When will videogames be taken seriously?

Opinion by Oliver Banham on 23rd February 2009

Think to yourself this. When people ask you of your hobbies, do you ever shy away from saying videogames, even though realistically they are your biggest interest? You’ll be at ease saying you enjoy rock music, or Tim Burton films, but when it comes to explaining your love for videogames, isn’t it a little harder to broadcast? You just know the average person won’t have a clue about F.E.A.R or Persona 4, so why even bother? Unfortunately there’s every chance that this reluctance to show one’s interest in videogames will plague every gamer for years to come. It has come to the table however, that more people than ever are embracing videogames, and soon their importance in society will be universally regarded – such is the ideal scenario.

The Wii is an interesting starting point, representing two conflicting ideas. The first is that it is obviously bringing gaming to the masses, and getting all types of people involved. The elderly, young females and mothers, for example, are buying into the Wii’s obscenely friendly persona and wide library of casual games. Thanks to some bright and cheery marketing and a clever choice of celebrity, Nintendo’s sales have hit the roof. The DS, too, is just as successful, with franchises such as Ubisoft’s Imagine range raking in an impressive amount. The more people that play games, then, surely means we are getting closer to the goal of the world collectively regarding videogames as a respectable and important media form, just like music, film and literature.

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Conversely, these casual videogames are not giving casual gamers the best view of the gaming industry as a whole. Games such as Game Party, Carnival: Funfair Games and Wii Play are overtly simple, and not representative of the kinds of things that can be achieved nowadays from developers. These games are not helping to paint videogame culture in a sophisticated, technically astounding light, as they should be, and as they are. These people will miss out on the BioShocks and the Fallout 3s, and not realise just how impressive gaming experiences can get. Regardless of the view you take with the Wii’s presence, its importance in the grand scheme of things is irrefutable.

One step that needs to be taken to make videogames more respected relates to film and music, the former more so. Videogames have had its fair share of A-list actors (namely Samuel L Jackson in GTA: San Andreas, and Ray Liotta in GTA: Vice City), but these cases are extremely rare. Surely the amount of money that circulates within the industry is enough to attract high-profile actors? Either the actors just aren’t interested, or games companies just aren’t interested in getting the bigger actors. With more games fronted by A-listers, a new market would be opened up and film buffs would likely become interested. The fact these actors would be getting involved in videogames would make many bystanders view videogames in a more prestigious light, resulting in possible play on their side. Surely getting the big names in film to front a few videogames couldn’t hurt the industry? It would merely help convert a few people at the very least.

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Music in videogames is currently at a high-point, with games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band bringing in hundreds of artist names, and ultimately making the respective franchises much more of a big deal. Featuring on many TV shows, the plastic instrument phenomenon is helping to widen videogame’s appeal. All we need now is Hans Zimmer to compose the score to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and we’re set.

More celebrity driven association could help. It would start to make people group videogames with music, film, TV and literature. In websites such as Facebook or MySpace, there is no option to list your favourite videogames. Why is this? We can list our favourite films, television and books, so why are videogames any different? They make just as much money. Is it just this horrid stigma attached to videogames that stops these kinds of things from happening?

Maybe this is because games are largely seen as an unattractive interest. You don’t usually admit to being an avid fan of videogames because of the unfortunate connotations. Naturally games are still associated with the idea of ‘geeks’ and their virtual playground. The myth that videogames are played primarily by teens that are socially inept still exists, sadly, however small you may think it. For now at least, videogames will still be viewed as socially not receptive.

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And why is it that they are still associated with needing to ‘get a life’? Well maybe it’s the ignorant assumption that games are not good for the brain, that they are virtual junk food to nullify our brains and make us all anti-social robots. Of course this contradicts the view that games are played by geeks, as to be a ‘geek’ you need to be intelligent – such is our society and its hypocrisy. The newspapers and government officials will always be condemning videogames, even with little to no knowledge on the subject, but this is just something we have to shrug off, and act elitist about.

And finally, to return to the idea that many new gamers are missing out on the true greats of our culture, unless we act on this they will forever be oblivious to the intelligent masterpieces that are the best games ever created. They are unaware of the intricacies and amazing experiences that are weaved for the player, and only see games as minor diversions – not deep storytelling arenas of adventure and challenge. This much is lost with them. And unless the games made for the more educated gamer can somehow attract the less game-savvy, then this never-ending loop of games being viewed as brainless and damaging will continue to work its bastard magic.

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About the author

Oliver Banham is a Senior Staff Writer at Thunderbolt, having joined in July 2007. Get in touch on Twitter @_Frey.

