What else would you call Video Games?

This question came to my mind when a non-gamer and I were playing a board game, and she said "Let's not make a game out of this, let's just do it for fun". Is that what a game is? A competition? At least that's what she and probably most people think.

Now, here we have our hobby, a big part of our lives. We call them video games. With recent games like Flower and Nobi Nobi Boy, have video games escaped their original meaning? Some are not about competitive play. Could we ever call them something else? Or are we forever bound to calling it video games? Some would call these games "casual" games. But they're no longer games. I think the very name carries a negative stigma, when my mom hears "video game" she thinks "oh, that's what kids do ". Bioshock isn't for kids, Metal Gear? Not for kids.

Could we have a third classification? Interactive art? What do you think?

""

What? My post is up there...

A waste of time and money.

I don't see anything wrong with video games. The term "game" can make it seem childish to some people, but something like "interactive entertainment" will make it seem technical and complicated to some people too. You can't win. Someone will misinterpret it either way, so I'll just stick with what it is now.

Football is interactive entertainment. Any sport or board game is interactive entertainment.

Money that I could of spent on Hookers and Blow.

For better or for worse we might be stuck with video games.

"A waste of time and money.

Yeah, I said it."

"What? My post is up there..."

"Arkthemaniac said:

"A waste of time and money.

Yeah, I said it."

So comics, books, movies and music would be a waste of money as well in your definition? Yeah, let's all go back in the old days before good entertainment and go churn butter and play hopscotch! Fun! By the way, I know you're half-joking, but I wouldn't consider something a "waste" if you've gotten enjoyment out of it. As long as you feel you've gotten your money's worth.

I choose C, even though interactive entertainment sounds good to me as well, but a little long winded at the same time."

I was gonna put Electronic Entertainment, but that seemed even more long winded. There has to be a more concise name.

I think the term 'video games' is becoming increasingly inaccurate as time goes on.  Some really are games, but some are closer to art, some are closer to music and some are almost movies.  But who gives a shit?  Video games is the term that stuck I don't think there's really any need to change it.  After all, most words in our language mean something other than what they did originally.

I vote video games, movies are called movies and people still go to them

I don't need someone elses approval to enjoy myself; I'll just call 'em video games.

I don't need to slap some intellegent and sophisticated label on one of my favorite pastimes.

VIDEO GAMES, it's what they are called, I wouldn't call them anything else.

I think video game is a perfectly apt description of the hobby itself. No need to muddle it up with nonsense and the like.

I think I will just stick with "video games."

"I vote video games, movies are called movies and people still go to them"

Video games makes it sound like they're for children.

Interactive Entertainment. I have never liked the name "video games", it sounds childish, and "gamer" is a term that makes me want to shoot myself.

"Video games makes it sound like they're for children."

"HandsomeDead said:

"Video games makes it sound like they're for children."

There is nothing about the word "game" that inherently relates to children."

"Bellum said:

"HandsomeDead said:

"Video games makes it sound like they're for children."

There is nothing about the word "game" that inherently relates to children."

There is. When was the last time you heard of an adult playing? Besides instruments, of course. It's all semantics."

"HandsomeDead said:

"Bellum said:

"HandsomeDead said:

"Video games makes it sound like they're for children."

There is nothing about the word "game" that inherently relates to children."

There is. When was the last time you heard of an adult playing? Besides instruments, of course. It's all semantics."

Young offspring of most species play. That's where it comes from.
"

"Bellum said:

"HandsomeDead said:

"Video games makes it sound like they're for children."

There is nothing about the word "game" that inherently relates to children."

There is. When was the last time you heard of an adult playing? Besides instruments, of course. It's all semantics."

Well... they are games...i mean you can glorify the name all you want, but.. they're sitll video games

I'm going to go with Exciting Orgasmic Entertainment of Interactivity. Truthfully,  "video games" works for me and I can't really think of anything better as an alternative.

Screw the fancy BS, I have to go with Video Games, even when that name does not do some games justice.

E3 is the "Electronic Entertainment Expo", so for the industry "electronic entertainment" seems to be the term they prefer.  It's organized by the "Electronic Software Association", so - again - neither "video" or "game" is used to describe the medium.

I picked Interactive Entertainment since that is the choice that most parallels "electronic entertainment".  Art and entertainment aren't always the same thing, in fact, in my mind, interactive art is something that may not even be entertaining.  It may evoke an emotion, as most art should, but that doesn't make it entertaining.

"Video games" is just a nickname.  My parents used to call them "computer games" regardless of what platform they were played on.  Some people use the system as a replacement for the hobby.  "Billy's playing Xbox."  Either way, these terms, while useful between lay people, is too limiting to describe the whole media.

They've always been called video games - I see no need to change that.

"GamespotNoMore said:

"I vote video games, movies are called movies and people still go to them"

Why do every one of your posts make me facepalm?"

"GamespotNoMore said:

"I vote video games, movies are called movies and people still go to them"

Why do every one of your posts make me facepalm?"