Issue date: 10/11/07 Section: Web Exclusives

Media Credit: Ravi Nandan

Video games represent a multi-billion dollar industry that is being fueled by popular action titles such as: Grand Theft Auto, SOCOM and the newly released Halo 3.

Video games have certainly come a long way from the days of Pong and Mario Bros., introducing gamers to spectacular graphics and new concepts. But they have also received a lot of criticism for those same graphics and concepts that many critics deem too violent or inappropriate for younger audiences.

Despite the heavy opposition to the violent games, developers keep coming up with new titles every year, and perhaps with good reason. According to the Entertainment Software Association, the average age of gamers is about 33 years old. and in 2005 it was estimated that 25 percent of all gamers in the U.S. were older than 55.

Throughout the years the video game industry has endured a lot of opposition from groups that blame video games for the rise in violent crimes among youths. They claim that the games glorify violence and desensitize children with their brutal images. Perhaps to appease their detractors, or simply to claim a bigger stake in market share, video game developers have begun to focus on "clean" and educational games. Such is the case for V-Tech maker of the game system: V. Smile, which is designed for kids age up to nine. For about $70, parents can purchase their children the system, which can help kids learn about colors, shapes and animals as infants and help them develop language skills and cognitive and logical thinking as grade-schoolers.

Video games have also recently made a leap into the medical field. S.M.A.R.T. BrainGames, is a neurofeedback system that has been utilized by NASA for training of their astronauts for years and is now being used by psychologists and therapist to treat children with Attention Deficit Disorder (A.D.D.) Although it may seem counter productive to treat ADD sufferers with games that offer constantly changing scenarios and themes, the BrainGames system is designated to monitor the users brain function and determine if the user is paying attention. If the user becomes distracted the signal from the control becomes delayed forcing the user to lose control over the game.

The recent introduction of Nintendo Wii has lent its use to medicine also. Physical therapist are experimenting using Wii's motion-capturing technology to promote physical activity amongst their patients. With game tiles like Wii: tennis, baseball boxing, bowling and golf, the range of motion that could be achieved is very great, thus promoting recuperation. At a time when society is highly sensitive to what it allows to be aired on television and radio, and what it allows its young citizens to participate in, it would seem that video games have made a turn from the unwanted vice of a few to the highly sought after answer of many. It would not be surprising to witness a time when video games are not just a recommended past time, but perhaps maybe even a forced activity.

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