Unlike many others who could write about this, I did not grow up during the time of the NES and the Saturn, but I do still understand how gaming has changed since the 1970s. This isn't a history lesson, but rather just a look at how much video games as an entertainment media has grown to the general media. Enjoy!
And some might want to argue that me not growing up with these much older consoles just being released makes it to where I shouldn't even write this blog, but I did still grow up with older consoles. I played my uncle's old NES when I was about five years old, having my first glance at Super Mario Bros. and Mike Tyson's Punch Out!!! for the first time. And yes, I did have to blow the dust out of the game and hope and pray that it worked. And, as if that weren't enough, I also played an N64 for a little time, so I do think that I at least have a little right to do this blog, but if you don't think that way, I respect your opinions, but I also ask that you please read on. You might enjoy this blog and see that it isn't me saying things that I have no clue about.
Back in the 1980s(I'm skipping the game industry crash from the 70s, because I don't know much about that time that would be relevant for this conversation, other than to say that the world wasn't ready for video games), when Nintendo was king and Sega and Atari were still making consoles, along with games being able to be made much faster than they could ever be today, the gaming industry was looked at as a children's toy and nothing more. And for a time, that's just the way it was. But after a while, more and more people tried out and loved what is, in at least my mind along with most gamers, as the best form of entertainment media of all. And, while the term "gamer" wasn't looked at with anymore respect than it was at first, it did increase in numbers, and the gaming community continued to grow, despite all the controversy that the news media kept giving it, mostly over violence, but sexuality and drug use didn't trail by much on at least mentions. Gaming was looked at by parents as something of the devil, at extreme cases, and just a bad influence on kids, at most others. Around the 2000s, games sort of picked up in popularity, with Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo being the generals of these gaming armies, and games like Crash Bandicoot and God Of War(Sony), Halo and Gears of War(Microsoft), and New Super Mario Bros. Wii and The Legend Of Zelda: Wind Waker(Nintendo) being on the front lines. Now, with much time and controversy behind us, the term "gamer" isn't looked at as a bad thing or a mark of shame, but rather just what somebody does, either for a profession or as a hobby, and that alone makes me think that the video game industry will only get better.
And it always is, with games for so many different types of people, and different types of gamers now. There is the hardcore gamer, like most of the GIO community, who play a lot of games and like to do blogs and reviews and have discussions about them. There is the regular gamer, who has found a couple of game series, and loves to play them, but also looks into other games, occasionally buying new ones(people like my parents or my sisters). And finally there is the casual gamer, who might own a console, but really just plays either Kinect games and games on their IPhone or Android phone. And while I consider myself more of a hardcore gamer, I don't give any flak to any other type of gamer(even the casual gamer), because we're, whether they realize or not, all in this as one giant gaming community, and that alone makes me proud to be a gamer.
Tell me how you liked this blog, how you felt about how I think of the evolution of the gaming industry, or just tell me that my facts are wrong and help set me straight, in the comments below. Check my page for some info about my Google+ hangout and leave a comment if you're interested. Have a nice day!