I am doing a report on school based on video game culture and since all of you are gamers, I'll ask you: Do you think that the video game culture has had a big impact on America and if so, is it a good or bad impact?
Video Game Culture
- Thread starter Amenta Kaiser
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I'm going to preface my post by saying I'm writing this as a portrayal as an Us vs Them sort of deal I don't actually separate the world into two groups like this.
but yes the culture of video gamers has spread into day to day culture.
For starters let's look at hoe playing video games is no longer the realm of nerds and losers, but instead it is expected for a young man to enjoy video games on some level. This alone has shown how much impact we have made on the world around us, especially for how little many of us go outside. (har har)
Another thing is to see how much more interest their is in video games in general, especially when it comes to controversy. If we as a culture didn't affect culture as a whole people wouldn't explode over a games gore or violence or sex because it would just fade into oblivion within the specific group that is gaming culture.
Another thing I've noticed is that a lot of lingo seems to make it out of our world and into the real one, words like gank and pwn and even fail have begun to seep into everyday life. I've heard teenage girls use the word pwn and mean it. While these girls may in fact be gamers (who knows?) it just shows that gaming culture is gaining prevalence in society and in fact a popular and accept form of recreation now. As opposed to even 5 or 10 years ago when only the obscure or young played games on a day to day basis.
but yes the culture of video gamers has spread into day to day culture.
For starters let's look at hoe playing video games is no longer the realm of nerds and losers, but instead it is expected for a young man to enjoy video games on some level. This alone has shown how much impact we have made on the world around us, especially for how little many of us go outside. (har har)
Another thing is to see how much more interest their is in video games in general, especially when it comes to controversy. If we as a culture didn't affect culture as a whole people wouldn't explode over a games gore or violence or sex because it would just fade into oblivion within the specific group that is gaming culture.
Another thing I've noticed is that a lot of lingo seems to make it out of our world and into the real one, words like gank and pwn and even fail have begun to seep into everyday life. I've heard teenage girls use the word pwn and mean it. While these girls may in fact be gamers (who knows?) it just shows that gaming culture is gaining prevalence in society and in fact a popular and accept form of recreation now. As opposed to even 5 or 10 years ago when only the obscure or young played games on a day to day basis.
Videogames are pretty much like other popcultures. They have a a certain devoted audience whom cultural preference segregates from other popcultural phenomenons. It's much like the early days of rock, punk and cableTV.
Videogames as culture is much more of a potential than a cultural indicator. Just think 5-10 years into the future and try to imagine how gamedevelopers must try new inovative means of entertain its audience. It might not be long before games are as strong a cutlural phenomenon as TV is today.
Videogames as culture is much more of a potential than a cultural indicator. Just think 5-10 years into the future and try to imagine how gamedevelopers must try new inovative means of entertain its audience. It might not be long before games are as strong a cutlural phenomenon as TV is today.
The video game industry makes more money than the film industry annually. I'd mention that. Money affects the way the world turns, and nothing is bigger than video games...except porn.
It would be watchers, but still.Furburt said:
Anywho, it is becoming more and more accepted, and 80% or so of teenagers say they enjoy video games, so they are making an impact.
The video game culture is a cross-over sub-portion of the Geek culture. The Geek culture has taken off in the last 10 years and is now acceptable, if a bit oddly looked at. When I was a teenager "geek" was one of the worst possible insults. Finally, I can wear it as a badge of honor.
The problem you run into is that their are multiple sub-cultures of the "video game" culture, and they do not play well together, nor do they have the same impact on society at large.
For example, the console FPS culture (read as: Halo Fanboys, COD4 Junkies... Frat Losers) are a very prolific part of the culture, but are considered fringe idiots by most of us long term gamers. In fact, I don't consider them gamers, nor do I consider the people who only play racing and sports games gamers. They are "people who play games" rather than "gamers."
Likewise, WoW changed the old school MMO community, which was all gamers, and brought in casual socialites, L33T dorks, and FPS players looking for a thrill. I would love to say it brought LARPDorks with it too, but I knew LARPLosers in EQ, sadly.
I think your idea is a bit too general. Whittle down to a part of the video game world you can work with. Such as "are high profile, big budget video games and the effect that they are having on mainstream media at large." You could point to something like the acceptance and proliferation of CG in mainstream media through movies like LOTR, Star Wars, and Avatar and show that those are actually very much followers on to game companies like Squaresoft and Blizzard, who really pioneered high quality CG (you could mention FF: Spirits Within, Toy Story, etc). Video games have also influenced the concept of moral relativity. I.E. You are more likely to find games that look at morality in shades of grey (i.e. Mass Effect) and then see those concepts translated to TV and movies, which traditionally were all about pure "good guy or bad guy." The Anti-Hero is now a more accepted mainstream concept.
Or just talk about how the gamer community revived the concept of Zombie Apocalypse and adopted it, leading to a glut of zombie movies.
Or just do a paper on The Gamers: Dorkness Rising (best movie ever.).
The problem you run into is that their are multiple sub-cultures of the "video game" culture, and they do not play well together, nor do they have the same impact on society at large.
For example, the console FPS culture (read as: Halo Fanboys, COD4 Junkies... Frat Losers) are a very prolific part of the culture, but are considered fringe idiots by most of us long term gamers. In fact, I don't consider them gamers, nor do I consider the people who only play racing and sports games gamers. They are "people who play games" rather than "gamers."
Likewise, WoW changed the old school MMO community, which was all gamers, and brought in casual socialites, L33T dorks, and FPS players looking for a thrill. I would love to say it brought LARPDorks with it too, but I knew LARPLosers in EQ, sadly.
I think your idea is a bit too general. Whittle down to a part of the video game world you can work with. Such as "are high profile, big budget video games and the effect that they are having on mainstream media at large." You could point to something like the acceptance and proliferation of CG in mainstream media through movies like LOTR, Star Wars, and Avatar and show that those are actually very much followers on to game companies like Squaresoft and Blizzard, who really pioneered high quality CG (you could mention FF: Spirits Within, Toy Story, etc). Video games have also influenced the concept of moral relativity. I.E. You are more likely to find games that look at morality in shades of grey (i.e. Mass Effect) and then see those concepts translated to TV and movies, which traditionally were all about pure "good guy or bad guy." The Anti-Hero is now a more accepted mainstream concept.
Or just talk about how the gamer community revived the concept of Zombie Apocalypse and adopted it, leading to a glut of zombie movies.
Or just do a paper on The Gamers: Dorkness Rising (best movie ever.).
Video Games influencing Culture or
is Culture influencing Video Games?
Being that video games are popular entertainment whose existence
relies on market forces, I would argue the latter.
Video Games are subset of Computer Technology.
Games are merely a reflection the current Zeitgeist.
[Gaming - a better use of computer technology, spare time,
and idle hands then Internet Porn.
]
is Culture influencing Video Games?
Being that video games are popular entertainment whose existence
relies on market forces, I would argue the latter.
Video Games are subset of Computer Technology.
Games are merely a reflection the current Zeitgeist.
[Gaming - a better use of computer technology, spare time,
and idle hands then Internet Porn.
]
