I am worried about the gaming industry. It has been something that has steadily grown since being rejuvinated by the release of the NES. Old companies who could not keep up were either bought out by other companies or went completely under. Now, companies are laying off thousands of employees and shutting down entire braches and projects in order to survive. Jobs everywhere are starting to disappear. It seems that "the good times" are disappearing. Will gaming be able to survive one of the worst economic crises since the Great Depression?

There are reasons to be doubtful. Gaming is, essentially, a luxury. It is not a necessity of life, despite what I may say or many other avid gamers. Food, clothing, and shelter are the necessities. However, we do need to be entertained in order to suffer the mundane and troublesome life. Cinemas were able to stay afloat during the Great Depression because it offered many people a way to temporarily escape the dire circumstances in which they found themselves. It is possible that video games may become a new method of coping with economic depression. Although games are relatively expensive for those who live paycheck to paycheck, there might be need fulfilled through cheaper budget games. Gaming companies will likely respond by dropping big budget titles and stick to low budget games to keep their costs down as well as making more affordable games for the ailing consumer.

We are all in this together. It will take patience and perserverance. Pandering to casual market may be the thing that ultimately keeps the gaming industry from moving to the fringes of the economy and society in the coming years as we attempt to recover.

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