Video Game Culture

Video Game Culture

In this chapter, Nielsen describes the cultural relationship between videogame and how video games are used by different groups for different purpose. Nielsen values video games as a very important media today because he once mentioned that “video games are one of the world’s most explosive examples of new media” (Nielsen 133). I also agree that video games are the new explosive examples of new media today because it has now become one of the excellent tools of the military advertisements, one of the fastest growing industries worldwide, one of the most preferred kinds of entertainment in the world, and so on.  Since the 1980 and even earlier, the video game has grown to be one of the largest entertainments today.  

Since the video games have grown to be a significant part of the new media, it helps other forms of media to become more supplicated with computerized special effects and animations techniques. Surprisingly video games and its technologies helped to create successful science fiction movies like Te Matrix, Terminator II and T3. They are structured like video games, with each plot that feature levels of increasing difficulty. The hero battles past one set of enemies to win entry to a new world. Back in the days, video games are created based on movie ideas, concepts, and narratives. However, nowadays, Hollywood movies adapt many of video game qualities as I mentioned earlier.  A Hollywood movie called Gamer is one of the games that are largely inspired by video games. Movie Gamer is set up just like video games, which feature levels, opponents, cyborg’s perspective, and very violent and explosive scenes.  Looking at other media, we find that video games have slowly gained significance as generators of art, even if it is still at a small scale. I also want to shortly talk about Nielsen’s point on use of video game orchestras. He stated that some of the most prestigious orchestras in the world have recorded music for video games, and some record companies have begun to use video games to promote forthcoming artists and bands (Nielsen 144). I agree with his point that orchestra industry is also largely associated with video games. One of my favorite game theme songs is from Super Mario Bro. It is very classic and well-known throughout the world. I am very positive that music can be associated as the video game culture because, for example, some music artists associates with Super Mario Bro theme song by creating their own venison of it. One of the examples is a electronic genre song called Needless By Gary Gros.  We should all keep in mind that video game means a lot to not only new media, but also other sub industries like orchestra.

Where do you see video games as important parts of our new media? Why do you think parts of the public are so worried about the violent content in video games? Compare other kinds of media to video games.