extralives

Tom Bissell has spent thousands of hours playing video games. He also once spent several years with addictions to both Grand Theft Auto IV and cocaine. As a literary author and critic, he’s slightly embarrassed, but he makes a good case that for a still-young medium, videogames are steadily feeling their way toward the vaunted status of “art.”

Videogames are a $30 billion dollar industry, and have moved well beyond Mario bouncing off the heads of Goombas. Many people say that video games are not art. But that is not true at all.

Tom Bissell is a manufacturer of video games. Some of his favorite games are Far Cry 2, Left 4 Dead, Bioshock, and oblivion. He offers a fascinating and often hilarious critique of the ways video games dazzle and, just as often, frustrate. His favorite game is Grand Theft Auto 2 because he says that the game themes his own mirror image. Bissell also loves to interview creator of games and believes to ask very in-depth questions.

Video games even make up part of the economy. kids and adults spend enough money a year on video games to buy a brand new car. Basically video games are important and anyone who denies is just one of those people who believes video games melt the mind, but it doesn't. Video games enhance certain everyday skills and senses that may be weak. For example, typing or hand eye coordination.

Presentation: - Print out fact sheet about book and hand it out to the class. - Divide the room in two between gamers and non-gamers - Video tape ourselves playing certain games specified in the book. - Talk about the book between videos. - Explain the benefits of video games - Explain how video games should be considered art. - Have an interactive activity to test the skills video games give you.