Nostalgia or Progress?

Computer engineers and computer programmers of the latter 1970s unknowingly faced one of the most relevant questions concerning consumerism in the modern digital age: how to market technology as a commodity to the general public. More specifically, they were the first and only wave of engineers and innovators to introduce the concept of a personal computer to a generation previously unacquainted with them.

The new market thus relied on a great deal of creativity and flexibility. This is why video games had such a tremendous and profound impact on the public perception of computers; particularly when compared to the gargantuan machines of the 1960s and 1970s, personal computers offered an entirely new realm of functionality and entertainment. As John Romero, the designer of several hugely popular games such as Wolfenstein, Doom and Quake, puts it, "the fact that computers were primarily used to play games really helped to get people to accept that computers were good and helpful devices."

Personal computers thus paved the way for the production and consumption of modern-day video game consoles. By refining the controllers used to play video games, these consoles experimented with the potential ways that people could interact with technology. From the keyboard evolved the joystick, from the joystick evolved the handheld controllers, and from these evolved wireless movement sensors; we can see a clear progression in terms of how these technological advancements shaped player engagement, and from it we may derive that there has been a continued attempt to enhance the user experience.

Regardless of these improvements, many gamers have nevertheless been hesitant or skeptical to embrace the launch and widespread usage of these new consoles. This, I think, is  attributable to the "nostalgia culture" that the Internet since its beginning harbors; that is, it sometimes seems as though the Internet is just a hub of embedded nostalgia. Adrienne LaFrance, a writer for The Atlantic, captures this sentiment wholesomely: "You are, at any given moment, just a few clicks and keystrokes away from local television that aired 40 years ago, from discontinued toys, and from sounds you haven't heard in forever." I think this is the primary reason for why many prefer to game on their personal computers as opposed to systems optimized and developed to deliver the most organic gaming experiences.

While I have never been an avid PC gamer (not because of lack of exposure, but rather because of a lack of continued interest), I continue to be fascinated by the gaming experiences that modern consoles can deliver. Namely, I am convinced that handheld controllers offer a higher level of immersion than a keyboard with letters. This poses, in my eyes, an inextricable advantage over personal computers that PCs will never overcome.

That is not to say that there is no game which may offer better playability on the PC: text based games, as well as point and click games, can definitely be facilitated by a keyboard and a mouse. However, I don't believe that these games have the potential to be as immersive; that is why it is important to not allow nostalgia to dictate all facets of innovation, particularly within the field of gaming.