A lot of people play games on the computer and online, but many don’t know how they work behind the scenes. How to kick in dark souls ? What is the best time to buy a PS4? How long does it take for a new release to be made available on Steam? Games are a billion dollar industry, and it’s about time you learned what makes them tick.
If you’re interested in games, but don’t know much about them, then this post is for you. We’ve covered 10 facts about games that will blow your mind – from Nintendo being the most successful company ever to the terrifyingly addictive qualities of Monument Valley . Ready? Plug in that HDMI cable and get ready to have your world rocked!
10 Facts About Games That Will Blow Your Mind :
1. Game sales have overtaken the movie industry
Did you know that games have become more profitable than film? In 2010, games made $24.6 billion dollars globally. That same year, box office sales only managed to reach $10.5 billion . Crazy, right? The numbers are even more impressive when you consider individual games. The highest grossing game of all time is GTA V , which sold over 45 million copies at the time of writing – that’s just under half a billion dollars earned per copy!
2. Nintendo are officially the most successful video game company ever
Nintendo is one of the most well-known names in gaming history and their first games were released way back in 1889 . They began releasing their own games in 1977 and since then, they’ve sold over 1.2 billion copies of their best-selling titles worldwide. Nintendo’s most successful game, as of 2012, is Wii Sports , which has sold more than 82 million copies. That surpasses every other game ever made and makes Nintendo the most successful company ever in the gaming business .
3. The original Mario Bros game had to be changed because people kept jumping off buildings after playing it
Did you know that there’s a Mario reference in GTAV? In the mission ‘Heavy Toll,’ Franklin has to pay a toll bridge by driving over a Mario warp pipe. If you jump into the pipe, you’ll be taken to a secret mushroom garden location called ‘Grove Street’.
The first time Nintendo released Super Mario Bros , people started jumping off of buildings and trying to kill themselves because they thought they would turn into Mario if they did. This is an actual documented fact and shows just how addictive games can be. You probably won’t get confused and try to take your own life after playing GTA V, but don’t say we didn’t warn you!
4. The original Super Mario Bros was released in Japan on a failed floppy disc
The first Mario game was designed in the early 80’s and was originally meant to be released on a failed floppling format . The Japanese version of the game, however, managed to get an advanced version that supported sound and colour graphics – and it even became popular enough for Nintendo to release more games later on. The original Super Mario Bros is also notable for being incredibly difficult – some players think it’s too challenging , but that hasn’t stopped people from playing it over 1 billion times!
5. Tetris was originally a game about Reagan’s Star Wars
When you think about Tetris , you probably don’t associate it with politics. But did you know that the first version of the game was developed in the Soviet Union to promote their leader, Reagan? Contrary to popular belief, Tetris is actually based on the idea of building up a wall between Russia and America – not clearing lines on a screen. It’s quite an interesting history lesson and makes this classic puzzle game even more addictive than it already is!
6. Half of all gamers are female
Girls can be just as gaming as boys! In fact, 53% of gamers are women , and that number only continues to rise. It’s becoming more accepted to be female and play games and that’s why we’re seeing more and more of them in this industry. Women also represent 40% of developers – which shows just how important they are to the development process. Girls can also often be found playing online on multiplayer games like League of Legends, so don’t be surprised if you see one!
7. Sonic was created by a Christian rock band
Sonic has appeared in dozens of games over the years, but did you know that he was originally created by a Christian rock band? The game was released for the Sega Genesis, which was made in Japan by Amusement Labor . The band had no idea that the game would be so popular, but they did benefit from the royalties from their work. Nowadays, Sonic is usually associated with Sega, but that wasn’t always the case.
