In 2023, video games rule the world. Every time a new gaming system comes out, like the PlayStation 5, you will see lines around the block. The systems sell out, and game enthusiasts wait for weeks till they can get one. They spend their whole paychecks on game systems and eat ramen for weeks to afford one. What makes the video game industry such a powerhouse? It’s a topic well worth exploring, and we’ll do so right now.
Video Game Evolution
People like playing games. Games that incorporate the latest technology have a particular fascination for us. That’s part of why the video game industry continues thriving.
The gaming industry frequently attracts the brightest minds. It did back when pinball games first became wildly popular in the 1960s and 70s. Engineers and mathematicians designed games in their spare time. The finished products captivated the public’s imagination. Games like Pong, Frogger, Tetris, and Centipede came along. Their simplicity didn’t stop their growing popularity. People like having a goal, and getting a high score at these games gave them bragging rights. Home video game systems brought about a new dimension. The Atari, and then later the original NES, let people play video games at home for the first time. Some people couldn’t get enough. Anyone who preferred sitting on the couch over playing outside rejoiced.
The Next Stages
New video game systems arrived, like the SNES and the Sega Genesis. These gave way to the N64 and others. The PlayStation was revolutionary, and then the PlayStation 2 sold even better. The technology kept improving, as did the graphics and the gameplay. These days, the graphics have improved to the point where some games seem completely real.
They’re like movies that you watch, but at the same time, you control the characters. Think about a series like Halo or Resident Evil. The graphics resemble a major Hollywood release. Games in the horror genre can terrify you, just like a big-budget movie can. Those in the sci-fi genre can thrill and captivate you as well.
Better Storytelling
The continued success that video games see isn’t just about better gameplay and graphics, though. Those are the eye candy and the degree of difficulty, and it’s clear that those matter to gamers. The complex storylines continue improving new game releases as well, though. Some game storylines, like The Last of Us, have become so popular that they’ve spawned their own TV series. The Last of Us on HBO has grown into a runaway hit. Millions of people have watched the first season and eagerly anticipate the second. When a video game becomes so massively popular that it becomes a movie, a movie series, or a TV show, that means thousands of jobs. Think about the many people who work on these movies and shows. You have the makeup teams, the special effects teams, the producers, actors, directors, etc.
That shows how powerful video games have become. If someone comes out with a video game that’s popular, it becomes a cultural phenomenon. People don’t just play it. They want to experience it in other ways. They dress up like the characters for Halloween and on their birthdays. They have theme parties centered around their favorite games. You see popular video game characters on shirts, hats, and posters.
People Love Video Games
It’s not hyperbolic to say that people love video games. They had humble roots, but now, the popular ones capture something in the public consciousness. The best games seem to illuminate something in ourselves. They reveal our deepest fears and our greatest desires. This year, an animated Super Mario Brothers movie will come out. It will feature some of Hollywood’s biggest names voicing the various characters. We know those characters. Different generations know them. A grandfather, father, and child can all probably identify Mario, Luigi, Toadstool, Bowser, and Donkey Kong. They know about them because they’ve lived with them for decades. The movie features a simple yet ridiculous notion about a plumber who saves a princess while gobbling mushrooms that make him bigger. It’s not just still around nearly fifty years after it first appeared. Its popularity has only grown. That’s what video games mean. They’re not frivolous pastimes. They shape our lives and the world around us. They generate billions in revenue yearly. Video games matter. Anyone who doesn’t believe that isn’t paying attention. Video games are arguably more influential than books. That’s astonishing but true.
