Prediction...

I'm fascinated by trend forecasting. I dont think I'm particularly good at it but still enjoy thinking about what may be coming down the line. So here is my first attempt at a legitimate prediction for where video gaming will be in the next 5 years. There has been a lot of talk recently about how the video game industry is "recession proof," in fact retailers like EB Games have been posting higher profits than in previous years even in light of the current national economic situation.
This morning, I saw a piece on Good Morning America (or was it the Early Show) which focused on the growing popularity of activities that allow a family to stay home as opposed to having to spend money on travelling (I think the word the anchor used was "stay-cation"), and cited video gaming as a healthy alternative. This leads me to believe that the longer the economic crisis lasts, the more time video games will have to further infiltrate the hearts and minds of American families. Of course I'm well aware that video games are already wildly popular aswell as succesful, but I think we can all agree that video gaming as a whole still lacks that full acceptance and understanding from the general public.

In the past I've told people (non-gamers) that I'm highly interested in video gaming and have without exception been given a look of "Isnt that cute he still plays pac-man" or "he's probably a slacker."

The video game industry generates more money than the movie industry but lacks the overwhelming acceptance that movies enjoy, however video gaming is everyday closer to taking that spot. Consider that video games now have their own award show (incidentaly it airs this Sunday on the Spike network if I'm not mistaken), consider that Major League Gaming and others like it albeit with some bumps in the road have done a lot to popularize video games as a legitimate competitive activity even having a tournament broadcast on one of the major networks, then consider that its never been a better time to be a gamer. My prediction is that within the next 5 years, video gaming will capitalize on what the current economic crisis is morphing our entertainment habits into and prevail as the preferred form of entertainment in the United States.