Assignment 6: Future Computational Task

Video games are a device that is becoming more and more acceptable, and over time, they have evolved into a resource that is used everyday by gamers, whether they play The Sims, Final Fantasy, or Warcraft. Game consoles and video games have always been an item that has been dependant on consumer expectations and wants.

In 25 years, will a console be enough? Graphics on console games are getting more and more lifelike with each year, and soon, one may not be able to tell the difference between Michael Vick throwing the football on Sunday afternoon and the console version Michael Vick throwing a pass. With that being said, the next step would be to put the users further into the games. The eye-toy allows users to interact with a game as they use their hands to deflect or catch objects on the screen. In addition, some games use voice recognition to get a character to move or interact with their environment. If you put these three steps together, you get a virtual world that would potentially allow someone to fully interact with a computer generated environment without using a joystick or mouse.

The type of virtual reality would not be perfect, like the PS9 commercial, but it would be a start. Imagine putting on a suit and a set of goggles and being instantly transported into a fully interactive environment. Imagine actually being able to catch a pass from Virtual Vick, or being able to be you World of Warcraft character, with full access to spells and attacks. This would be the normal for gamers. Game rooms are literally game rooms. Arcades would become places to interact in massive multiplayer games with complete strangers and friends. Finally, online gaming would allow you to see the people you interact with versus typing messages to them. Imagine getting exercise and fun at the same time. No more parents telling their kids that video games aren't a form of exercise.

In addition, mobility has become an issue for gaming. Handhelds have seen an increase in sales as they become more capable of handling the games a home console would. In addition, gaming and mobile phones have been combined to give users the ability to enjoy certain titles while also being able to stay in touch with the world. In 25 years, this could be a widely accepted form and companies like Sony or Nintendo would actually place handheld gaming systems, with all of the capabilities of a PSP or a DS inside of commonly used cell phones.

Now, what about the flip side, will games even still be around? Video games could see the fate that Jack Thompson wants them to see, a fate that involves a ban on all video games, and game companies going bankrupt. Gaming could be as illegal as doing drugs, or murdering someone. The government might even consider video games a form of treason, okay maybe that's pushing it a bit. However, with all the controversy surrounding certain video games, someone may step in and decide that they are more harmful than entertaining.