Poll: Do we need a new term for video games?

[King Toasty]

Using the term "video games" makes most adults see them as childish, and therefor should NEVAR EVAR contain adult content. Is this enough to warrant a new name for our delicious medium?
Post your suggestions.
NOTE: I'm not asking if it's feasible, just if we need a new name.

 

[Psycho Cat Industries]

It really does not matter much honestly.To tell ya the truth,people just shouldn't listen to the passive aggressive anti-what I don't likes.

 

[Atticus89]

The best I could come up with is Interactive Video Experiences, or IVEs (pronounced like ivies). That would probably make it sound less than convincing though...

 

[x0ny]

I just call them games, it's what they are plus it's single syllable. Games aren't what they used to be, more and more adults play them.
Also you could argue that the majority of games are actually made by adults, though it doesn't make games seem any less childish, (since Barbie dolls and Beanie Babies are also likely to be made by adults).

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

No, no, a thousand times no, we do not need a new name for video games. (Sorry about that, I'm just getting sick of the subject.)

We call them video games because, get this, they're games that are displayed on some sort of video device. This topic, and by extension the whole "games as art" debate, come across to me as a bunch of insecure nerds who want their hobby of choice to be accepted by the cultural elite. Frankly, all that we need to do for that to happen is wait about 20 years. By that time, my generation will begin to take over for the old politicians. Frankly, almost everyone my age (college age) plays, and even the ones who don't don't attach any sort of stigma on the people that do. Once we take over from the current crop of politicians, conservatives are going to have to find some new scapegoat, because videogames will be too entrenched as an acceptable past time to do anything about.

 

[Asuka Soryu]

Technological Fantasy Simulator.

 

[Squidden]

No way, I'd like to keep them as they are and I agree with Owyn.

 

[Zhukov]

Nah.

If movies can get away with being called "move-ies" then I think "video game" will suffice.

Besides, calling them "interactive experiences" or whatnot would just sound pretentious. Kinda like how comic books are always trying to be referred to as "graphic novels".

 

[Steve Fidler]

I hear a lot of people use the term Interactive Media which definitely sounds more mature but kind of misses the point. Although I guess it does better describe games like Heavy Rain that have no gameplay to speak of, just a series of 'choose your own adventure' quicktime events.

 

[MikailCaboose]

It won't do any good. Eventually even after the name change those same adults are just going to find something else to ***** about. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

 

[Talon_Skywarp]

They are video games.

A Camel is a Camel.

If we applied this logic, the blue tit would have changed names years ago

 

[Chewster]

Using the term "video games" makes most adults see them as childish

Seeing as how adults are the main demographic for most games these days, I'm not too sure I buy that. Even the most jock-like of the bunch is likely to play Madden or whatever. The demographics just don't speak to that mindset any longer.

So no. You could be a dick and start calling them "digital interactive media" or some bullshit, but they are still just video games. Re-branding them serves no purpose as the industry is long established as being a legitimate and clearly quite profitable medium.

 

[Georgie_Leech]

Because Graphic Novels are so much more respected than comic books /sarcasm.

The perception will change, now that a lot of the original gamers are growing up to be parents. It just takes time.

 

[DanielBrown]

"No, they ARE games"

Pretty much says it all, as for my opinion.

As stated above me the fuss will probably start dying out in a generations time.

 

[Blemontea]

I see nothing wrong with the name video games. only if it gets to a point where we need to adopt a new name should we, but that raises a question "What do we call it?" Video Games easily tells you what they are already so what do we call it if we dont call them Video Games. I vote Matrix's just for giggles. my own question is where did this idea of video games being strictly for children come from?

 

[Jezzascmezza]

Just call 'em games.
I don't really see what's wrong with that.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

my own question is where did this idea of video games being strictly for children come from?

I never really thought of it from this angle before -- the standard explanation is that adults think games are just for kids because they had kids of their own when they first saw videogames, and it was their kids that played, not them. Thing is, that doesn't make sense anymore. I'm legitimately old enough to have kids of my own, yet my parents are young enough to remember playing Pacman back in the day. Actually, my dad is currently nursing a Plants Vs. Zombies habit, so yeah. [sub]And before anyone asks, no, I wasn't the product of a shotgun wedding; my parents were married for a good five years before they had me, and I'm the oldest child. [/sub]

Long story short, I'm starting to wonder how much of the whole "videogames are just for kids" thing is actually believed by adults, and how much of it is gamers suffering from a persecution complex, which seems to be common to all groups of nerds. In other words: is the stigma real, or is it all in our heads?

 

[Blemontea]

my own question is where did this idea of video games being strictly for children come from?

I never really thought of it from this angle before -- the standard explanation is that adults think games are just for kids because they had kids of their own when they first saw videogames, and it was their kids that played, not them. Thing is, that doesn't make sense anymore. I'm legitimately old enough to have kids of my own, yet my parents are young enough to remember playing Pacman back in the day. Actually, my dad is currently nursing a Plants Vs. Zombies habit, so yeah. [sub]And before anyone asks, no, I wasn't the product of a shotgun wedding; my parents were married for a good five years before they had me, and I'm the oldest child. [/sub]

Long story short, I'm starting to wonder how much of the whole "videogames are just for kids" thing is actually believed by adults, and how much of it is gamers suffering from a persecution complex, which seems to be common to all groups of nerds. In other words: is the stigma real, or is it all in our heads?

hmmm interesting... Thank You

 

[insectoid]

Video games are video games - games played in a video format. You can't change that, regardless of what you call them; they'll still be the same thing. Changing the name isn't going to stop people having problems with the hobby , or instantly remove the current public perception of the pass-time. At best, it will result in the "Oh, what's ?" "It's just what the kids are calling video games these days" "Oh.".

You can't change what people think easily, and slapping a new name on it isn't going to help. Besides, what about the term 'video game' makes it instantly childish?

 

[Double A]

Superior Entertainment

No, no, a thousand times no, we do not need a new name for video games. (Sorry about that, I'm just getting sick of the subject.)

We call them video games because, get this, they're games that are displayed on some sort of video device. This topic, and by extension the whole "games as art" debate, come across to me as a bunch of insecure nerds who want their hobby of choice to be accepted by the cultural elite. Frankly, all that we need to do for that to happen is wait about 20 years. By that time, my generation will begin to take over for the old politicians. Frankly, almost everyone my age (college age) plays, and even the ones who don't don't attach any sort of stigma on the people that do. Once we take over from the current crop of politicians, conservatives are going to have to find some new scapegoat, because videogames will be too entrenched as an acceptable past time to do anything about.

Exactly, and it shouldn't come to a surprise to anyone. Movies, radio, comics, movies with sound, and TV were all treated like video games are now. In 20 years, it'll probably motion controls or virtual reality games or something equally undeserving of negative attitude. People don't like things they aren't comfortable with, and the older you get the less likely you are to accept something.