Video games, as loved by many, can be used for entertainment and relaxation. Some video games are also helpful in improving motor skills and eye coordination. Video games come on different platforms such as arcade video games, console games, PC (personal computer) video games, and even in mobile gaming using a smartphone or a tablet. There are also what we call virtual (VR) and augmented reality (AR) games, and remote cloud gaming. Arcade games are those that are usually coin or card-operated and are normally seen in game establishments called, “Arcades”. Atari’s Pong was one of the first and most successful arcade games along with games such as Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, and Space Invaders. Popular arcade games such as Dance Dance Revolution, Mortal Kombat, and Street Fighter also gained popularity in the 1990’s-2000’s. They begane to decline in popularity as home video games became popular with Sony Playstation and Microsoft Xbox improving their graphics while decreasing cost to the consumer. Console games became popular because they could be enjoyed at home using a video game console, controllers and a television. Some of the biggest early console game developers were Microsoft, Nintendo, Sega, and Sony. Early game developers also adapted some of the biggest arcade games like Pac-Man on the Atari 2600 to function on consoles. Among the most popular historical games were Crash Bandicoot, FIFA International Soccer, Final Fantasy, GoldenEye 007, Mario, Metal Gear, Resident Evil, Tomb Raider and The Legend of Zelda. PC games became popular with IBM launching Microsoft Adventure, a fantasy game of caves and treasures. Sales were massive, and thousands of games were sold in North America, outselling the Commodore 64. However, a few years later, the Nintendo Entertainment System became so popular that there was a huge decrease of sales in disk games. Mobile games, which are played using a portable device like a mobile phone, a tablet with or without network connection also became popular. Pre-installed mobile games on phones, such as Tetris, were also popular. Tetris is one of the earliest mobile phone games, and Snake by Nokia which is one of the most-played pre-installed mobile phone games. It was found on more than 350 million phones worldwide. As Nokia phones' features advanced, a two-player game for Snake was also introduced with the use of the infrared port. With the online capabilities because of the internet, downloadable games slowly became more prominent. Apple’s release of their groundbreaking iPhone and it’s accompanying App Store changed the landscape of video games. A year later, they also added the in-app purchasing capability and allowed more monetization opportunities than just the usual premium subscription where users only have to pay once. Later on, Google offered the same when they launched the Android operating system for mobile phones and the Google Play store - a direct competitor to Apple. Aside from downloadable games, social media network games also became available. Farmville was one of the most popular social media network games. In-app purchases were also available in these games to increase or restore stamina for users to be able to continue playing. Other popular games during this time were Candy Crush Saga and Puzzle Dragons, as well as Flappy Bird, Crossy Road, and Pokemon Go which is a location-based game. These games are played using the GPS technology. As mobile gaming became popular, handheld video console games had a major drop in sales. Some mobile games also support multi-player capability remotely using the internet, or even locally using WiFi and bluetooth technology. Various tournaments are also held internationally with gamers matching to compete. These are done through various network connections such as Game Center, Facebook, and Google Play. Augmented Reality (AR) games, which are more interactive and more realistic, also involve using mobile devices as an input for the game. There are also mobile games created to be more educational and some to help improve health and lifestyle. In 2007, $3 billion worth of games were sold internationally due to the popularity of mobile games. Virtual Reality (VR) games are ones that use a special head-mounted unit that gives a simulated experience and makes it more realistic. Some also include a hand-controlled unit to make them more immersive. Cloud gaming runs on multiple servers requiring minimal hardware devices such as a computer, a console, and more. It operates just like remote desktops and video on demand services. The games are installed in a local computer and might require a high-speed, reliable internet connection. Video games are also categorized in different genres depending on their gameplay interaction. Games may be classified as an action game, role playing game, or shoot ‘em up. Action games are usually ones with physical challenges and may include fighting. Role playing games are ones that make the player more immersed as he/she controls the character in a well-defined world. It also includes developing the player’s character and maintaining statistics as well. Video games may have been developed for entertainment purposes but there is also another subset of games for some other purposes such as casual games, educational games, serious games, and art games. Casual games involve simpler rules and frequently use social network game mechanics. They are often low intensity games like matching, finding hidden objects, time-pressured games, and puzzle games. These are games where you can frequently jump in and out of and are usually played to kill time. Popular examples are Tetris, Flappy Bird and Candy Crush Saga.Educational games are ones with the intent of teaching children and students in a more interactive form and are sometimes called “gamified”. Some are also called “edutainment” which aims to educate through entertainment. Some are  educational or informational. Examples of educational games are The Oregon Trail and the Carmen Santiago series. Art games are developed with the intention of communicating a story and are designed to challenge or generate the emotion or empathy of the players. Most of these games are “indie” in nature. A few examples are Passage, Flower, and That Dragon, Cancer. Aside from these, there are many other genres for games such as adventure-action games, adventure, strategy, vehicle simulation, and more. There are also “advergames” –  ones that are used to advertise a product or organization: Christian video games that are more themed around Christianity and Chistian themes, exergaming that involves exercise and other body movements, maze video