Video games have since the 70s maintained a cult-like following where anyone who had a few spare coins could visit an arcade and play till their pockets were empty. Nowadays, video games have evolved into a multi-billion-dollar industry, launching the careers of Twitch and YouTube celebrities, spawning (mind the pun) the e-sports category into the mainstream, and solidifying the pastime into pop culture forever. Because even if you don’t necessarily play any “hardcore” games, I’m sure you know who Pacman is.
The greatest impact gaming has had on pop culture, as of yet, is owed to the streaming and live-streaming social media – Twitch, YouTube, Discord and more. Twitch and Discord in particular started as platforms specifically for gaming, making it easier to game with friends through voice and later video chat features. Both of these apps have now evolved beyond just the purpose of gaming, with Discord becoming a community-building platform of sorts, and Twitch encouraging a variety of other streaming content besides just gaming. This has caused a rise in the success of simple chatting streams and streamers showing off other hobbies and skills, like art or cooking. #Gaming continues to be a trending hashtag on YouTube, though top YouTuber, PewDiePie, owns the title “King of YouTube” for his dedication to gaming content on the platform. Even YouTubers who didn’t become famous for gaming content have dabbled in gaming on their channel at some point.
Gaming as a hobby is very easy to get into because of the vast range of games there are to choose from, as well as the large and established communities present in many popular games today. Because of all the different genres, anyone can find something that they will enjoy playing. There are sports games for the sports fans, first-person shooters for those who revel in action, and an endless array of sci-fi/fantasy with crazy big worlds for you to explore, just to name a few. The games with the most widespread media attention are Triple-A (AAA) games, which are video games made and distributed by large corporations with the money to produce content that keeps up with the consumer’s need for better visuals and gameplay. Well known gaming corporations which create games include Activision, GearBox Software and Nintendo. Famous video game distributors include Xbox, Playstation, and Blizzard.
While easy to get into, gaming is by far not a cheap pastime. However, one does not need to play the most expensive games to have a good time – this is one of the reasons for the rise in Independent (Indie) games. These games, being the opposite of AAA games, are made exclusively by one person or a small team. They build popularity off a unique aspect of the game – whether it be style, gameplay or story/”lore” – and are usually less expensive than their corporate counterparts, making it easier for the casual gamer to consume. These games usually build communities that easily rival those that are already established, and encourage their fans to immerse themselves in the game’s lore.
On the topic of communities, even though there are many thriving and welcoming gaming groups out there, many games are known to have incredibly toxic communities that don’t welcome minorities into their circles. This has led many women, non-English-speaking/non-American people and children to refrain from participating in voice chats with strangers because of the sexism, racism or blatant bullying from certain members of the community. While first-time gamers should be warned about these toxic characters, every gamer out there isn’t like that and it’s just as easy to meet a kind, like-minded people in certain gaming circles.
Video games have certified a place in our world and will continue to evolve as humans see fit – advancing their technology to suit our needs. Some of the biggest communities on the internet have formed because of various video games, and it’s doubtful that they’ll disband any time soon. More and more people are picking up their controllers to play anything and everything that piques their interest, and now it’s easy to see why.