Choy Ka Wai, SID: 10615548, Blog Post 2

Gaming Experience Can Make a Real Friend?

Blog Post 2 (by Choy Ka Wai 10615548)

Video games are more and more popular nowadays. Some people even said that there are both playing games and designing games provide new opportunities for participation in social life. But it is real? It is also important for us to think of the reason why the game market is going to be stronger and stronger.

In Watkins' article "The young and the digital (We play: the allure of social games, synthetic worlds, and second lives)", he mentioned an interesting idea of "missing young men story". This idea explained the situation of young people are more likely to play computer games rather than watch television. Young men are "immigrated" from television to games. Why?

First, games have more interaction between the media and the players. According to Watkins' article, interviewee said that television was simply too boring and quite passive in their point of view. When people watching television, they mostly just sit here and watch. But playing video games are different that player need to play that means they are doing something. They are participated in the media.

Second, the interaction between players would be the main reason that made the "missing young men story" happened. It is also what Watkins' article explained about the culture of gaming. Actually, "Games" itself is not interesting. The interaction between players would be the element and catalyst to make "Games" become attractive. Games function as a social connector that helping young men to make friends through using their gaming experience. Video games can be the topic to talk about when young people meeting their new friends and it can be an activity for them to join and play together. Games as the social glue to give people to have a fun way to grow closer to each other.

However, only have the gaming experience is not enough to make a real friend. Playing games together or sharing the gaming experience may only be the starting point for meeting a new friend. People need to share more about their life and experience more together to make their relationship closer. Without the communication, but only playing games together. That person cannot be your real friend, he or she would only be your partner in the games world. Do you think that only playing video games can make a real friend?(385 words)

Reference

Watkins, S. C. (2009). We Play: The Allure of Social Games, Synthetic Worlds, and Second Lives. The Young and the Digital: What the Migration to Social-Network Sites, Games, and Anytime, Anywhere Media Means for Our Future. Boston: Beacon Press.

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