Amazing World of Writing!!

In our high tech era video games are growing in popularity, growing from a simple past time to an addiction, but is this really a bad thing? Some may say that this may just be a fad but video games are here to stay. In 2007, alone, many new consoles have made appearances and found homes in living rooms across the country. Why not embrace these changes instead of banishing them all together; advice from parenting.org emphasizes the importance to set a limit but not to stop all video game play. As a teacher and supporter of video games Ms. Huliaris says, “Video games are the newest tool to educational success.  Schools across the country are implementing the use of educational video games to promote academic accomplishments in students.”

Video games allow for social involvement, social health is important for overall health as shown in figure 1. To be a people person is one of the most important skills in life and is promoted in schools. Many professions require you to be able to talk and persuade others. With the new and more portable game systems children can go over friend’s house to play. Video games like the Wii allow for internet play and communication, “The Wii’s online play is new and revolutional. It allows me to communicate with friends and still have a nice time.” Said Filipp Alaverdyan of class 802 in Joseph B. Cavallaro (located in Besonhurst, Brooklyn, New York). Other gaming systems also allow for internet play like the Xbox 360.

Video games stimulated the economy, with the consoles games and other appliances are needed. Companies like Nintendo and Sony make a lot of money from games. Appliances like controller, protectors, and headsets add to the gaming experience so it simulates people to buy the products. Numerous companies have been making these products since it is such a popular field to today’s generation. “I am very interested in first person shooter games and fighting games. On average I buy 20 games per year.” said Filipp. Reportedly last year Nintendo made a net profit of 95 billion yen (807 million dollars) (http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/7444.cfm). Also Nintendo gets many long lasting costumers like a person on afterdown.com says that they will always buy Nintendo games as long as they produce Zelda games. With a variety of characters and games and sequels Nintendo racks up millions. (View figure 2)

Video games also allow players to think. As quoted from Brain Candy: The New Yorker “Players have to explore and sort through hypotheses in order to make sense of the game’s environment, which is why a modern video game can take forty hours to complete.” This in reality is true.  Players must understand the environment and know how to play, as many people believe videogames are not just pressing buttons fast. Many games require people to solve puzzles to get from stage to stage so a strategy is needed in order to win; improving spatial skills. This stimulates the brain to function and also modern video games incorporate many every day “phenomena” in teen life like problems, emailing, and multitasking. Johnson (the former editor of Feed) says “constructing the proper hierarchy of tasks and moving through the tasks in the correct sequence,” he writes. “It’s about finding order and meaning in the world, and making decisions that help create that order.” about video games. (From Brain candy: The New Yorker) Video games also stimulate imagination from many fantasy video games. Video games also stimulate the senses and allow players to think for themselves as they are put in suspense of upcoming events throughout game play.

Video games also prepare kids for a future in the 21^st century and even a job in video game making. Video games contain some of the most recent technology and the more accustomed kids are to them the more liability they have in the future corporate world. Also some games are educational. Marc Prensky has made over 50 video games that promote learning and education. Kathy Ward, who recently posted an article on http://sandradodd.com/videogames shows that video games are helpful. One of her 8 children had dyslexia and learned to read with the help of video games. She use to limit video game like many concerned parents but there is no need to be concerned anymore.  

Video games should not be the point of discussion anymore but rather just to be accepted. In America alone 36 million consoles have reached homes. Parents, children, teens, and grandparents alike cannot stay oblivious any more to the high tech era. Why not accept them and reap the benefits for the sure to stay video games?

 Figure 1

Figure 2