Computer gaming and social media
Do you remember those innocent days back in the '70s and early '80s when Pong was the first computer game action we'd had and the ZX Spectrum offered pure gaming delight through things like Manic Minor?
Over the past three decades we've seen the gaming market explode as technology has become better and better. We have seen computer games become even more realistic via all sorts of consoles and personal computers. We have played games on our mobile phones and even through satellite TV on our television sets. And, more recently, we've been able to use things like Wii controllers or the new Kinect feature on the X-box to physically take part in our games.
But how is gaming different today compared to 30 years ago? Well, the Internet has revolutionised the way we play our games with social media being a huge factor.
Take I-Racing, for instance. The 'Premier Online Sim Racing Game' on the web where you can race with friends and communicate with them over the Internet. It's become so big thanks to people showing off their own racing games via video sharing sites like YouTube and providing 'video tutorials' online.
In the good old days, we used to eagerly await our monthly computer magazine to pull out and keep all the game 'cheat sheets' and tips/advice. These days, you can just watch someone else play a game successfully on YouTube to help boost your own gaming skills and then share your progress on Facebook or Twitter.
Social media has certainly brought the world together. It has also made things like gaming even more fun and popular.
When I was just seven years old and enjoying my ZX Spectrum, I just never imagined in my wildest dreams that one day we'd be using video sharing sites to share our gaming experiences or talking over the Internet to our friends while playing the same game.
Gaming and social media - or 'Social Gaming' - is in fact a great example of viral marketing and how things can spread like wildfire through the Internet. Social media is just that - it's social. It's people talking and sharing online. I-Racing became massively popular due to its own clever use of social media and the Internet. It's own Facebook page has over 15,000 'likes' where people share their skills and experiences of the game.
By looking at how gaming has changed thanks to the Internet, you can see the opportunities out there for any business or industry. The Internet has caused a digital revolution. If you haven't yet considered the possibilities, it's time to get back in the game.
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