4 Reasons Your Gaming Den isn't about to be Switch-ed out
The recent release of Nintendo Switch seems to suggest that the gaming industry is responding to our modern demand that everything be accessible all the time. But could this be the sign of a move for more innovations that will lead us away from our gaming dens? A brief intro to the Nintendo Switch, and what it means for gaming. The Nintendo Switch is, essentially, a console you can carry with you wherever you go, "opening up the concept of gaming without boundaries". Nintendo Switch allows you to play the same games at home and on the move and promises "unprecedented new video game play styles". But what does this mean for at-home gaming? Is this the beginning of the end? Well, no, not in my opinion. I believe gaming in our own space, specifically set up to play in is like sitting down with a good book or going for a run. While it can be supplemented by the advantages an ebook or a treadmill allow, the experience they offer has proven never to be superseded. And here are four very good reasons why your gaming den is safe: 1. You get a fully immersive experience You fire up your console, flick on the widescreen TV or projector, turn the surround sound up to 11 and settle back in for a night with your favourite game. Some dens are fully kitted out, others less so. Me, I'm in the wannabe category. I'd actually prefer a full cinema AV set up, with brilliant sound and a massive projector screen like the one in the image below. Imagine how good gameplay would be in there! Anyway, surrounded by a kick-ass AV system designed to optimise your experience, you are not playing; you become part of the game. Imagine playing the same game on a handheld out in public—it's just not the same. Holding the game in your hands makes it feel like a task to complete, far from the 'corporeal' experience felt in your den. So, while being mobile is great, it is a definite compromise on the gaming experience enjoyed at home. Image courtesy of AVCandy.co.uk 2. You play the designer's full vision for each game Designers want you to discover the little idiosyncrasies they include in the games, it's part of the fun of designing. They want you to appreciate the intricate detail they used in creating realistic, engaging journeys through games. They want you to experience the full epic scale of what they have spent months, years creating. Squinting at a small screen as the world flies by you, do you think you'll get the full experience the designers had in mind? No, I think not. As long as designers keep making games that are only fully experienced on a fully considered AV system in a fully concentrated gaming den, our personal gaming havens remain a place to show our appreciation to our blessed creators. 3. It is your home in the gaming community Ok, for any non-gamers out there, this one might come as a surprise. Most of us like company. We like playing games with people. Whether it's playing with someone on the other side of the world online or side-by-side with someone on the couch, gaming is not about loner-individualism. It's about community, learning from each other, inspiring each other having fun together. In the social media age, it's easy to imagine that this space could be a virtual one. To some extent it is, but being able to host this experience in a physical space that I have made my own is a totally different experience. It feels more real, more personal. Whether I'm inviting them to come and hang out on the sofa or join me virtually in the game, a den lets me host. 4. Hang on a minute, what about virtual reality? Ok, you've got a point there. Virtual reality (VR) is, arguably, the big shift that's right on our doorsteps, inching us closer to that fabled Minority Report reality. With several big VR releases this year, it seems that gaming is finally making this technology a wearable reality. But does this mean big AV systems will become defunct? Will we prefer to pop on our VR headsets anywhere and start playing? Again, I don't think so, at least not yet. I see it being more likely that VR will be, like dear old joysticks, steering wheels, plastic guns and other console accessories, a welcome addition to our gaming experience but not a replacement for it. Because sometimes there just ain't nothin' better than kicking back and playing your favourite game, controller in hand. But as the technology improves, who knows, maybe we'll all want to become headset gamers—only time will tell.
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