Prepare 6 в презентациях Culture GAMING CULTURE
Prepare 6 в презентациях Are you a gamer or do you know any ? What do you think about people who spend most of their free time on gaming ? What do you think the life of a professional gamer is like ?
Prepare 6 в презентациях Make a list of things you associate with gaming culture. Then read the text quickly. Are any of your ideas mentioned? LET’S PLAY Are you a gamer? Over 2.2 billion people around the world play video games. And with so many people playing, it’s no surprise that the gaming industry is big business, with an estimated worth of over $100 billion. But should we also be paying attention to gaming’s cultural value? And what exactly is gaming culture ? FROM ARCADE TO THE BIG SCREEN Early video games in the 1970s and 80s were much simpler than today’s games and were mainly popular with children and teenagers, who would spend hours playing them in arcades. Adults didn’t take this new form of entertainment very seriously and didn’t consider it to be a type of popular culture like books, music or cinema. However, over the decades, as games became more sophisticated and available on a wider range of devices and in a wider range of genres, their appeal grew rapidly and they became popular with people of all ages. In the past, video games were often based on other forms of entertainment. For example, there were video games based on films such as Star Wars and James Bond, or sports such as football and Formula 1. However, this later began to change, and video games started to influence other forms of entertainment and popular culture. Books, cartoons and live-action films based on the stories and characters from famous video games were produced. The wider appeal of gaming among the general public, and its influence on books, television and cinema, helped change the perception of video games and led to them being more respected and accepted as a form of entertainment and popular culture in their own right. In 2004, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, best known for its prestigious annual BAFTA Film Awards, held the first British Academy Games Awards, which recognise creative achievement in games. And in 2015, the World Video Game Hall of Fame was opened in New York to celebrate the video games that ‘have made an impact on the world’. GAMING CULTURE As well as influencing other forms of entertainment, a separate gaming culture has emerged in recent years thanks to social media and online multiplayer games. Electronic sports, or eSports, are an example of this. Players can win massive sums of prize money. The incredibly popular game Fortnite provided a total of $100 million in tournament prizes for its first year of competitive play! Gamers have also developed their own language that they use when playing online. Noob is an insult used to describe a new or inexperienced player; the term pwned, originally a typing mistake of ‘owned’, is used to describe a defeat, often when a gamer kills their opponent. And then there are more practical examples like AFK (away from keyboard) and OMW, a term often used in multiplayer gaming and short for ‘on my way’. Like in many areas of culture nowadays, YouTube also has a massive effect on gaming culture. As well as playing video games, many young people enjoy watching other people play. Gamers such as Fernanfloo, Germán Garmendia and Evan Fong, who upload videos of themselves playing and commenting on video games, have some of the most popular channels on YouTube, with tens of millions of subscribers. And no mention of gaming culture would be complete without cosplay, where people dress up to represent their favourite characters from games, comics, films or anime. TOXIC GAMERS However, gaming has its dark side, too. Many people in recent years have started to fight against so-called ‘toxic’ gaming culture. Unfortunately, a number of people in gaming communities use online multiplayer games, internet forums and social media to insult and bully other players, often female gamers. The gaming industry is looking for new ways to make gaming communities safer places and to stop online bullying and other forms of negative behaviour.
