This might probably be the first time the term “Video game Culture” has occurred to you. This is because it is not the most discussed topic in the gaming world but all gamers exhibit the gaming culture in one form or another. People from all cultures play games to learn, have fun and put into practice social standards. Cultural knowledge about a group of people is frequently taught to gamers through video games, however fictional it may be.
This pegs the big question, what is Video Game Culture?
Video game culture is a new form of media culture that has been generated and largely influenced by video games. The collective set of traditions, symbols, norms, and practices that have developed around the common experience of playing video games is known as gaming culture. Video games have had a huge impact on popular culture since their popularity has grown rapidly over time. By playing video games, a global new media subculture was created. The gaming culture is not exclusive to people who participate in the games. The casual gamer, who plays less frequently, is now a part of the video gaming culture. There are many diverse interests in the world of video games due to the increase in interactivity. These subcultures now cover who plays which games, how they are played, what is in the games, and how the games are influenced by popular culture. Today, politics, television, popular music, and Hollywood may all be seen as being impacted by computer and video games.
The idea that the video game industry has its own subculture was initially put forth in 1996, but since the 2010s, it has increasingly dominated academic research.
Here are some the illustrations portraying gaming culture:
1. LANGUAGE
This is the specific lexical and grammatical patterns that emerge around games, such as linguistic allusions to games. All gamers speak in a specific kind of way, brandishing different kinds of terminologies that others may not understand. There exist some abbreviations that only gamers can understand. For example, GG means good game, often used as a sign off. Such language is an effective way of communication between and amongst gamers.
2. MEMES
These are ideas and inside jokes that circulate among gamers through media and word-of-mouth. It usually involves pictures and graphics from their video games of choice.
3. SOCIAL STATUS
The gaming world features a significant rank or insignia representing a gamer’s social status Such as the perception that console-based gamers are less dedicated than PC gamers. The same is true for gamers who might rise in social standing as a result of their skills or social relationships inside game-related communities.
4. IDENTITY
Because of the gaming culture, all gamers have their specific identity. This identity could mean their online gamer tags or gaming username. People who play video games frequently refer to themselves as video game aficionados. It could help them develop an innate sense of identity.
5. ETIQUETTE
These are the guidelines or etiquette for a certain game. For example, When it is obvious that the opposing player has won, it is polite to end a game with gg in specific situations. In other situations, it might be bm (bad manner), or poor manners to quit a game before it has finished or to quit when it gets tough.
6. TALENTS AND SKILLS
Gamers may hone skills in logical reasoning, situational awareness, spatial reasoning, hand–eye coordination, response time, strategy, tactics, and situational awareness. These skills could form the basis of admittance into a certain gaming community.
7. FASHION AND COSPLAY
Gamers like to play dress up. They would always be influenced by their gaming culture to represent and look like their favorite gaming characters. As a form of self-expression and social connection, gamers are inclined to dress as video game characters. Gaming subcultures may acquire a specific look or engage in Normcore is one of many fashion subcultures. As players can create or gather clothing, fashion is frequently included in game worlds.
GAMING AND POPULAR CULTURE
Apart from creating or generating its own culture, it has also been established that gaming has influenced popular culture such as Television, streaming, web series and music.
In Television, it is important to note that because of video games, the first ever video game TV show was called GamePro TV and the first television channel dedicated to video game and culture was called G4 and launched in 2002. Other channels and TV shows solely dedicated to video games also exist.
In streaming, most gamers prefer to use the Twitch service to stream their video games. This has created a culture, turning gamers into full time content creators and getting paid.
When it comes to web series, there are a handful of shows devoted to games and their fictional characters. For example, James Rolfe invented a fictional character for the television program AVGN. The character is presented as a foul-mouthed, impatient vintage gamer who frequently uses vulgar language for comedic effect when reviewing outdated video games, usually in a critical and unfavorable manner.
A fictional television show called Pure Pwnage followed the exploits of Jeremy, a self-described “pro gamer.”
A machinima (machine-cinema) based on the Halo video game series is Red vs. Blue (produced by Rooster Teeth). The show consists of thousands of brief episodes that are set in their own Halo-based universe.
A BBC Scotland television series called videoGaiden was created from the Glasgow, Scotland-based game review and sketch show Consolevania and many more.
Video games has a huge influence on music. Popular musicians have used the soundtracks from video games in a variety of ways. The first instance was the 1978 self-titled album by the electronic band Yellow Magic Orchestra, which included Space Invaders samples as accompaniment. In turn, the group would have a significant impact on a lot of the music created for video games in the 8-bit and 16-bit periods. Arcade game sounds and bleeps were frequently used in early hip hop music, synthpop, and electro music throughout the early 1980s, which was the heyday of arcade video games. When Buckner & Garcia’s Pac-Man Fever was released in 1982, it contained songs about well-known arcade games including Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and Berzerk in addition to using sound clips from the games as well.
Without any doubt, video games have not only created their subculture but has influenced our normal way of life, as individuals, people and a community.