The first known computer game, Spacewars, coded for the PDP-1, ran on a massive mainframe. That was in 1962, when Stephen Russell wrote the program on MIT?s mainframe. Computer games have come a long way since then.
A computer game refers to a game played on a personal computer, and it differs from its counterpart, the video game - technically termed a ?console game? - by virtue of the fact that while the computer game sits on the hard disk of a PC, a console game?s instructions come through a controller, and video and audio emanates from a television.
PC games were designed to help personal computer users relax and have some fun without having to leave their office cubicle. With the passage of time, computer games became an alternate entertainment industry, and are now probably the highest revenue-generator for the software industry. With a PC in every home, children?s addiction for computer games is one of the most prominent parental nightmares. And with the surge in Internet speed, free and fast downloading of games, and online interactive games, even adult gaming addiction is on the rise.
In one click, several hours? worth of games can be downloaded. The 90s saw ?Doom? become immensely popular. It?s not just gaming for its own sake anymore?it?s an alternative lifestyle, an attitude ? either you are in it, or you are not. Downloading has its advantages, like faster data transfer and lower price (sometimes free). But there are cons to downloading games. Many creators add malicious spyware to the games to divert personal information from your PC, like email IDs. Also, downloaded games often contain viruses.
