Why I like video games
Video games get a bad rap. Every time a new Grand Theft Auto comes out, a new round of worried parents leave their plush living rooms to complain that video games are harming their children, like with heavy metal, television and DND. “Look at how much time they spend on their computer games,” the mother sighs, right before they re-watch Friends for the evening. “They’re not out seeing pals,” the father chortles, as he re-watched football highlights alone in the home. “It causes shootings in schools,” Americans comment, as gun merchants peddle 15.9mn new firearms across the nation.
The truth is much simpler. Video games are a comparatively new medium which lacks the history and prestige of music, theater and television. But in time, it will match all three while making bank for the UK’s economy. In 2022, the UK’s fishing industry – which sucked up the air of economic debate during Brexit discussions – was worth £1bn. That same year, the UK’s video game industry was worth seven times more at $7bn.
The common misconception comes from more violent games taking the spotlight. Yes, one of the most popular video games of all time involves responding to the call of duty to shoot people. But do you know what else were the top games of 2023? The stories involved:
A writer trapped in another world, using the written word to transgress boundaries and save both himself and his community;
A duo of community heroes grappling with the weight of responsibility as they balance work, relationships, and their moral duty;
A boy exploring a post-apocalyptic world, using his wits and intelligence to solve puzzles in creative ways;
A ragtag gang of misfits – all with their own vices – who can make a huge difference in the fate of a fantasy world;
A man infiltrating a Spanish backwater, attempting to save the President’s daughter while unraveling the mysteries of a new infection;
A plumber trying to save a princess. (Ok, some things still remain consistent forty years later).
All these deeper video games are also setting the cultural conversation as well. The biggest shows and movies of the last few years – Fallout, The Last of Us, and The Super Mario Movie – are all based on video game franchises that had a thriving audience long before they hit new screens.
I am not saying video games are perfect. As the industry has grown, its wide umbrella now encompasses some of the most toxic people on the internet, whose repressive views have festered like a shit behind a nightclub back alley. The most recent wave of hate involves a narrative consultancy called Sweet Baby, who provides help to provide “better, more empathetic stories” and also “diversifying and enriching the video games industry.” A good goal, right? And one we should support as we show protagonists that are not just white, male, or ultra-masculine. But some basement men believe that Sweet Baby helps a woke ultra-left movement funded by Blackrock, ruining video games by crowbarring in diversity to meet ESG goals.
These people exist but only form a tiny ring of members which can be barely called a minority. Instead, most players see video games as a fun way to pass the time, exploring new and engaging stories that leave an impact long after their run. Friends were forged as they hunted terrifying monsters, dropped onto alien planets, or striving to survive on blocky worlds.
The video game industry will grow healthily in time, and the legitimacy of gaming is a matter of demographic change, as the younger generations grow and participate in the national conversation. The financial juggernaut of Grand Theft Auto VI will bring the conversation back into the forefront, sure. But its establishment of legitimacy is as inevitable as the rise of heavy metal, television, and DND.
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Tangents is where I defend what I like and hate, pushing myself creatively by focusing on what really lights me up. Some topics are expected, while others are… less expected. Each edition comes out once per week, and is also shared in my Immersive Wire newsletter.