Prepare 6 в презентациях Find these numbers in the text. What do they refer to ? a 2004 b 2015 c 100,000,000 Are you a gamer? Over 2.2 billion people around the world play video games. And with so many people playing, it’s no surprise that the gaming industry is big business, with an estimated worth of over $100 billion. But should we also be paying attention to gaming’s cultural value? And what exactly is gaming culture ? FROM ARCADE TO THE BIG SCREEN Early video games in the 1970s and 80s were much simpler than today’s games and were mainly popular with children and teenagers, who would spend hours playing them in arcades. Adults didn’t take this new form of entertainment very seriously and didn’t consider it to be a type of popular culture like books, music or cinema. However, over the decades, as games became more sophisticated and available on a wider range of devices and in a wider range of genres, their appeal grew rapidly and they became popular with people of all ages. In the past, video games were often based on other forms of entertainment. For example, there were video games based on films such as Star Wars and James Bond, or sports such as football and Formula 1. However, this later began to change, and video games started to influence other forms of entertainment and popular culture. Books, cartoons and live-action films based on the stories and characters from famous video games were produced. The wider appeal of gaming among the general public, and its influence on books, television and cinema, helped change the perception of video games and led to them being more respected and accepted as a form of entertainment and popular culture in their own right. In 2004, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, best known for its prestigious annual BAFTA Film Awards, held the first British Academy Games Awards, which recognise creative achievement in games. And in 2015, the World Video Game Hall of Fame was opened in New York to celebrate the video games that ‘have made an impact on the world’. GAMING CULTURE As well as influencing other forms of entertainment, a separate gaming culture has emerged in recent years thanks to social media and online multiplayer games. Electronic sports, or eSports, are an example of this. Players can win massive sums of prize money. The incredibly popular game Fortnite provided a total of $100 million in tournament prizes for its first year of competitive play! Gamers have also developed their own language that they use when playing online. Noob is an insult used to describe a new or inexperienced player; the term pwned, originally a typing mistake of ‘owned’, is used to describe a defeat, often when a gamer kills their opponent. And then there are more practical examples like AFK (away from keyboard) and OMW, a term often used in multiplayer gaming and short for ‘on my way’. Like in many areas of culture nowadays, YouTube also has a massive effect on gaming culture. As well as playing video games, many young people enjoy watching other people play. Gamers such as Fernanfloo, Germán Garmendia and Evan Fong, who upload videos of themselves playing and commenting on video games, have some of the most popular channels on YouTube, with tens of millions of subscribers. And no mention of gaming culture would be complete without cosplay, where people dress up to represent their favourite characters from games, comics, films or anime. TOXIC GAMERS However, gaming has its dark side, too. Many people in recent years have started to fight against so-called ‘toxic’ gaming culture. Unfortunately, a number of people in gaming communities use online multiplayer games, internet forums and social media to insult and bully other players, often female gamers. The gaming industry is looking for new ways to make gaming communities safer places and to stop online bullying and other forms of negative behaviour.
Prepare 6 в презентациях 1 Initially, gaming wasn’t considered to be a form of _______________. 2 In __________, a respected organisation started giving prizes to the best video games. popular culture 2004 Are you a gamer? Over 2.2 billion people around the world play video games. And with so many people playing, it’s no surprise that the gaming industry is big business, with an estimated worth of over $100 billion. But should we also be paying attention to gaming’s cultural value? And what exactly is gaming culture ? FROM ARCADE TO THE BIG SCREEN Early video games in the 1970s and 80s were much simpler than today’s games and were mainly popular with children and teenagers, who would spend hours playing them in arcades. Adults didn’t take this new form of entertainment very seriously and didn’t consider it to be a type of popular culture like books, music or cinema. However, over the decades, as games became more sophisticated and available on a wider range of devices and in a wider range of genres, their appeal grew rapidly and they became popular with people of all ages. In the past, video games were often based on other forms of entertainment. For example, there were video games based on films such as Star Wars and James Bond, or sports such as football and Formula 1. However, this later began to change, and video games started to influence other forms of entertainment and popular culture. Books, cartoons and live-action films based on the stories and characters from famous video games were produced. The wider appeal of gaming among the general public, and its influence on books, television and cinema, helped change the perception of video games and led to them being more respected and accepted as a form of entertainment and popular culture in their own right. In 2004, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, best known for its prestigious annual BAFTA Film Awards, held the first British Academy Games Awards, which recognise creative achievement in games. And in 2015, the World Video Game Hall of Fame was opened in New York to celebrate the video games that ‘have made an impact on the world’. Complete the sentences with one or two words from the text.
