"Video Game" is Becoming a Loaded Noun

I loved our discussion during class on Tuesday. I appreciate how the discussion evolved and changed and there were opinions from all sides being shared clearly and listened to with respect. At least that's how I felt. 

There's so much to be said about video games. Like the title says, it's becoming a loaded noun; like a loaded question, there's much more behind the phrase than just a couple of words and a meaning. People's lives are invested in this medium, people like designers as well as the audience. Some people live in an ocean of pixelated stimulation, while others simply sit down to enjoy a game or relax after a long day every once in a while. 

 I think one of the biggest game changers (metaphorically speaking) in this conversation is how we, as an audience, can actively influence the media we interact with. By showing support for a franchise or style of game, or even games with particular values in expression, we have a say in what gets made. We cannot allow ourselves to forget our role in this situation. If you see a game that you really think hits the nail on the head for a rich, well developed, positive video game, what are you doing to support it? Do you want more of this kind of thing in the future? Then say so! 

I personally experience this because I don't own many consoles on my own, nor do I have a PC, so I'm limited in the games I can play. But if I research a game that looks like something I truly want to experience and think I would learn something from, I tell other people about it! I share it on Facebook, I reblog it on Tumblr, I may even try to contribute to their Kickstarter or something like that. I don't want to look at something great and move on before communicating to the game industry that I want more stuff like this. (For me, that's games like Transistor, a sci-fi RPG released last month by Supergiant Games.)

This is the stuff that the game industry sees and pays attention to. In a lot of ways, it does come down to money. But even if we don't have the money to buy every game we want to play, we can still support the artists and designers by drawing attention to their creations.

That said, here's a game that Mack was watching a play through of on youtube and I did some further research on. It's a really amazing idea: a first person shooter in which time only progresses when you move. It's called SUPERHOT and it's really cool.