By A teenage gamer

March 11, 2010 8:25 PM | Link to this

I am an avid gamer and I’m a teenager. I’ve played video games since I was 10 and six years later I’m still a B and A grade student. Videogames makes you dumber, yeah right. What’s dumb is that statement you made is un-generalized with no basis in fact.

By Mick D

February 16, 2009 1:23 AM | Link to this

I felt the same way as you for a very long time until a close friend organized the PS3 launch party in LA and told me that video games “make more money than your business” (motion pictures). I was curious so I began looking into them from an investing standpoint (Nintendo is an amazing comeback story). Naturally I wondered what the fascination was so I “invested” in “last gen” consoles and did some research in the “best” or “most unique” games of the last generation in addition to a few that received less than steller reviews and comments for the sake of comparison. In other words, I played a few video games. On top of that I got a gig working on one for Sony so that I could get a more in depth understanding of the process and the people involved. Video games have now become a part of my “entertainment portfolio”. Like literature or cinema, if I am not engaged within a reasonable amount of time I cut my losses. Like in literature and cinema there is art and trash. Video games have merit. They are not passive and, at their best, they do make you think. Puzzle solving alone can be worth the mental investment. Give them a shot. You can pick up a 30 day warranted last-gen console and a few quality games for less than 50 bucks. If nothing else you can back up your opinion with personal, up to date, experience. You may even find one that you like. There may even be one that could be a good influence on kids; “Animal Crossing” comes to mind. Sometimes, kids just having fun has its merits, especially on a rainy or snowy day and something wacky like “Super Monkey Ball” can fill you living room with laughter. Multiplayer games can be an opportunity for the family to spend time together much like board games. Seriously, relax, have some fun.

By Genius

July 16, 2008 12:05 AM | Link to this

I think the analogy with music is right on. They both make you dumber. (Don’t get me started on poetry)

By Pat

July 10, 2008 10:18 AM | Link to this

Video games have always been banned at our house - waste of time, money, and brain cells.

By Derwood

July 1, 2008 1:54 AM | Link to this

Ron, I’ve played video games most of my life. They do not ‘make you stupider’. Sorry, but it just isn’t true. Are there good and bad games? Sure there are. Just as there’s good and bad music, movies, TV, etc. Just like any other art form (and yes, creating good video games is an art) you have to take the good with the bad. I play video games for relaxation. Much the same way you would listen to music to help you relax. The video game is another way of immersing yourself into a story. Just like a movie or a book. There are some that create video games that have good story lines, and getting through the game requires strategy and intelligence. And, no, I don’t consider GTA 4 a good game. However, gaming is a very popular pastime these days. You might want to invest some time in learning what gaming can be like rather than letting your prejudices blind you.

By Nick

June 26, 2008 2:00 PM | Link to this

Ron: You really need to get to know N’Gai Croal at Newsweek. He can be found at: blog.newsweek.com/blogs/levelup/ Bad video games make you stupider, just like bad movies and bad TV.