Notes

Video Games Come Of Age

Video games are here to stay. Video games are the latest form of mainstream entertainment and have finally achieved the same degree of acceptance as films.



It's an inevitable result of commercial success. Modern Warfare 3, the latest Call of Duty release, set sales records in the first 24 hours after release, netting more than $US400 million in the US and Britain.



Gaming is here and it is growing rapidly. Cinema has a long track record of improvement and innovation, but that has slowed down in recent years. Gaming, however, is always innovating.



Every year expectations are surpassed and new standards are set. It's an exciting time to be an avid gamer.
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While the gaming landscape is complex three companies are driving it: Microsoft with its Xbox 360, Sony with the PlayStation 3, and Nintendo with the Wii/DS.



There has always been a rivalry, especially between Microsoft and Sony, as they attempt to tap the same market. There is a clear sign that competitors are racing to catch up to Microsoft and Sony when the next lucrative idea comes along.



The most exemplary illustration of this is Nintendo's Wii motion-control-based console. Wii was a major breakthrough for Nintendo.



It did away with the processing power of other consoles in favor of more refined motion controls and a beautiful design. It was made for casual gamers.



Microsoft and Sony quickly followed suit with the Kinect and PlayStation Move respectively. While both peripherals sold well, neither replicated the phenomenal success of the Wii.



Standing apart from the ongoing battle between gaming Goliaths however, and not insignificant is the indie developer. Though previously there was little market for smaller, self-published games, the advent of the internet and digital download services such as Steam has allowed games that were previously considered independent to come back.



Indie games can be a boon to an industry that is attracted to rehashing sequels or sitting back and taking it easy.



Now with the creativity and budgets that allow for experimentation new and innovative games for download like Minecraft (which recently sold more than 4 million units) finally have a platform to help these games.



With Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network now selling these games, the newest developers have a chance to show their ideas to a greater audience and also to inspire creativity in the industry.



In the near future who knows what the future will bring? Virtual reality has been a goal for a long time and 3D gaming headsets, though not as commercially popular as a 2D TV, do exist.



The development of independent developers may signal a return to basics and the emergence of social networking games like FarmVille appears to be continuing unabated. It's safe to say that Microsoft and Sony are developing sequels to their popular consoles, and who knows what they might bring?



Gaming is in the game for the long haul. It's no longer (just) the realm of greasy shut-ins. It can only get better.


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