After reading through the comments on yesterday's column discussing why Sony and Microsoft should view Nintendo as a competitor, I came across an interesting post by one reader who told us to "get rid" of our gaming consoles and go outside.
The person contends that children are playing too many video games and watch too much TV when they should be playing outside. The reader makes an interesting point, but I think that it fails to address one issue facing this generation's parents: in order to prepare children for their adult lives, they need to ensure that their children are well-versed in the technological realities of our world.
"Get rid of your gaming consoles, and send your kids outside to play "actual reality" games," Choclatpup wrote. "When, exactly, did video games replace balls and bats, or bicycles? With everything in the news about the obesity of our young today, the answer is to create 'active video games' such as the Wii Fit? Asinine!"
It got me thinking: are our children replacing the bat and ball with the Web and gaming?
It's possible.
Just last week, my cousin's children came to visit and I asked them if they wanted to throw a football around. The kids, a 7-year old and a 5-year old, both gave the same response: "let's play video games instead." Once they had enough with video games, they wanted to show me a "cool" Web site they came across at school.
It may sound strange for a technology journalist to say this, but I was a little disheartened that the children wouldn't go outside and engage in some physical activity. Sure, it was cold, and it's possible that they just don't like football, but it makes me wonder if today's children are too engrossed with the Web and video games to enjoy anything else.
... Read moreReuters recently issued a report saying the video game industry may be as "recession-proof" as some in the sector have claimed. So far, sales have been relatively high and it looks like the industry is insulated from some of the problems facing the broader tech field.
"I think it's going to hold up a lot better than other industries," Mindy Mount, chief financial officer of Microsoft's entertainment and devices division told Reuters. "We remain cautiously optimistic."
Nintendo feels the same way. The company's president, Reggie Fils-Aime, told Reuters that as he looks towards the holiday season and the industry's performance, "cautiously optimistic is quite appropriate."
So why all the hope? Because the video game industry is one of the few sectors of the economy that may have the ability to turn the tide and come out on top even though other areas are suffering.
And although the reasons for that forthcoming success can be tied to numerous areas, like the popularity of the Wii and gaming finally competing on the same level with film, I think we miss the core reason for gaming's success today and during the holiday season: children.
... Read more
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