What is a video game? video game – an electronic game in which players control actions on a screen by using human interfaces to produce the game's narrative Played on computers, consoles or hand-held devices Most video games have a plot and character(s), just like books and film – making it an art form and a very successful media industry

History Earliest video games were inspired by early radar technology Differences were in the display formats used; panels of light, graphical display on computer screens, arcade-style screens Arcade games, like Pong (1972), were among the most popular format for early video games Video games and their formats are placed into categories known as generations; the first generation began in 1972 with the popularization of “pong-style” consoles (Magnavox Odyssey) and we are currently in the eighth generation.

Platforms Consoles:  Xbox, Playstation, N64, etc Personal computers (PCs) Hand-held devices:  Cell phones  Gameboy  PSP

Genres Role-Playing Games (RPG)/Massively Multiplayer Online Role- Playing Game (MMORPG) – the player will directly control the life of the character in the game in order to accomplish goals within the world; typical settings for RPGs are fantasy-driven worlds (Elder Scrolls, Fallout, World of Warcraft etc). MMORPGs are where other players interact and socialize within the world. First-Person Shooter (FPS) Game– the player will control the actions of a character in first-person point-of-view, usually involving the shooting of guns. Many FPS games today have multiplayer aspects, including cooperative play and player-versus-player. Other genres include: Action-adventure games, Simulation (sports) games and Survival games

Other Classifications Casual games:  Simple, easy to understand gameplay like Solitaire or Minesweeper on PCs to Angry Birds or Fruit Ninja on cell phones Serious game:  Games that attempt to convey a learning experience for the player like educational games or flight simulators

How Video Games Are Made Development of a video game involves:  Programmers and graphic designers, as well as concept artists  Sound designers and technicians, and often musicians or entire orchestras  Game producers, screenwriters, a storyboard and a director  Characters, portrayed by voice actors Large video game companies and independent video game companies are responsible for the development of a game; examples include EA, Bethesda, DICE, Activison, Bungie, etc  Many larger companies own other development or publishing agencies (Activision Blizzard)

Economics of Gaming The U.S. is the largest producer of video games, with Japan being a close second “In the month of December, US sales of games on disc continued their decline, falling to $1.28 billion, a drop of 2 percent from the same time a year ago, according to industry watcher the NPD Group...In online marketplaces, such as Sony's PlayStation Store, Apple's App Store and Valve's Steam marketplace for PC titles, total spending jumped 11 percent, to $1.2 billion, in the month of December” ~ an article from cnet.com reporting last year's sales in North Americacnet.com The top three video games of 2014 were Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Grand Theft Auto V and Madden NFL 15.

Criticism and Controversy Due to some video games' graphic content (violence, sexual themes, drugs/alcohol), some have claimed that video games are hurtful, addictive and can even produce violent behavior in players  Although, there have been no positive correlations between video game usage and violent behavior

Online Communities  PewDiePie is the largest subscribed YouTuber to date, with 34 million subscribers  He incorporates memes and live commentary into his gaming videos  This site is the largest information hub regarding everything about Word of Warcraft, the largest MMORPG today  Online streaming site where players and users can interact

History of - VIDEO GAMES ( )