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The word community gets thrown around a lot, and has been defined and redefined so many times that it has almost lost its meaning. According to Wikipedia, there were 94 definitions of "community" by the 1950's.
Just so we're all on the same page, I'm going to list the most important facets of the gaming community.
-Mutually Shared experiences
- Communication
- Common Goals
For now, I will focus on mutually shared experiences.
When sociologist defined "mutually shared experiences," I doubt they had the simulated experiences of video games in mind, but the events that take place in the kingdom of Hyrule, on Shadow Moses island, and after the crash of The Pillar of Autumn are more than simple simulations; they are memorable and engaging adventures that have a lasting impact on gamers.
When you come across someone who has had the same gaming experiences, a bond is formed and nostalgic conversation is sure to follow. I'm sure that all the readers who recognize the references in the previous paragraph feel some level of affinity towards me as a direct consequence of having played, and maybe even loved, the same games.
Most people in our society have seen the same movies, watched the same TV shows, or heard the same songs, and it is true that people can relate to each other through these experiences, but video games are on another level. (pun intended =])
The biggest difference between video games and other forms of entertainment is the amount of personal investment involved in playing and completing a game.
For starters, movies, music, and shows are transient and partly independent of the audience; they require only minimal input from the user. A game, on the other hand, will not play itself. Games require cognitive and physical involvement from the audience. Many late nights were spent trying to beat "free bird" on expert, and a sore wrist was usually the consequence thereof.
Games also require more financial investment. TV shows, music, and movies are cheap compared to video games, which now cost an average of $60.00 a game and over $300.00 a console . Even in terms of illegal downloading, video games are much harder to find, download, and operate than other types of media.
Finally, games require much more temporal investment. Games can take anything from 20 to 120 hours of game-play to complete, and good games are usually played more than once. I've lost count of how many times I've played my favorite game, Star Ocean: the second story.
So, even though other forms of entertainment can be considered mutually shared experiences, and they can create a sense of community, they cannot compare to video games in terms of personal investment; therefore, the bonds formed by video games are much stronger, and this is evident in the camaraderie of the gaming community.
A good example of the power of video game experiences is the recent release of New Super Mario Brothers. Consider that in this age of cinematic graphics, jaw dropping visuals, and complex yet intuitive games, this fairly simple 2d side-scroller is close to being the fastest selling game of all time.
I've played the game, and it is downright awesome, but I suspect that the real reason the game is selling so well is its nostalgic factor. The original Mario games were amazing for their time, and the chance to relive and updated version of these experiences is what is driving consumers to buy New Super Mario Brothers in record numbers.
Super Mario Bro's games were some of the first to gain worldwide success. I remember playing Super Mario as a kid in Colombia. Playing this game is a common experience for kids in the U.S, Japan, and other parts of the world. If you've played Super Mario games, you have taken part in a mutually shared experience with people all around the globe.
This experience was so influential that, 25 years later, we are forking out 50 bucks for a chance to save the princess all over again, and this remake is strengthening the ties of the gaming community by providing another mutually shared experience that bridges the gap between first generation gamers and younger gamers who missed out on the original.
For more on New Super Mario Bro's, check out wirebot.com
My next blog will examine communication and video games, or how gamer-talk unites and defines us.
Just so we're all on the same page, I'm going to list the most important facets of the gaming community.
-Mutually Shared experiences
- Communication
- Common Goals
For now, I will focus on mutually shared experiences.
When sociologist defined "mutually shared experiences," I doubt they had the simulated experiences of video games in mind, but the events that take place in the kingdom of Hyrule, on Shadow Moses island, and after the crash of The Pillar of Autumn are more than simple simulations; they are memorable and engaging adventures that have a lasting impact on gamers.
When you come across someone who has had the same gaming experiences, a bond is formed and nostalgic conversation is sure to follow. I'm sure that all the readers who recognize the references in the previous paragraph feel some level of affinity towards me as a direct consequence of having played, and maybe even loved, the same games.
Most people in our society have seen the same movies, watched the same TV shows, or heard the same songs, and it is true that people can relate to each other through these experiences, but video games are on another level. (pun intended =])
The biggest difference between video games and other forms of entertainment is the amount of personal investment involved in playing and completing a game.
For starters, movies, music, and shows are transient and partly independent of the audience; they require only minimal input from the user. A game, on the other hand, will not play itself. Games require cognitive and physical involvement from the audience. Many late nights were spent trying to beat "free bird" on expert, and a sore wrist was usually the consequence thereof.
Games also require more financial investment. TV shows, music, and movies are cheap compared to video games, which now cost an average of $60.00 a game and over $300.00 a console . Even in terms of illegal downloading, video games are much harder to find, download, and operate than other types of media.
Finally, games require much more temporal investment. Games can take anything from 20 to 120 hours of game-play to complete, and good games are usually played more than once. I've lost count of how many times I've played my favorite game, Star Ocean: the second story.
So, even though other forms of entertainment can be considered mutually shared experiences, and they can create a sense of community, they cannot compare to video games in terms of personal investment; therefore, the bonds formed by video games are much stronger, and this is evident in the camaraderie of the gaming community.
A good example of the power of video game experiences is the recent release of New Super Mario Brothers. Consider that in this age of cinematic graphics, jaw dropping visuals, and complex yet intuitive games, this fairly simple 2d side-scroller is close to being the fastest selling game of all time.
I've played the game, and it is downright awesome, but I suspect that the real reason the game is selling so well is its nostalgic factor. The original Mario games were amazing for their time, and the chance to relive and updated version of these experiences is what is driving consumers to buy New Super Mario Brothers in record numbers.
Super Mario Bro's games were some of the first to gain worldwide success. I remember playing Super Mario as a kid in Colombia. Playing this game is a common experience for kids in the U.S, Japan, and other parts of the world. If you've played Super Mario games, you have taken part in a mutually shared experience with people all around the globe.
This experience was so influential that, 25 years later, we are forking out 50 bucks for a chance to save the princess all over again, and this remake is strengthening the ties of the gaming community by providing another mutually shared experience that bridges the gap between first generation gamers and younger gamers who missed out on the original.
For more on New Super Mario Bro's, check out wirebot.com
My next blog will examine communication and video games, or how gamer-talk unites and defines us.
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