Globalization: Video Games
Globalization: Video Games
The global software market for video games was approximately $52 billion in 2012. In just the last 8 years, the emerging markets have gone from 12% to 47% of the market size and are growing at a compounded annual rate of nearly 30%. All of this growth in the international video game market offers a unique experience and cultural impact on many countries that previously would not have had exposure to these types of games. This exposure demonstrates the globalizing power video games have, and their effects on individual players. In order to quantify this effect several specific internationally popular games will be listed and described relating their content to cultures of industrialized, Middle-Eastern, and developing countries.
The United States has long been one of the preeminent leaders in the computer and portable gaming production industry. Treyarch and Activision teamed up to deliver the Call of Duty series, including the recently popular Black Ops 2, which has been an international best seller. The game is available on many different platforms besides the PC including various counsels and even portable gaming formats. The game deals with warfare among several nations, including historical cold war missions that tie to an over arching premise linking these events to a future plotline. Through engaging war and nations in this manner a game like this could be seen to propel a certain ripple effect in perceptions of America among developing and middle-eastern countries. Many countries feel certain games have unfavorable portrayal of their nation or their religion and beliefs. Games like these may not necessarily induce violence, yet given the extreme realistic nature and handling of certain themes, there could be a desensitizing aspect to individuals playing the game.
When speaking about video games globalizing affect on cultures, one important point to observe is that many instances of unfavorable reception or regulation of
The global software market for video games was approximately $52 billion in 2012. In just the last 8 years, the emerging markets have gone from 12% to 47% of the market size and are growing at a compounded annual rate of nearly 30%. All of this growth in the international video game market offers a unique experience and cultural impact on many countries that previously would not have had exposure to these types of games. This exposure demonstrates the globalizing power video games have, and their effects on individual players. In order to quantify this effect several specific internationally popular games will be listed and described relating their content to cultures of industrialized, Middle-Eastern, and developing countries.
The United States has long been one of the preeminent leaders in the computer and portable gaming production industry. Treyarch and Activision teamed up to deliver the Call of Duty series, including the recently popular Black Ops 2, which has been an international best seller. The game is available on many different platforms besides the PC including various counsels and even portable gaming formats. The game deals with warfare among several nations, including historical cold war missions that tie to an over arching premise linking these events to a future plotline. Through engaging war and nations in this manner a game like this could be seen to propel a certain ripple effect in perceptions of America among developing and middle-eastern countries. Many countries feel certain games have unfavorable portrayal of their nation or their religion and beliefs. Games like these may not necessarily induce violence, yet given the extreme realistic nature and handling of certain themes, there could be a desensitizing aspect to individuals playing the game.
When speaking about video games globalizing affect on cultures, one important point to observe is that many instances of unfavorable reception or regulation of