Presently, it seems glaringly obvious that academics cannot all agree on the educational potential of the video game as a format. Some adopt a negative stance, for example Lister when he states, “Within education they are a dangerously seductive distraction from learning, or at best offer themselves as Trojan Horses or sweeteners for the real business of computer use.” (2009; 288) This comes with evidence of how distraction can impair learning and the argument that video games are a very tempting distraction indeed. On the other hand, there are those who are insistent that video games are more than just a distraction and that they offer us a positive potential to combine learning with an entertaining format. Alternately still, there as those, such as Henry Jenkins, who see potential in the notion of ‘play’ as a separate process to games and a more creative and free-form way for children to learn; “Play is not disguised learning; play IS learning” (Jenkins 2011). Exploring several sides of the argument is essential. Currently however, I don’t believe such a thing as ‘an educational video game’ can currently be produced; certainly not until critics, educational professionals, politicians, parents and consumers can all agree on and define what it is exactly that makes a video game ‘educational’. For example what may work for a ‘visual learner’, will not work for a ‘kinesthetic learner’. We simply cannot create a learning aide until we fully understand the potential of the format.
Although their credibility as a source of learning may be questionable, the role of the video game as entertainment is obvious and incredibly powerful. Video games have become hugely popular worldwide, with booming markets in the UK, USA, Japan and China especially. As a result, they have claimed a separate role within our digital culture. So what impact does this role have on the individual? We can see clearly from statistics that thousands of individuals are now gaming worldwide. However, not every video game user can be defined as a ‘true gamer’. Playing video games takes time and financial investment and while there are many out there who are willing to commit to this, the ‘average’ person would rather play something less demanding. The market to target the ‘average’ person has now been filled with opportunities for ‘casual gaming’. These are games that can be picked up and put down quickly and that don’t consume as much time or financial cost as other types of video games. The 3 main formats for gaming are online, on a console and on mobile devices. Here I will perform a quick comparison of games in these 3 formats in order to examine their comparative financial costs and nature of gameplay.
In the online format, we see a ‘casual’ game in the example of Bloons. Bloons is simple to pick up and put down and has no costs other than an internet subscription. In contrast, online video game Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is a tactical FPS that must be bought via online distributer Steam for £2.99 and requires longer hours of contact due to a tactical, often multiplayer, gameplay style.
On mobile devices we typically see ‘casual’ games, with Apps such as Fruit Ninja, Candy Crush and Cut the Rope, to name just a few popular examples. These games again require minimal hours of contact and financial cost, with Apps costing on average between £0.69 – £1.99. This is a stark comparison to the console disc format of the video game. Here we find popular examples such as Grand Theft Auto: V (RRP: £32-£65) and Call of Duty: Ghosts (RRP: £28-£65). It can clearly be seen that ‘casual gaming’ requires less time and financial cost, thus making it attractive and popular with the average person, as opposed to a ‘true’ gamer.
Ironically, however, the scope for addiction to ‘casual’ games is colossal. It is, in fact, the casual nature of these games that can mean, among other reasons, that people become addicted to them because they can be played any time/any place with minimum expense. The ease with which these games can be accessed leads to them becoming a popular form of procrastination. As Lister says “losing oneself in the medium can be creative and liberating, but is haunted by the possibility that this immersion can be hypnotic, seductive, ‘mindless’ as well as bodiless.” (2009; 289) So, should the rising popularity of ‘casual’ games be cause for alarm? And finally, with this revolution of the popularity of casual gaming in mind, the question begs, are we actually addicted to gaming or are we simply a procrasti-nation?
References
Martin Lister, Jon Dovey, Seth Giddings, Iain Grant & Kieran Kelly (2009). ‘Gameplay‘ New Media: A Critical Introduction. London: Routledge, pp. 286-305.
Henry Jenkins (2011) ‘Shall we play?’ Confessions of an Aca-Fan: The official weblog of Henry Jenkins.
Related articles
- The definition of Casual Gaming (4casual.wordpress.com)
Digital Media: an experience. 
Reblogged this on Television & Digital Culture.
I think this blog is very interesting and poses some interesting questions. You state in your blog that you ‘don’t think there’s such a thing as an educational video game’, but if I refer you to ZWWF134’s blog, he argues that different games build up different skill-sets: “Logic games improve logic, role-playing improves social skills and imagination, [and] action games improve reaction”. So it is hard to disprove the idea that video games aren’t in some sense ‘educational’, as gaming could be seen as tools to develop some of the aforementioned core fundamental skills utilised in everyday life. To substantiate this point, consider this article: https://www.bigquestionsonline.com/content/how-might-video-games-be-good-us, which affirms by both scientists and gamers the beneficial attributes of gaming, and how it can have advantageous effects on learning. In addition, actual ‘educational’ games specifically designed for a classroom environment are being developed so that children can hone their skills creatively and engagingly that will further advance their learning (See http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/129484-Study-Finds-Videogames-Helpful-in-Education ; http://nation.time.com/2013/11/06/making-the-next-generation-of-educational-video-games/ and http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131106122025.htm). So therefore with this in mind, I answer ‘no’ to the question you pose about whether the rise in popularity of ‘casual’ gaming is problematic, as I think even the most casual of games with no apparent academic or educational value can, however inadvertently, teach players fundamental core skills like improved reflexes, concentration, logic and problem-solving. Furthermore, our enjoyment of such games in which we can subconsciously enhance key skills in a recreational and relaxed way does not necessarily mean that we are a ‘procrasti-nation’; on the contrary, video games are one of the most active and thought-provoking subsidiaries of digital media, as it engages users as active participants rather than passive spectators. In my opinion, gaming allows users to enter into a world of active ‘gamification’ rather than passive procrastination. (See http://www.idea.org/blog/2011/10/20/what-is-gamification/ ; http://www.bunchball.com/sites/default/files/downloads/gamification101.pdf and http://www.knewton.com/gamification-education/)
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