Video game
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2008-07-16T03:48:02Z
Andy Marchbanks
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A '''video game''' is a [[game]] that involves interaction with a [[user interface]] to generate visual feedback on a [[display device|video device]]. The word ''video'' in ''video game'' traditionally referred to a [[raster graphics|raster]] display device.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.freepatentsonline.com/3659285.html |title= TELEVISION GAMING APPARATUS AND METHOD | accessdate=2008-06-25 |format= |work=
United States Patents }}</ref> However, with the popular use of the term "video game", it now implies any type of [[display device]]. The [[consumer electronics|electronic systems]] used to play video games are known as platforms; examples of these are [[personal computer]]s and [[video game console]]s. These platforms are broad in range, from large [[computer]]s to small [[handheld device]]s. Specialized video games such as [[arcade game]]s, while previously common, have gradually declined in use.
The [[input device]] normally used to manipulate video games is called a [[game controller]], which varies across platforms. For instance, a dedicated console controller might consist of only a button and a [[joystick]], or feature a dozen buttons and one or more joysticks. Early personal computer based games historically relied on the availability of a [[computer keyboard|keyboard]] for [[gameplay]], or more commonly, required the user to purchase a separate joystick with at least one button to play. Many modern computer games allow the player to use a keyboard and [[Mouse (computing)|mouse]] simultaneously.
Beyond the common element of visual feedback, video games have utilized other systems to provide interaction and information to the player. Chief examples of these are [[Sound recording and reproduction|sound reproduction]] devices, such as [[Computer speaker|speakers]] and [[headphones]], and an array of [[haptic]] peripherals, such as vibration or [[force feedback]].
==History==
{{main|History of video games}}
[[Image:Tennis for Two.jpg|right|thumb|''Tennis for Two'', an early analog computer game that used an [[oscilloscope]] for a display.]]
The formulative years of video games consist of basic games that made use of interactive electronic devices with various display formats. The earliest example was in 1947, where the idea for a "[[Cathode ray tube|Cathode Ray Tube]] Amusement Device" was conceived by [[Thomas T. Goldsmith Jr.]] and Estle Ray Mann. The two filed for a patent on [[January 25]], [[1947]], which was issued on [[December 14]], [[1948]] as U.S. Patent 2455992.<ref>{{US Patent|2455992}}</ref> Inspired by radar displays, it consisted of an analog device that allowed a user to control a vector drawn dot on the screen to simulate a missile being fired at targets represented by drawings fixed to the screen.<ref name="PongStory">{{cite web| url = http://www.pong-story.com/intro.htm| title = Welcome to Pong-Story - Introduction| publisher = PONG-Story.com| accessdate = 2007-10-24}}</ref> Other examples included the [[Nimrod (computing)|NIMROD]] computer at the 1951 [[Festival of Britain]], Alexander S. Douglas's ''[[OXO]]'' for the [[EDSAC]] in 1952, [[William Higinbotham]]'s interactive game called ''[[Tennis for Two]]'' in 1958, and MIT students Martin Graetz, Steve Russell, and Wayne Wiitanen's ''[[Spacewar!]]'' on a DEC [[PDP-1]] computer in 1961. Each game used different means of display: NIMROD used a panel of lights to play the game of [[Nim]],<ref>{{Cite web| url = http://www.goodeveca.net/nimrod/| title = Welcome to... NIMROD!| publisher = | accessdate = 2007-10-24}}</ref> OXO used a graphical display to play [[tic-tac-toe]],<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.bnl.gov/bnlweb/history/higinbotham.asp| title = The First Video Game| publisher = [[Brookhaven National Laboratory]]| accessdate = 2007-10-24}}</ref> ''Tennis for Two'' used an [[oscilloscope]] to display a side view of a tennis court,<ref name="PongStory"/> and ''Spacewar!'' used the [[Digital Equipment Corporation|DEC]] [[PDP-1| PDP-1's]] vector display to have two [[spaceships]] battle each other.<ref>{{cite book |last= Rabin| first= Steve| title= Introduction to Game Development| origdate= 2005-06-14| publisher= Charles River Media| location= Massachusetts| isbn=1-58450-377-7}}</ref>
