I think I was playing video games before I could properly walk. I grew up with a father who loved video games. Some of my earliest memories involve playing Counter-Strike: Source with my dad's friends. I grew up going to LAN parties and trying so hard to beat the E.T game on the Atari 2600. Video games have molded my life and have helped me become who I am.
Video games have rapidly evolved over time, from the simple Pong in 1972, to the first Legend of Zelda game, to Fortnite. Video games are a new area in our world. It is still growing and evolving into something great. YouTube and Twitch have bloomed for video game content creators and indie developers are slowly becoming more popular than your mainstream companies. While there are many negativities that come with video games there are so many more positives that come with them as they evolve.
Video games are not always your mindless point and shoot games. Many require quick thinking, puzzle solving, planning, and teamwork. There are even some video games that teach you about history, science, chemistry, social values, and even recipes. Some video games are used in schools to teach kids math, writing, and basic critical thinking skills. It is endless what video games are capable of providing to people.
For some, video games have managed to connect with people from all around the world. Teens, young adults, and adults are making and forming friends from all around the country, learning about them and for some, eventually meeting in person. The gaming community (minus the select few that want to perform unspeakable acts to mothers) is an amazing community.
The introduction of mobile games a few years back has revolutionized the ease of having video games on the go. It was world changing to be able to play Snake on your Nokia phone. While handheld systems existed, having everything in one device changed the way some people viewed video games. Now grandparents, mothers, fathers, siblings, everyone has some form of a video game on their phone, yes even your mobile solitaire game counts. What once used to be games just like Flappy Bird and Candy Crush have now become mobile versions of Minecraft and Fortnite. Pokemon Go has even utilized the ability of augmented reality, causing millions of people to go outside and actually stay outside as they caught their favorites.
Even the introduction of virtual reality (VR), it has opened new doors not just to the gaming community, but to the world. Realtors could show real video of a house to a couple and let them walk around, with them being across the country! Interested in a campus in Hawaii? Instead of walking there, you could take a virtual tour. Doctors can now perform real-like procedures in a virtual surgery room to increase their skills. There are even parts of the military branches that are utilizing VR to help train soldiers before they are deployed.
Video games have shaped society and the economy, there is no escape from it. It is difficult to get anywhere on the Internet without seeing something about the newest video game (even if it is an annoying pop-up ad). So why not celebrate National Video Game this year. Pick up your phone, your controller or your mouse and try something new. You might just like it.
