Week 12: Clear on Online Gaming

Online Gaming Today

"Angry Birds" by Denis Dervisevic

http://www.flickr.com/photos/denisdervisevic/5327974794/

Creative Commons License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en

As college students' free time increases, the use of games and other online resources increase as well. Online Gaming is a social issue discussed this week. The amount of time spent playing games is outrageous. Although I am guilty for having had played Angry Birds and other addictive computer games like "The World's Hardest Game", I do realize and understand that doing so is detrimental to my progress in my school work.

Why is so much time spent playing games?

1. A research article by Nick Wingfield explains that players have significant improvements in their overall mood and reductions in stress levels. 
2. Games like angry birds are addicting by using positive reinforcement to make players feel good when they succeed in a certain part of the game. 
3. Addicting games have so many levels and upgrades that it is difficult to stop playing once you have succeeded.

Once you start playing these games, it is difficult to stop! These games are very popular for wasting time and being known as "mindless games". Games like angry birds could be so much more effective if they had incorporated some type of "fun" education to educate users while they "waste their time playing games". Internet users claim to take a "mental break" from what they are doing when they play online games.

Some of the most popular online games for PC include:

• WarCraft
• StarCraft
• Diablo
• Call of Duty

Some of the most popular online games for your Mobile Device Include:

• Angry Birds
• Fruit Ninja
• PapiJump
• Uno

What do these games have in common? 

They all have some type of upgrading system or reward system that will keep the player interested. This is where the addicting factor comes in and keeps players hooked on the gameplay instead of doing their school work!

Why is online gaming important in business?

Online gaming is extremely important in business because it is a factor that fuels sales in the business world. Many industries rely solely on gamers who enjoy wasting their time and playing games. Coding businesses code small game applications and sell them on App Stores looking to make potential profits. Online gaming will always remain a part of the business world because businesses profit off of gaming and also get their business out by using games as an avenue for advertising.

The resource that I found particularly interesting this week is actually a PDF File hosted on a website found here:

http://www-935.ibm.com/services/us/imc/pdf/xs-audio-interview-online-gaming.pdf

This is an article from IBM explaining how the gaming industry is spreading to more than just kids! It is a great article to grasp how the gaming industry is really growing!

Thanks for reading! See you next week!