BOY SCOUTS EMBRACE GAMING WITH NEW MERIT BADGE
 Over the last century, The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) developed one of the largest youth organizations in America based on its tradition of building character, teaching practical skills and developing a spirit of community service. Today BSA combines these goals with modern technology by offering new achievement badges focused on computer and video games.
Tiger Cubs, Cub Scouts and Webelos Scouts can earn a video game belt loop by demonstrating an understanding of what the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) game ratings mean, how they work and why they are important. Scouts must play video games that have been approved by their parents and create daily schedules that include time for video game play, chores and homework.
"I don't know of any household of anyone less than 30 that doesn't have some kind of gaming system," said Renee Fairrer, a spokesman for BSA. "It's at the home, it's at the library, and nine times out of ten, in some form or fashion, it's at their school."
Earning the academic achievement pin requires additional work that helps Scouts learn about games and gaming systems, how to interact appropriately with others while playing and how to teach others how to play. Scouts must research a number of video games to find one that is appropriate for their age group, report on the differences between two gaming systems, play a game with a family member and teach someone how to play. The program also encourages Scouts to play a game that teaches math or spelling skills, and requires that they attempt to install a gaming system under adult supervision.
The game-related achievement badges were introduced along with 13 new merit pins this year dedicated to a wide range of topics, including Disability Awareness, Family Travel, Good Manners, Hiking, Hockey, Horseback Riding, Kickball, Nutrition, Pet Care, Photography, Reading and Writing and Skateboarding.
The addition of the video game belt loop and achievement pin provides a valuable opportunity for Scouts to learn about the ESRB ratings and experience video games in a supervised, educational manner.
You can learn more about the video game achievement awards and the new merit badges on the BSA website, www.scouting.org.
WOMEN INFLUENCING GAMES
Women are increasingly working their way into the computer and video game industry, and are leaving an indelible imprint on the games their companies produce.
Fast Company magazine's recently released list of the "Most Influential Women in Technology 2010" included nine women in the Gamer category. The magazine featured women such as Jane McGonigal, director of games research and development at the Institute for the Future; Lucy Bradshaw, senior vice president of Electronic Arts; Nicole Lazzaro, founder of XEO Design; and Sara de Freitas, director of research for Serious Games. These women are leading the charge to produce games with broad audience appeal, such as EA's Sims and Spore titles, games that stimulate greater emotional engagement and game technologies that can be applied to the fields of education, defense and health care.
Some companies are even focusing on developing games specifically for women. At computer and video game publisher Her Interactive, for example, President and CEO Megan Gaiser leads a team of developers in creating high quality, intelligent and inspiring games for a younger female audience. Gaiser's company is best known for its Nancy Drew computer game franchise, which is based on the popular mystery book series and has won 20 consecutive Parents' Choice Awards.
Other computer and video game publishers are increasingly recognizing the value of the female gamer audience. The ESA's 2009 Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry report found that 40 percent of all game players are women, and women over 18 years of age are one of the industry's fastest growing demographics.
In trying to reach this audience, publishers are developing games that have a broader appeal beyond the action and adventure genre. Workout games such as Nintendo's Wii Fit Plus and Ubisoft's Your Shape are already popular among women. Nintendo recently released America's Test Kitchen: Let's Get Cooking, a game for the Nintendo DS platform that features 300 family-friendly recipes. Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia recently announced it will work with Majesco Entertainment to develop a series of branded interactive electronic games based on Martha Stewart's cooking, cleaning and craftwork.
The rise of women in game development is certain to continue, particularly as organizations such as Women in Games International work to encourage the inclusion and advancement of women in the computer and video game industry. Founded in 2005, Women in Games sponsors a series of networking events each year that are intended to help women break into game development, and provides companies with tips on how to recruit and retain talented women.
A growing female workforce and gamer population is widely viewed as an advantage for the entertainment software industry, as the greater diversity will prompt computer and video game publishers to produce products that are more appealing to and representative of today's gamer.
WINDOW TO THE PAST: PRESERVING THE HISTORY OF VIDEO GAMES
The computer and video game industry is always looking to the future, with gamers and industry observers eagerly awaiting the newest gaming technologies and capabilities. Yet there are many milestones from the industry's past worth recognizing, such as the recent celebration of Pac-Man's 30th anniversary. A number of museums and exhibits are now dedicated to the industry's past, and sharing the technological, artistic and cultural contributions of computer and video games, with plans for more on the way.
The American Classic Arcade Museum in Weirs Beach, New Hampshire takes visitors back to the very beginning of game history, tracing the growth and development of coin-operated arcade games from the pre-electricity days of the early 1900s through the 1980s. The museum boasts a collection of more than 300 operating arcade games, from Pac-Man and Space Invaders to Deal or No Deal, as well as educational displays, cut-away models of games, antique game catalogs and guest lectures from prominent figures in arcade history.
Similarly, the International Center for the History of Electronic Games (ICHEG), works to collect, study and interpret the history of electronic games and the impact they have had on how people play, learn and connect with each other. Part of the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York, the ICHEG collection features more than 20,000 items, making it the largest and most comprehensive public collection of electronic games and related historic materials in the U.S. The collection includes games, game platforms, packaging and advertising, and electronic game-inspired consumer products, among other items. ICHEG is also scheduled to unveil a new exhibit in fall 2010 titled eGameRevolution, which will invite guests to "play classic video games, the latest console games, and everything in between."
Game enthusiasts may also soon be able to visit the Video Game Hall of Fame in Ottumwa, Iowa. The self-proclaimed "Video Game Capital of the World" and former home of the famous Twin Galaxies arcade officially launched the hall of fame in April 2009. Though the hall does not yet have a physical space that can house exhibits and artifacts, it is set to announce its first class of inductees in August when it hosts The Big Bang 2010: Ottumwa's Video Game Festival.
The contributions of computer and video games are also being recognized internationally. In March 2010, the City of Paris opened a brand new Museum of Video Games to celebrate the artistic and technological history of games. The Italian Association for Multimedia Interactive Works also plans to open a video game museum in Rome called ViGaMus by December 2010. ViGaMus will invite visitors to explore the history and evolution of video games, but will also emphasize the impact games have had on other media, such as cinema, literature and music.
As the reach of computer and video games continues to expand – touching such diverse areas of daily life as education, health and even the workplace – the importance of chronicling our industry's development and achievements becomes more acute. Keeping a record of where we've been will provide a valuable measure of progress, and may inspire new generations to dream of where we can go next. |
