National Video Game Day

Today, July 8th, is National Video Game Day! While the origins of this exciting day are a bit ambiguous, gamers across the globe can appreciate its celebration of how our favorite pastime has evolved over the years. From Atari to PlayStation 5, thrilling first-person shooters, MMORPGs, and more have fostered a love for gaming worldwide. Let’s see what all the buzz is about and how this electric recreation has changed over time.

Overcoming the Controversy of Gaming

Parents, teachers, and skeptics alike have frowned upon video games throughout history, attributing them to increased violence, lower school performance, and social isolation. As the gaming industry has evolved, however, we’ve learned that there is more to gaming than meets the eye.

For instance, puzzle and strategy games can stretch the mind and promote critical thinking in people of all ages, and multiplayer games foster teamwork and communication skills. Aside from siblings bickering over the best controller, people who problem-solve together during a multiplayer game have been shown to develop better social interactions out in the real world.

Psych Central says it best in their article Video Games Can Help Boost Social, Memory & Cognitive Skills. In it, the author cites a study from the American Psychological Association. Paraphrased, it states that while video games have been negatively linked to certain gaming addictions and possible depression when left unchecked, “[n]ew research…suggests such play actually may strengthen a range of cognitive skills such as spatial navigation, reasoning, memory and perception.”

So, while individuals can be negatively impacted if they hole up in their rooms without seeing the sun, a healthy balance of gaming and touching grass from time to time can lead to a positive impact on our brains!

The Evolution of Video Games

The first recorded video game in history is a bit of a toss-up. The American Physical Society gives that designation to a 1958 game called “Tennis for Two”, while others believe the first game was “Pong”, created in 1970. “Tennis for Two” was created by a physicist by the name of William Higinbotham. He was tasked with creating a captivating exhibit for visitors of Brookhaven National Laboratory, as other exhibits had proven quite boring. “Pong”, on the other hand, was created by none other than the founder of the arcade-giant Atari, Nolan Bushnell, and his co-creator, Allan Alcorn.

Whether “Tennis for Two” or “Pong” holds the title of the first video game, LG and others consider the 70s to be the birth of the gaming industry. Games have evolved exponentially since then, from arcade games in giant boxes to the handheld games and big consoles we know and love today. Let’s break it down in a fun, albeit shortened, timeline of the gaming industry!

Celebrate National Video Game Day with Me!

Now that we know a bit more about what games came to be, celebrate National Video Game Day with me and pick up your Nintendo Switch, dust off that old GameBoy, or play whatever you choose! My personal favorites are the Switch and PC gaming, and I love RPGs, farming simulators, and horror games. What are your favorites? Tell me down below in the comments, and let’s get gaming!

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