Lab+One

In the article, Computer Game Studies, Aarseth portrays the significant importance of studying computer game and the influential cultural importance it has. In the forty plus years that video games have existed they have evolved significantly from simple two diminutional objects to vast three diminutional multi-player sensation. Even though the physical games themselves have been active for decades, they recently have been as “an emerging, viable, international, academic field.”

As peculiar as it may be, video game studies have taken a large interest in the past nine years. Aarseth states that as of 2001 the cultural impact of video games have been surreal. In a personal and practical environment, one can easily relate to the use of video games in everyday life. Multi-player games for example give the user a sense of connection that, as Aarseth states, “old mass media, such as theatre, movies, TV shows and novels never could.” By having direct communication and related to the personal audience it creates a much user friendly environment that interacts with the user. As technology progresses, new and innovative ways of interacting with the user also emerge.

After studying Aarseth’s article, one truly has a feel for the the vast intricate design and structures behind each game. In addition, Aarseth teaches us to study video games with “existing fields and departments, such as Media Studies, Sociology, and English, to name a few” and as technology and video games progress so do the fields of studies that it's involved in.