Polytechnic University of the Philippines

College of Communication
Department of Communication Research
NDC Campus Anonas Street Sta. Mesa, Manila

Press Start!

Term Paper

on

Video Games

Alvarez, Kian Ray V. | 2019-10821-MN-0 | alvarez.kianray1@gmail.com

Aquino, Daphney Jay T. | 2019-07070-MN-0 | aquino.daphneyjay1@gmail.com
Dingle, Mark B. | 2019-07847-MN-0 | dingle.markb1@gmail.com
Hernandez, Kayla Faith R. | 2019-10868-MN-0 | hernandez.kaylafaith1@gmail.com
Valencia, Niño P. | 2019-12681-MN-0 | valenciayno@gmail.com

Bachelor of Arts in Communication Research

1–1

Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for

COMM 20023 Introduction to Communication and Media
First Semester AY 2019-2020

October 10, 2019

 1

Video Games

1.0 Introduction

The Cambridge English Dictionary defines video games as “a game in which the player controls

moving pictures on a screen by pressing buttons.”

Similarly, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines video games as “a game in which the player

controls moving pictures on a screen by pressing buttons.”

However, in the Contemporary Aesthetics (international journal of contemporary theory,

research, and application in aesthetics), video games are given a definitive distinction:

Video games, as often intertwined with “computer games, “electronic games,” and “digital

entertainment,” is actually different. The term “computer games” is often used to refer to games

on a personal computer (PC), “electronic games” might refer to toys operated electronically,

while the term “video games” is sometimes used to refer exclusively to console games like those

on the Xbox or the Playstation series. The term “video games” has the virtue of referring to the

visual aspect of games (Travinor,2008).

Ergo, a video game is “a game we play thanks to an audiovisual apparatus and can be based on a

story (Esposito, 2005).” To further elaborate on the terms used in Nicolas Esposito’s definition

of video games, the italic terms are hereby expounded:

Game: “A game is a voluntary interactive activity, in which one or more players follow rules

that constrain their behavior, enacting an artificial conflict that ends in a quantifiable outcome.”
 2

Play: This is the movement within a structure or a system while being bound to rules and

limitations.

Audiovisual Apparatus: electronic system with computing abilities and input-output devices.

Simply put, these are the consoles (arcade, handheld, home system, phone, computer). These

devices create human-computer interactions, through the user interface; which brings in the

concept of interactivity and gameplay (the degree of interactivity that a game has).

Story: Games may be based on story, and some are not. For example: The Mario series often has

a main storyline to follow (campaign and cut-scenes), while games like Tetris are casual and

have no definite plot or narrative.

Thus the definition, comes the reason why people play video games. There are psychological

reasons why people play video games (Saville, 2019). People around the world allocate

resources, like funds and time, in playing video games. Discussion about the reason as to such is

the aspect of video games providing an idea of “escapism;” where they get the feeling of

escaping the dullness of reality. Indeed, there are elements of gaming that provides as escape.

However, there are psychological mechanisms in play as to why people play video games.

A research company named Immersyve conducted years of data and conducted in-house studies

in order to establish causality as to why people find video games appealing. The results of their

study concluded three main themes.

The first theme is competency, which is basically the sense of self-gratification for achieving

feats and being recognized for the fact that we are good at something. People play video games

because they earn this feeling of indulgence, which is also applicable in real-life scenarios. The

second theme is autonomy, a desire for independence. In video games, people appeal to the

feeling of being free from control, able to roam and commit to our bidding. The third and last
 3

theme is relatedness. Relatedness is the appealing feeling of being valued and significant. Video

games, like multiplayer online arenas, provide this feeling as interaction and communication

between co-players bear this impact. However, Immersyve has also seen that players not only

relate to one another, but also to the fictional characters within the game, often associating

themselves and relating through dialogues and other in-game interactions.

2.0 Origin and History of Video Games

Like most communication medium, no single person is credited for the creation of video games.

However, there are many people involved in the gradual development of video games not only as

an industry and a medium, but as a whole as well. One of the most-recognized pioneers is Ralph

Baer. Ralph Baer is recognized as the first person to invent a video game console. However,

before his breakthrough invention, there were people who have tried developing games usually

for the purpose of research, or for mere recreation.

2.1 Early Development of Video Games (National Museum of Play, 2019)

In 1940, Edward I. Condon designed a computer that plays the game Nim, in which players try to

avoid picking up the last matchstick. 90% of the time, the computer wins.

