The gaming industry has been exploding in the recent years as games are not only enjoyed by the young generation. The adults are in on it too. Thanks to the computers, being one of the main contributors to this gaming phenomenon, the gaming industry has been very busy with the race of who is going to come up with the more appealing game to take over the market.
The popularity of computer and video games, as a whole, has been increasing steadily. The average age of the video game player is now 29, belying the myth that video games are largely a diversion for teenagers.
Outstandingly, computer games are becoming more and more popular and widely accepted by all generations. In the recent years especially, the so called “console gaming” has swept the world.
The end of 2005, and 2006 saw the next generation of console gaming in the form of continuing advances in processor technology, graphics technology, design innovation, and even platform specific gaming community infrastructure.
Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft are all participating in this “technology race”. The second generation Microsoft offering, the Xbox 360, is powered by a multi-core CPU. The PlayStation 3 is powered by cell processor technology. And the Nintendo Revolution allows the gamer to interact with the game via a wireless motion sensing controller.
Nowadays, some of the most popular are computer games, or sometimes called pc games, online games, consoles games, handheld games, and even believe it or not, mobile phone games.
Computer games are often more powerful than console games because of early market releases of their external architecture and graphics cards. They are played on the personal computer with standard computer interface devices such as the keyboard and mouse, or additional peripherals, such as joysticks.
Online gaming originally began with PC games, but has over time expanded to include most modern consoles. It is now a key feature of modern games, with the inclusion of Internet connectivity in consoles such as the PlayStation 2 and Xbox, and also in mobile phones.
Console games are specialized computers specifically designed to play games of a certain format. The player usually interacts with the game through a controller, and video and sound are typically delivered to the player via a television, although most modern consoles support additional outputs, such as surround sound setups.
Handheld games are played on handheld game consoles, such as the Nintendo Game Boy, Nintendo DS, and Sony PSP. Because they are designed to be played on the go, they are usually small enough to fit into an average pocket (the virtual boy is an exception to this). Due to their small size, handheld consoles have reduced processing power compared to larger consoles, meaning that games are shorter and until the release of the DS, were limited to 2D only.