In 1971, ''[[Computer Space]]'' was released and was the first commercially sold, coin-operated video game. Created by [[Nolan Bushnell]] and [[Ted Dabney]], it used a standard television and game generated video signal for display (the game was featured in the 1973 science fiction film ''[[Soylent Green]]''). ''Computer Space'' was followed in 1972 by the [[Magnavox Odyssey]], the first home console. Modeled after a late 1960s prototype console developed by [[Ralph H. Baer]] called the "Brown Box", it also used a standard television and game generated video signal.<ref name="PongStory"/><ref>{{cite web| title = Console Portraits: A 40-Year Pictorial History of Gaming| date = [[2007-05-15]]| author = Orlando, Greg| url = http://www.wired.com/gaming/gamingreviews/multimedia/2007/05/gallery_game_history| publisher = [[Wired News]]| accessdate = 2007-10-24}}</ref> These systems were followed by two versions of [[Atari]]'s ''[[Pong]]''; an arcade version in 1972 and a home version in 1975.<ref name=PBS-GameRev-Time">{{cite web| title = History of Gaming - Interactive Timeline of Game History| url = http://www.pbs.org/kcts/videogamerevolution/history/timeline_flash.html| publisher = [[Public Broadcasting Service|PBS]]| accessdate = 2007-10-25}}</ref> The commercial success of ''Pong'' led other companies to develop numerous ''Pong''-clones and their own systems, spawning the [[video game industry]].<ref name="InformIT">{{cite web| author = Miller, Michael| url = http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=378141&rl=1| title = A History of Home Video Game Consoles| publisher = [[InformIT]]| date = [[2005-04-01]]| accessdate = 2007-10-25}}</ref>
{{seealso|First video game}}
==Overview==
===Platforms===
The term "platform" refers to the specific combination of electronic or computer [[hardware]] which, in conjunction with low-level software, allows a video game to operate.<ref name=platformdef>{{cite web | title =platform - Definitions from Dictionary.com | publisher =Dictionary.com | url =http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/platform | format =HTML | accessdate =2007-11-03 }}</ref> The term "system" is also commonly used.
In common usage a "[[personal computer game|PC game]]" refers to a form of media that involves a player interacting with a [[personal computer]] connected to a high-resolution [[video monitor]]. A "[[console game]]" is played on a specialized electronic device that connects to a standard [[television set]] or [[Composite monitor|composite video monitor]]. A "[[Handheld game console|handheld]]" gaming device is a self contained electronic device that is portable and can be held in a user's hands. "[[Arcade game]]" generally refers to a game played on an even more specialized type of electronic device that is typically designed to play only one game and is encased in a special [[arcade cabinet|cabinet]]. These distinctions are not always clear and there may be games that bridge one or more platforms. There are also platforms that have non video game variations such as in the case of [[Electromechanics|electro-mechanically]] based arcade machines. There are also devices with screens which have the ability to play games but are not dedicated video game machines. Examples are [[mobile phone]]s, [[PDA]]s, [[graphing calculator]]s, [[GPS]] receivers, [[MP3 player]]s, [[digital cameras]], and watches.
===Genres===
{{main|Video game genres}}
A video game, like most other forms of media, may be categorized into [[Video game genres|genres]] based on many factors such as method of game play, types of goals, and more. Because genres are dependent on content for definition, genres have changed and evolved as newer styles of video games are created. As the production values of video games have increased over the years both in visual appearance and depth of story telling, the video game industry has been producing more life-like and complex games that push the boundaries of the traditional game genres. Some genres represent combinations of others, such as [[massively multiplayer online role-playing game]]s. It is also common to see higher level genre terms that are collective in nature across all other genres such as with action or horror-themed video games.
===Types===
Video games are primarily meant for entertainment. However, some video games are made (at least in part) for other reasons. These include [[Advergaming|advergames]], [[educational game]]s, [[propaganda]] games (e.g. [[militainment]]), and others. Many of these fall under the category of [[serious game]]s.
==Development==
{{main|Game development}}
Video game development and authorship, much like any other form of entertainment is frequently a cross disciplinary field. [[Video game developer]]s, as employees within this industry are commonly referred, primarily include [[game programmer|programmers]] and [[graphic design]]ers. Although, over the years this has expanded to include almost every type of skill that you might see prevalent in any movie or television program including [[sound design]]ers, [[musician]]s, and other technicians; all of which are managed by [[game producer|producers]].
