Online Gaming

Dear Jason Tanz,

            I have to say I was a little shocked after reading your article, because I had been unaware of some games out there that are available to play. I know that it’s 2012 and honestly weird video games that deal with bacteria and E.Coli shouldn’t surprise me that much, but it did. It is hard for me to find an educational value behind those sort of strange games, but I can agree with you and Bogosts that video games are a bridge that can be crossed when it comes to educating people. I don’t think this is always done correctly or really viewed as a great opportunity, but I have seen research online about the potential video games have. There are plenty of computer video games or regular video games for consoles designed for children to learn how to spell or do other tasks that help them in life. I like the suggestion that actions done while playing video games can affect them and I feel like you were suggesting that they don’t even realizing what they are learning. I almost like that kind of learning better than traditional educational video games.

            I can totally see why games on websites like Facebook are so popular, I remember when Farmville first started every one of my friends started playing and they sent me notifications every day requesting that I play too. I had friends too who would tell me in person about how awesome it was and it really was something fun I’d enjoy, but I never got into it. These games are simpler than traditional video games and I think that’s why they are so popular, because it doesn’t take much to maintain them and they’re free as well. I think the line about clicking cows really says it all when it comes to popular game fads. I just saw a status the other day someone posted saying they were “tired of draw something, what’s the next game we’ll all be obsessed with next so I can play?” Which I thought was funny, but very true. I didn’t know what draw something was and then the next day it seemed like every friend I have with a smart phone was playing that game. Before that was Words With Friends, and there is a continuing chain of games that get old and new ones come forth. Even if you don’t like the game or don’t want to stop playing, it seems like almost everyone follows the crowd and jumps from game to game.

Ana Luisa Suarez