video games

How ‘The Sims’ Decodes Gaming Gender Dynamics

Allegra Walker, University at Albany - SUNY

While there are many memes going around about how The Sims game series is popular amongst a female audience, the appeal to slice-of-life games for women starts in girlhood.…

April 3, 2024

An older man with short, wavy blonde hair raises his hand to his ear, wearing an old-timey ruffled collar under a maroon long-sleeve shirt.

‘Baldur’s Gate 3’ Fans, Here’s Some Games You’ll Love!

Natalie VanHecke, University of Texas at Dallas

If you’re a fan of the Game of the Year, here are other video games with similarities that you’ll definitely enjoy!…

January 5, 2024

Similar to the album cover of "Born to Die", a drawing of Lana Del Rey stands in front of a blue sky with the words "Born to Die" around her.

Born to Thrive: The Lana Del Rey Album Ahead Of Its Time

Emma Troise, Manhattan College

Revisiting the impact of Lana Del Rey’s “Born to Die” on the music industry (I never stopped listening).…

December 12, 2023

For an article on the FNAF film, a red lit sign reads "Freddy Fazenbear's Pizza" as an animatronic brown bear wearing a hat waves his hand. A green splat is next to the text "30%" and a red and white striped carton of popcorn icon is next to the text "88%."

Five Nights at Freddy’s” — Frightful Easter Eggs

Natalie VanHecke, University of Texas at Dallas

Look out for these easter eggs as this fan-favorite horror game finally releases on the big screen.…

November 10, 2023

Can Shooter Video Games Be Anti-War?

Joshua Laine, Emmanuel College

While the glorification of combat seems to be at the heart of many first-person shooters, there is also the potential for anti-war commentary.…

October 7, 2023

How the Video Game Industry Negatively Impacts Women

Kate Wunderlich, Elon University

An unfortunate gender bias still exists.…

September 7, 2023

In an article about Subway Surfers Tiktok videos, the game plays on a phone with a chalkboard full of math sequences in front of it.

Is Subway Surfers a New Method of Storytelling?

Emily Chang, Wellesley College

What does the rise of 'sludge content' on TikTok say about viewers' attention spans?…

June 12, 2023

In an article about anti-semitism in J.K Rowling's Harry Potter, a drawing of a Harry Potter book ripped in two.

The Built-In Discrimination in J. K. Rowling’s Wizarding World

Malaki Lingg, The University of Texas at San Antonio

The beloved ‘Harry Potter’ series has some unfortunate connections to bigotry and antisemitism.…

April 28, 2023

The Life Cycle of Video Games

Kirsten Kalebich, Arizona State University

What is it about older video games that make people want to keep playing them?…

December 6, 2022

Studios seem to pick fame over talent regarding voice actors.

Okay, but Why Chris Pratt?

Evan Tsuei, Westmont College

The Super Mario movie raises some questions about big stars being cast for animated film roles over professional voice actors.…

November 3, 2022

The sacrificial lamb in the middle of a crusade

Cult of the Lamb Is a Must-Play for Halloween

Kirsten Kalebich, Arizona State University

It's a cutesy spooky game, perfect for those who aren't quite up to the horrors of the spooky season.…

October 10, 2022

Drawing of a child playing video games surrounded by horror characters Freddy Fazbear, Ghostface, Jason Vorhees and Pennywise.

Modern Horror Games Have an Interesting New Target Audience

Christian Simon, Kutztown University

The newest trends in scary video games appear to be aimed at an extremely youthful group of players, leading to some discontent among older gamers.…

October 4, 2022

What Happened to Sonic the Hedgehog?

Christian Simon, Kutztown University

The franchise’s recipe for success is instead a fast track to failure.…

September 25, 2022

three characters from Genshin Impact in an article about the Version 3.0 update

Genshin Impact Version 3.0 Offers Tons of New Features

Cassandra Jenkins, Temple University

The update introduces players to a new region, the final of the seven elements in Teyvat, an array of new characters and much more.…

September 22, 2022

In an article about the Sony character Sly Cooper, an illustration of the main character.

It’s Time To Bring Back Sly Cooper

Christian Simon, Kutztown University

One of Sony’s greatest mascots has hibernated for far too long.…

September 20, 2022

illustration of paddle controller with line through it

Paddle Controllers Have Become a Topic of Debate in the Gaming World

Janey Schmidt, Columbia College Chicago

Are you a cheater if you use one? Or is it all fair and square?…

September 11, 2022

In an article about the newest Xenoblade Chronicles game, an illustration of the game cover

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Sets the Bar High for RPGs

Christian Simon, Kutztown University

Monolith Soft’s latest and greatest game should serve as an example for all roleplaying games.…

August 28, 2022

Virtual Reality Hardware Is Ready, but the Games Lag Far Behind

Christian Simon, Kutztown University

Consumer-ready headsets are here, but the games available disappoint even the most casual of users.…

August 7, 2022

EA Sucks, and They Might Get Even Worse

Kirk Chamberlain, Marist College

After years of cash grabs, the gaming corporation might finally get a taste of its own medicine.…

August 6, 2022

In an article about the video game The Last of Us, an illustration of the main characters

How ‘The Last of Us’ Changed How PlayStation Told Stories

Christian Simon, Kutztown University

Joel and Ellie’s story defined a whole generation of video game narratives.…

July 1, 2022

In an article about Iron Giant and his appearance in 'MultiVersus', an illustration of Iron Giant standing next to Superman

The Inclusion of the Iron Giant in MultiVersus Is a Good Thing

Christian Simon, Kutztown University

It’s time to bring this animation legend back into the spotlight, despite the concerns of long-time fans about his new role.…

June 17, 2022

In an article about Activision, a drawing shows two hands shaking with corporation symbols behind them.

Before Being Bought Out, Activision Had a Long, Storied History

Emily Elizabeth Louie, American University

After Microsoft announced its newest acquisition, the long-standing video game company found itself back under the microscope. No one was happy with what they discovered.…

June 12, 2022

In an article about the new 'Nintendo Switch Sports' game, two people discuss the pros and cons of the game

Nintendo Switch Sports Brings Back Some Old Favorites

Janey Schmidt, Columbia College Chicago

The arrival of the system's newest sports game offers some nostalgia for fans of the classic Wii Sports collection.…

June 8, 2022

In an article about ConcernedApe, a drawing of Stardew Valley's game screen is shown.

Stardew Valley and ConcernedApe Have Blazed a Trail for Small-Time Indie Developers Everywhere

Peyton Conner, Indiana University

The popular developer proves that solo development success is possible with his video game based on Harvest Moon.…

June 5, 2022

How Until Dawn Did Decision-Making Games Right

Jordan Oulela, University of Texas at San Antonio

As the release of its spiritual successor, The Quarry, draws near, it's time to see how the 2015 title raised the stakes for immersive gameplay.…

June 3, 2022

Microsoft’s Solitaire Continues To Be the Soul-Soothing Solution for Boredom

Joy Young, Chapman University

The 32nd anniversary of the beloved game is a celebrated milestone by all gamers, old and new — so what makes the card game revered after all this time?…

June 1, 2022