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Gaming Captures the Hearts of Gamers, Alleviates Loneliness, and Creates a New Market for Businesses
Gaming is popular with teenagers, women, children, as well as men. Older people say they play games as it alleviates loneliness and puts them in contact with others. Statistics reveal that 41% of gamers are women, and more than 43% of gamers are aged 25-49. Research predicts that the games market in 2005 will be US$ 29 billion.
Types of Games: Stored vs. Online
Players can choose between stored games and online games. Stored games are played on consoles, while online games are played on a computer using either a broadband or dial-up Internet connection. According to IDC, a research firm, the growth in online gaming is set to touch 256 million users by 2008. The seriousness of gaming is underscored by the hosting of international conferences devoted to gaming and the formation of the “Casual Games Special Interest Group.”
The Captivating World of Gaming
Gaming captures the imagination of players and uses the senses: sight, sound, as well as touch. Many games require the use of intelligence as well as strategy. Complex graphics, vibrant colors, and high-quality virtual realities are designed to grab and hold the attention of players. Multiplayer gaming takes the interest to the next level, offering challenges and new horizons to conquer.
Exploring the Online Gaming Landscape
Online games encourage clever participants to push the game beyond its visible limits; some even devise cheats to circumvent challenges posed by the game. Games test skills, intelligence, concentration, and tech know-how.
The Business of Online Gaming
Online gaming architecture comprises six business aspects: the subscriber, the advertiser, the gaming platform provider, the broadband service provider, the network service provider, and the gaming content provider. It is big business; hardware revenues in 2005 were expected to be US$ 9.4 billion, with software and content revenue touching US$ 16.9 billion.
The Dark Side of Gaming
However, there is a downside: gaming can become addictive and affect normal life. Kids may stop studying, housewives may neglect their daily routines, and people may be tempted to play games even at work. This can lead to severe consequences, including suicides, mental imbalances, and the destruction of marriages and careers. Gamers may become recluses, rarely making social contact outside their gaming groups.
Addiction and Its Consequences
Addiction studies indicate that gaming can result in obsession, neglect, lying, socially unacceptable behaviors, carpal tunnel syndrome, dry eyes, neglect of personal hygiene, and sleep disorders.
Popular Gaming Sites
Popular gaming sites include MSN Games, which has 3.4 million monthly registered users; Pogo, with 8.6 million monthly registered users; and Yahoo Games, which boasts 10.1 million registered monthly users.
The Future of Gaming
Analysts predict that by 2007, online gaming will reach at least 285 petabits a month, with revenue generated by online subscriptions for gaming expected to reach US$ 650 million annually.
The future, according to game designer Peter Molyneux, lies in developing games that reward players for “out-of-the-box” thinking and creativity. Games must encourage players to be interactive and to decide the direction the game will take.