Notes from Difficult Questions about Video Games Edited by James Newmann and Iain Simons

Newman James and Simons Iain, (2004), Difficult Questions about Video Games, Nottingham, Public Beta

3. Playing (with) Video games

• 'with this question at least, we are not concerned with justifying video game play. Nor are we interested so much in why we play specific video games.' (Newman and Simons, 2004: 179)
• obsessed to be surrounded by hand - holds, game boy became popular because of this unique feature and our need to always be surrounded by them
• a distraction from desk bound task
• a good game fills the mind so completely that there is no room for anything else at the same time
• idea of experience things that the average person can not in the real world, such as a soldier in WW2
• the outside world could cease to exist through extensive play
• multiplayer - can be a good reason for many to play because a human controlled opponent offers a new level of skill challenge, they are unpredictable and hard to defeat
• problem solving is a huge benefactor - the sense of achievement
• some have the need to play every day due to family time that people hope to escape or avoid
• communication and family interaction lost due to regular playing
• the fun derives from the experience and exploring a world that has been created for you and the joy of accomplishing things 
• women enjoy the process of constructing things which differs from the males need to destroy things 
• 'video games are fun because they allow meaningful action. Not only are you exercising skills, improving at the game, learning strategies, winning (each enjoyable acts in themselves), but these affect the course of the game: they have an effect in the game! (Barth, 2004: 225)
• engages the brain, fulfilling a fantasy projection, giving rise to illusions of games, conjuring details around the edges to make it their own 
• taking part and interaction is one reason for huge gross popularity