Week+2

Q: Can Video Games be considered another new mass media? What makes Video Games a different medium from conventional movies and music? Why are video games catching on?
I think video game can truly be a new mass media. As the gaming technologies improved in the past 2 decades, video games have become affordable and highly accessible than ever. Since we can do so many things with video game now, the potential for it to become a mass media is very high.

Gaming technologies have improved so much for the past 20 years. Prior to the Millennium, video games were mostly available in gaming consoles such as Sony Playstation One, Nintendo 64 and personal computers. Online connectivity was not available. As the Internet technologies become more advanced after the Millennium, we are seeing more games are utilizing the Internet technologies to connect gamers around the globe. Until recently, consoles such as Nintendo DS, Play station 3, and Microsoft Xbox are offering online connectivity features for gamers. For computer games, online multiple player option has become an essential feature now. Without it, no one would play the game. Therefore, as more gamers can be connected through video games, idea, theme, and message can be easily reached to a very large audience given that if the game is highly popular. Therefore, video games can be considered another new mass media.

Video game is different than a conventional movies and music because the latter two are just merely delivering message and idea. On the other hands, video games are delivering the interaction that will bring the gamers into the idea of the game. Massively multiplayer online role-playing games such as World of Warcraft can actually bring a player into the game making the game similar to a real life experience. The game offers a server where all players in the game are prohibited to talk about real life issues. It is a role playing server where players are to blend in the culture of the different races in Warcraft. Video games are not just delivering an idea like movies and music. It allows the players to experience and become the idea.

In sum, video games can connect millions and millions of people together through the use of the Internet. Idea and messages in the games can easily be delivered to the audiences given the popularity is there. Usually, the entertainment time value that one can get from movies and music are typically very short. Movies usually last no more than two hours and music do not last more than ten minutes. However, a player can spend many years playing the same video game online. Therefore, video games can provide a better value in comparison to music and movies. Given the value, accessibility, and online interactions of video games, it will catch up to music and movies and become one of the mass media.

For all the online gamers out there, Cheers!

Denise Mak