In 1947, Thomas Goldsmith Jr. and Estle Ray Mann filed a patent for their “cathode ray

amusement device.” This game included a cathode ray tube connected to an oscilloscope display,

wherein you have to fire a gun at the target.

In 1950, Claude Shannon laid out guideline for programming chess-playing computers. That

same year, he and Alan Turing create chess programs.

 4

1952, A.S. Douglas creates OXO on Cambridge’s EDSAC (Electronic delay storage automatic

calculator), as part of his research on human-computer interactions.

1954, programmers at New Mexico’s Los Alamos laboratories- the birthplace of the atomic

bomb, develop the first blackjack program on an IBM-701 computer.

If we are to observe the dates in the early development of video games, it is noteworthy that

these dates were post-World War II era, therefore, the computers used by the programmers were

mostly post-war mainframes. The programmers had the intention of programming these

mainframes for research and recreation.

Come 1951, Ralph Baer, a radio/television engineer, had conceived the idea of including

interactive games with the TV to attract and entertain customers, and these devices would be

different from competitors. Baer’s idea was rejected by his boss in Loral- an electronics

company. 15 years later, he was given the chance to bring his idea into reality (Hadzinsky,2014).

In 1958, William Higinbotham created a tennis game on an oscilloscope and analog computer for

public demonstration at Brookhaven National Laboratory. This game is significant because it

was the basis for breakout games like 1972’s Pong.

In 1962, MIT student Steve Russel invents “Spacewar!” the first computer-based video game.

In 1964, Dartmouth University student John Kemeny creates BASIC programming language and

the computer time-share system. These made it easy for students to write games.

In 1966, Ralph Baer was working for Sanders Associates- a company developing defense

electronics. While waiting for a co-worker at a bus stop, he wrote down the ideas he had on using

TV sets to play games. He demonstrated this to Herbert Campman, the corporate director of

Sanders, and saw potential in Baer’s idea. Baer received 2500$ for research and development

(Hadzinsky,2014).
 5

Baer then brought this concept to Magnavox, a TV manufacturing company. In 1972, The

Magnavox Odyssey was released and became an instant hit.

Nolan Bushnell, the eventual co-founder of Atari, attended a Magnavox demo in Burlington and

played a few games. After this, he hired and engineer to create designs for coin-operated arcade

video games. By the end of 1972, Pong was born and became a sensation that other

game/console developers would build at.

1975, Atari released a home version of Pong.

1977, Atari released the Atari 2600, with features like a joystick, interchangeable cartridges,

games in color, and switches for selecting games and setting difficulty levels.

1978, the arcade game Space Invaders is released in Japan and becomes an instant hit.

1980, Toru Iwatani creates Pac-Man. The same year, the Atari 2600 gets a version of the game,

and becomes the first arcade hit to appear on a home console. 1982, Ms. Pac Man is released as a

strike for gender-equality, becoming the best-selling arcade game of all time.

1981 is the release of Nintendo’s Donkey Kong, which featured Jumpman-more popularly

known as Mario.

In 1984, Russian Mathematician Alexey Pajitnov creates Tetris, which was bundled in every

Game Boy in 1989.

1985, The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was released.

1989, the Nintendo Game Boy was released, and revolutionized handheld console gaming.

1990, Microsoft bundled Solitaire into Windows 3.0.

1991, developer Sega created Sonic the Hedgehog for the Genesis.

1993, Mortal Kombat was released, and controversy over the brutal content in the game rose.

That same year, Doom popularized the “first person shooter” games.
 6

1994, Blizzard Entertainment released Warcraft. Later on, Blizzard would develop Defense of

the Ancients (DOTA).

1995, Sony released the Playstation, which was 100 dollars cheaper than the Sega Saturn

console.

1996, the Nintendo 64 was released. Along with the Playstation and the Nintendo 64, Sega’s

home console business started to decline and later on exited the industry in 2000.

1999, Sony’s Everquest made thousands of players join this online-based multiplayer game.

2000, Will Wright’s The Sims becomes the best-selling computer game and most popular among

female players.

2000, the Playstation 2 is released by Sony, and with the tight competition, the declining Sega

exited the industry.

2001, Microsoft makes its debut into the gaming industry by releasing the Xbox.

