Since I’ve been a small child, I loved playing computer games. Back then, I wasn’t able to get my hands on many, as they were so expensive. Even worse, the really cheap PC games were – let me say it diplomatically – horrible. So I used to hunt gaming stores for and look for discount video games, and normally didn’t have much luck.
But these days things have changed. The internet is a wonderful thing for computer gamers. First, there are many websites that literally offer free games. Thousands! on a wide variety of styles (i.e. some offer free online adventure games). And of high quality, too! When I was a child this would have been impossible to conceive, but in our time there are plenty of people who literally create games for their own fun (or have advertisements entwined into the game – another idea I wouldn’t have been able to grasp as a child). Moreover, there are numerous sites that offer really cheap games, i.e. for $5 or less. Even as a child with a very low budget I could have easily afforded those.
The funny thing is is that I believe this – in a sense – cheapens the games. Back in the 80s, every game was valuable. Even if you didn’t like it at first, you’d still investigate it until you mastered it – because there were not that many games available. However, now that one can get really high quality games for a cheap price or for free, I can imagine today’s children and teenagers simply giving a game a single shot, if it doesn’t immediately grab their attention, toss it away. I probably would do this if I were a teenager these days.
Ironically, I’m quite certain that’s what our grandparents used to say about books (”back in our time it was hard to find books, but today’s kids don’t read book seriously and give them up too easily”). Funny how history repeats itself, no?