In the early days of the industry, it was more common for a single person to manage all of the roles needed to create a video game. As platforms have become more complex and powerful in the type of material they can present, larger teams have been needed to generate all of the art, programming, cinematography, and more. This is not to say that the age of the "one-man shop" is gone as this still occurs in the casual gaming and handheld markets where single screen games are more prevalent due to technical limitations of the target platform (such as cellphones and PDAs).
With the growth of the size of development teams in the industry the problem of cost has become more critical then ever. Development studios need to be able to pay their staff a competitive wage in order to attract and retain the best talent, while publishers are constantly on the look to keep costs down in order to maintain profitability on their investment. Typically, a video game console development team can range in sizes of anywhere from 5 to 50 people, with some teams exceeding 100.{{Fact|date=May 2008}} The growth of team size combined with greater pressures to get completed projects into the market to begin recouping production costs has led to a greater occurrence of missed deadlines and unfinished products;{{fact|date=June 2008}} ''[[Duke Nukem Forever]]'' is the quintessential example of these problems.{{fact|date=June 2008}} {{seealso|Video game industry practices}}
===Modifications===
{{main|Mod (computer gaming)}}
Games running on a PC are often designed with end-user modifications in mind,{{fact|date=June 2008}} and this consequently allows modern computer games to be modified by gamers without much difficulty. These [[mod (computer gaming)|mods]] can add an extra dimension of replayability and interest. The [[Internet]] provides an inexpensive medium to promote and distribute mods, and they have become an increasingly important factor in the commercial success of some games.{{fact|date=June 2008}} Developers such as [[id Software]], [[Valve Software]], [[Crytek]], [[Epic Games]] and [[Blizzard Entertainment]] ship their games with the very development tools used to make the game in the first place, along with documentation to assist mod developers, which allows for the kind of success seen by popular mods such as the (previously) ''[[Half-Life (video game)|Half-Life]]'' mod ''[[Counter-Strike]]''.
===Cheats===
{{main|Cheating (video games)}}
Cheating in computer games may involve [[cheat codes]] implemented by the game developers,<ref name="WashPost">{{cite web| title = In Game World, Cheaters Proudly Prosper| url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/27/AR2006082701059.html| publisher = [[Washington Post]]| author = Vargas, Jose Antonio| date = [[2006-08-28]]| accessdate = 2007-10-24}}</ref><ref name="KonamiCode">{{cite web| url = http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3108751&did=1| title = Cracking the Code: The Konami Code| publisher = [[1UP.com]]| author = 1UP Staff| accessdate = 2007-10-24}}</ref> modification of game code by third parties,<ref name="AboutCheatCodes">{{cite web| title = Video Game Cheats and Codes - What Are Cheat Codes?| url = http://vgstrategies.about.com/od/faqglossary/a/WhatAreCheats.htm| publisher = [[About.com]]| author = Rybka, Jason| accessdate = 2007-10-24}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| title = Why Use Cheats and Codes for Console and PC Games?| url = http://vgstrategies.about.com/od/basicgamingtipstricks/a/whyusecheats.htm| publisher = [[About.com]]| author = Rybka, Jason| accessdate = 2007-10-24}}</ref> or players exploiting a software glitch. Modifications are facilitated by either [[cheat cartridge]] hardware or a software [[trainer (games)|trainer]].<ref name="AboutCheatCodes"/> Cheats usually make the game easier by providing an unlimited amount of some resource; for example lives, health, and/or ammunition.<ref name="KonamiCode"/><ref name="AboutCheatCodes"/> Other cheats might provide an unusual or amusing feature, like altered game colors or graphical appearances.
===Glitches===
{{main|Computer glitch}}
Software errors not detected by software testers during development can find their way into released versions of computer and video games. This may happen because the glitch only occurs under unusual circumstances in the game, was deemed too minor to correct, or because the game development was hurried to meet a publication deadline. Glitches can range from minor graphical errors to serious bugs that can delete saved data or cause the game to malfunction. Glitches in games for home computers, and now in consoles like the [[Xbox 360]] and [[PlayStation 3]], may be later corrected if the developers release a [[patch (computing)|patch]].
