History of Video Games and the
Evolution of Male Romanticism in the
Gaming Industry
Jordan Cave
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A Brief Definition of Male Romanticism:
Male Romanticism is a type of romanticism which
appeases to males. Unlike sensual, or female,
romanticism, the qualities that excite men usually do
not involve any form of relationship with males and
females, unless the romance is highly sexual, but
lacking in sensual. Including sexual relationships,
male romanticism often includes heavy degrees of
violence and high-paced scenes of action and
athleticism. This excitement increases if the person in
question is allowed to manipulate the characters and
their actions. Male romanticism is easily associated
with competition, which allows one to show who is
the best within the group.
With the gaming industry steadily rising as the
largest media entertainment in America, comes a large
variety of gaming companies and thousands upon
thousands of different games for people to purchase
and enjoy. While female gamers are rising in
numbers, male gamers are still a dominant majority in
the gaming world. The average age for gamers is 29,
meaning that most gamers are of a mature age; the
gaming industry is aware of this fact, and over the
years, mature games that appease the majority and
bring in large profits for the company and the game
creators are produced. But what led to this? How is
that gaming evolved from the arcades and the
2
enthusiast’s basements to a staple of American
households across the country? And how does male
romanticism evolve from simple competition to
questions of morality and sexual satiation? This brief
history of gaming should help to show what led to
this change - and what the future holds.
Pinball Machines (1930-1972)
-Considered to be the first “gaming” peripheral of the
20th century, Pinball was first invented in the 1930’s.