More Information Regarding Growth of Video Games

Cool image to grab reader's attention:

credit: ObsoleteGamer.Com

While trying to come up for a topic to write about involving video games, I thought to myself about experiences I had as a kid playing them. Some of my best memories involved playing the original Nintendo 64 with my brothers. For those of you that don't know what a Nintendo 64 looks like here you go..... This entertainment device was revolutionary for its design and more importantly because you could finally play 3-d version of MARIO!!!! (kidding of course).. For me video games was one of my early passions and I did everything in my power to experience this. I also remember purchasing a magazine called TipsnTricks ™ that contained a wealth of information on how to successfully complete an objective with their in depth guides as well as a section dedicated to cheats for those who wanted the easy way out of situations. I recently wondered what happened with this publication a few months ago and to my surprise the publication had shut down a few years ago. Time really does pass.... One of the aspects that is greatly overlooked when discussing the rise of vdeo games in popular culture, is its rise in physical publication sector. Especially with publishing of magazines such as TipsnTricks and GameInformer to name a few. Each of these magazine publications grew and at one time you could fin all these on newsstands all across America and all over the world. Stores such as Borders and Barnes n Noble.

Another form of video gaming during my youth was arcades:

 I guess now Arcades are about as ancient as Dos computers, but when i was younger this was a popular and diverse form of entertainment. The impulse experienced by people to play games using quarters which for them seems like change was a great way for both video game publishers to get their product out and for businesses to capitalize on a demographic of young people. For these people change is easily accessible. This form of video gaming which peaked in the 80's and 90's is a dying breed now, with only a handful of the arcades still existing. I feel as though this cultural existence helped grow video games in popular culture. Iconic scenes in 80's movies featuring the freshly painted cabinets are the iconic visions that carry forward into the next generation.

Another aspect I wanted to touch on that many people are unaware of is the growth of video games in the cable television industry. Television shows specifically targeting video games grew in the 2000's with some being Cheat! (not to get confused with Cheaters, another television show that ironically was broadcast on the same television network), X-Play, and Attack of the Show (most people only remember this show because of Olivia Munn), With the help of the media networks, video game popularity increased. I am mainly referring to the U.S, though foreign countries across the world may have more networks that cater to video game enthusiasts. If it weren't for the fact that these shows were only shown on lesser known cable networks (g4.tv), the possibility of seeing this type of growth in video games would have happened sooner. Lastly I leave you with a link to a blog by the New York Times called "Bits" with some more information about the growth of the video game industry. Even people in business are not exactly right when referring to the growth of video games. 70 Billion by 2015?!?... More like 90 Billion in 2014.