==Theory==
{{main|Game studies}}
Although departments of computer science have been studying the technical aspects of video games for years, theories that examine games as an artistic medium are a relatively recent development in the humanities. The two most visible schools in this emerging field are ludology and [[narratology]]. Narrativists approach video games in the context of what [[Janet Murray]] calls "Cyberdrama". That is to say, their major concern is with video games as a storytelling medium, one that arises out of interactive fiction. Murray puts video games in the context of the [[Holodeck]], a fictional piece of technology from ''[[Star Trek]]'', arguing for the video game as a medium in which we get to become another person, and to act out in another world.<ref>{{cite book | last = Murray | first = Janet | authorlink = Janet Murray | year = 1998 | title = Hamlet on the Holodeck | publisher = MIT Press | id = ISBN 0262631873}}</ref> This image of video games received early widespread popular support, and forms the basis of films such as ''[[Tron (film)|Tron]]'', ''[[eXistenZ]]'', and ''[[The Last Starfighter]]''.
Ludologists break sharply and radically from this. They argue that a video game is first and foremost a game, which must be understood in terms of its rules, interface, and the concept of play that it deploys. [[Espen J. Aarseth]] argues that, although games certainly have plots, characters, and aspects of traditional narratives, these aspects are incidental to gameplay. For example, Aarseth is critical of the widespread attention that narrativists have given to the curvaceous heroine of the game [[Tomb Raider]], saying that "the dimensions of [[Lara Croft]]'s body, already analyzed to death by [[film theory|film theorists]], are irrelevant to me as a player, because a different-looking body would not make me play differently... When I play, I don't even see her body, but see through it and past it."<ref>{{cite web| last = Aarseth| first = Espen J.| authorlink = Espen J. Aarseth|date=2004-05-21| url = http://www.electronicbookreview.com/thread/firstperson/vigilant| title = Genre Trouble| format = HTML| publisher = [http://www.electronicbookreview.com Electronic Book Review]| accessdate = 2006-06-14}}</ref> Simply put, ludologists reject traditional theories of art because they claim that the artistic and socially relevant qualities of a video game are primarily determined by the underlying set of rules, demands, and expectations imposed on the player.
==Social aspects==
===Demographics===
[[Image:GRAW2 X360 El Paso Medic Tankcover14 full.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Games such as ''[[Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2]]'' are regarded as male-oriented video games.]]
The November 2005 Nielsen Active Gamer Study, taking a survey of 2,000 regular gamers, found that the U.S. games market is diversifying. The age group among male players has expanded significantly into the 25-40 age group. For casual online puzzle-style and simple mobile [[cell phone]] games, the gender divide is more or less equal between males and females. Females have been shown to be significantly attracted to playing certain online multi-user video games that offer a more communal experience, and small amount of young females have been shown to play aggressive games that are sometimes thought of as being "traditionally male" games. According to the ESRB almost 41% of PC gamers are women.<ref>[http://www.pcworld.ca/Pages/NewsColumn.aspx?id=a7fe9b8a0a010408019ac931643ebf2c "Women video gamers: Not just solitaire"] from ''[[PC World (magazine)#PC World Canada|PC World]]'', [[Canada]]</ref> With such video game social networks as [http://missvideogame.com Miss Video Game] and [http://www.guildcafe.com Guild Cafe] having a large percentages of female gamers, the "traditionally male" games are now considered cross-gendered.
===Multiplayer===
{{main|Multiplayer game}}
[[gaming|Video gaming]] has traditionally been a social experience. From its early beginnings, video games have commonly been playable by more than a single player. [[Multiplayer game|Multiplayer video games]] are those that can be played either competitively or cooperatively by using either multiple input devices, or by [[Hotseat (multiplayer mode)|hotseating]]. ''[[Tennis for Two]]'', arguably the first video game, was a two-player game, as was its successor ''[[Pong]]''. The first commercially available game console, the [[Magnavox Odyssey]], had two controller inputs.
Since then, most consoles have been shipped with two or four controller inputs. Some have had the ability to expand to four, eight or as many as twelve inputs with additional adapters, such as the [[Multitap]]. Multiplayer [[arcade game]]s typically feature play for two to four players.
