Gaming is the use of computer hardware and software for providing interactive challenges and pleasure in interactivity. A computer game or video game is an electronically programmed computer game that involves user interaction with an input device or user interface (like a mouse, joystick, keyboard, or touch screen device) to produce visual output. Computer games can be for single players and multiplayer, or multi-player over a network such as the Internet or LAN. Most popular computer games are action games that require running, walking, climbing, shooting, and fighting; whereas fitness and educational games are simulations of physical activity for health, fitness, and brain development. The term “video gaming” generally refers to any computer or video game designed to provide visually driven interactivity.
In the past, gaming was often associated with extreme “argent-time” genre, wherein games were created to counter boredom and restlessness after long hours of work. Today, however, most casual gamers don’t enjoy playing idle games, instead opting for ones that have great game mechanics. For example, Tetris is one of the most popular idle games around. Although a simple game where arranging pieces into a square and removing them from that square by destroying the cubes is not too terribly complex, the reason why this game has become so popular is because of the game mechanics and game design, which combine together to make Tetris addictive.
Aside, from Tetris, other well-known games that fall into the casual gaming category are Age of Empire, Forget-me-Not, and Family Stone. Amongst the major franchises in this genre are Mario, Bubble Bobble, and Pokemon. One of the most important factors behind the success of these franchises is the consistent updates and support provided by video game programmers and animators. These programmers and animators work very closely with the game companies to provide new game designs, game modes, and levels, as well as support for several different gaming platforms. Another reason why these gaming companies need to hire professional video game programmers and animators is because of the cost involved in hiring them; for example, the famous Wii requires experienced coders and game designers for the Gamecube hardware, and the Xbox requires experienced coders and artists for the Xbox console.