For many people, myself included, video games are more than just a hobby; they're a passion.

For decades, they have provided immense joy and fun to multiple generations, and have been an integral part of the life for people worldwide, particularly for Millennials. Game consoles can be found in the majority of U.S. households, and more than half of all Americans play video games in some form or another. Indeed, what was once thought of as a child's plaything has evolved into a premier type of entertainment, leisure, bonding, and even revenue for kids and corporations alike. Doubts on whether or not dedicated machines from brands like PlayStation and Xbox could sell were immediately put to rest upon the launches of the PS4 and Xbox One, which each sold millions of units in the days following their respective launches. And with innovations such as virtual reality around the corner and the current proliferation of smartphone gaming, it is safe to say that video games are here to stay.

This begs these questions: what direction are video games taking, and where should they go?

The general consensus these days is that video games are marred by technical issues and plagued by foul business practices. Let's start with the first problem.

For two years now, big title launches have been rife with technical problems. Crashed servers, dropped frame rates, lower-than-expected resolutions, malfunctioning, incomplete features, and many other bugs have put a bad taste in gamers' mouths, and with good reason. They ave been duped into believing they could play their cherished games on launch day, which they've waited so long for, only to see an error screen. It's frustrating, and it seems to happen with each new game nowadays.

This is compounded further by how developers and publishers themselves seem to antagonize their customers. At the forefront of their malpractices is downloadable content, known as DLC. DLC is blamed for games being incomplete or fragmented, as 'optional' DLC often contains significant amounts of content and playtime that many feel should have been included in the game at the start. As DLC costs extra money, anger toward DLC is completely justified.

It is a shame that the industry has reached this point. For many people, gaming has been a source of fun and happiness that no other medium has been able to replicate. From LAN parties to birthday parties, from split screening with friends to playing with them online, video games have special places in many of our hearts, and are something we want to see preserved and dignified. It is imperative now that gamers vote with their wallets and make wise decisions regarding their purchases, because only we can turn things around.

We have to do what we can to make sure that video games remain a source of happiness. We want games to keep that special place they have in our hearts, because if they go by the wayside, then we will lose the avenue which has provided us with some of our best memories. Let us work together to improve the state of play.