Many early computer games for non-PC descendant based platforms featured multiplayer support. Personal computer systems from [[Atari]] and [[Commodore International|Commodore]] both regularly featured at least two game ports. PC-based [[computer games]] started with a lower availability of multiplayer options because of technical limitations. PCs typically had either one or no game ports at all. Network games for these early personal computers were generally limited to only text based adventures or [[MUD]]s that were played remotely on a dedicated server. This was due both to the slow speed of modems (300-1200-bit/s), and the prohibitive cost involved with putting a computer online in such a way where multiple visitors could make use of it. However, with the advent of widespread [[local area network]]ing technologies and Internet based online capabilities, the number of players in modern games can be 32 or higher, sometimes featuring integrated text and/or voice chat. [[MMO]]s can offer extremely high numbers of simultaneous players; ''[[EVE Online]]'' set a record with just under 36,000 players on a single server in 2006.<ref name="MMORPGdotCOMReport32955PCU">[http://mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/loadNews/6778/NewPCU.html MMORPG.com report EVE Online reaching 32955 Peak Concurrent Users]</ref>
===Benefits===
It has been shown that action video game players have better [[visuomotor skill]]s, such as their resistance to [[distraction]], their sensitivity to information in [[peripheral vision]], and their ability to count briefly presented objects than nonplayers. <ref>
{{cite journal
| authorlink = Green, C. S., & Bavelier, D
| title = Action video games modify visual attention
| journal = Nature
| volume = 423
| pages = 534–537
| date = 2003
| id = Green & Bavelier
| doi = 10.1038/nature01647
| author = Green, C. Shawn}} </ref>
They found that such enhanced abilities could be acquired by training with an action game, involving challenges to switch attention to different locations, but not with a game requiring concentration on single objects.
As a form of [[multimedia]] entertainment, modern video games contain a unique synthesis of [[3D computer graphics|3D]] art, [[computer graphics|CG]] effects, architecture, artificial intelligence, sound effects, dramatic performances, music, storytelling, and, most importantly, [[interactivity]]. This interactivity enables the player to explore environments that range from [[simulated reality]] to stylized, artistic expressions (something no other form of entertainment can allow) where the actions of the player operating as a single, irreducible variable. In this respect, every game scenario will play out a slightly different way every time. Even if the game is highly scripted, this can still feel like a large amount of freedom to the person who is playing the game.
A related property is that of [[Emergence|emergent behavior]]. While many games including card games and sports rely on emergent principles, video games commonly present simulated story worlds where emergent behavior occurs within the context of the game. This is something that some gamers find appealing as it introduces a certain level of randomness to a game. The term "emergent narrative" has been used to describe how, in a simulated environment, storyline can be created simply by "what happens to the player."<ref>[http://xbox.ign.com/articles/502/502409p1.html IGN: GDC 2004: Warren Spector Talks Games Narrative<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Emergent behavior is not limited to sophisticated games, however- generally any place where event driven instructions occur for [[AI]] in a game, emergent behavior will inevitably exist. For instance, take a racing game in which cars are programmed to avoid crashing, and they encounter an obstacle in the track: the cars might then maneuver to avoid the obstacle causing the cars behind them to slow and/or maneuver to accommodate the cars in front of them and the obstacle. The programmer never wrote code to specifically create a traffic jam, yet one now exists in the game.
