Games have always been a great alternative to learning something. I remember being a young child and enjoying learning something through the process of playing a game rather than reading about the subject. Not only was it interactive but also very entertaining. Today video games have become an alternative way of learning real life experiences and dilemmas. I personally am not a video gamer, but I have seen several people who are close to me learn many real life situations through this. It’s surprising to know that something animated and unreal can be so real and influential to another.
Dr. Ian Bogost, a designer and media philosopher, has written several books regarding the topic of video games. Even though many people disagree with video games because they can be addicted and “just a game”, Bogost thinks video games are important because they give us another view of what the real world is like. Video games puts us in situations that we may not experience in the world. This is a way of preparing someone for what is out there. Bogost saw that even his son faced a real world dilemma while playing video games and he learned how to overcome this problem. Video games have the power to help us “make arguments, to persuade, and to express ideas” (The Rhetoric of Video Games, 137).Not all video games involve violence and racing cars, they come in a variety of different genres. Many of these games can be as influential and inspiring one to do something similar in the future. It is important the children get the support from their parents and teachers to help them critique the game and apply it to real life issues.
I agree with Bogost to a certain extent. Even though video games can teach a valuable lesson, sometimes people get too obsessed with the idea of gaming. They are so hooked to these games that they treat real life situations as just a game. In video games you either win or lose but if you lose you have the power of going back and trying again. Unfortunately, this doesn’t apply to real life situations.