How Things Have Changed With Regards to PC Games

Ever 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. Worse, the really cheap PC games were - let me say it tactfully - terrible. So I used to hunt gaming stores for and look for discount video games, and frequently didn’t have much luck.

But these days things have changed. The internet is an amazing thing for computer gamers. First, there are many websites that literally enable playing 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 unthinkable, but nowadays there are so many people who literally create games for their own enjoyment (or have advertisements interweaved into the game - another idea I wouldn’t have been able to grasp as a kid). In addition, there are numerous sites that offer really cheap games, i.e. for $5 or less. Even as a kid with a very low budget I could have easily found the money to buy those.

The funny thing is is that I believe this - in a sense - cheapens the games. Back in the 80s, every game was invaluable. Even if you didn’t like it at first, you’d still explore it until you mastered it - because there were few games available. However, now that one can get really high quality games for a low price or for free, I can imagine today’s kids and teens 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 kid nowadays.

Ironically, I’m pretty sure that’s what our grandparents used to say about books (”back in our time it was hard to get books, but today’s children don’t read book seriously and give them up too easily”). Funny how history repeats itself, no?