In [[Steven Berlin Johnson|Steven Johnson]]'s book, ''[[Everything Bad Is Good For You]]'', he argues that video games in fact demand far more from a player than traditional games like ''[[Monopoly (game)|Monopoly]]''. To experience the game, the player must first determine the objectives, as well as how to complete them. They must then learn the game controls and how the human-machine interface works, including menus and [[HUD (computer gaming)|HUDs]]. Beyond such skills, which after some time become quite fundamental and are taken for granted by many gamers, video games are based upon the player navigating (and eventually mastering) a highly complex system with many variables. This requires a strong analytical ability, as well as flexibility and adaptability. He argues that the process of learning the boundaries, goals, and controls of a given game is often a highly demanding one that calls on many different areas of cognitive function. Indeed, most games require a great deal of patience and focus from the player, and, contrary to the popular perception that games provide instant gratification, games actually delay gratification far longer than other forms of entertainment such as film or even many books.<ref>[http://www.newyorker.com/critics/books/articles/050516crbo_books]</ref> Some research suggests video games may even increase players' attention capacities.<ref>{{cite web | author = Daphne Bavelier ''et al.'' | Year = 2003 | url = http://www.bcs.rochester.edu/people/daphne/GreenandBavelier.pdf | title = Action video game modifies visual selective attention | publisher = Nature/University of Rochester | accessmonthday = April 29 | accessyear = 2006 }}</ref>
Learning principles found in video games have been identified as possible techniques with which to reform the U.S. education system. <ref>{{cite book| last = Gee | first = James Paul | title = What Literacy and Learning Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy | publisher = Palgrave Macmillan | date = 2003 | isbn = 1403961697 }}</ref> It has been noticed that gamers adopt an attitude while playing that is of such high concentration, they don't realise they're learning- and that if the same attitude could be adopted at school, education would enjoy significant benefits.<ref>{{cite web | author = James Paul Gee ''et al.'' | Year = 2007 | url = http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.05/view.html | title = Wired 11.05: View | publisher = Codenet, Inc. | accessmonthday = December 4 | accessyear = 2007 }}</ref>
[[Online multiplayer game]]s provide players with the opportunity to compete in real time with other players from across the globe over the internet. [[MMORPG]]s build on this concept with the establishment of vast, online communities existing in persistent virtual worlds. Millions of players around the globe are attracted to video gaming simply because it offers such unprecedented ability to interact with large numbers of people engaged simultaneously in a structured environment where they are all involved in the same activity.
Even simple games offer potential benefits to the player. Games like ''[[Tetris]]'' and ''[[Pac-Man]]'' or ''[[Galaga]]'' are well-designed games that are easy to pick up but difficult to master, much like [[chess]] or [[poker]]. Despite their simplicity, simple games may also feature online capabilities or powerful [[AI]]. Depending on the game, players can develop and test their techniques against an advanced computer player or online against other human players.
The [[United States Army|U.S. army]] has deployed machines such as the [[PackBot]] which makes use of a game-style [[Game controller|hand controller]] intended to make it more familiar to use by young people.<ref>{{cite web | year=2007 | url = http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/iRobot_Receives_New_Military_Orders_14_PackBot_Robots_999.html | title=iRobot Receives New Military Orders 14 PackBot Robots | accessmonthday = July 25 | accessyear = 2007}}</ref>
===Controversy===
{{main|Video game controversy}}
Like related forms of media, computer and video games have been the subject of frequent controversy and [[censorship]], due to the depiction of graphic [[violence]], [[Sex|sexual themes]], [[advergaming]] (a form of [[advertising]] in games), consumption of [[Recreational drug use|drugs]], consumption of [[Alcoholic beverage|alcohol]] or [[tobacco]], [[propaganda]], or [[profanity]] in some games. Among others, critics of video games sometimes include parents' groups, [[politician]]s, organized [[religious]] groups, and other [[special interest]] groups, even though all of these can be found in all forms of entertainment and media. Various games have been accused of causing [[video game addiction|addiction]] and even [[violence|violent]] behavior. "Video game censorship" is defined as the use of state or group power to control the playing, distribution, purchase, or sale of video games or computer games. Video game controversy comes in many forms, and censorship is a controversial subject. Proponents and opponents of censorship are often very passionate about their individual views.
Historically, [[Moral panic|this type of controversy and criticism]] is not unique to video games. The same situation has been applied to [[comic book]]s, [[Production Code|motion pictures]], [[dancing]] and to some extent [[Parents Music Resource Center|music]] and [[List of banned books|books]]. As long ago as the nineteenth century, similar accusations were made about "[[penny dreadful]]s".<ref>[http://www.horror-fanatics.com/reviews/pennydreadful.html Horror-Fanatics.com: Penny Dreadful Review<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/pennydreadful.php DVD Verdict Review - Penny Dreadful<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/penny_dreadful/ Penny Dreadful - Movie Reviews, Trailers, Pictures - Rotten Tomatoes<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://celluloidheroes.org/2007/05/26/penny_dreadful_2006_review.php Penny Dreadful Review (Celluloid Heroes)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Moreover, it appears to be a question of age. Since these art forms have been around longer, the backlash against them occurred further in the past, beyond the remembrance of today's youth. In both cases, the attempts at censorship in the [[United States]] were struck down as a violation of [[First Amendment to the United States Constitution|First Amendment]] [[rights]], and they have gone on to become fully integrated facets of society.
