Avideo game is a game played on a computer, including PC, Mac, various consoles, handheld devices, smart phones, etc. Video game industry goes back at least to the early eighties, with certain mainstays likeTetris maintaining popularity over the decades.

Video games can be divided by mechanics, by genre, by platform and countless other ways. Some controversy exists among gamers about what qualifies as a "game" vs. a "puzzle" or a "toy", see this SE.gamedev thread.^[1] It is worth noting that the discussion linked is unusually civil, open and well-argued by video game fandom standards.

Gamers have gained somewhat of a negative reputation due to phenomena like trash-talk on MMO servers, griefing,misogynistic attitudes (including but not limited to theFake Geek Girl meme), and having drawn on the long-standing stereotype of nerds or geeks as being friendless losers living in their parents' basement. Yet video games are continually increasing in the complexity of their programming, writing and art, and have gained some recognition as works of art or political commentary.Indie games are a rising market and previously excluded fans (see alsoRace and Fandom,Homophobia in Fandom) are speaking up and becoming more visible. Numerous tools and software has come out that aim to make it easier to create video games for people with little to no programming experience, such asTwine for text-based games,Ren'Py for visual novels, andRPG Maker.

Popular gamefranchises that have endured over the years:Mario,Legend of Zelda,Final Fantasy, and many game adaptations of larger sci-fi or fantasy canons likeStar Wars (seeStar Wars: Knights of the Old Republic) andDC Comics.

Fandom composition

Stereotypically, video game fandom is comprised of straight white males, aged 17-35. This is indeed a demographic category to which many game studios choose to market their games. However, female fans, fans of color, and queer fans have always existed and are becoming more visible, leading to some game-makers explicitly courting them as audiences. ALSO KIDS!! This paragraph is ignoring how video game advertising, at least, mostly targeted <17 crowd since it became a thing in the 70s, and it was actually a notable change when games companies started *advertising to adults*.^[2]

Romance in video games

It's a fraught topic. Some gamers decry romance as being a less important aspect of games, pinning the proliferation of romantic subplots on pandering to female gamers(ThoughOtome Games or other female-targeted romance games are exempt from this criticism though not necessarily exempt from gamer disdain). Game developers have also been known to express frustration with the high focus which some fandoms place on the love interests of an upcoming game.Shipping wars abound.

Additionally, fans demanding more inclusive content have lead to an increase in the number ofcharacters of colour as well as queer pairings in ships. For example, theDragon Age games have m/m and f/f pairings. This has also lead to pushback from those fans who believe that this is catering toSJW, like the discussion stemming fromDragon Age II.

Lost Video Games

With the rapid development of technology, there is a certain degree of obsolescence built into online video games. When publishers stop updating or stop supporting the software, the game becomes unplayable.Stop Killing Games is an online campaign created to try to encourage publishers to continue supporting their products.

Fandoms

Main Page:List of Video Game Fandoms

Fanworks

Some fanworks are unique to gaming fandom. A variety ofgame mods ranging from elaborately painted cosmetic skins to added gameplay content, up to and including mods large enough to spin off into their own game, such asDear Esther. Some game devs got their start making more sophisticated mods of popular games, like Brandon Chung of Blendo Games forHalf-Life^[3] and Brendan Green ofPlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds forDay-Z^[4]. These mods are often also a source of controversy -- for example, mods that turn gay characters straight for the player character.

Another video game specific form of fanwork isMachinima. These are animations made using game graphics, usually telling a story relating to the video game. These are incredibly popular in theMinecraft,World of Warcraft andTeam Fortress 2 fandom. The most well-known Machinima isRed vs. Blue, a popular show byRooster Teeth.

Other forms of fanwork also exists:cosplay (both in person andvirtual),fanart,fanfic,kink memes, etc.

Controversy

• Gamergate

References

• Fandoms by Canon Type
• Video Game Fandom Glossary