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Videos Games Come of Age

Video games are here to stay. As the latest form of mainstream entertainment games have finally reached the level of acceptance film has enjoyed for a long time.

It's a natural byproduct of commercial success. Within the first 24 hours of its release this month Modern Warfare 3, the latest installment within the Call of Duty franchise, made sales records, earning more than $US400 million in US and Britain in the United Kingdom alone.

Gaming is officially here and the industry is growing rapidly. The cinema has a long tradition, but it has been slower in recent years. Gaming however, is always innovating.

Every year expectations are surpassed and new standards set. It's an exciting time to be an avid gamer.

While the gaming landscape is complex there are three companies driving it: Microsoft with its Xbox 360, Sony with the PlayStation 3, and Nintendo with the Wii/DS.

As they try to tap into the same market there has been a raging battle between Sony and Microsoft. Watch the other major publishers try to catch up after the possibility of a lucrative business idea is exposed.

The most exemplary illustration of this is Nintendo's Wii motion-control-based console. Nintendo hit an untapped nerve with Wii. SPLETNE

Sacrificing the processing power of other consoles in exchange for more advanced motion controls and an appealing design, it was aimed at casual gamers.

Microsoft and Sony followed suit with the Kinect, and PlayStation Move, respectively. While the respective peripherals sold well, neither replicated the phenomenal success of the Wii.

In the midst of the battle for gaming Goliaths however, not in any way less important, is the indie developer. Although there was no market for smaller, self-published games the rise of the internet and digital download services such as Steam has allowed games that were previously considered independent to make a comeback.

Indie games can be a boon for an industry that is easily tempted to rehashing sequels or resting on its laurels.

With the newfound budget and creativity that allow for experimentation new and innovative games for download like Minecraft (which recently sold more than 4 million units) finally have a platform to help them.

With Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network now selling these games, the newest developers have the opportunity to showcase their projects to a far larger audience and encourage creativity in the industry.

The future is uncertain. Virtual reality has been a goal for a long time and 3D gaming headsets, although not as popular in the commercial market as 2D TVs, 2D TV, are available.

The development of independent developers may signal a return to basics approach and the growth of social networking games like FarmVille is not slowing down. It's safe to say Microsoft and Sony, at least, are developing sequels to their popular consoles , and what could that be?

Gaming is in the future, that's for sure. Gaming is no longer the realm of greasy shut-ins. It will only improve.