The Games News

With technology growing, game developers are beginning to consider placing advertisements in video games. What’s next, showing commercials while the game loads up? The only kind of advertisement that could possibly be acceptable for video games is advertisement that is visible in the background scenery of the video game.

There are a few examples of games where advertisement is acceptable: Sports games (advertisements on hockey boards, painting sponsors on NASCAR cars, etc.) and games with giant levels (games like the Grand Theft Auto series, first-person shooters with multiplayer levels, etc.). If advertisements become a mainstay in the video game world, it won’t just anger me but everyone else with a conscience. Gamers play games because they want to get out of the everyday world for just a few moments. With the introduction of advertisements, gamers could no longer leave reality without being reminded how much reality is still around.

In the ongoing study of violence caused by video games, a growing concern has been whether or not children have been more or less susceptible to the dangers caused by increasing violence in video games. While most have begun to believe that video games are bad for children which cause them to become more violent as they grow in age, others believe that video games are actually good for children. With most violent games receiving higher ERSB ratings (Mature and Adult ratings) and retailers being fined if they sell to minors, most individuals under the age of 18 are being restricted to purchasing or renting games that are designed for their age group. Most of these games have to do with some sort of sport or they have a cartoon-type of look and feel to it. With restrictions continuing to grow and the threat of fines for illegal distribution looming, children should be able to play video games without the thought of unnecessary violence polluting their experience.

According to the reports, the long waited Super Mario Bros DS has sold 480,000 units on its debut, making it the fastest selling DS title ever. It shouldn’t come as a surprise as it can be considered as a marriage between the best names in their respective categories, Nintendo DS in the console category and Super Mario Bros in the gaming category.
Super Mario Bros boasts amazing graphics, which accompanies its 2D game play, which when coupled with the dual screen of the Nintendo DS, makes it simply irresistible. This time around, Mario has 3 others with him for company, Yoshi, Luigi and Wario. There are more levels to complete the game. For example one can play the game without actually having to complete all levels, which means replaying would just be fun. One of the new features of the Super Mario Bros DS are the minigames, in which you basically use the touch-screen feature of the DS. The DS also allows 2 players to wirelessly link with each other and play in the multi-player mode.
The notorius game, Super Mario Bros lives on in today’s world - where games are synonymous with extreme graphics - to actually prove that classics are very much alive.

Reggie Fils-Aime has just been promoted for President and Chief Operating Officer for the North American division of Nintendo and prior to that, he held the position of Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Reggie caught the attention of the gaming world in May 2004 at a press conference, where he famously said “My name is Reggie. I’m about kickin’ ass, I’m about takin’ names, and we’re about makin’ games” and no wonder he has a cult status among Nintendo fans. Critics love him too, not just for his words but for what he is doing for Nintendo and has done for companies like P&G and Pizza Hut, making “miracles” for every company. At VH1, as a senior marketing manager he increased the channel rating by increasing the number of teen viewers. At Pizza hut, he introduced the Bigfoot Pizza, which was of course a runaway success.

The success stories about Reggie could go on but one of his major achievements in Nintendo was the marketing of Nintendo Revolution nicknamed Reggielution, a little tribute to the marketing guru. Reggie in a very short time, has become one of Nintendo’s trump cards and with his marketing skills is expected he will elevate Nintendo to the numero uno position.

From its inception back in the early 50’s and 60’s, video games have always been a means of entertainment and enjoyment for all the users and consumers who purchase them. However, over the past 20 years, video games have become all about graphics and sound, not about fun. With the new “7th” Generation of video games and systems already underway, developers are trying to get back to the basics of fun and enjoyment for all players.

Even with the flashy graphics and almost-realistic sound quality we will be receiving in this next generation of video games, companies are trying to draw back their fans from previous eras with games and concepts developed for the entire family. With all the excitement around the Blu-Ray technology and online multiplayer action, some consoles have forgotten about their older and original fans and are trying to focus on current generations. If you forget about the original fans, then you forget about the legacy of video games. This is something that some companies are currently trying to salvage.