Effects+of+video+games+on+society.

__**Introduction**__ toc
Over the years video games have become a prominent entertainment outlet for many. Video games have progress greatly since one of the first games Pong. As technology has grown and computers have become more powerful, video games have become more elegant and interactive. Different genres have emerged as the years have gone by, from RPGs to first person shooters. With these new genres many issues have risen as games have become more violent and as more people start to play these people are concerned about the effect it has on humanity. More and more studies are coming out about the effect they can have on the mind and the economy. Some of the findings are good, others are bad. Some of the findings are only opinions were others have been subjected to studies.

**__ Physical and mental cons __**
There are many cons to those that play video games. A lot of people are concerned that children playing some of these violent video games believe that it can give children the ideas that it is okay to be this violent. Such as the "First-person" shooters like Halo, were the player sees the action as if he or she was the shooter can desensitize the player to violence. These games are actually used in military training to help soldiers become used to the process of harming others. The aspect of violence gained from those games can also be applied to games like Grand Theft Auto. Depending on the person playing the game it can cause seizures if prolonged us of the game is done. People have claimed that it makes kids less social because they are playing solo player games. Some studies have shown that playing on the cathode ray tube televisions can cause eye damage if there is prolonged exposure.

Other claims that playing video games supports obesity as well playing the games the players would not get every much exercise. “Hours of repeated movements can damage tendons and nerves in the thumbs. Physiotherapists are also alarmed by what slouching is doing to young spines.” (web) Some of the gamers become addicted to the games they play and it can lead to loss of jobs, lower grades, and terrible time management in general.

**__ Physical and mental pros __**
Most of these gamers usually are not loners. Many of them play games that require other players to play with them to get anything accomplished, much like the computer game World of Warcraft. According to the communicational theory CMC (computer –mediated communication) relationships made over the internet can be more meaning full then the ones in person because it is easier to say what you really feel; also, because the relationship starts based on communication alone. Video games can give you an improved eye for detail. “Researchers from the University of Rochester found people who spent 30 hours training on action games over a month spotted targets on a cluttered screen 80% of the time; non-gamers managed this only 30% of the time.” These video games also improve hand eye coordination because of having to time things to get it right.

Some of the more recent studies have found that the fast track video games can improve the quick decision making skills. They also seem to have fewer errors when making those quick decisions. Games are also proving to be powerful pain killers. According to Professor David Patterson of the University of Washington’s Department of Rehabilitation Medicine "Conscious attention is required for the experience of pain.” Burn patients who play games while having dressings changed report a 40-50% reduction in pain. (web)

**__ Economics __**
 According to a recent report made by the NPD Group video game console software sales for 2009 reached $8 billion (176.7 million units), computer games sales were $538.4 million (23.5 million units) and portable software sales were $1.9 billion (73.2 million units). Furthermore, from 2005 to 2009, the entertainment software industry's annual growth rate exceeded 10 percent. Over the same period, the entire U.S. economy grew at a less than two percent rate. This report also shows that about 9 computer and/or video games sold on average every second of every day of 2009 The video game industry creates many opportunities for employment. The average salary for an entertainment software industry employee is **$89,781.** California's computer and video game industry grew by a real annual rate of 11.4 percent from 2005 to 2009, compared to a period of negative growth for the state's overall economy, and added $2.1 billion to the state 

The video game industry also makes a lot of money on marketing because they have the ability to place ads for various products in there games. Games like Burn out paradise were Barack Obama's presidential campaign team paid $44,465.78 in order to run in-game advertisements in various games.