The Value of Video Games

Institute of engineering and technology

My father is a member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET - http://www.theiet.org/), which means he has access to a variety of interesting lecturs and events. A about a year ago there was a lecturer about the history of video games and where they might go in the future, so he invited me along also.

The lecture was held at Nottingham University with guest speakers from the National Video Game Archive (http://nationalvideogamearchive.org/the-team). 

 Announced in September 2008, the Archive is working to preserve, analyse and display the products of the global videogame industry by placing games in their historical, social, political and cultural contexts. The National Videogames Archive wants to document the full life of games, from prototypes and early sketches, through box-art, advertising and media coverage, to mods, fan art and community activities.

Videogame Archive Lounge

Videogames are a key component of modern culture and of our social, creative and technological history.
The National Videogame Archive is a joint project between the National Media Museum and Nottingham Trent University, which aims to celebrate that culture and preserve that history for researchers, developers, game fans and the public.

Crazy gaming child

During the lecture the true value of video games was discussed, what games are, what they mean to the people who play them, and what elements of them should be preserved. The true value of video games is the impact and experience they give to everyone, especially the people who play them. A game is worthless unless people play it and people won't play it unless they like it. What reaction do you get when you play Call of Duty, Angry Birds or Sonic? 

Video games have changed massively in a short space of time, as I discovered in recent blogs and many of these old games are being lost, discarded and forgotten about. They might not be worth alot of money right now but they are a part of gaming history and I think should be carefully archived. Games, like everything, deteriorate with time and if we don't start archiving everything now there might come a time when much of this past is completely lost. 

Lets save the video game! http://www.savethevideogame.org/