In our society today, entertainment revolves around technology. Video games are a form of mass media entertainment enjoyed by all ages. Video game genres range from violent action to emotional romance, just as movies do. However, the general public views video games as a distraction or even a waste of time. The consensus on this opinion mainly comes from the fact that video games can intrigue a person for long periods of time. Interestingly, the same can be said for other activities such as reading books or watching videos on YouTube. If you can learn things from a book, can't you also learn from video games? In addition to being fun, some video games also provide practice in problem solving, logic, and strategy. Personally, I believe that all the many positive effects of video games outweigh the negative aspects that the general public conceives when playing video games. Video games were first introduced to the public in the early 1970s, when the rebel troubles of the Vietnam War were still raging and fashion trends consisted of miniskirts, bell-bottoms, and the infamous "hippie" look. During this era, the world's first commercially successful arcade video game titled "Pong" (this later became known as Ping-Pong) was released in arcades and bars around the world. Pong was the first game developed by a company called Atari Inc (Hansen). Pong was a simple game that simulated a tennis match. Atari Inc. founder Nolan Bushnell was only 29 years old when he founded Atari in 1972. The success of Pong kicked off the beginning of the video game industry and laid the foundation for future video game developers and producers. However, since this technology was new, there was...... middle of paper...... March 2014."Egm Retro: 20 Years Of Nes." Electronic Gaming Monthly 196 (2005): 136. MasterFILE Premier. Network. February 26, 2014.Granic, Isabela, Adam Lobel and Rutger CME Engels. “The Benefits of Playing Video Games.” American Psychologist 69.1 (2014): 66-78. PsycARTICLES. Network. March 2, 2014."Mario through the ages." Forbes.Com (2012): 17. Company source completed. Network. February 26, 2014.LIANE, HANSEN. “Pong: The Ping Heard Around the World.” Sunday Weekend Edition (NPR) (n.d.): Newspaper Source Plus. Network. February 26, 2014.Uttal, D.H., Meadow, N.G., Tipton, E., Hand, L.L., Alden, A.R., Warren, C., & Newcombe, NS (2013). The malleability of spatial skills: A meta-analysis of training studies. Psychological Bulletin, 139, 352–402. “Violent video games cause emotional arousal in adolescents.” Neurology Reviews 15.1 (2007): 31. Academic research completed. Network. March 2. 2014.