What Are Video Games?

Video games are interactive computer programs that are played on a video console connected to a television. This type of entertainment is popular in several countries, including the United States, Australia, and Japan. It has also been the subject of many controversies over the years. The first known commercial video game was Computer Space, which was played on a room-sized computer in 1971.

In the late 1980s, the home console industry took a hit when a flood of poorly-produced games caused a consumer backlash. Companies began labeling violent games as well as sexually explicit titles. These incidents led to legal actions and the formation of a ratings system called the ESRB.

Another novelty was the heads-up display, which showed information about the player's health and ammunition, among other things. Similarly, the eSports phenomenon has gained a foothold in Southeast Asia, with major professional leagues being formed in recent years.

Other examples of "cool" or noteworthy features in a game include the use of haptic technology, which simulates earthquakes and other effects. This technology is often built into the game controller. However, many platforms support more than one feedback mechanism.

For example, the first-person shooter genre is a long-standing franchise that stretches from the original Doom to Freedoom. Some of the more prominent "hybrid" genres are action role-playing games and interactive movies.

Most video games are designed to have one or more objectives. Players must avoid enemies, collect power-ups, and work their way through levels to score points. To keep the action flowing, they are sometimes required to perform special attacks. As the technology improves, video games offer more and more control.

Many video games feature a "franchise" model, where a series of related titles reuse some of the same characters and gameplay mechanics. Examples include the long-running Dragon Quest franchise and the Final Fantasy series.

Some games even include a live-action movie, which was released in mid-1993 and starred Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat. Since the 1990s, numerous other video games have been made into films.

The image of a video game has been used to inspire movies such as Tron and eXistenZ. Several other games and movies have been developed for various purposes, including games designed for education.

The most popular video game consoles include the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Sony Playstation, and Microsoft Xbox. Although Nintendo has had a long history of producing video games, it has been eclipsed by both Sony and Microsoft in the recent past. PlayStation 2 and Xbox are the best-selling game systems of all time.

Video games have been an important part of the culture for decades. Their cultural significance has been highlighted in several museum exhibits. From the early days of Pong to today's technological advances, video games have had their fair share of controversies. One tidbit of trivia is that the world's largest market is the United States. Two-thirds of American households have at least one member who regularly plays video games.