Gaming for the Masses

 
It strange seeing how gaming has gotten so mainstream. I remember a time when everyone said videogames were just for kids, now there are games for people old enough to be grandparents so they can join the fun. I also remember that playing videogames was just a simple hobby that one would enjoy every now and then. Now there are videogame conventions, annual awards, heck some games get 'red-carpet' premiers.

Such treatment of videogames was to be expected. Like films and music it had evolved became popular and embedded itself in popular culture, forever to stay with us as we slowly make our way to virtual reality. Speaking of which its funny how the worlds/universes in videogames are now place like the new place to meet up and hang out. It really is like another world, especially for those obsessive players who struggle socialise in reality but do perfectly well in a virtual world. Such communities grow to have such large numbers as more decide to join the group as they soon discover that there are other people just like them.

Now there are many communities and groups that make the population of gamers. Two which has existed for a long time but never furiously discussed about until quite recently are: the casuals and the hardcore. The topic only really popped up in multiple treads on all videogame related forums after the release of the Wii. While the 'casual gamer' more commonly plays simple and intuitive games which are suitable for and any age the 'hardcore gamer' are more into the high-budget games, usually those with violence and other mature themes. Because of the fact that a large proportion of the Wii's library consists of simple and low-budget games which are aimed at a wider it is often accused of neglecting the hardcore audience.

Moving onto how the small get-together, where everyone sits in front of a single T.V screen to play a game, changed into the freakin' huge annual conventions. If there is anything to blame it probably the ability to virtually connect and interact with other players. Advancement of technology helped to allow large number of players to met up and play a game at the same time. Those people decide to meet up in real life thus fairly large gatherings such as LAN parties were organised. Soon enough even larger gatherings are organised such as annual conventions which allows all sorts of people from all over the world who share an interest in videogames, be it an avid gamer or a journalist.

Playing videogames to me is just one of my hobbies. Even though I spend a lot of my time playing videogames I'm not as extreme as the crazy denizens of World of Warcraft (I do other things in my free time too). Been to several events and conventions which is quite an experience, though I hear if you attend the same convention over and over again the overall enjoyment will slowly die out.