The future of gaming
By Jenny McLeod, G2G3
I was born in 1985. Admittedly, twenty two is not old – but even at this age I sometimes feel a bit overwhelmed by the speed at which technology has progressed in the past two decades - never mind ten. If you read the story about Olive Riley last week then you will know that at 108 years old, this Aussie centurian has just passed on her title as the world's oldest blogger. Yes, the women was born in 1899, finished her education in 1914, and at the age of 107 began networking online in her very own blog. Anyone impressed?
I was thinking about Olive as I read about the 13th E3 Media and Business Summit in Hollywood – an annual highlight in the electronic gaming world. This year, Nintendo announced the arrival of the Wii MotionPlus, an advanced console that, according to the BBC, will add more “realism and depth” to the Wii's capabilities. Playstation and Microsoft also made it clear that they want to broaden the scope of their consoles and games, so that gender and age are no longer the defining feature of users. It seems that games are set to play a much more significant role in every aspect of our lives.
Critics of games usually cite their negative impact on society and social interaction. I have a friend who has spent more than half of this year playing World of Warcraft in his bedroom, and unless our society starts to resemble Azeroth then I'd be tempted to agree. But, these new games are different. There is a social and interactive element to Singstar, Rock Band and the Wii's sporting creations that previous games do not have. An increasing number of releases are casual lifestyle titles and family orientated games, and these aim to create a rallying point for families, and the wider community. Microsoft's Don Mattrick's said himself, that the new place for the console is “at the heart of the living room” and these games are about human interaction as much as anything else.
Is this the future of gaming? Can you see your grandparents as the latest edition to your electronic rock band? I'm not entirely sure, but the versatility of gaming, and its potential social function are increasingly apparent. And if Olive Riley can start blogging in her 107th year, then maybe the answer is yes.
I was born in 1985. Admittedly, twenty two is not old – but even at this age I sometimes feel a bit overwhelmed by the speed at which technology has progressed in the past two decades - never mind ten. If you read the story about Olive Riley last week then you will know that at 108 years old, this Aussie centurian has just passed on her title as the world's oldest blogger. Yes, the women was born in 1899, finished her education in 1914, and at the age of 107 began networking online in her very own blog. Anyone impressed?
I was thinking about Olive as I read about the 13th E3 Media and Business Summit in Hollywood – an annual highlight in the electronic gaming world. This year, Nintendo announced the arrival of the Wii MotionPlus, an advanced console that, according to the BBC, will add more “realism and depth” to the Wii's capabilities. Playstation and Microsoft also made it clear that they want to broaden the scope of their consoles and games, so that gender and age are no longer the defining feature of users. It seems that games are set to play a much more significant role in every aspect of our lives.
Critics of games usually cite their negative impact on society and social interaction. I have a friend who has spent more than half of this year playing World of Warcraft in his bedroom, and unless our society starts to resemble Azeroth then I'd be tempted to agree. But, these new games are different. There is a social and interactive element to Singstar, Rock Band and the Wii's sporting creations that previous games do not have. An increasing number of releases are casual lifestyle titles and family orientated games, and these aim to create a rallying point for families, and the wider community. Microsoft's Don Mattrick's said himself, that the new place for the console is “at the heart of the living room” and these games are about human interaction as much as anything else.
Is this the future of gaming? Can you see your grandparents as the latest edition to your electronic rock band? I'm not entirely sure, but the versatility of gaming, and its potential social function are increasingly apparent. And if Olive Riley can start blogging in her 107th year, then maybe the answer is yes.
posted by G2G3 Blog at
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