Game on: ‘Video games have gone downhill’ is a silly notion
Spokesman-Review article published 11/16/2023
If you’ve spent any time on social media or video game-centric corners of the internet, you’ve likely come across the proclamation that video games “have gone downhill,” or that games “aren’t fun anymore.” The statement is often accompanied by a depressing video clip of someone browsing their library of games before giving up and resorting to everyone’s favorite 21st-century activity – mindlessly scrolling their smartphone.
It’s difficult to take this pessimistic notion seriously coming from a modern-day media consumer glued to their phone. There’s certainly nothing wrong with a bit of media escapism – it’s one of the luxuries of our time – but, just like everything else, it’s easy to go overboard. I’ve personally found that putting time limits on my phone usage has improved my quality of life.
Accordingly, although this is a video game column, I’m going to suggest a wild concept – it’s OK to take a break from video games. While they’re typically more engaging than scrolling social media, games are undoubtedly capable of overstimulating a person’s dopamine receptors all the same. So take a break or better yet, try something new.
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My time penning Game On has come to a close. It’s been a marvelous run, and each and every reader response emailed to me was a delight to read and respond to. Without a doubt, writing for The Spokesman-Review has been my favorite “job” to date – and I struggle to call it a job because it was a true joy every single week.
Game On debuted in March 2020, a result of a frenzied newsroom brainstorming what content could grace the Arts & Entertainment section during a worldwide pandemic that closed down the Pacific Northwest’s venues, stadiums and theaters. While COVID-19 is far from eradicated, I’m happy those despondent days seem to be behind us. Thank you for reading.
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(Please note: I must link my Spokesman-Review articles rather than posting them in their entirety. They are a print + online publication based in Spokane, Washington — they have been very good to me and they are one of the few remaining family-owned, independent publications in the U.S. — I am proud to work there and will not in any way try to remove traffic from their website.)
Integrity? In this economy?!