How video games are changing our world

Video games grabs our attention by filling our fantasies as we venture into new lands, search for forbidden treasure, and save the world from doom. Back in the day, the only way to play with your friends is by inviting them over to your house. Now, we can play with our friends whenever we want through the internet. And as technology advances, saving the princess is becoming more realistic.

Online Games

Back in the day, people went to the arcades to play new games such as Outrun, Dance Dance Revolution, and of course, Street Fighter. It was the perfect place to share tricks and tips and make new friends. Now the arcades have been replaced with online services such as Xbox live and Playstation network. Just by connecting your game console to the internet, you'll be able to play with millions of people throughout the world. And with a headset and camera, you can stay connected with friends in shooters such as Call of duty, beat ‘em ups like Streets of Rage 4, and the ultimate friendship destroyer, Super Mario Kart.

Motion Control

Video game controllers have evolved over the years. From a spinning ball to a joystick, controllers have improved as time passed. The first time motion control was used was for the Nintendo Wii. It allowed players to interact with and control items on the screen. In one game you can swing a sword, throws objects at enemies, and go fishing. It felt like you were a part of the game and not just sitting on a couch and looking at a screen. Now you can run, jump, and move your body anyway and your character will move the same. This gives players freedom that they never had and lets them become a part of the game.

V.R.

Virtual reality (V.R) creates worlds that come to life around you. Right now, the PlayStation 4 haves a V.R. set where you can play games. By putting on the headset, you can experience flying the Millennium Falcon from Star wars or drive exotic cars in Gran Turismo. And if you’re brave enough, fight zombies in Resident Evil.

But it can be more than just playing games. Imagine this: You put on a V.R. headset and it transports you to ancient Greece. Walking down the streets, you go into a building and meet Plato. Or you can see one of the greatest battles of all time, the battle of Thermopylae. Where 300 brave Spartans fought against the greatest empire at that time, Persia. The uses of this technology are unlimited.

A.R.

Another technology is Alternate Reality (A.R.) It uses your phone’s camera to create characters, landscapes, or objects that do not exist in reality to appear in front of you as if it does. The best example of this is a game that nearly conquered our world, and this game is called “Pokemon Go.” It was revolutionary. With your phone in hand, players walk around outside to capture pokemon and battle opponents face to face. It was great. Not only did it help you to take a walk outside, but you can meet people in real life.

Other future uses for A.R. can be used to find diseases within your body. With A.R. your doctor can scan your body with a mini camera that you can swallow and captures a full diagram of your insides. From there, your doctor can detect if there's anything wrong. This can help diagnose an illness such as cancer.

The video game industry continues to advance with these technologies. As it improves, we'll be able to create worlds that you can only imagine. One day a simulation will be created that is so advanced that it looks real, almost like the Matrix (except for the A.I. controlling our lives.) In these worlds, we'll be able to explore space, fantasy worlds, and relive history. The future is exciting. I hope you're ready for it.