A computer or video game is a digital game that entails interaction with an external user interface device or tool, including a keyboard, mouse, joystick, or finger tracking device, to produce visual feedback to the player. The term “video” in a video game simply refers to the output of the player’s input. Video games are typically run on personal computers and are played through the use of game cartridges. Since most video games are multiplayer games, a network of real users can interact with one another over the Internet using a common game console or through specialized (and increasingly popular) handheld game consoles. Some video games are available through subscription and/or rentals to the game developer/s.
Computer and video games have become extremely popular over the past ten years. In fact, recent studies indicate that more than six out of every ten Americans spend at least one hour playing computer and video games. Most children between the ages of nine and fourteen years have participated in at least one hour of computer and video game play during their time spent at school. Most adults admit that they spend at least an hour a day playing computer and video games, often while doing other activities as well. Many of today’s most popular computer and video games involve action, adventure, skill-testing puzzles and racing.
In the last decade, computer and video games have evolved from being primarily for adults into a mainstream market that is being enjoyed by a wide range of children, teens and adults of all ages. Computer gaming has also benefited from the development of a whole new generation of younger people who are attracted by the variety of computer games that are now available. These younger players are becoming sophisticated about computer and video games. While older players tend to be “gamers,” the younger ones are beginning to be “tech enthusiasts.” Computer and video games can now be enjoyed by individuals of every age group, which has led to increased sales of both computer and video games in recent years.
The increasing popularity of computer and video games is a major factor in the increase in the global demand for technological advancements in the field of information and communication. Advances in video and computer technology enable the entertainment industry to create advanced computer and video games that require high resolution, the most sophisticated graphics and the most innovative sound systems. These games are highly detailed and require a great deal of planning, coordination and thinking skills. A game that does not require a great deal of thought or planning skills will probably not succeed because the market for computer and video games is so broad and deeply involved.
Another reason that video games have become so popular is that broadband Internet connections are now faster than ever before. Gamers do not need a very fast Internet connection in order to enjoy a quality video gaming experience, because the speed of broadband Internet makes games very “realistic.” Because the graphics in computer and video games are so detailed and lifelike, many people who do not regularly participate in gaming find them very difficult to perform and very enjoyable. For this reason, the computer and video game markets are booming with millions of dollars annually spent on both the hardware and software that is necessary to create amazing gaming experiences.
The future of gaming is upon us. Advances in chip technology and networking are creating new possibilities for game players all around the world. Computer and video games are changing the way we live our lives, just like the changing face of the internet itself. There is no telling where gaming will be in five, ten, even twenty years from now. It’s only a matter of time before computer and video gaming products become as common and integral to modern society as fax machines, televisions and jeans.