Notes

Video Games Come Of Age

Video games are on the rise. Video games are the latest form of mainstream entertainment and have finally achieved the same level of acceptance as films.



It's the inevitable result of commercial success. Modern Warfare 3, the most recent Call of Duty release, set all sales records in the first 24 hours after release, making more 400 million dollars in the US alone and in Britain.



Gaming is now officially in the air and it is growing fast. Cinema has a long track record of improvement and innovation, but it has slowed in recent years. Gaming, however, is always evolving.



Every year expectations are surpassed and new standards are set. It's an exciting time be a gamer.



The gaming landscape is complex but three companies decide the direction it is headed: Microsoft, with its Xbox 360; Sony, with the PlayStation 3; and Nintendo with the Wii and DS.



There has always been a rivalry particularly between Microsoft and Sony in their efforts to compete in the same market. It is evident that the rivals are racing to catch up to Microsoft and Sony when an innovative and lucrative idea is discovered.



This is best illustrated by Nintendo's Wii motion-control-based console. Wii was a breakthrough for Nintendo.



It sacrificed the processing power of other consoles in favor of refined motion controls and a stunning design. It was created for casual gamers.



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



Indie developers are an important player in the ongoing fight against the gaming Goliaths. Although there was no market for small self-published games in the past the internet and digital downloads services such as Steam have allowed games that were developed by indie developers to rebound.



Indie games are a boon for an industry that is easily tempted to rehash sequels and take a break from its success.



With the newfound creativity and budgets that allow for the possibility of experimentation, new downloadable games such as Minecraft (which recently sold more than 4 million units) finally have a platform that can support them.



With Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network now selling these games, newer developers have the opportunity to showcase their projects to a far greater audience and also to inspire innovation in the industry.



In the near future we don't know what the future holds? Virtual reality has been a goal since the beginning of time and 3D gaming headsets, though not as commercially popular as 2D TVs, 2D TV, do exist.
Minecraft


The rise of the indie developer could signal a return to basics approach and the proliferation of games on social networks such as FarmVille continues unabated. It's safe to say that Microsoft and Sony are working on sequels to their popular consoles and who knows what they might bring?



Gaming is in the future It's a fact. It's no longer (just) the realm of dirty shut-ins, it can only get better.


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