How Gaming Shaped a Generation

The gaming community is growing worldwide. A decade ago, it was small and isolated, but today, approximately four billion people play video games, highlights the academic from the Faculty of Political and Social Sciences (FCPyS) of UNAM, David Cuenca Orozco.

This industry generates more revenue (184 billion dollars a year) than the film and music industry together (124 billion dollars), and has a sustained annual growth that is estimated at six percent on a global scale; that is its economic importance, he emphasizes.

In Mexico, it is estimated that at least 75 percent of people have some game or way to enjoy it on their electronic devices, adds the coordinator of Contemporary Gamer Culture. Hypermedia Digital Interactions, a recently published book.

Mexico is the second largest consumer of video games in Latin America and the tenth on a global scale, after the United States, China, South Korea, Japan, or France, where the developer, licensee, and distribution companies are located.

In addition to generating 1.4 billion pesos annually, thanks to streaming platforms and digital communication channels, millions of people watch - as they do with soccer and other sports - those who play: Mexico is one of the largest viewers of games on the planet, especially through YouTube and Twitch.

On the occasion of World Video Game Day or Gamer Day, to be commemorated on August 29, the FCPyS researcher also emphasizes that previously, it was considered a leisure device, a mere entertainment device; however, today, it is a technology that is used in health, education, art, or culture.

As the industry has grown, unlike in the past, there is now a proportionality between male and female players, according to Cuenca Orozco.

A culture has also been built that goes beyond practice, as it includes collecting, costumes, conventions, etc., by those who feel attracted to and identified and who have made it their identity.

Likewise, more and more networks and communication practices are forming on digital platforms and media, where discussions, talks, and interactions take place. These new digital and interconnected ways of participating in society are, as he argues in an interview, emerging.

Another change is in the ages: previously, video games were considered something for children. Nowadays, the target audience is approximately 35 years old; these are adults who became regular users as children and grew up with the industry.

Of course, there are video game titles for minors; even babies under one year old are seen using devices, so for the specialist, there should be regulation by the World Health Organization, or at least some warning, regarding the consequences of its use in infants.

When discussing the disadvantages, Cuenca Orozco points out that video game addiction is recognized by the international organization, with withdrawal syndrome or anxiety from not playing; the high cost that prevents many from enjoying the technology; and the excessive number of hours spent in front of screens.

A casual gamer spends 20 minutes to an hour on the way to work or school, for example." "Those who have a console spend two hours a day." "Hardcore gamers, who own several consoles, systems or specialized gaming platforms, spend from two to five hours." "Pro gamers and extreme gamers dedicate more than six hours a day, in a professional manner.

Among the latter are the testers, that is, those who are in charge of testing the products before they are released to the market, a profession that is increasingly growing." "Others are dedicated to farming, that is, to improving the level of other competitors' accounts.

There are also “virtual athletes” who work in a specialized place, form a team like soccer players, train with a coach, are sponsored by a brand - regarding technology - and compete in international competitions; they are the “Messi” of the gamer world and take home the medals and prizes they have accumulated. Mexico has important figures and stands out more and more in this area, says Cuenca Orozco.

In the country, there are more independent companies that have grown as they develop titles, and video games are also part of the academic offerings of universities. At the FCPyS, when the study plans were updated, “we had the opportunity to include subjects such as video game design and production, and new groups are opened every semester.”

The Mexican Federation of e-Sports is also responsible for bringing together representative teams from educational institutions, including UNAM.

On World Video Game Day - which has been celebrated since 2008 at the request of specialized magazines on the subject - and on the occasion of the VI International Book Fair for University Students, Cultura gamer contemporánea. Interacciones digitales hipermedia (Contemporary Gamer Culture. Hypermedia Digital Interactions) will be presented, which is the result of a research project coordinated by David Cuenca. This bibliographical material brings together texts by professors and researchers from different institutions who are also gamers. It is aimed primarily at those people who want, in academic terms, to delve deeper into the culture of video games.