What is Video games: Definition and 31 Discussions

A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device – such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device – to generate visual feedback. This feedback is shown on a video display device, such as a TV set, monitor, touchscreen, or virtual reality headset. Video games are often augmented with audio feedback delivered through speakers or headphones, and sometimes with other types of feedback, including haptic technology.
Video games are defined based on their platform, which include arcade games, console games, and personal computer (PC) games. More recently, the industry has expanded onto mobile gaming through smartphones and tablet computers, virtual and augmented reality systems, and remote cloud gaming. Video games are classified into a wide range of genres based on their type of gameplay and purpose.
The first video games were simple extensions of electronic games using video-like output from large room-size computers in the 1950s and 1960s, while the first video games available to consumers appeared in 1971 through the release of the arcade video game Computer Space, followed the next year by Pong, and with the first home console the Magnavox Odyssey in 1972. The quickly-growing industry suffered from the crash of the North American video game market in 1983 due to loss of publishing control and oversaturation of the market. Following the crash, the industry matured, dominated by Japanese companies such as Nintendo, Sega, and Sony, and established practices and methods around the development and distribution of video games to prevent a similar crash in the future, many which continue to be followed. Today, video game development requires numerous skills to bring a game to market, including developers, publishers, distributors, retailers, console and other third-party manufacturers, and other roles.
Since the 2010s, the commercial importance of the video game industry has been increasing. The emerging Asian markets and mobile games on smartphones in particular are driving the growth of the industry and shift to games as a service. As of 2020, the global video game market has estimated annual revenues of US$159 billion across hardware, software, and services, three times the size of the 2019 global music industry and four times that of the 2019 film industry.

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  1. hagopbul

    Asking about a publishing company for my relative's new book and game

    Hello : I have a relative who created a book and a game based on that book, asking for him if any one here knows a good publishing company that can publish those products the book is children's book the game is based on the above book on android platform. Best regards hagop
  2. berkeman

    Exploring the Impact of Video Games on Dream Flying Experiences

    I haven't played many video games beyond the early Pong games in undergrad and some Flight Simulators after I graduated. But my kids and grandkids are definitely part of the video game generation, and after watching some of those games and some advertisements today on TV that had the players...
  3. fluidistic

    Video games have become a joke (way too easy to finish)

    I've been somewhat of a gamer when I was younger (over 20 years ago), and I have recently played a few recent video games. I feel they have become a total joke, they are so much easier than before that there is no fun anymore. Back in the days, completing a level was a real challenge (super...
  4. bagasme

    Playing Video Games in a Language You Don't Understand

    Hi, I have PlayStation(R) 2 gaming console on my house. It is considered legacy per today's standard (as there are new-generation PlayStation(R) 5), but still popular here. One of games that I installed on the console is Sengoku Basara. The gameplay is similar to Dynasty Warriors, but I won't...
  5. B

    A question regarding Traditional MPM and computers

    Hey, I'm a video game director, and to put it simply I would like to know what you think the computer processing power required for a single a single pixel, a loaf of bread, or an entire human body would be to follow the laws of MPM physics, which you can google. They have examples, but no info...
  6. B

    Chess VS Video Games.... Which Is Easier To Quit?

    Personally I think it is chess. Which also makes it relatively safer to play. Video games are designed to suck up hours of time, while chess, if challenging enough, is such a mental workout that one game is enough. Both chess and video games can be addictive, but video games are often designed...
  7. CynicusRex

    Can the big bang be compared to how video games start?

    If I understand correctly, when we interpret our data about the universe it seems the big bang came from nothing and threw out everything. Is it reasonable to compare this to a video game? Games also start from nothing and have suddenly loaded everything. If the game's AI was able to analyze...
  8. T

    The physical concepts in the double jump of the video games

    Hi friends, I'm just thinking, in some video games, the characters have a double jump mechanical. What's the physics concepts behind this? I mean, it's really possible explain it? I saw a brazilian video about science in games in which the author talks about air resistance. It's a curious...
  9. S

    Modern Computer Bugs, What Is The Cause?

    I would like to know what causes bugs, on the software side. Bug was not at all the term used for software but over time, it has evolved into what I think is the result of carelessness, poor development and lack of knowledge. In modern computing, bugs occur in software all the time. But why does...
  10. ISamson

    Studying What to do if you get distracted by video games

    What to do if you get distracted by video games every time I have free unlimited wifi and a laptop with me? Advice - thank you.
  11. P

    Medical Is it possible to improve your reflexes by playing video games?

    And hand eye coordination by playing first person shooters videogames like halo or cod?
  12. Israel Eydelson

    How do we simulate time flow in video games? EE/PHYS

    Hi Everyone, I am very ignorant and uneducated but I have a few questions about a difficult thought experiment. 'How does time flow in a video game/simulation or even in our imagination in relativistic terms?' Let's say a processor operating at 4.2 Ghz, 42 billion instructions per second at...
  13. U

    Physics Astrophysicist turned video game programmer?