An organization known as the [[Entertainment Software Ratings Board]] or ESRB rates software for certain age groups; however, publishers are not required to submit games for ratings, and parents are not always aware of the existence of these ratings.<ref>{{cite web | publisher = Console Watcher | year = 2006 | url = http://www.consolewatcher.com/2006/01/grand-theft-auto-makers-sued-by-la-attorney-for-hidden-porn/ | title = "Grand Theft Auto Makers Sued By LA Attorney For Hidden Porn" | accessmonthday = October 26 | accessyear = 2006}}</ref>
==Commercial aspects==
===Game sales===
[[Image:Videogameretaildisplay.jpg|thumb|A typical retail display (in [[Geneva]], [[Switzerland]]) with a large selection of games for several major consoles]]
The three largest producers of and markets for computer and video games (in order) are [[North America]] (US and Canada), [[Japan]] and the [[United Kingdom]]. Other significant markets include [[Australia]], [[Spain]], [[Germany]], [[South Korea]], [[Mexico]], [[France]] and [[Italy]].<ref>[http://www.elspa.com/assets/files/c/computerandvideogamesabritishphenomenonaroundthewo_174.pdf Computer And Video Games: A British Phenomena Around the World] ([[Portable Document Format|PDF]])</ref> Both [[India]] and [[People's Republic of China|China]] are considered emerging markets in the video game industry and sales are expected to rise significantly in the coming years.
Sales of different types of games vary widely between these markets due to local preferences. Japanese consumers tend to purchase console games over computer games, with a strong preference for games catering to local tastes. In [[South Korea]], computer games are preferred, especially [[Massively multiplayer online role-playing game|MMORPG]] games and [[real-time strategy]] games; there are over 20,000 PC bang [[Internet café]]s where computer games can be played for an hourly charge.
The [[NPD Group]] tracks computer and video game sales in the United States. It reported that:
* Console and portable software sales: $6.2 billion, up 8% from 2003<ref name="sales">{{cite web | year = January 18, 2005 | url = http://gameinfowire.com/news.asp?nid=5650 | title = U.S. video game industry sales dip in 2004 | publisher = Game Info Wire | accessmonthday = February 12 | accessyear = 2006}}</ref>
* Console and portable hardware and accessory sales: $3.7 billion, down 35% from 2003<ref name="sales" />
* PC game sales: $1.1 billion, down 15% from 2006<ref name="ussales">{{cite web | publisher = Entertainment Software Association (ESA) | year = 2004 | url = http://theesa.com/facts/sales_genre_data.php | title = Sales & Genre data | accessmonthday = February 12 | accessyear = 2006}}</ref>
Also note that PC games that are [[digital distribution|digitally distributed]] either directly or by distribution networks such as [[Steam (content delivery)|Steam]] are not tracked by the NPD, and Steam does not list sales numbers for games downloaded through their service. [[Software piracy]] is also more rampant on the PC.<ref name=forbes>{{cite web | last =DiCarlo | first =Lisa | title =Do Game Publishers Ignore Piracy? | publisher =Forbes.com |date=July 18, 2005 | url =http://www.forbes.com/2005/07/18/videogame-piracy-worldwide-cx_ld_0718piracy.html | format =HTML | accessmonthday =October 29 | accessyear=2007}}</ref>
These figures are sales in dollars, not units; unit shipments for each category were higher than the dollar sales numbers indicate, as more software and hardware was sold at reduced prices compared to 2003. However, with the release of the next-generation consoles in 2006, these numbers have increased dramatically. The game and film industries are also becoming increasingly intertwined, with companies like [[Sony]] having significant stakes in both. A large number of summer blockbuster films spawn a companion game, often launching at the same time to share the marketing costs.
