Online gaming is all about community, so in addition
to the in-game chat and Messenger-based invitation ability of our new
multiplayer games, we’ve been researching new social and community
features for both the games and our site in general. That's part of
what makes online gaming what it is.
Gaming is so cool that it’s
practically mandatory, and being good at games can be a great social
boon. Gaming does Google's recent in-game advertising patent present a
dream come true for marketers, a nightmare for gamers, or something in
between. Gaming communities are powerful, profitable, and yet very
fragile. Gaming, the firm notes is one of the fastest growing of all
entertainment sectors, outstripping feature films in terms of revenue
generation. Gaming is inherently social and playing games has been
closely linked with building relationships and social hierarchies
throughout history.
Games can be immersive for a lot of different
reasons. Online games refer to video games that are played over some
form of computer network, most commonly the Internet. Online games can
range from simple text based games to games incorporating complex
graphics and virtual worlds populated by many players simultaneously.
Many online games have associated online communities, making online
games a form of social activity beyond single player games.
Clearly,
online gaming has made its mark as a feature of the Internet that is
here to stay. Originally, however, the online gaming audience consisted
solely of die-hard players who were willing to put up with difficult
installation and expensive fees. Without looking into the positive
implications of online gaming, this rising percentage could be alarming
and fearful, for it presents a picture that children will be spending
more time in front of a computer, limiting the amount of face-to-face
interaction that these children experience.