Online game facts for kids
An online game is a video game you play using the Internet or another computer network. These games are super common today on many devices. You can play them on computers, game consoles, and phones. They come in many different types too!
Since the 2010s, many online games are offered for free. But they often have ways to make money, like loot boxes or battle passes you can buy. Unlike games you buy in a store, online games need special servers to work. This means they might not be playable forever if the servers shut down.
Online games can be simple, like text-based games. Or they can have amazing graphics and huge virtual worlds. Sometimes, online parts are small, like a leaderboard showing high scores. Other times, playing against other people is the main part of the game. Many online games create their own communities. Some games, especially social ones, let you play with your real-life friends. Popular Twitch streamers and YouTubers playing games can make them very famous.
Online gaming has made the world of video game culture much bigger. Players of all ages, from different countries, and with various jobs enjoy online games. Many video games have also created funny internet memes and gained huge online fan bases.
Sometimes, online gaming gets criticized. This is because some online spaces can have cyberbullying, violence, or xenophobia (dislike of people from other places). Some people also worry about gaming addiction or how gamers are seen by others. However, it's also argued that playing with strangers online is not always different from playing against computer players.
Contents
The History of Online Games
Online games started a long time ago, in the 1970s. This was when computer networks first began. An early type of online game was called a MUD. The first MUD, MUD1, was made in 1978. It was first played on a private network. Then, in 1980, it connected to the ARPANet, an early version of the Internet.
Commercial online games came out in the 1980s. Islands of Kesmai, the first online role-playing game, appeared in 1984. More graphical games followed. These included the MSX LINKS action games in 1986. The flight simulator Air Warrior came out in 1987. Also, an online Go game for the Famicom Modem was released in 1987.
Online Gaming Booms in the 1990s
The Internet became widely available in the 1990s. This led to many new online games. Some famous titles from this time include:
- Nexus: The Kingdom of the Winds (1996)
- Quakeworld (1996)
- Ultima Online (1997)
- Lineage (1998)
- StarCraft (1998)
- Counter-Strike (1999)
- EverQuest (1999)
Video game consoles also started getting online features. Examples include the Famicom Modem (1987) and Sega Meganet (1990). Later consoles like the PlayStation 2 (2000) and Xbox (2001) also added online play. As Internet speeds got better, new game types became popular. These included social games and games on phones.
The Rise of MMOs and MOBAs
In the 2000s, technology became cheaper. Fast Internet became very common. This helped new game types like massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) become well-known. For example, World of Warcraft (2004) was extremely popular for many years. Other MMOs tried to be as successful as Warcraft. These included Star Wars Galaxies and Guild Wars 2. The MMORPG community even developed its own slang and social rules.
Around the same time, a new type of online game became popular. This was Defense of the Ancients (2003), which started the multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) style. DotA was a mod (a fan-made change) for Warcraft III. As World of Warcraft became less popular, DotA grew. Since DotA was tied to Warcraft, other companies made their own MOBAs. These included League of Legends (2010) and Dota 2 (2013). By the early 2010s, MOBAs were a big part of esports (organized video game competitions).
Newer Online Game Types
In the late 2010s, a new type of shooter game became popular. These were called hero shooters. They were inspired by MOBAs and older class-based shooters. Games like Overwatch (2016) led this trend. Other popular hero shooters include Paladins (2018) and Valorant (2020).
The battle royale game format also became very popular. This happened with games like PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (2017) and Fortnite Battle Royale (2017). Apex Legends (2019) also joined this trend. The popularity continued into the 2020s with Call of Duty: Warzone (2020). Each of these games gained tens of millions of players very quickly.
Who Plays Online Games?
Even though there are more male gamers than female gamers worldwide (52% male to 48% female), women make up more than half the players in some games. As of 2019, the average gamer is 33 years old.
How We Play: Gaming Platforms
Playing on Consoles
Xbox Live started in November 2002. At first, Xbox consoles used a feature called system link. Players could connect two consoles with an Ethernet cable. Or they could connect many consoles using a router. With the first Xbox, Microsoft launched Xbox Live. This allowed people to play together over the Internet.
The PlayStation 3 has a similar feature called the PlayStation Network. The Wii also supports some online gaming. Nintendo also has a network called "Nintendo Network". This network fully supports online gaming for the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS.
Playing in Your Browser
As the World Wide Web grew, web browsers became more advanced. People started making browser games that you could play right in your web browser. Simple single-player games were made using web technologies like HTML and JavaScript.
Later, web graphics technologies like Flash and Java made browser games more complex. These "Flash games" or "Java games" became very popular. They ranged from simple ideas to big games. Some were even released on consoles later. Many Java or Flash games were shared on different websites, reaching huge audiences. Browser-based pet games, like Neopets, are popular with younger online gamers.
Newer browser games use technologies like Ajax for more complex multiplayer actions. They also use WebGL for 3D graphics without needing extra plugins.
Ways Players Interact
Player versus Environment (PvE)
PvE means "Player versus Environment." This term is used in online games, especially MMORPGs. It means you are fighting against computer-controlled opponents. You are working with other players against the game itself.
Player versus Player (PvP)
PvP means "Player versus Player." This term describes any game or part of a game where players compete against each other. Instead of fighting computers, you are fighting other human players.
See also
In Spanish: Videojuego en línea para niños
