Gameplay can be incredibly captivating, and it is easy to lose track of time while gaming. In order to manage the time spent gaming, parents can set limits for how long kids can play on school days, weekends, and school nights. If the gamer’s room contains a gaming device, set a time limit for the device. This is especially important for gaming consoles, because kids are likely to use them longer in the bedroom, and they might not know that you’re watching them.
Different genres of games tend to appeal to different age groups. For example, young black teens tend to play more sports and racing games than their white peers. While white youth prefer MMOGs, hispanic teens are more likely to play rhythm and action games. Low-income kids tend to play sports and adventure games. And as the number of console games rises, so does the number of players. Some of these games are geared towards older gamers, but they’re still suitable for younger kids.
Video game players often collect games from different decades. One type of gaming collectible is the “retro” genre, which focuses on the first two decades of the last century. Collectors’ items for this genre include video games in their original retail packaging. Some have even sold rare publications for over $100,000 as of 2020. As a result of this popularity, game preservation is becoming an issue. Not only do video game media degrade, but the hardware required to play them often degrades as well. The developers of many games have long since disappeared, so any records of their games are lost.
