Video gaming is an estimated $100 billion industry and nearly two thirds of American homes contain gamers regularly. From arcade systems and home consoles to handheld and mobile devices with digitals stores such as the mm2 shop, video games have become an accepted form of entertainment.
Not too long ago, video game development involved multiple people coming together on one project to develop games. Now, independent game designers can work independently on creating their games.
Origins
Though 1983 saw the video game crash, many of today’s popular games trace their roots back to this era. Pac-Man became a mainstream success while Dragon’s Lair brought full motion video console gaming. Additionally, Atari 2600 became one of the most beloved home consoles ever produced and inspired third-party developers such as Activision.
The fifth generation of consoles saw many groundbreaking controllers, like Nintendo’s Duck Hunt add-on which utilized a light gun to shoot virtual ducks. Sony’s PlayStation revolutionized CD-based games by including long cutscenes with recorded dialogue – cementing gaming’s place alongside movies and music in pop culture zeitgeist.
This era saw the introduction of pioneering role-playing games like Richard Garriott’s Ultima and Sir-Tech’s early Wizardry titles, while Konami’s PaRappa the Rapper helped drive interest in rhythm or dance video games; Super Mario 64 and Final Fantasy VII redefined 3D platform gaming altogether.
Characters
Modern video games feature an astounding variety of character designs and animation techniques to bring them life. Third-person perspective gaming provides new avenues for players to interact with their favorite characters more realistically than ever.
This generation also saw the release of consoles such as the Sega Dreamcast, Sony PlayStation 2, and Nintendo 64 which all saw immense success – soon followed by Microsoft’s introduction of Xbox in 2001.
The fifth generation of consoles witnessed an upsurge in character-driven games that focused on unconventional heroes and villains, leading to titles like Bayonetta and Devil May Cry praised by fans for their innovative take on characters which mixed action, adventure, horror, and fantasy into an immersive narrative experience. Although some critics criticized these titles’ lack of depth in contemporary society contexts, others applauded their creative innovation.
Graphics
Video games remain at the forefront of computer technology, with nearly two thirds of households now owning gaming systems and regularly using them to interact with American culture. Although gaming is now an enormously lucrative industry, its roots go back to simpler days.
Before the 1990s, video game graphics were limited by hardware and programming languages available to developers. But in that decade came real-time 3D computer rendering which allowed new genres of games to emerge.
The 1990s witnessed the advent of handheld games like Nintendo Game Boy that pioneered both gameplay and graphics while maintaining familiarity for players.
At this time, several top console franchises, such as Ultima by Richard Garriott and Wizardry by Sir-Tech, also first began. Although these early games didn’t become major franchises themselves, they nonetheless set the groundwork for future successes.
Gameplay
After enjoying brief success in the early 1970s, video game sales plummeted dramatically by 1983, leaving companies like Atari and Mattel bankrupt. Luckily, however, Japanese company Nintendo would save it with its release of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), ushering in modern gaming as we know it today.
Additionally to classic games that have stood the test of time, developers continue to push the envelope when it comes to gameplay. Red Dead Redemption 2 and God of War are recent blockbusters that have brought this genre to new heights.
Games that foster collaboration and creativity have also gained in popularity. Titles like Until Dawn and Life is Strange allow players to take control of a character and make choices that impact the storyline – taking cues from filmmaking but taking its own unique direction; this trend looks set to continue.
