Introduction to Videogames: Blog Tasks

 Introduction to Videogames: Blog Tasks




Watch the YouTube video outlining the history of the videogames industry from the 1970s to the 2010s. Now answer the following questions:

1) What were the first videogames like?
They featured black and white, vector based graphics with no sound.

2) How have videogames changed over time?
They have become more modern, realistic with a lot better graphics and sounds included.
 
3) What do the most successful games have in common? Answer this in as much detail as you can. Think about audience pleasures - what do people like about playing videogames?
The most successful games are things like grand theft auto, Minecraft, Fortnite and Witcher three creating experiences that players crave rather than products they consume.

4) What criticisms have been made towards videogames?
Videogames have faced extensive criticism throughout their history, ranging from concerns regarding their impact on players to issues within the industry itself. Major criticisms focus on promoting violent behavior, causing addiction, portraying harmful stereotypes, and fostering toxic online environments.

Next, read this Guardian feature from when Fortnite first became sensationally popular and watch the original trailer below.



Now answer the following questions:

1) At the time of the article, how many Fortnite players were there worldwide? (Bonus question - how many are there now? Try Googling it.)
Based on reports around November/December 2023, Fortnite had approximately 650 million registered players worldwide.

2) Why is it so popular? What are the audience pleasures of the game?
its free to play, accessible across all platforms, it allows players to be creative and gives them control.

3) Why might some people criticise Fortnite?
  • Excessive Screen Time and Addiction: Many parents and experts express concern about the game's high level of engagement, noting that it can be difficult for children to stop playing, leading to "Fortnite addiction".
  • Targeting Young Players with Microtransactions: The game is free-to-play, but heavily monetized with skins and dances (V-Bucks). 
4) Copy and paste two comments from 'below the line' of the Guardian article - these are comments written by Guardian readers in response to the feature. Select one comment you agree with and one you disagree with and explain why.
The most fetishized products of 2020 were gaming platforms: the Nintendo Switch in the spring and the PlayStation 5 this fall. It wasn’t the usual suspects lining up to score a console either. With bars and clubs closed, even the actor and legendary party girl Lindsay Lohan was excited to pose next to her comped PS5. There’s a familiar rhythm to the release of a must-have consumer product: days of excited internet chatter in anticipation of a launch followed by days of frustrated anguish as limited supply stymies surging demand.

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