Speech to Inform on Video Games Essays

Speech to Inform on Video Games Essays Speech to Inform on Video Games Essay Speech to Inform on Video Games Essay For almost a century, video games have shaped not just our country, but the whole world. An entire industry was developed and it continues to thrive, even in our rough economic times. Some people fall into the clutches of games’ $60 (or more) price tags, while others wait for titles to drop into the bargain bin. But no matter how you purchase them, video games have become much more than just ways to pass the time. They make us laugh. They make us cry. They make us want to scream in anger and punch a wall. Perhaps that is just the reason why we enjoy them so much. Today, I will be discussing the history of video games, the beneficial effect they have on us today, and the controversies that come with them. Video games have existed much longer than you would realize. The very first video game was actually invented in 1942, and it was called NIM. Although it was only a strategic math game, it was revolutionary at the time. Now, up until 1970, the video games that were being created were simple games such as a game of tic-tac-toe against the computer, or a game called Tennis for Two (an early version of Pong). However, the 1970’s was when the first arcade games and console games were being made. The hit-game Pong was released by Atari in 1972, and was later ported to home consoles. In fact, the very first console used at home was called the Magnavox Odyssey, and it was released in 1972 as well. 1997 saw the rise of second-generation consoles, three of which dominated the North American markets: Atari 2600, Intellivison, and ColecoVision. From 1978-1986, arcade games such as Space Invaders, Asteroids, and Pac-Man became huge hits, and were being featured everywhere: shopping malls, restaurants, convenience stores. You name it, and they probably had it there. In the 1980’s, many of the still immensely-popular game franchises were introduced, such as The Legend of Zelda, Prince of Persia, Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, Super Mario Bros. , Metroid, Castlevania, and Metal Gear. The NES was also introduced in 1983 and became an instant success, reviving the console market. The 90’s saw the release of many important things. Sonic the Hedgehog was released in 1991, becoming one of the most well-known video game characters to this day. The Sims began being published, and eventually became known as the best-selling PC games in history. Then the SNES was released in 1989, revealing games like Mortal Kombat and Star Fox. 1993-2006 brought games like Super Mario 64 and Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time to the Nintendo 64, while Resident Evil and Final Fantasy VII came to the Playstation. The Playstation 2 was released in the early 2000’s and became an instant success. It still sells steadily on the market to this day. The Xbox came in, and became well known, as they released their first Halo game in the series to come. Sega eventually fell out of the market with the Dreamcast, and now they stick to strictly game-making only. And Nintendo’s GameCube wasn’t doing as well as their newly-release GameBoy Advance. MMORPGs, or Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games, came into rise around this time as well, with games like World of Warcraft. Between 2005 and 2006, many consoles were released. For the handhelds, the Nintendo DS and the Sony PSP went on the market. Then the Xbox 360 was released, followed by the Playstation 3, followed by the Nintendo Wii. Microsoft is often criticized for their lack in the handheld department. Now with PC and mobile gaming on the rise, the Playstation Move and the Microsoft Kinect compete to bring gamers back to the home environment. Now in 2011, Sony announced the Playstation Vita, Nintendo already released the 3DS, and Nintendo’s mysterious WiiU is yet to be revealed. Now, video games have become much more than we ever thought they could be. 65% of American households play video games, and 40% of people who play video games are women. Nina Huntemann from Game Over stated, â€Å"You know whats really exciting about video games is you dont just interact with the game physically youre not just moving your hand on a joystick, but youre asked to interact with the game psychologically and emotionally as well. Youre not just watching the characters on screen; youre  becoming  those characters†. Studies have shown that people who play video games have better hand-eye coordination and visuo-motor skills. Visuo-motor skills are like resistance to distraction and better memorization skills. It has also been proven that frequent gamers have improved dexterity and better problem-solving skills as well. On the other hand, there are people who believe that video games can become fatally addictive and look down on them due to their depiction of graphic violence, sexual themes, advergaming (a form of advertising in games), consumption of drugs, consumption of alcohol or tobacco, propaganda, or profanity. However, the ESRB, which is the company that gives ratings to video games, was created in order to categorize such games in the appropriate age groups. There has been history of some gamers taking things little too far and acting them out in real life, but with situations like these, it wasn’t the game that caused it. Some activist groups cite crime, violence, aggressive behavior, deprivation of social development, and addiction as their reasons for being against them. These are all products of the parents’ decision of letting their child partake in these games, not the game developer’s. Sometimes people forget that video games teach lessons and inspire us, too. Like this quote said by Vanille in Final Fantasy XIII: â€Å"Wishes can come true. But not if you just wait for miracles. Miracles are things we make for ourselves. Here, and now. All in all, video games are something that has changed history and society. They’re not just the blood and gore they’re so often criticized for. They involve strategy and puzzle-solving; they require fast reflexes and the ability to adapt to different situations. They continue to evolve over the years. They’ve come so far through their history, affected us today, and even managed to bring along some controversies. But video games will always exist in some kind of form, whether we like it or not. So whether you’re 3 years old or 33, go break out the old 64 and pop in Super Mario. You just might like what you see.