Welcome to my first blog

Video games have been around for little over 60 years-but during that time, they’ve seen an exponential increase in popularity and have become an integral part of popular culture. Though initially having a more specific definition, video games now are taken to describe almost any form of interactive entertainment with a display. Personal computers, cell phones, video game consoles (Xbox 360, Wii, PS3), and portable game devices such as the Nintendo DS or Sony PSP are all common examples of ways to play today. This blog is primarily a class assignment, but is also an opportunity for me to explore a unique aspect of pop culture. Over the next few months, I hope to discuss video games, popular culture, and their relationship to class material.


I would say that video games started to become part of the mainstream with the introduction of Pong in the 1970’s. The simple two-dimensional tennis game was the first to be a major monetary success, which resulted in the commercialization of the gaming industry. Titles such as “Space Invaders” followed Pong’s release and encouraged growth of the industry and in-home consoles. I couldn't find a decent version of pong, so here is a version of Space Invaders similar to the classic arcade game:


Space Invaders

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With advancements in technology, Video games have evolved to become the entertainment for the masses that we see presently, and are frequently mentioned in other forms of mass media. If you watch TV, you will probably hear about games such as Halo, Grand Theft Auto, The Legend of Zelda, and the World of Warcraft on a regular basis.

I believe that video games have grown so popular because they’re a unique form of entertainment. Personally, gaming appeals to me because it is engaging and requires you to be proactive, yet is a good way to kick back and is not physically demanding. Furthermore, it promotes healthy competition, which I’m hoping to discuss later in the context of online gaming and internet culture.


Like I said earlier, it’s hard not to hear about video games because they are so widespread throughout the media. Advertisements depicting video games appear on channels ranging from cartoon network to Spike TV, depending on the target audience. There are actually whole channels dedicated to gaming, the prime example being G4. Web-based shows also use video game engines or characters for the plot. In recent years especially, movies based on video games are becoming more and more prevalent. Some examples of the more widely known films include The Prince of Persia, Hitman, Max Payne, Bloodrayne, Tomb Raider, Doom, Resident Evil, and Silent Hill. I think I'll conclude this post with a scene from Doom, which mimics the first-person shooter genre in video games, enjoy!