Video Games in American Culture

Video games have become a part of our American way of life from the Atari, the computer and to the  next gen consoles the Playstation 4 and Xbox One.  About 155 million Americans play video games ranging from the ages of 18 and under to 50 and older.  These gamers either play games for enjoyment, as a lifestyle or as a mean of earning money in national gaming competitions such as the Nintendo World Championships.  Many people see video games as a waste of time and that time should be spent inventing or creating things to help society, but video games provide a break from the stress of reality and immerse us in a world where we make the rules, and what's a better stress reliever than smiting your foes in Role Playing Games or playing with friends on online multiplayer.

Video games have greatly impacted our culture in the best possible way, providing us the means of relaxation, technological advancements and somewhat a means of education.  We might not realize that video games have increased the advancement of technology here in the US, providing us with more advanced A.I. and creating realistic simulators used by many educators, scientists, engineers and doctors designed to aid them in their research or create a game which will teach the children of the modern world.  Consoles such as the Wii help patients suffering from injuries by helping the patient move around and take away the pain by making the patient think about something else.  Video games also improve our brain processing, eyesight and makes our brains healthier, creating a smarter, more mentally healthier generation in the future, leading to great scientific advancements.