What's defines a Video Game and what does not?

[zeke365]

So this a question I asked in my journal and it something I believed for a long time too, if the game does not qualify with your definition of the game then it, not a game.

For example, would visual novels be considered video games? Would social VR be video games? What really defines what a video game is?

Cause for a long time I did not think visual novels as video games and thought they were good interactive books, but boy was I wrong. If you dig a little deeper its a video game but in a different genre of video games but still game and has the same elements of video games. 

Same for social VR is a video game or not? 

So let me know the comments below what defines a video game to you and what does not and why do think that is? 

[Natalie]

Would visual novels be considered video games? No. Visual novels count as a graphic novel.

Would social VR be video games? No. Social VR is a type of an esport.

What really defines what a video game is? A video game is the most interactive form of the electronic media you used to get your hands on.

What defines a video game to you? To me, a video game is like a program that was insert-able and/or downloadable into either a computer or a console.

What does not define a video game to you? As a form of escapism because I'm not used to go on a chatbox while playing something really intense all at the same time. Fun fact: DeviantArt promoted Overwatch back in 2016.

Why do think that is? It seems everyone in my generation is doing it when I was growing up from Halo to Grand Theft Auto to Call of Duty to World of Warcraft to Minecraft to Overwatch to Pokemon GO to lately Fortnite. *sigh* Life is not a game, let it sink in.

[Damiano]

To me its all about personal context and personal history with games. Its exactly the same than with drugs. What defines a drug? Is alcohol a drug? is cannabis a drug? are cigarettes? they all have very similar effects on our reward systems. But it all depends on the person using them. I think you should ask yourself a different question.

How does interacting in a VR chat affect my life? Is it improving my life?  Is it just another way to tune down reality?

From my experience, those are more important questions.