.

Global Market

Major regional markets are dominated by companies in North America, Europe, and southeast Asia, including Japan, South Korea, and China. Hardware production is dominated by Asian companies, while digital distribution and indie game development allow developers to flourish globally. The global video game industry drew $159 billion in 2020 revenue, with mobile games accounting for 48% of the market.

Video Game Culture

The artistic merit of video games is debated, but the US Supreme Court ruled in 2011 that they are a protected form of speech with artistic value. Video game developers now use art more for artistic expression, and games have been exhibited at major museums like the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Impact on Popular Culture

Video games inspire sequels, influence works outside the medium, and have led to television shows, films, comics, and novels based on existing franchises. The film industry has found ways to adapt video games, with some recent releases receiving positive reviews. There is also a growing appreciation for video game music, ranging from chiptunes to fully-scored compositions, which has inspired concerts and covers.

Video games incorporate licensed music, enable creators to craft narratives through machinima, and are used in marketing and promotion. They have improved quality in recent years with AAA studios involved. Video games offer educational benefits for various ages and comprehension levels, promoting learning by doing and creative thinking. They also enhance cognitive and emotional skills, improve hand-eye coordination, and provide mental health benefits, including reducing stress and improving wellbeing, particularly among millennials.

Controversies

Video games have caused controversy since the 1970s due to concerns about violent content influencing players’ behavior, addiction, and potential links to real-life violence or gambling tendencies. This has led to various regulations, ratings systems, and industry pressure. Other controversies include issues related to gender, racial, and LGBTQ+ representation, working conditions, and monetization practices like loot boxes.

Conclusion

The video game industry is a dynamic and ever-evolving field that continues to shape our entertainment landscape. From the early days of simple arcade games to today’s complex virtual realities, video games have become an integral part of popular culture. As technology advances, so too does the potential for what we can achieve in this medium.