How 1980s Video Games Influenced the Current Industry

When something is considered popular culture or "pop", it becomes dominant and the general public takes it as the norm. The mass media drives this acceptance by appealing to everyone. It is similar to when a celebrity endorses something or indulges in a particular game; this leads to people believing it is "cool" and therefore, fans follow suit in doing the same thing.

Have you ever looked back into gaming history? This information can be very useful to gain perspective on the current industry. The 1980s was the second era in the gaming industry which had highs and lows for video games. But since then, there have been many things that have impacted mainstream culture.

However, video games still tops the list. In the 1980s, kids had at least one or two favorite video games. Due to the time people spend on their devices playing games, it becomes easy to drive the narrative. Hence video games have become pop. Unlike what many people would think, getting millions worldwide to play video games is not an overnight process. It has taken years and billions of dollars to develop this culture. Since the 1980s, this number of gamers has continued to grow, increasing the overall average of players as well.

To understand how much video games have impacted pop culture, you must dig deeper. In the 1970s, the Spacewar game was popular. However, it had no special effects and primitive pictures. Spacewar was pretty basic and of course, players had to travel to an arcade to play it. Nowadays, gamers play at home with advanced gaming consoles available to practically everyone. Gaming also ranges from PC, smartphones, laptops, with top-quality video games being accessed on various consoles. But people in the 1980s didn't have such privileges as in the modern-day culture. The 80s generation played games from providers like Atari and Nintendo almost exclusively which became challenges to the industry.

Some of the amazing gaming era flashbacks in the 1980s include:

Arcade Games

Arcade games were in high demand at the start of the 1980s. By 1981, the arcade games business had generated almost $5 billion. Then in 2 years, "between the 1980s to 1982," the arcade revenue doubled. Video games highly impacted society and the music and the film industry also felt that impact. Some praised the famous video games in songs and became hits, topping the billboards like "Pac-man Fever."

The 3rd Generation of Video Games-Consoles

When the Japanese family computer was introduced, it revolutionized the gaming industry. The initial name was Famicom. However, later it becomes popular as the Nintendo Entertainment System. Many people in the 1980s liked playing exciting video games on the device. After being successful in Japan, these devices moved to other parts globally and became famous.

Casino Video Games From The 1980s

There were many video games in the 1980s offering live casino services. Many people, especially in the US and European countries, showed much interest in casino activities. Therefore in 1982, Datamost released its first casino video game. These video games are still popular even today.

Video Games Developers

In the '80s, many notable video game developers created quality and unique games. Apogee Software, which is now 3D Realms, created the model in the '80s for what would be one of the most popular games of the early '90s, Duke Nukem. Over the years, these games have continued to be developed by other top quality companies.

Although these companies may have witnessed some challenges in 1983, the period is recognized as the era of some fantastic video game series. And although by 1985, most companies were declared bankrupt due to the recession, the '80s paved the way for evolving technology. Since then, many more advanced versions of games have hit the market and attracted the attention of millions in the gaming world.

Headline image courtesy Depositphotos