Comments

Ben
23rd February 2009

This is a brilliant article, captures exactly how I feel on the subject and was intriguing to read. Nice one Frey.
Benny
23rd February 2009

Admit it, you just really wanted an excuse put a photo of Depp and Rhianna in there.
Sean
23rd February 2009

I agree with some of what you’re saying Frey, although I completely disagree with your thinking that games need more celebrity talent. Sure talented celebrities ‘could’ bring more recognition but I’m personally against celebrity voices, since Ibegin to see the actor/actress instead of the character. An example I like to think of is take a Pixar movie vs. a Dreamworks movie, you know Shrek is voiced by Mike Myers and you begin to associate the two, off the top of your head could you name Mr. Incredible? Yes, he is still a celebrity, but he certainly isn’t what most people consider an A-list star. I’m much more content with David Hayter and Mark Hamil than I would be with Johnny Depp and Tom Cruise voicing our characters.
Ben
23rd February 2009

THAT ISN’T RHIANANAIANA.
Olly
23rd February 2009

Well Benny, I was hardly going to use that beaten picture was I? :p

Sean I can definitely see your point, and certain actors work wonders when they’re not as recognisable, I just think having ‘Starring Johnny Depp’ and whatnot as part of videogames’ marketing strategies would help benefit the whole industry, getting more sales and more recognition.
Sean
23rd February 2009

Yeah, I know where you are coming from. I think it would garner more sales, not sure it makes a game more credible. It’s like if I take a Doritos commercial seriously when it has Ali Larter : )
Blah blah
23rd February 2009

Pffft….

This is really simple. The more people there are who game, the less it will be criticized as a form of entertainment.
Adam
24th February 2009

Weneed to establish gaming as it’s own definate industry. If we draft in celebrities and well-known actors to make games popular, surely we’re nullifying gaming’s own viability and identity?

If anything, gaming needs more of a unique voice rather than being seen as a run-off from other media sources.
Faceless Clock
25th February 2009

I’m not sure what you expect. This has nothing to do with educating people. You have a hobby that not everyone enjoys. Deal with it. In certain company, you’d get an equally demeaning response if you told everyone how much you love to play golf.

All of this celebrity stuff has nothing to do with it, anyway. Video games are becoming more popular with the general public because video games have largely been the domain of young people. Now that those people are aging, culture will change. 30 years from now, you’re going to see a plethora of titles aimed at an over-the-hill demographic.
olly
25th February 2009

That’s the thing. I wouldn’t like to call it a ‘hobby’ because I feel videogames should be considered equivalent to music and film - very little people don’t enjoy those. We’re almost at the stage where everyone plays games, so I think it needs to be considered as an important and relevant media form, not something slammed at every opportunity and seen as ‘young’. It just needs to get more people involved.
Tel Gage
26th February 2009

Great article Olly; you seem to hit many ‘core’ gamers’ frustrations head-on.

I can see your point about celebrity endorsement being in ways beneficial, but I neither want nor care for their presence in the games (for example, I find Nintendo’s adverts with slebs pretty awful and cringeworthy).

However, aside from that I agree with your points - gaming is a multi multi billion dollar industry, has a huge and growing development sector and often generates more money than books or films, so it’s about time it was taken seriously.
Brad
1st March 2009

I agree with sean
eric
1st March 2009

You didnt really say anything in your article, you highlighted a few points about videogames seeping into the market, but nothing about them being taken seriously. Then you highlight the more popular games that are well known, and are just time killers that are one of the reasons video games are not taken seriously. You ddidnt point on the games that have beautifully done stories, or amazing art work, or characters that you connect with and feel at a personal level.(Mass Effect, Baldurs Gate, Psychonaughts to name a few) nor did you show games that although they can be taken as an obsession that connects people and created friends and sometimes marriages (WoW)
Chris
5th March 2009

A thoughtful and intelligent article, I have only one point. In the beginning, you relate the problem of the Wii being that it’s over selling of casual games means that people will ‘miss out’ on classics such as Bioshock.

I would make the counterpoint however that in all media there are examples that can be regarded as ‘classics’, Citizen Kane as an example. Widely renowned as the greatest film of all time by any critic worth their chops, it is undoubtedly a masterpiece, in the same way as Bioshock is: technically brilliant, beautifully crafted and pushed the limits of what could be achieved with the medium.

But not every game can be a classic, since ‘classic’ is an entirely subjective term, one that those of us who have been playing games our entire lives, are far more likely to place on ‘hardcore’ titles and genre pieces, just like in films. We are predisposed to think of Bioshock as being inherently superior to something such as Nintendogs for example.

This attitude merely serves to broaden the gap between ‘casual’ and ‘hardcore’ players and creates an entirely artificial sense of superiority that distances the two communities and underlines the immaturity of the medium to outside observers.

It’s gamers, and not the games they play that aren’t taken seriously.
Olly Banham
5th March 2009

Argh, my connection reset just as I had posted a comment so forgive me if this reads brief.

Thanks for the comments guys, much appreciated.

Chris - I actually agree with your point, and looking back would’ve liked to include your thoughts when I talk about how these casual games can’t be seen as classic. I guess however I will always sneer at these games like Wii Fit and Play, as I find them extremely shallow as games.

Eric - With an article on this kind of topic, there’s a lot one could write about, so the fact I have missed out parts I could’ve written about is down to me merely thinking on different wavelengths. I like to think the kind of people reading this article would already know of the beauty of Mass Effect, so would not need reminded (bad excuse eh). I like to think, also, that I hinted to this discussion in the article.