Video Games Are Not Lazy!

Video games sometimes get a bad rap. People tend to think of them as a lazy hobby, one which begets slothful character. I disagree with that sentiment, and I'd like to tell you why. When I'm done, I'm sure you'll agree that video games are not only skilled pursuits, but active and creative hobbies that can be enjoyed by a wide audience. Feedback: If you're enjoying the podcast, or have a question, concern, or helpful criticism please drop me a line at dovid@clevelandcreativeoutlet.com. Please also share this podcast with your friends! Word of mouth is our biggest source for new listeners, so please share and share alike. Thanks. Transcript: Welcome to What Makes You Happy, the show that explores our hobbies and pastimes and how they delight us. This is episode number #25 and today we’re discussing videogames. It seems today like videogames have always been around, and that they’ve always been a central part of popular culture. But that couldn’t be farther from the truth. In fact, did you know that in the 80’s, the video game industry crashed, and almost ended forever? It’s true! Back then, videogames were seen and usually marketed as idle pastimes, not a serious hobby the way they are today. It really was kind of a fad, the way we think of pogs, fidget spinners, or hoverboards. And once that fad was over, the whole industry imploded, putting many game companies into bankruptcy. But along came Nintendo and released the now famous NES. This one console breathed new life into the dying industry. It really took the world by storm, and shocked the detractors when it became the best selling console of all time. Part of its success was probably due their ingenious marketing. Prior to the release of the NES, marketing for games and gaming systems was entirely different in tone, focusing more on families spending an evening together. Nintendo supplanted this with high energy ads that enticed young boys with masculine figures and games themed around defeating villainous foes. While this wasn’t entirely novel, it was a slightly new tack for the industry. In fact, I believe it’s likely they took a page out of comic books and the marketing themes they had used since World War 1. Since the reemergence of video games as a powerful media force, some people have criticized the focus video games put on masculine themes of war, and violence. And video games are a powerful media. The industry that was once dead and buried (literally by the way, there are areas of landfill heaped with unsold cartridges) rose from the ashes like a phoenix, and today it is world reknown as a huge economic force. Yearly, the video game industry rakes in more cash than all of the movie and music industries COMBINED. The games being produced today have beautiful graphics, immersive storylines, complex game mechanics, and high skill ceilings. Arenas regularly are filled with fans who come to watch professional gamers in ESports, particularly in countries outside the US. There is one thing I’d like to touch on for a moment that I find interesting - the criticism that I was mentioning before, about the industry putting undo emphasis on war and violence, blaming toxic masculinity generally, ignores the largest economic sector within videogames. Mobile Games. Since the advent of the iPhone, mobile games have taken a strong foothold in video games, and today are more profitable, and more popular than console or PC games. Even the idea that gamers are predominantly male is an outdated idea. The statistics are fairly clear that the tide has turned, and you simply can’t assume that anymore. Today, it seems that gamers represent a pretty good cross section of humanity. Every country, old, young, men, women, everywhere are enjoying video games, and more than ever. Which raises the question. What’s the appeal? To those of you in the audience who are now thinking about skipping this episode altogether, keep listening.