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The Evolution of Gaming

By now, everyone is enjoying their Playstations, XBOXes and Nintendo consoles. Great systems....but today, what it means to be a gamer is entirely different from what it meant back then. Can it be considered evolution? Perhaps. Can it be considered a step backwards? In the strictest definition, I would not disagree. So join me as I tell a tale of the change in the game....

When you think of the terms " video" and "game", ask yourself: when put together, what does that even mean? The answer is different for everyone depending on when you decided to get into gaming, of course. For people like me however, the definition feels like something lost in translation by today's ethic. First, let's dissect the terminology:

A game is something in which the concept revolves around winning. Being able to one-up your opponents and achieve victory.

That said, what is going on in today's society? Back in my day, we didn't have the ability to save our games (sans a few examples like Super Mario World and Sonic 3). We didn't really have detailed stories. We had continues, a fire in our eyes, and nothing to lose. That was reason enough to get as far as possible. "Game over" in today's terminology isn't even really game over anymore. What does Game Over mean nowadays? Infinite continues, loading up your game after it takes you to the title screen, etc. Cheats have been replaced by exploits and the guy sitting next to you using cheat codes has been replaced by some generic douche over the internet shooting you through the floor via map glitches. Developer effort has dwindled in favor of DLC, which has left many with an I'll-fix-it-later attitude. "Beating the game" by today's standards is just getting through it incrementally. Back then, it was truly an achievement. It was all or nothing, but now with storylines and saves, it's like buying Lord of the Rings, stopping at an interesting part, sleeping, waking up, then picking up where you left off thanks to chaptered sections.

Nowadays, gaming has become a widely social event. No longer must you play the guy next to you. In fact, at this point, it's somewhat discouraged. Didn't it feel good being able to have a conversation with your friends in school about a game? They'd say something like, "Dude, I'd destroy you in Mortal Kombat if I ever came to your house" where your natural reaction is, "Any time, my house or your house, prove it." It created a social incentive, and now, people can just go home and play online. Is it convenient to have online gameplay? Absolutely, but for me, it isn't much different from playing Checkers on AOL while instant messaging them or calling them. Sure, personal information is protected like phone numbers and all sorts of contact information, but it generally feels better.

Overall, it feels like gaming has gone from a niche-to-hardcore hobby to a large-in-scale entertainment medium, touching on bits and pieces of everything: cinematics, interactivity, and socialization. Many games now have a similar feel, which to me is like Milton-Bradley making a new board game that plays similarly to another one of their games. Granted, if it is successful, expect a similar game from the Parker Brothers.

Now am I bashing this generation of games? No, not by a long shot. It's just interesting to see how things have changed.

What constitutes a standard or traditional game today is very different from yesterday's games. Personally, I am enjoying the differences between them. I revisit my classics very frequently. The definition and graduation of gaming demonstrate it has come a long way from yesteryear. Of course...it may be considered a progression of generations. Gaming has become more complex, therefore these changes are necessary to its evolution.

That's fine. It comes down to a matter of taste.

Anyway, thanks for reading.