|
It's a social misconception in our culture that video games are only for kids. It's not unusual to hear a parent telling their teenager that they're too old to be wasting time playing, or for an adult to get strange looks for taking out a Game Boy on their lunch break. Yet the same people that would pass judgment on grown-up gamers have no problem with other forms of entertainment. For example: when is the last time you heard someone being told that it's time they grow out of going to the movies? It sounds silly to say something like that, and yet games are singled out as being immature. I've heard parents complain about how you shouldn't play video games, that you should do something more productive. I believe that games, for the most part, are an art. I feel that they can be productive and creative, and are for everyone.
When I was a child in the 80s, Nintendo revolutionized the video game market and gave it new life. Kids everywhere were sitting in front of their TVs for gaming fun, creating the notion that games are a child's toy. That generation has grown up since then, and the general public can't see that the games have grown up with us. The kids that grew up slaying 8-bit monsters and blasting pixelated foes back in the day are still very much a part of the gaming scene now. They're the very people creating the titles that we enjoy today. They're the ones writing the articles for sites and magazines. They're the ones setting up those LAN parties or playing those MMORPGs. They're the ones staying up 'til all hours of the night trying to finish that new RPG. We're also adults with jobs or college to go to. We may be grown-up, but we're still gamers.
The idea of gaming consoles being for kids unfortunately still stands. This is especially true of Nintendo's products such as the GameCube, despite the fact that it offers a number of titles intended for mature players such as the ultra-dark and violent Killer 7. Instead, games aimed at children take centre stage in advertising. Pokémon's popularity alone is near-enough to give Nintendo that image; with it's simplistic plot, innocent cuteness, and schoolyard appeal, it's definitely a franchise that is aimed at children. Focusing only these big-bucks kid's titles tends to further their for-children image. Even Nintendo's for-all-ages games get dismissed as child's play. Take The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker. Something as simple as its cel-shaded graphics caused too many people to overlook this adventurous title. Fans who actually played it could see that this game was meant for everyone.
This misconception has also led to a great deal of unwarranted controversy. Protester groups rage with complaints about the negative effects of kids playing violent games. They attack the medium ferociously without realizing that the aforementioned titles were never intended for a younger audience at all. Like motion picture MPAA ratings, games have an ESRB rating to inform consumers about the content. Although retailers are becoming increasingly cautious about selling Mature titles to minors, parents still end up buying them for their kids. Then those same so called concerned citizens turn right around in an uproar over the content that is clearly marked as not intended for children. Games have ratings for a reason, so no matter what you think, that Mature game you bought for your child isn't any different than the NC17 movie you wouldn't let them see.
Games are popular, but they're still relatively young and overall not as mainstream as other forms of entertainment. The stereotypes of gamers range from the weird and geeky people, to the creepy and violent ones. That puts people off when it comes to examining the wideness of the genre. This also creates that somewhat niche aspect to the gaming scene, and perhaps that's why it's often misunderstood. The media continues to perpetuate those notions by promoting games as something only younger people do. Gamers can only hope that as gaming continues to evolve, so will its acceptance as a diverse form of entertainment meant for all ages.
|
RSS feed
iTunes