Video Games: Introduction

1) What were the first videogames like?

The first video games were built on post-war mainframes, and were extremely simple - for example, in 1958, one of the video games made was Tennis For Two, a simple two-player tennis simulation built for an analogue machine. During the 1970s, these turned into arcade games, which consisted of mass-produced, self-contained units which operated based off of coins and were quite rudimentary and simple. Pong, released in 1972, became the first commercially successful game.

2) How have videogames changed over time?

Video games have become increasingly complex over time, exploring different genres such as shooters, puzzle, strategy, simulation, fighting, and more. Graphics became more complex as well, from 8-bit to 16-bit, 32-bit, etc. Narratives within video games have also increased in quality, with narratives now including multiple characters and plot points for audiences to attach themselves to.

3) What do the most successful games have in common? Answer this in as much detail as you can. Think about audience pleasures - what do people like about playing videogames?

Most successful games feature different aspects that cater towards diversion in Blumler and Katz' Uses and Gratifications Theory. Specifically, games that feature progression-based levels, such as Assassin's Creed, which help audiences feel part of a narrative and therefore link to their personal identity. This is also done through the goal-driven aspects, which make audiences achieve quests, including games such as Mario Kart on the Nintendo Switch, further catering to personal identity. Moreover, successful games also often feature a complex narrative that allows audiences to have emotional responses, through their parasocial relationships or identification with characters in the video games that they play. These games will often include high-quality music, graphics and cinematography in order to look more like real life, making it easier for audiences to sympathise with characters, although there are also games that achieve this effect without mimicking real life. Successful vide games also target the personal relationships that audiences have through creating team-based games, with quests and interaction with friends online. This includes most shooter games, such as Overwatch or Fortnite, but also games like Terraria or Minecraft which also feature multiplayer options. Some successful games focus on the ability to teach audiences new knowledge, such as in building or simulation games where audiences learn by doing new things.

4) What criticisms have been made towards videogames?

There are a multitude of criticisms which have been made towards video games, such as concerns on health, behaviour and social development as a result of spending too much time indoors rather than outside; concerns over addiction to specific video games; concerns of violent content, such as in shooters or hack-and-slash games, in that they may influence audiences to act out similarly; concerns over reduced academic performance in spending time playing video games rather than studying, etc.

5) At the time of the article, how many Fortnite players were there worldwide? (Bonus question - how many are there now? Try Googling it.)

At the time of the article, there were 200 million players worldwide. As of now, Fortnite has over 650 million registered users.

6) Why is it so popular? What are the audience pleasures of the game?

The game is popular due to the multiple audience pleasures it offers. It offers diversion, in its "offbeat sense of humour" and general items, alongside its cartoon-like graphics and items like space suits and dinosaur outfits which draw players outside of the real world. This is also done through the fact that it is a shooter game, giving audiences a sense of escapism through placing them in a fictional world and allowing them to carry out acts which they (normally) wouldn't. Fortnite also caters towards personal identity and parasocial relationships through its monetisation - it often features items, outfits and dances from pop culture, such as the floss, or more recently, aspects from things like K-Pop Demon Hunters, Avatar: The Last Airbender, as well as popular celebrities such as Chappell Roan. The game itself also creates personal relationships in audiences through the popular youtubers who play the game, such as Ninja (cited at the time of the article, yet does not have a large viewing as of now).

7) Why might some people criticise Fortnite?

Some people may criticise Fortnite due to the fact that it is a shooter game - its inclusion of weapons and violence may incur criticisms from those worried that it will influence the actions of its users, in that it may make them similarly violent. There might also be worries that people play too much, perhaps leading to reduced productivity, social skills, etc.

8) Copy and paste two comments from 'below the line' of the Guardian article - these are comments written by Guardian readers in response to the feature. Select one comment you agree with and one you disagree with and explain why.

Agree:

"Nice article that will help my (non-gaming) wife understand what our kids are up to. What's missing here is some reference to on-line chat as a "risk" as well as the violence and graphics. When the kids play in a squad they likely have their friends and friends of friends so the language can get a bit unsuitable for our younger (10-12) kids.

This ability to interact and talk to one another as a squad is critical for the game (both to success and enjoyment) and it's the hardest to control."

I mostly agree with this - I disagree with the concern on "violence and graphics" as Fortnite itself does not feature much blood or gore, and is very much cartoon-like and therefore not likely to impact users as much. However, I agree heavily with the concern on online chat - children are exposed to a wide plethora of users, some of whom are much, much older than Fortnite's target age and may negatively impact children, through introducing them to harmful content or language, alongside the more serious risk of grooming or exposure to sexual content (e.g. "it was discovered he had been using children's video games to befriend and privately message them")

Disagree: 

"Computer games represent everything wrong with society. Kids should be outside drinking White Lightning and smashing up bus shelters, not sat on their arses fiddling with Xstations and PC boxes."

Children should definitely not be doing any of the actions mentioned. Video games are a much safer way for children to carry out any curiosity that they have on fictional characters, where no real people will be impacted by the actions that they decide to take.