Inside The Video Game Industry

A podcast about living and learning in the age of screentime. Welcome to Episode #7. Inside the Video Game Industry.

Moments from our lives: Ian and Kristen talk to a video game producer about the role and purpose of video games in our lives.

What we’re reading:

Perrin, A. (September 2018). 5 facts about Americans and video games.  Pew Research Center. http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/09/17/5-facts-about-americans-and-video-games/

In the U.S., the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) maintains a system for educating “consumers, especially parents” by offering guidance and information about each game. The rating system includes a basic rating (six categories from Early Childhood to Adults Only), content descriptions, and a list of interactive elements.

Parent friendly video game reviews from Common Sense Media, PixelKin, Ask About Games, PluggedIn, Everybody Plays.

Special Guest: Matthew Hawley, Lead Producer, Overwatch, Blizzard Entertainment

Big questions/Takeaway: What are video game developers trying to create?  What does the purpose behind the creation mean for us as teachers/parents when we consider the games we bring into our children’s/teens’ lives?  Kristen and Ian learn about the concept of “budgeting” in video game design and apply it to education and parenting. Ian learns that gamers can be “salty.”