Why Do Video Games Matter to Us?

When I think of video games, what do I think of? The latest FIFA football game? The blockbuster Grand Theft Auto V? Call of Duty, Bioshock Infinite, Halo and Forza also spring to mind when I think about video games. I will try to explore why they matter to us, why are they so important and, of course, what is wrong them as well.

One thing is for sure in this day and age, the video game industry is one of the most successful industries in the world right now. The industry beat Hollywood into second place without breaking a sweat when it came to profits. No better example of this was when GTA V was released in September of 2013. On release day, the game made more than $800 million. It is staggering to think that one game can make so much money and indeed go on to influence how and why we play video games. However, I want to look at why this matters to us. What makes us go out and spend our hard earned cash on something that will automatically depreciate the moment you open the box?

It could be for any number of reasons that over the years the videogame industry has turned into something that was fairly unregarded to an entertainment powerhouse that can only get stronger as time goes on. Video games have always been popular right back to where it started with Pong, Spacewar! and the introduction of arcade gaming in the early 1970’s, nevertheless what makes them attractive to the populace at large?

It could very well be a welcome distraction from everyday life by going off on an adventure into space or playing tennis with a friend. These two fairly simple reasons may have guided many people to spend countless hours on a video game; perhaps it was for the  pleasure of trying something new.

In the recent past, we have seen an unprecedented rise of the games console and the technology adept in producing ever higher quality video games and graphics. The upward trend in graphics, gameplay and overall re-playability with games has made the industry into something to be reckoned with. The insistence on games that are bigger, brighter, better looking and more enjoyable has pushed technology to its very limits and further. With the recent releases in the ‘Next Gen’ consoles which include the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One, it shows that with the amount of money that has been invested in the industry, it still has a lot of legs left when running in the entertainment race.

So, why do we play them so often in today’s world where health and wellbeing are becoming second nature to many people in this country? Could it be the want to escape from a world that keeps telling you how to eat and what to do with your time off that makes video games so attractive to the average male or female? Perhaps that is the answer. However, what we must also address is what is wrong with the industry today. There are those who think that video game violence is still something to be concerned about, the desensitisation of those who no longer find anything shocking because they have seen it in a video game before.

Many games have been released in the past that have pushed the boundaries of what could be considered ‘reasonable’. Rockstar’s Manhunt springs to mind, a game where you go around murdering people in various forms so your ‘kills’ can be sold to a baying TV audience or the Hitman series where you play as a contract killer going out on various missions. These sorts of games can indeed dehumanise suffering, pain, emotion and violence against others.

Games such as Call of Duty and Medal of Honor give the player the experience of fighting in conflicts that would have affected many our older family members and again it dehumanises us to the sheer brutality of conflict and the horrific effects it has on individuals. It is also true that the vast majority of video game protagonists are male, heightening the debate that the industry is a highly sexist world where the male is always coming out on top. There are few games where there is a notable and genuine female protagonist and it is something that should be changed. The inclusion of active female protagonists would be a welcome inclusion and perhaps provide some added depth to those characters we like playing so much.

On the other hand, like many forms of entertainment out today and in the past, it could come down to one thing: it is down to whoever is playing the game to interpret what it is about and what messages it is trying to send. Yes, we are all influenced by the environment, what our friends and family say, social media etc.

Many of the games that I have played throughout my life as a young man have taught me a huge amount of things, in the first Assassin’s Creed game I learned about the Crusades. In GTA: Vice City I experienced a whole different world of fashion and excess. In Medal of Honor I learned how harrowing war can be when viewed through the eyes of the ordinary soldier.

So, why do we buy them all the time? Like I mentioned before each game is its own to whoever owns it, they each display their own message and morals to the player. I think we buy games en-masse for a number of reasons mainly to be excited, thrilled, challenged and delighted.

Games are a pleasurable experience and they can touch you in so many different ways. They can tell you a story about knights of old or have you win the cup final with your favourite football team. It can have you riding a horse in the Old West or have you build your own space programme to send people to the Moon.

Whatever the title and whatever the genre, there will always be something for everyone and with such accessibility in terms of education, storytelling and artistry, it is prevalent that video games can only go on to get better and better and have an even greater impact on our lives because they are there to do exactly that: entertain us, surprise us and have us coming back for more.