How did gaming change the world?


When Pong was released in the 1970's it proved that video games could really be successful. Since then, video games, and the people who play them, have slowly shaped our society
in old times people played Duck Hunt and Mario on the Nintendo and Super Nintendo.
When Nintendo launched its console, it advertised is as a toy for children in an attempt to distance itself from the failure of Atari. The company also enjoyed a near monopoly with the placement of a chip in both the console and each video game cartridge. This allowed Nintendo to only release kid friendly games.
Then Sega Genesis was released in North America and Nintendo had a fierce competitor. Sega advertised itself as the cooler console and developed its mascot Sonic as a edgier rival to Mario.
Other companies soon joined in with the launch of Sony's Playstation and Microsoft's Xbox. More adult themed title's like Grand Theft Auto, Modern Warfare and Halo soon attracted all ages to play.
According to a recent study the average gamer age was in the mid to late 20's with 60% men playing and 40% women. The increasing number of women gamers, as well as the age level of gamers in general, no doubt plays a large role in what developers place on the market. Games feature more strong, independent heroines and more games are made specifically for adults.

How the Army uses video games to train.

The U.S military has recently started using video games to recruit and train. Recruitment centers have been opened up that lets potential recruits hang out on couches and play wargame simulators. Officers in the U.S. army have invested about $50 million to develop video games and a game system for the purpose of providing more information to potential recruits and hopefully reducing the number of washouts
America's Army , the official U.S. Army video game, helps military recruits sharpen their fighting skills and may even help protect them from the stress of combat. The website claims to provide players with "the most authentic military experience available, from exploring the development of soldiers in individual and collective training to their deployment in simulated missions"
It's effectiveness has been proven at least once when a man named Paxton Galvanek used the skills he learned from playing the game as a medic to save a man's life.