Thus Spake Miyamoto

When I was 3 years old, my parents forced me to make a life-altering decision. They took me to Wal-mart and presented me with two item, between which I had to choose. The first: a black Huffy bicycle, training wheels and all. The second: a Nintendo Entertainment System, complete with Zapper. If you anything about me, you know what decision I made. The fact that I'm writing a blog post right now and not doing something active and outdoorsy should give the rest of you a clue. However, this post isn't about how I'm a giant nerd, but rather role that video games have played in our society over the years. I've been playing games for almost 20 years now, and it has been very interesting to see how public perception of them has changed during that time.

In its infancy, the videogaming industry and its efforts were relegated to the realm of arcades and hobby shops. These were by no means the "Good Old Days." Video games weren't ever persecuted in the way comic books or rock music were, but they were seen as simply a distraction for kids. A few of my friends growing up had an NES or a Genesis, but they were secluded in the back rooms of their homes, far away from the more adult forms of entertainment.

Fast forward 20 years. April's release of Grand Theft Auto IV was the largest launch in entertainment history, selling 6 million copies in the first week. A Paramount Pictures representative was even quoted complaining that the game's release would hamper ticket sales for their enormous summer title Iron Man, which opened the same week. World of Warcraft now has over 10 million subscribers, each paying $15 a month to play it. The Nintendo Wii has been on the market for over a year, but good luck finding a store that can keep them in stock. It's become clear that video games are no longer exclusively for kids. Games with adult themes are being played by adults, while the Wii has usurped the throne of the board game in family game night.

It's been great to watch my favorite pastime evolve from the realm of kid's toys into a respected medium. Video games aren't art or literature just yet, but we're getting there.