Pixel power

By James McDonald

Games allow us to exist in a way outside our own lives. Forty years ago, the only way to escape was through film and text. To create your own alternate persona meant being extremely crafty with a pen or extremely schizophrenic. Today, gamers can build a house, fight in the Second World War, and hit home runs in Yankee Stadium, all from the comfort of their own homes. The concept is common to us. Video games are now a staple in our everyday lives. According to the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), 68 per cent of households in the United States had at least one console in 2008. The industry has grown exponentially in the last 20 years, with revenues in 2008 of $11.7-billion – a revenue that has been larger than the film industry since 2004. Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft, along with third-party designers like Konami and Capcom, are as influential as Paramount or DreamWorks, yet are seen as much less impactful. Although a film may be a combined effort of actors, musicians, screenwriters, and so forth, games too have developed to that stage. Big name actors voice thousands of lines, and normally game staff far exceeds that of a film. Games are now immersive films: More in-depth, more involving. The question remains, however, whether games are too violent and too persuasive. After the Columbine high school shooting in 1999, FBI psychiatrist Jerald Block placed the blame on video games like Doom and Wolfenstein 3D. He stated that the violent nature of the game influenced the killers to commit the acts, following their computer game ban prior to the events. In recent years, however, studies are showing that these theories have little backing. 77 per cent of parents feel the parental controls and purchase age restrictions are useful, according to the ESA, and 63 per cent of parents believe games are a positive part in their children's lives. Also, the vast majority of games purchased in 2008 were of a Teen rating (13+) or lower, suggesting that gamers are more interested in game play than gore in recent years. The Nintendo Wii, a console based on activity and community, has very few frightening or gory titles, yet is still one of the best-selling consoles of all time. Although the repercussions of violent games may be relatively discounted, there may be concern in other areas of gaming. By using the Wii – sleak, white, iPodesque – Nintendo is reinforcing their brand like never before. The corporation’s systems prior to the Wii – the NES, the Super NES, the N64, and the GameCube –were aesthetically acceptable at best. The focus was on the characters, such as Mario, Yoshi, and Donkey Kong, to infect the minds of children into continued brand support. Now, however, the system itself is a marketing machine. “If you get a child by six you’ll have them for life,” states Dr. Susan Linn, professor of psychiatry at Harvard University. She goes on to explain that children are no match for the growing mass of psychologically manufactured brands, and gaming companies have the best platform to affect kids. Although video games may not be turning young people into serial killers, it may be turning them into buying machines. The ESA also states that the average person buys one game a month, which is 12 games a year, which can be upwards of $600 per year. Like films, there is never a quantity of games that is sufficient. Therefore, when jumping into another world, keep in mind that it may come at a high price.

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