2003, Valve energized gaming with Steam, a digital distribution platform for games where they

can download, play, and update games online

2004, Nintendo releases the DS.

2005, Microsoft releases the Xbox 360, with high-definition graphics and multiplayer features on

Xbox Live.

2006, the Nintendo Wii is made and featured motion-sensitive remotes.

2008, World Of Warcraft becomes the most popular Massive Multiplayer Online (MMO) game

ever.

2009, the development of games like Angry Birds started, and Facebook became a platform for

Farmville as well. Phones were beginning to be recognized as gaming platforms too.

 7

2012, crowdfunding site Kickstarter enabled game creators to raise funds to create new

platforms. An example of the product of this is the Oculus Rift.

2015, “Freemium” became a popular trend among games, wherein games are free-to-play,

however, have available in-game purchases to gain access to premium content and other items.

2015, a year after being acquired by Amazon, Twitch became the start of Esports.

2016, Niantic released a spin-off from the Pokemon franchise in Pokemon Go, which featured

augmented reality gaming.

2017, the Nintendo Switch became the first hybrid mobile/home video game console.

2.2 History of Video Games in the Philippines (Tolentino, 2011).

The development of games in the Philippines began in 1992, when foreign console and arcade

game developers like Sega entered the country. At the time, Philippine-based developers

established themselves, including Micronet Software Manila, and Japan Media Programming-

Cebu. These companies pioneered the concept of offshore outsourcing in game development.

In 1997, most game developers had begun downsizing their operations in the Philippines due to a

narrowing global market for entertainment products like games and consoles.

In mid-1997, a small company named Id Software released a game called Quake on the

Windows platform. This company relied on viral marketing-distributing freely playable demo-

versions to the public, allowing a grassroots movement for the demand of the full-fledged

product. The emergence of the World Wide Web helped Id further promote their product.

This success of Id Software caused a widespread emergence of independent developers over the

following years, such as Bioware, Valve, and Blizzard. By year 2000, the success of these start-

ups inspired other developers including those in the Philippines.

 8

2.2.1 Game Development in the Philippines

Development in the Philippines started in October 2001 upon the development of the first Role-

Playing Game (RPG). The game, entitled Anito, launched in 2003, and despite its high ratings

and reviews from game review sites like RPGVault, GameSpot, and GameTunnel, the game

only reached Eastern Europe and failed to reach the United States due to limited media exposure

and marketing-budget constraints.

Spin-offs of the game were then made by ePLDT and Anino Entertainment (the developer of the

RPG game). This included games like Anito: Tersiago’s Wrath which was exclusively developed

for the mobile platform, and distributed by Globe Telecom, Inc.

2003 saw an increase in collaborations of local game developing companies, resulting in the

Philippine Chapter of the IGDA or the Independent Game Developers Association.

By 2007, major game companies part of the IGDA were also part of the GDAP or the Game

Developers Association of the Philippines, and promoted further global exposure of local game

developers.

The Philippines also has arcades, in the form of Family Entertainment Centers (FEC) like the

World of Fun, which was a pioneer in the amusement industry in the country. It started in 1987

with a single outlet in SM North Edsa, and was known then as PACO or Pan-Asia Amusement

Company. Today, World of Fun has grown into a full-blown network that comprise of over 100

outlets. Competition has also grown, with the arrival of other foreign FECs and a fast-paced

market of arcade consoles.

2.2.2 Special Events in the History of Video Games in the Philippines

November 1981, Ferdinand Marcos put forth a Presidential Decree under his Martial Law

regime, that provides for the total and nationwide prohibition of video games and
 9

paraphernalia/consoles and fines for the violation of this decree (up to 12 years of imprisonment

and/or up to 600$ fine). The Philippines became the first nation to ban video games (Long,

2010).

3.0 Audience

Video games are prevalent among people whose age ranges from 10-35 (Statista, 2017). However, it
must be noted that although the gaming consoles are intended for said age range, the specific audience
of each varying game differs by the content and themes in the game. Violent, profane, and other age-
sensitive themes/content serve as a factor for the varying age suitable for playing a certain game.

4.0 Current Developments in Video Games

Video games are currently underway for various developments along with the fast-paced
improvements in technology, hardware, and software. The video game medium currently has 10
developing trends according to GameDesigning,org.

