Online gaming enables people from around the world to interact through an immersive virtual experience and provides a unique platform for cultural innovation 918kiss.
Video gaming culture has evolved significantly from early arcade and home video game playing to today’s socially interactive, massively multiplayer online games. While current definitions of addiction and problem gaming may be flawed, culture clearly plays an integral part in shaping idiosyncratic dimensions of generalized gaming distress.
Cultural Influences
Gaming and culture go hand-in-hand, as demonstrated by how people play and relate to one another when gaming. This cultural influence is seen everywhere from design to gameplay – online slots often take cues from popular culture in their themes and symbols from movies and music which attract wider audiences than would otherwise exist.
Video games also possess their own culture, which is evident in their language of communication. Gamers have developed their own slang for communicating within video games that often overlaps with internet slang and Leetspeak; examples include “pwn” and “noob”, which use acronyms and short forms that can be typed quickly to show knowledge or skill in game quickly. Such terms have become an integral part of gaming culture.
Emotes, facial expressions that players can display while gaming, provide another cultural influence on video games. Ranging from happy to sad or even angry expressions, these emotes allow gamers to express themselves freely within the virtual reality experience. Some gamers even develop customized emotes which reflect their personalities or beliefs – providing for a truly global gaming experience which has seen online gaming become an international sensation.
Localization
Game localization refers to the practice of adapting video games to suit culturally-specific environments in specific regions. This may involve including local references in visual design, music and controls of a game and/or making changes accordingly; additionally it could mean altering its script to incorporate culturally sensitive diction.
These changes may be minor or major depending on the needs of the target market. For instance, characters may receive different names to better fit with specific cultures. Furthermore, certain symbols or imagery might have various interpretations in each culture – for instance white may symbolize mourning while another culture equates it with purity.
Over the Internet, online gamers can connect with players from all around the globe and build connections that facilitate cultural understanding while encouraging tolerance, acceptance, and appreciation of other viewpoints. Furthermore, this global connectivity allows gamers to collaborate to overcome challenges and complete quests together.
Online gaming has had a profound effect on the development of new technologies. The widespread appeal of MMORPGs like World of Warcraft led to rapid increases in computer processing power and high-speed networks – creating the infrastructure necessary for creating graphic online games that allow thousands of players to interact simultaneously in virtual worlds.
Cross-Cultural Interaction
Online gaming has quickly become an international craze that transcends cultural borders. Gamers unite around various causes to bring awareness and make positive impacts in society through gaming, while games also act as tools to preserve cultural heritage by featuring endangered traditions or historical events in titles developed by developers. Online gaming also allows people to explore culture interactively; with augmented and virtual reality technologies bringing about immersive experiences for users that allow them to see things from an entirely new angle.
Video game design offers an excellent opportunity to establish new forms of communication and social interactions that facilitate assimilation of new cultures. One study explored the effects of cultural immersion on gamers, finding some games could foster positive intercultural attitudes. Another analysis focused on the role virtual communities have on gamers’ feelings of connection and belonging revealed the virtual communities have a substantial effect on players’ sense of connectedness within games.
Researchers are studying the cultural dimensions that shape online gaming and its consequences, with particular interest given to cross-cultural influences on online gaming. A recent literature review that explored these influences revealed several areas of interest and research; specifically how cultural differences impact gaming-related distress as currently defined by WHO and APA.
Gamification
Gamification is a strategy used to incorporate elements of video games into non-gaming contexts in order to motivate or encourage users. Recently, this strategy has been applied in education and training environments in order to boost student engagement and learning outcomes. Studies have reported promising results; however, their empirical research in this field has yet to undergo the same stringent scrutiny as that conducted elsewhere (i.e. social sciences or healthcare).
Example of Cultural Context in Video Games | RPG-Mango! Some video games feature cultural contexts which can inspire players or provide meaning beyond the pursuit of points and achievements, while narrative contexts may orient gaming experiences towards real life situations or analogize them; many role-playing games feature elaborate story lines which allow gamers to explore various cultures and traditions.
Conclusion
Global connectivity: Online gaming has provided an avenue for individuals from around the globe to interact with each other and has helped break down cultural barriers while encouraging tolerance and understanding for differing viewpoints. Furthermore, gaming communities often come together to promote social change via philanthropic activities or disaster relief efforts; gaming has therefore transcended its origins as an individual pastime and become a powerful means for driving cultural and societal advancement.
