The idea of “sitting around the campfire” persists into the modern age. Now, however, there is much less “campfire.” The idea has come to mean a group of people sitting around a communal piece of entertainment.
Fire used to be a really big deal, but now, with motion gaming, 3D technology and touchscreen interfaces, you can get that campfire experience with some of the latest, most creative advancements in digital entertainment.
The picks below are obviously not exhaustive, and the timeline necessarily skews to more recent tech (the radio was also a huge advancement, but you’ve probably heard of it). Still, the selections below promise — or promised — to blow open how we experience digital entertainment. Gathe r ’round.
1. Motion Gaming
When the next generation video game consoles hit the market, most hardcore gamers saw the Nintendo Wii as a novelty — a toy. The console lacked the computing power of the Xbox 360 or PS3, and you played by waving your controller at the screen. The Wii then proceeded to outsell both consoles consistently. Oh, snap.
The Wii has not only been a success, but it has changed the way video games are played. Sony and Microsoft have both now jumped into the motion gaming craze with the Playstation Move (with controllers much like the Wii’s) and the entirely hands-free Xbox Kinect. Both the Move and Kinect have been selling well, with the Kinect actually outselling the Wii, ending Nintendo’s dominance on the console sales charts. Despite some grumbles that motion gaming is just for the casual crowd, its simplified and natural controls make it a good time to be a gamer of any skill l evel.
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