Augmented Reality

A spin-off game from a franchise with millions of fans, game developer Niantic dropped

Pokemon Go and it became an instant hit. Augmented reality is technology that allows a player

to immerse in a virtual world

Virtual Reality

The integration of VR equipment like the Oculus Rift is something developers are eyeing in the

future. Steam has been developing games that look promising for this trend, and Sony’s PS4 also

poses as something to look forward to.

Inclusivity
 10

Video games have been accused of rampant sexism, racism, homophobia, violence, and other

issues that seem problematic and controversial. Thus, games are now settling themes fit for a

wider variety of audiences, showcasing diversity and equality as a theme.

Incremental Console Upgrades

Simply put, this is the release of gaming consoles with better specifications and features, and

hardware upgrades as well.

Mobile Gaming

Aside from Pokemon Go, a lot of games have decided to release mobile versions of the original

game. An example being Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds or PUBG having an application for

people to play on their phones. Another is League of Legends developing a spin-off mobile

version (Mobile Legends)

Game Developer’s hyping the gamers

Hyping the release of a game is good forpromotion, but it can sometimes backfire when the

expectations steer too far from what is actually in the game. Thus, hyping the market for a short

time instead of making them wait for a long release may seem like a good direction developers

would lean on

Indie Games

With game designing developer platforms widely accessible, a multitude of games is now

flooding the market as it gives all developers a chance of entry to the industry through the said

software.

Apple TV

The Apple TV will most likely be a gaming platform in the future since it has designs fit for

operating games.
 11

Streaming

In online multiplayer games, or just single-player games, streaming has become an industry that

both gamers and developers profit from.

5. Prospects of the Medium

Aside from the continuing trends mentioned in the current developments of video games, video

games, as an industry, will continue to boom in the global market, as the market is expected to be

worth $90B come 2020 (WePC, 2019).

As a medium that serves as form of entertainment, video games are expected to thrive in a

modern and digital era because of the rising trend of digital and mobile devices, electronics, and

other platforms that video games

Furthermore, academic programs specializing in the development of video games are now

catered by some colleges, thus, we can expect not only development of video games, but also its

standing as a discipline. Development of mobile phones and of the ease of accessing the internet

will also have a significant impact on the progression of video games and the incorporation of

other medium in the elements of video games.

However, there is a chance that video games may not entirely flourish. They are costly, require

electricity, and some features need internet access. In our country, remote places that have no

electricity and internet access may not get to enjoy video games, and not all people can avail

these games and consoles. Finally, the gaming industry in the Philippines mostly relies on

foreign companies and products, and does not have a standalone gaming industry that’s

prominent and Filipino-made, thus, the video games in the Philippines would always rely on

importation and overseas innovation, unless time comes that Filipino’s would be able to establish

their own video game industry.

 12

References

10 Trends in Game Design. (2019 May 30). Retrieved from:

https://www.gamedesigning.org/gaming/trends/

2019 Video Game Industry Statistics, Trends, and Data. (2019 June). Retrieved from:
https://www.wepc.com/news/video-game-statistics/

Age breakdown of video game players in the United States in 2019. (2019). Retrieved from:
https://www.statista.com/statistics/189582/age-of-us-video-game-players-since-2010/

Esposito, N. (2005). A Short and Simple Definition of What a Videogame Is. Retrieved from:
http://www.utc.fr/~nesposit/publications/esposito2005definition.pdf

Hadzinsky, C. (2014). A Look into the Industry of Video Games Past, Present, and Yet to Come.
Retrieved from: https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/842/

Long, T. (2010 November 11). Nov. 19, 1981: Marcos Regime Puts the Kibosh on Games.
Retrieved from: https://www.wired.com/2010/11/1119marcos-bans-videogames-philippines/

Saville, A. (2019 July 29). Psychological Reasons Why Some People Play Video Games.
Retrieved from: https://www.psychreg.org/why-people-play-video-games/

Tavinor, G. (2008). Definition of Video Games. Retrieved from:

https://quod.lib.umich.edu/c/ca/7523862.0006.016/--definition-of-
videogames?rgn=main;view=fulltext

Tolentino, C. (2011, June 2). Game Development in the Philippines. Retrieved from:
https://www.scribd.com/document/56911359/Game-Development-in-the-Philippines-1992-2008

Video Game History Timeline (2019). Retrieved from:

https://www.museumofplay.org/about/icheg/video-game-history/timeline

Annexures:

Attached PowerPoint Presentation (Video Games.pptx)