Monday, October 17, 2011

Media Technology: Video Games


Video games have been around for decades now, but they have advanced so much in the last ten years that they are now considered a major form of media. Video games are no longer just an hour of pounding on buttons, or an excuse to escape reality. The games have stories, ideologies, and even persuasive messages now. Advertising has even taken advantage of the popularity and impact video games have on the masses. Advertisements for products and even upcoming elections have been placed in video games, most of which take place during load times so that the player is forced to notice it (Lan & Marinucci, n.d.). Video games are even considered to be forms of art by many people, which is an opinion that I happen to agree with. The gaming consoles themselves have expanded the audiences they reach, as well. You can now watch movies and search the web with them. They used to be intended for adolescent children and teens, but now have the attention of middle aged adults, too. Social gaming communities now exist on every console that is able to connect to the internet. Players can join groups, share gaming scores and opinions, and even communicate with each other through headsets and microphones while playing games from different locations across the globe. With the popularity of video games constantly on the rise, communication through this type of media will only advance. They are no longer just toys for children to play with, but new avenues to connect people all over the world through fun and shared interests.

Lan, L., Marinucci, M. (n.d.) Embedded Persuasion: In-Game Advertising. Retrieved from
http://www.seas.upenn.edu/~matteom/Fundamentals%20of%20Visual%20Communication/html/embedPersuasion.html

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