    Hi all, I'm at a bit of a crossroads - I'm in a direct PhD program (in Astrophysics) right now, with the option of walking away with my Master's in September. In all of my research projects I've focused heavily on simulations (I know Python and Fortran, but not anything from the C family...
  14. E

    Troubleshooting Low Ping in Online Video Games

    My ping is not visible on the in-game scoreboard in games like battlefield 4 and battlefield hardline. And sometimes the server auto-admin kicks me because of a sever rule against not having a ping. I've tried troubleshooting this problem with no success. Please help me out!
  15. B

    How do video games allow you to take different paths each time you play?

    Does a chess program game knows every move that you can make? Does that mean that every possible outcome exists in the chess game and it just creates a path everytime you play by saving that path? Does this apply to more complex games with open worlds? So would it be correct to say the second...
  16. D

    ELO chess ranking system applied incorrectly in video games

    Are there any chess players, statisticians, or smart people who are familiar with the ELO ranking system? This concerns a game with at least over 100,000 players, so its not an obscure concern. Basically, I play an online video game that tries to apply an ELO ranking system to rank...
  17. C

    Video Games and Their Basis in Theory

    Are there any theories with which the mass effect fields of Mass Effect and the slipstream space of Halo draw inspiration from? Is there any scientific basis for either, or is it complete fantasy?
  18. R

    Is a possible computer science w/phys minor a waste on video games?

    I am very interested in video game development but also other things like, computer programming, network security and robotics. I mean you hear all the time, that the United States needs more engineers to compete with other countries. I'd like to try to be a part of the country's bright future...
  19. BobG

    News US Supreme Court rules on violent video games

    The US Supreme Court ruled that http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/10pdf/08-1448.pdf. A few things were notable about this decision. For one thing, Scalia and Thomas were on opposite sides of the issue (they almost never disagree on decisions). Secondly, Alito should be commended on his...
  20. B

    Violent video games make you can you guess?

    I read, some time ago, a research unveiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that claims video game players were more likely to be overweight, depressed and introverted. but this article says...
  21. J

    Background of the history of video games wanted

    This was just a guess? How does the history of these games and systems really go, first there was Atari, for that system the most popular games were Pong, and Frogger. (Lesser popular games were Paper Boy, and E.T.) Then there was Nintendo correct? , for Nintendo the most well known games were...
  22. P

    Video games as a way of relaxing / obtaining distance?

    Hi, I have a question about video games and relaxing. I am a Physics student and I am going to obtain my Bachelor's by next summer. I would say that I take my studies very seriously. I am not the kind of guy to go out with friends much, but I also cannot study from dusk till dawn...
  23. T

    Is a Walking Simulation Device the Next Big Thing in Interactive Gaming?

    If there was a device that allows the simulation of walking (maybe a practical omni-direction treadmill), would gamers be interested in such a product. For example, wii has many products that allow video games to be more interactive but all of which you can't walk or run with. With this be a big...
  24. A

    Knock-off video games are awesome

    I just made a knock-off of Minesweeper called Gopher Hunter. It's pretty sweet because the "mines" move around and the board is updated in real time. It's pretty fun... at least as fun as the original. Yay! Anybody else write little things like this from time to time? Care to share your ideas?
  25. G

    Microsoft's Natal Video: Video Games Getting Weird?

    http://www.viddler.com/explore/Joystiq/videos/1118/ Wii is coming out with the motion plus and Microsoft has a new device which provides somekind of a virtual reality experience ... now I am not an avid gamer but the first impression that I am sensing from the Natal video is that it seems...
  26. H

    What are the potential uses for virtual reality technology beyond video games?

    With some additional software and hardware modifications, this guy creates a virtual reality display using his Wii. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd3-eiid-Uw&NR=1 Okay, so when are the new VR shooters cooming out? I'm tired of trying to peek around corners in vain. The technology for...
  27. L

    Special relativity or QM video games?

    I had this idea a long time ago that it would be fun to make a video game that would be relativistic - you'd be going near the speed of light, all sorts of different things would happen. Is there anything like that? Or the same thing for quantum mechanics, you are very very small and in a...
  28. Pengwuino

    Why do we want to win video games?

    I have recently become rather addicted to this one game and I started to think... why do I want to win this game? It's one of these real time strategy games where a game will last about 4 hours to a few days depending on how much I play. At that point I wondered ... why do people take time out...
  29. U

    Pros of Video Games: Debate Prep for Class

    i'm doing a debate in class next week on video games i'm arguing for video games i need to present the benefits of having video games and positive effects that i has had on society as well as possibly preparing for attacks by the other team. can you guys help me out? give me starting...
  30. T

    Focus on School: Not Letting Video Games Get the Best of Me

    or getting it. I am but I'll be damned if I let it destroy my focus on school. In part that's probably why Halo 2 and Chessmaster are the only games I will be playing the rest of this year and far into 2k5 maybe. Sad really when a video game is threatening to take my focus. What happened to...
  31. T

    I've dumped video games for physics

    I've dumped video games for physics... and chemistry and calculus. Basically I'm concentrating on school and surprisingly having fun with this stuff. Especially Physics. Isn't that cool? :smile:
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