Gaming: The Evolution Of A Billion Dollar Industry

Video Games, the mention of that word brings up many images the most common one being someone who’s wasting their life over “Cheap” entertainment. Well, a gamer like me and others can say one thing; it’s an expensive hobby and we get a lot of enjoyment out of it. Video Games and Gaming itself has evolved over the years and has developed a strong subculture and industry that brings in billions of dollars a year, combining revenue made by the Gaming industry in 2017 they made $108 Billion in total, more than oil company Gazprom made last year ($102.1B)! A recent Info graph by website HistoryDegree.Net shows that not only is the gaming world changing but so is the profits made by companies.
 

 
 
Video Games started off as the beloved and hated quarter-eating arcade games that you would find in stores, restaurants, and malls the first and most notable game, Pong. That changed in 1972 when the new concept of having your very own gaming machine in your own home, the world said hello to Atari 2600. The 1980’s is where some of our more beloved gaming franchises were born. Pac-man waka-waka-waka his way into our lives, Mario the Plumber made his first appearance along with Donkey Kong in the arcade game Donkey Kong. The NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) changed the world in 1985 jumping forward to 1989 when Nintendo released the first handheld gaming system, Gameboy.
The 1990’s became the foundation of what the gaming world is today. The first PlayStation console was released in 1995. The year before that, the first WOW (World Of Warcraft) game is released. The topic of Game Violence came to the forefront with the co-op fighting game Mortal Kombat. DDR (Dance Dance Revolution) appeared in arcades and homes making gamers channel their inner “Dancing Uncle at a Wedding”. In 1999 the gaming world changed when MMO(Massive Multiplayer Online) games were introduced to PC player with Everquest.
 
 

 
 
The gaming world is still changing and the ways we play are changing as well. Video games are becoming more and more available for smartphones and tablets. This year alone, mobile games have raked in $46.1 Billion in revenue! It’s estimated that by 2020 that Mobile games will make up half of the gaming market! Whether you play a PC, Console or Smartphone, one thing is clear; Video Games are just plain Fun! Game on everyone!!