By the development of technology, video games become well-known among world-wide society. This statement runs in U.S. as homeland of video games (invented on 1947) too. Video game with all its innovation can widely and easily unite with American society. Nowadays, it is approved whether or not, gaming takes a part in American youths lives. It’s unable of being separated with their activities. Some questions raise when we talk about it: “How many American teens play video games?” “What is favorite genre according to them?” and “How far video games affect their lives?” These following passages will answer mentioned questions:
Almost all of American teens play games
It’s unquestioned that gaming is part of American youth’s life. A Survey by www.pewinternet.org says that when the teens asked, half of them reported playing game yesterday. Those who play daily normally play for a single hour even more. Fully 97% of teens age 12-17 play computer, web, or portable games, with some additions:
- 50% of teens played games “yesterday”;
- 86% play on console like the Xbox, Playstation, or Wii;
- 73% play games on a dekstop or laptop computer;
- 60% use a portable gaming device like a Sony Playstation Portable, Nintendo DS, or a Game Boy;
- 48% use a phone or handled organizer to play games.
Gender & age: key factors in describing youths video games
It is still about same survey, It is reported that 99% of boys and 94% of girls play video games. Younger teen boys are the most interested with gaming, they come before younger girls. Older boys are in the third place and followed by older girls which the least “enthusiastic” players of video games. Although the older girls are ranked as the last, but more than half of them play game. Daily gamers consist of 65% males and 35% females.
What the favorite game’s genre according to American teens
In 2014, Entertainment Software Association (ESA) released result of survey about American’s favorite video games genre. It crowned “action” as the most favorite genre (28,2%). This fact is aligned with Forbes’s survey about most-played video game in America (2008). Open-ended adventure game “ Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was No.1 with a bullet. What makes this game could invite large number of player is the option of player to explore San Andreas City which is modeled on Southern California 1992. Player may leave the mission and do what he/she wants in the large area. Genre“Shooter” comes second with 21,7% and “Sport Games” is in the third place.
More American youths prefer gaming instead of working or studying?
Fans of home alone series must have watched “Home Alone 5 :The Holiday Heist.” In this latest home alone serie the main character, Finn Baxter and his sister, Alexis are thecnopiles. Alexis is engaged by her mobile phone and Finn is online gamer. But, because he is 10 years boy his mother always prohibits him to play more than two hours per day. He has online-gamer mate, Simon. Simon is a college’s student who’s careless in his study, he wastes his whole days for gaming. In the climax, Simon helps Finn arranging strategy to face group of thiefs based on both’s favorite game, “Robo Infantry 3.”
In real world, Simon is not alone. According to study held by some researchers from Princeton University, the University of Rochester, and the University of Chicago says: 20% men in age 21-30 without undergraduate degree recorded as jobless men. This fact heard as strange irony because U. S. has pour job vacancy. What makes it shocking is their choice, they choose gaming than working or studying as their daily activity (2014). This number grows almost 100% from data on 2000 which show 9,5%. They spend (it may be more suitable to be mentioned as waste) 75% of spare time for gaming on computer. The average’s gaming duration on 2014 faces enhancement too, It significantly reachs 8.6 hours per day. Same survey on 2004-2007 says that American youths play games 3.4 hours per day. Initially, this tendency identied as physiological effect of video games which can be more appreciating than work’s standard. “When I play a game, I know if I have a few hours I will be rewarded.” Danny Izquierdo, a 22-year-old who prefer to play games in the home instead to work told The Washington Post. “With a job, it’s always been up in the air with the amount of work I put in and the reward.” He added. Danny’s statement is clear enough to explain American youths’s decision. Some psychologists give advice to the government to apply awarding system as well as it founded on video game.
Based on saveral data and facts, it is undoubted that gaming has already became part of American youths lives today. But, it must be admitted that this culture brings serious laziness for some youths, especially who lives without bechelor degree to get a job in their bountiful-job vacancy states. They more interested with video games that give them more appreciation and recognition.
Sources:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/~/article-3807492/index.html accessed November 25, 08.00 PM
http://www.pewinternet.org/2008/09/16/teens-video-games-and-civics/ accessed November 26, 09.00 PM
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