games, party video games, puzzle video games, and more. Aside from casual and indie games, there are also what are called mini-game, non-game, and programming. Video games are also subject to international content rating requirements. This is designed to help identify target age groups and identify whether a video game is appropriate for the player. Content rating systems are governed by the Entertainment Software Rating Board  (ESRB) rating. Ratings sort games into age-appropriate categories. They oversee games that are released in the United States. In the United Kingdom and other European countries, they have the Pan European Game Information (PEGI) that issues game ratings. In Australia, they have the Australian Classification Board (ACB). ACB’s ratings are enforceable by law. Lastly, the Computer Entertainment Rating Organization (CERO) rates games for Japan. The earlier times of gaming development were easier to manage as it could commonly be developed by a single person. However, as time has gone by, and with the development of technology, some platforms have become more complex. Now, entire teams are needed for the production, cinematography, and visuals of a game. How video games are programmed has evolved throughout the years. Earlier amateur and hobbyist programming of games utilized newer trends and softwares. Video games also undergo quality testing to examine the behavior of the game, and to assure that there are no bugs or glitches while playing. From time to time, game developers release updates which include new features, bug fixes, improvements in functionality, graphics, and usability of the game. In the early 2000’s, indie game development also became a trend, where small teams of developers create experimental gameplay. These are usually created by individuals or small groups without financial and technical support from large game developers. These games are usually distributed digitally due to the lack of publisher support. Video games are also protected by copyright. Most games are eligible for copyright protection - except for gameplays. Because of this, some gameplays are replicated in other games. Some countries have issues with cloning of games as well due to lack of intellectual property protection. Aside from entertainment, video games are believed to be beneficial to the mind and body.  Some research and systematic reviews show that playing video games can have positive effects on the cognitive and emotional skills of a person such as better hand-eye coordination, better concentration, and sensitivity to information. Organizers and mental health workers in the D-lux game festival in Scotland also emphasize the positive effects that gaming can have on mental health. One is relationships and friendships built around it. According to Regan Mandryk of the University of Saskatchewan, her research shows that playing video games help reduce stress thus, helping improve one’s mental health. Another report also showed that video games are helpful among millenials as a key strategy to cope up with stress. Despite research showing how video games help improve one’s mental health, there have been controversies around video games, from the beginning. There were parents who raised concerns about the violent scenes found in some video games and howthey can influence young players. Some have been found to perform violent acts in real life. An example is the unfortunate Columbine High School Massacre in Colorado. The school shooting and bombing were perpetrated by two twelfth-grade students. They were reported to have used video games to plot out their attack. Other mental health professionals have found video games to be addictive to some players. This has led to the inclusion of “gaming disorder” by the World Health Organization in its 11th revision of International Statistical Classification of Diseases. The video game industry has also been more careful in avoiding over-excessive violence especially those that are allowed to be played by younger children. There have been other controversies involving video games like violence on games such as Mortal Kombat, Grand Theft Auto III, Manhunt, and Call of Duty. Aside from violence, there is controversy over other video games due to gender and racial discrimination. Video games that are still in good shape also became collector’s items for some. There are even museums that preserve games including the National Videogame Museum located in Frisco, Texas. There are other game museums in other countries such as the Computer Games Museum in Berlin, the Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines in Moscow and Saint-Petersburg, the Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment in Oakland, California and more. They are dedicated to the display and preservation of video games. There are around 27 video game museums in the world. The 8th generation of video games, which is the current generation, started with the release of gaming consoles such as Nintendo Wii U, the Sony Playstation 4, and Xbox One. Sony released a more advanced version of the Playstation 4, which was the first gaming console with 4k video capability. Nintendo then released its Wii U successor, Nintendo Switch, which was the only console that allows both television and handheld gaming. During the pandemic, video games also helped people stay entertained. The industry has accelerated more since that time and revenue grew 12% in 2020 according to a report from SuperDate, a market research firm. With more and more innovations in technology, developers are also looking for ways to make gaming more advanced. From Virtual Reality, and Augmented Reality, there is also a growing notion of incorporating video games into Artificial Intelligence, cloud gaming, Metaverse and High-Fidelity Graphics to improve the gaming experience. Although the Metaverse seems to be a long way from now, it can already be found in gaming in games such as Roblox where Gucci hosts events and in Fortnite where users can dress up as their favorite Star Wars characters. Developments in video games also expands the gaming community as it allows more people to play and connect. Aside from interface and graphics developments, the definition of gaming has also evolved. Gaming is not all about competition now, but has become more of a connection. By building communities among players and fans, video games bring people together whether we have different beliefs, ages, and culture. It has also been one of the most influential ways of story-telling especially among the youth. Video games help enable and establish connections with others despite these times where we often feel more divided than ever.