There is also controversy relating video games in Australia and other [[PAL]] regions. In general when compared to the US, PAL gamers have to pay up to 40% to 50% more.<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_lockout#Australia "Article on Regional Lockout Pricing"]</ref> More of a problem in Australia is where games are constantly delayed for no apparent reason, most notably games released by Nintendo. As English is the main language in the Australian region there is no need for any translation and the complications of differences between the PAL and [[NTSC]] video formats are not existent, as the majority of video displays in Australia are fully capable of running at a 60 Hz format. There is also the problem of [[regional lockout]] in Australia, with most DVD players release coming region free in order to comply with local laws<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVD_region_code#Legal_concerns]</ref> <ref>[http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/sinodisp/au/cases/cth/HCA/2005/58.html "High Court of Australia enforcing region free"]</ref>, but video game consoles are still sold fully region locked. Some efforts to increase awareness of the issue, specifically to Nintendo of Australia, was in the form of a formal report outlining the issues, published by Aaron Rex Davies.<ref>[http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~aaronights/2007-8-11_report_into_software_releases.pdf "Research report into excessive delays in release of Wii software by Nintendo in Australia and New Zealand regions"] by Aaron Rex Davies ([[Portable Document Format|PDF]])</ref> The report has gone on to gain a lot of attention in the public media.<ref>[http://www.aussie-nintendo.com/?v=news&p=16776 "Australia to Nintendo: Knock It Off"]</ref>
==See also==
{{Portal|Video games|Gamepad.svg}}
<div style="column-count:2;-moz-column-count:2;">
* [[Audio game]]
* [[:Category:Novels based on video games]]
* [[Emulator]]
* [[Gamers Outreach Foundation]]
* [[Gaming PC]]
* [[Personal computer game]]
* [[Unlockable games]]
* [[Videogame art]]
* [[Video game collecting]]
* [[Video game culture]]
* [[Video game industry]]
* [[Video game packaging]]
</div>
<big>'''Lists'''</big>
* [[List of gaming topics]]
* [[List of home computers by video hardware]]
* [[Lists of video games]]
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite web | author = Lieu, Tina |date=August 1997 | url = http://www.cjmag.co.jp/magazine/issues/1997/aug97/0897pcgames.html | title = Where have all the PC games gone?" | publisher = Computing Japan }}
* {{cite web | author = Costikyan, Greg |date=1994 | url = http://www.costik.com/nowords.html | title = I Have No Words & I Must Design }}
* {{cite web | author = Crawford, Chris |date=1982 | url = http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/fac/peabody/game-book/Coverpage.html | title = The Art of Computer Game Design }}
*{{cite book |first=Katie|last=Salen | title=The Game Design Reader: A Rules of Play Anthology| coauthors=Eric Zimmerman| year=2005 | publisher=[[The MIT Press]] | id=ISBN 0-262-19536-4}}
* {{cite web | author = Smuts, Aaron |date=2005 | url = http://www.contempaesthetics.org/newvolume/pages/article.php?articleID=299 | title = Are Video Games Art? }}
*{{cite web | author = Blodget, Henry | year = April 12, 2005 | url = http://slate.msn.com/id/2116629/ | title = How to Solve China's Piracy Problem | publisher = Slate.com | accessmonthday = February 12 | accessyear = 2006 }}
*{{cite web | author = Winegarner, Beth | year = January 28, 2005 | url = http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/01/28/news_6117438.html | title = Game sales hit record highs | publisher = Gamespot | accessmonthday = February 12 | accessyear = 2006 }}
* {{cite journal | pubisher = Routledge | volume = 6 | issue = 4 | date = [[2002-10-01]] | pages = 395–417 | doi = 10.1080/1362517022000047334 | title = Digital Dinosaurs and Artificial Life: Exploring the Culture of Nature in Computer and Video Games | author = John Wills | journal = Cultural Values (Journal for Cultural Research)}}
* {{cite web | author = Guy, Hannah |date=2007 | url = http://www.pcworld.ca/Pages/NewsColumn.aspx?id=a7fe9b8a0a010408019ac931643ebf2c | title = Women video gamers: Not just solitaire}}
*Williams, J. P., & Smith, J. H., eds. (2007). The players' realm: studies on the culture of video games and gaming. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co. ISBN 9780786428328
{{refend}}
==Additional reading==
==External links==
{{sisterlinks|Computer and video games}}
*{{dmoz|Games/Video_Games}}
*[http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/article_details.php?id=10209 Tom Chatfield writes] on the culture and future of video games for [[Prospect Magazine]]
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