Contemporary Media Forms
The entertainment value of video games has made them a cultural cornerstone. Video games and the hardware used to play them have come a long way over the years, from dedicated game consoles to personal computers and portable gaming devices. This research aims to trace the evolution of video game technology from its earliest days up to the present day. It has evolved from a single-player to a two-player and eventually a multi-player system (Lawler & Smith, 2021). I’ll also demonstrate how the development of technology over time has had a major impact on the progression of video games.
As a popular form of entertainment and a means of disengaging from the actual world, video games have had a significant impact on American culture. The development of video games has allowed us to play with our loved ones through the internet (Wolf, 2019). With such a capacity, we can make friends anywhere in the world. You can select to play any number of different types of video games. There is a game out there for every type of gamer, from role-players to racers to those who want more cerebral experiences.
Timeline
1975: – Pong was created by Atari in collaboration with Sears, Roebuck & Company. Magnavox Odysseys created Pong specifically for bar use. Atari succeeded in penetrating the market for home consoles (Lawler & Smith, 2021). That was the original video game system.
1984: – When I was a kid, computers were either too pricey or too big to fit into my family’s budget. Because of this improvement, personal computers at home can now function as gaming and multi-purpose machines (Lawler & Smith, 2021). You can get by without owning any gaming hardware at all. The gaming system’s sales took a nosedive.
1985: – The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was created by a small Japanese business named Nintendo. The advertising really helped drive sales up. It marked the start of the gaming industry in the United States (Lawler & Smith, 2021). The protagonist, Mario, was created and introduced.
1988: – The Sega Genesis was released, ushering in the next generation of video game consoles. An alternative to Mario and Nintendo, Sonic the Hedgehog was created by a Japanese video game developer (Lawler & Smith, 2021). Faster computer chips and video cards were introduced by Sega.
1989: – Nintendo introduced the Game Boy this year. The company’s initial foray into the mobile market beat Sega and its system to the punch by using a mobile device first (Lawler & Smith, 2021).
1990: – A portable version of the Sega game system, the Sega Game Gear, was released. Seeing as the Game Boy was only available in black and green, Sega released its gaming gear in full color to compete with Nintendo (Lawler & Smith, 2021).
1991: – Now that Sega was in the mix, Nintendo released the Super Nintendo, its next video game console, to compete with Sega (Lawler & Smith, 2021). Nintendo had come a long way in terms of compatibility with the video card and CPU.
1994: – The relationship between Nintendo and Sony has failed, and Sony believes this is because Nintendo is deliberately delaying its entry into the market. Sony’s gaming system is notable for its use of CD games and cutting-edge visuals (Lawler & Smith, 2021). Sony pioneered the transition to next-generation gaming technology.
1999: – Out of the big three game companies, Sega is the least successful. The Sega Dreamcast was the first console to support online play, beating out several other systems that had previously tried but failed to do so (Lawler & Smith, 2021).
2001: – Microsoft enters the console video game war. Microsoft’s technological improvement and Sega’s failure caused Microsoft to displace Sega and become a formidable competitor to Nintendo and Sony (Lawler & Smith, 2021).
2006: – Both Sony and Microsoft’s consoles have risen to the top of the gaming system charts. The Nintendo brand quickly lost popularity. Both Sony and Microsoft have recently released online gaming services (Lawler & Smith, 2021). Both companies have dominated the video game market by consistently releasing innovative new platforms and making extensive use of technological advances.
2009: – The next generation of video games is on mobile phones. More and more games like Angry Birds are being developed for mobile devices (Lawler & Smith, 2021). There has been a recent trend away from home consoles and toward mobile and online gaming.
2020: – The video gaming industry was revolutionized with the introduction of virtual reality games and devices. While Sony is beginning to explore VR, the technology was first presented by a firm called Oculus. Oculus has been released it for use on mobile phones as well (Lawler & Smith, 2021). When thinking about the next step in the development of video games, Oculus is at the top of the list.
References
Lawler, J., & Smith, S. (2021). Reprogramming the History of Video Games: A Historian’s Approach to Video Games and Their History. International Public History, 4(1), 47-54.
McCall, J. (2018). Video games as participatory public history. A companion to public history, 405-416.
Wolf, M. J. (2019). Video Games and the American Cultural Context. Playing the Field: Video Games and American Studies, 21.
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Question 
Some forms of media are so ingrained in our daily lives that it’s hard to imagine a time when they did not exist. However, even the most popular and useful forms of media had to develop over time. In this assignment, you will select a form of modern media and trace how it became a staple of American society.
Contemporary Media Forms
Select 1 of the following media to use for this assignment:
- Online video streaming service
- Social media network
- Video game and gaming technology
Research your selected media, and consider the following:
- Evaluate how the media developed over time, and explain its evolution in the United States.
- Identify the challenges and milestones related to its development and how the selected media became part of contemporary American society.
Create a horizontal or vertical timeline using a timeline template in Microsoft® Word, Canva®, or a program of your choice.
Include the following information in your timeline:
- List at least six major events in chronological order that are part of the evolution of your selected media. These major events could include important milestones, technological advancements, and challenges related to the development of your media.
- Provide a 2- to 4-sentence description of each chosen event.
- Provide the dates associated with the chosen events and the event’s impact on the media and American culture.
Cite at least two sources to support your assignment.
Format your citations according to APA guidelines.