Video games: a whole new level of pop culture

Bling! Bling! Zap! Zap! Pow Pow Pow!

Sound familiar?

Since the 1970s, video games have been a popular form of entertainment among children, teens, and young adults. Although generally more popular with men, video games have recently seen a surge in popularity among both men and women. With the rise of social media and stars like Vinnie Hacker going live-streaming playing video games on platforms like Twitch, gaming has become widely accepted in popular culture.

Video games are an extremely accessible form of entertainment. Whether you’re looking to kill time or spend a few hours connecting with friends, the options are endless. Most video games are also relatively inexpensive, with many games available for free. Websites like Steam are great for gaming. With a wide variety of games available for download, the website provides an ideal platform for both experienced and inexperienced players.

The competitive nature of video games adds to their popularity. Games such as Tetris (1984) or Pac man (1980) show high scores in bold and captivating numbers. The list of these achievements appeals to competitive gamers looking to improve their gaming skills, achieve the highest score on their console, and engage in friendly competition with other gamers.

The quality of the art, graphics, sound effects and music is also essential. Video games with better graphics and art are more enjoyable. A game with captivating sound effects and a catchy soundtrack keeps the player focused and engaged. For first person shooters such as Loss Where Call of Dutyquality audio design is crucial for players to enter the perspective of the character they are playing and feel like they are Actually in the game.

The importance of good audio and visual design can be appreciated in games such as underworld— one of my favorite video games. In Hells, the player takes on the role of Zagreus, the son of Hades, on his quest to escape the Underworld with the help of Olympians such as Aphrodite, Zeus, Poseidon, and Athena. The game features detailed character and scenery graphics, and the soundtrack creates a more immersive gaming experience. underworld won several awards for its design, including the 2021 BAFTA Games Award for “Best Game” and the 2021 New York Game Awards awards for “Game of the Year”, “Best Music”, “Best Writing” and the ‘Best Acting.’

Memorable characters and storylines are important to the popularity of a video game. When there is a well-written storyline, it keeps the player more engaged and motivated to achieve the game’s main objective and seek the end of their story. Additionally, well-organized characters make the game more recognizable and help drive the plot of the game. A perfect example of this is the mario video game franchise – characters such as Mario and Luigi are easily recognizable in their quest to save Princess Peach.

Video games with unforgettable characters and plots are influential in pop culture because people can easily identify common references and phrases. For example, the ability of gamers and non-gamers to recognize Pokemon allows people to be part of in-person and online communities, buy branded products, and connect over common interests sparked by its title.

The popularity of video games inspires many other forms of art and media. Many people create and share fan art of their favorite video games on Instagram and TikTok. Die-hard fans sometimes dress up as their favorite characters for get-togethers, conventions, or just for fun.

With video games being a staple of pop culture, there is no shortage of video game communities and gaming content on social media. Whether your game of choice is Tetris Where Call of Dutyit’s easy to connect to one of today’s most popular and entertaining pastimes.