The Game Craze Phaze

So, your grandmother has a Wii, your aunt and uncle have challenged you to a rock off in “Guitar Hero,” and your friend Katie asked you to come over and play “Rock Band” with her and her roommates. No, this isn’t some alternate bizarro world; it’s the real thing; and it’s a little strange for someone, like me, who has been a gamer all his life. But is this new gaming craze merely a trend? Or will you start seeing Grandma at the EB pawning off her hair curlers and rotisserie ovens for the latest “Halo”?

In 2007, the computer and video game industry took in a record $9.5 billion in U.S. sales, while the music industry has been steadily declining and movie sales have remained level. The “casual” gamer has been identified and targeted. Games offering a new, simpler “pick up and play” approach have spared no one. Soccer moms, grandparents, and girls of all ages are now setting aside extra cash to support their gaming addiction, an addiction that I know all too well. [Read more]