10 Ways Gaming Is Better (And Worse) Than Ever
So much progress... with a few back steps.
There's no medium on the planet quite like video games. Essentially going from curio fad to pastime, arcade phenomenon to Hollywood-aping money vacuum, the industry has seen unprecedented success, and you need only compare the Mario of 1986 to his 1996 incarnation, to get an idea for how fast things can move along.
Cut to 2018, and all things video game-related are thriving. Thanks in no small part to Nintendo's Wii bringing group play sessions to the living room and Call of Duty ensnaring many a popular celebrity's endorsement during late night talk shows, video game consoles are as regular a feature underneath the TV as a blu-ray player.
And yet... simply because the industry sits between a venn diagram of technology and entertainment, it means all manner of calculations get factored into every major advancement. Objective improvements vs. subjective refinement; business vs. artistry; "the next big thing" calculated through player data, vs. a one-off idea that finds an audience.
If you've been following along for the last 30+ years, there have been some major highs... but just as many lows.