Prepare 6 в презентациях 3 Gamers often call a player who hasn’t played a game very much a __________. __________ has had a big impact on gaming culture in recent years. 5 Unfortunately, _______________________ are often bullied in online multiplayer games by other players. YouTube female gamers GAMING CULTURE As well as influencing other forms of entertainment, a separate gaming culture has emerged in recent years thanks to social media and online multiplayer games. Electronic sports, or eSports, are an example of this. Players can win massive sums of prize money. The incredibly popular game Fortnite provided a total of $100 million in tournament prizes for its first year of competitive play! Gamers have also developed their own language that they use when playing online. Noob is an insult used to describe a new or inexperienced player; the term pwned, originally a typing mistake of ‘owned’, is used to describe a defeat, often when a gamer kills their opponent. And then there are more practical examples like AFK (away from keyboard) and OMW, a term often used in multiplayer gaming and short for ‘on my way’. Like in many areas of culture nowadays, YouTube also has a massive effect on gaming culture. As well as playing video games, many young people enjoy watching other people play. Gamers such as Fernanfloo, Germán Garmendia and Evan Fong, who upload videos of themselves playing and commenting on video games, have some of the most popular channels on YouTube, with tens of millions of subscribers. And no mention of gaming culture would be complete without cosplay, where people dress up to represent their favourite characters from games, comics, films or anime. TOXIC GAMERS However, gaming has its dark side, too. Many people in recent years have started to fight against so-called ‘toxic’ gaming culture. Unfortunately, a number of people in gaming communities use online multiplayer games, internet forums and social media to insult and bully other players, often female gamers. The gaming industry is looking for new ways to make gaming communities safer places and to stop online bullying and other forms of negative behaviour. noob
Prepare 6 в презентациях And with so many people playing, it’s no surprise that the gaming industry is big business, with an estimated worth of over $100 billion. Early video games in the 1970s and 80s were much simpler than today’s games and were mainly popular with children and teenagers, who would spend hours playing them in arcades. Books, cartoons and live-action films based on the stories and characters from famous video games were produced. As well as influencing other forms of entertainment, a separate gaming culture has emerged in recent years thanks to social media and online multiplayer games. And no mention of gaming culture would be complete without cosplay, where people dress up to represent their favourite characters from games, comics, films or anime. Many people in recent years have started to fight against so-called ‘ toxic ’ gaming culture. Match the highlighted words in the text to their meanings. 1 involving real people or animals ___________ 2 put on different clothes and pretend to be someone different ___________ 3 having a particular value, especially in money ___________ 4 causing a lot of harm and unhappiness ___________ 5 appeared or became known ___________ 6 places containing coin-operated game machines ___________ live-action worth emerged toxic dress up arcades
Prepare 6 в презентациях Why do you think gaming has become so popular ? Do you think teenagers spend too much of their time gaming ? Why? / Why not? How do you think the gaming industry could fight “toxic” behaviour in gaming ?
Prepare 6 в презентациях Listen to the show Gaming World. What does Laura say about the negative attitudes she has noticed towards female gamers? Choose the best summary. A She gets very annoyed with negative attitudes in gaming and doesn’t know how to deal with them. B She actively challenges negative attitudes, although this is difficult to do at times. C She tries to respond to negative attitudes in gaming, but feels that nothing changes. Tom: Good evening, and here we are with another edition of Gaming World. I’d like to welcome a very special guest to today’s show – Laura Sanchez. Hello, Laura. Laura: Hi, Tom. It’s a real pleasure to be here. Tom: Now Laura, I’m sure many of our viewers will recognise you from your recent success in the world of gaming. Can you tell us a bit about that? Laura: Yes, well, along with my team, I’ve won some major game tournaments this year. Tom: Congratulations! How long have you been gaming? Laura: Since I was old enough to pick up a controller! My parents tried to give me girls’ toys to play with, saying that computers were for boys, but I didn’t listen to them! And some things haven’t changed all that much since then … Tom: What do you mean? Laura: Well, there are still lots of people who think that gaming is a boys-only club. It’s hard not to get irritated when people say that. Tom: I’m sure it is. So what do you say? Laura: I take a deep breath and respond positively. I tell them that roughly equal numbers of men and women play games. But some people still don’t want to listen, so that’s when I hit them with the statistics: Did you know that in the US, 33% of gamers are adult females, compared to 15% who are young males? Tom: Now that is surprising! Laura: Isn’t it? And there’s also evidence from the UK which shows that women are more likely to be gamers than men. Women have an important place in gaming. We have to work hard to change negative attitudes. It’s about telling people the facts and opening their eyes. Tom: Yes, I agree completely. But I’ve still heard lots of people say that although women play games, they aren’t ‘true’ gamers. And that’s because they don’t play as often as males or are usually less skilful … Laura: Look, as I said before, dealing with negative attitudes can be a real challenge. People who say things like that need to understand that there’s no such thing as a ‘real’ gamer. Gaming is open to everyone to enjoy and take part in as they choose. Tom: And what about all the people who still think that gaming is only for teenagers, closed away in their bedrooms for hours and hours? Laura: Well, I tell them that the average gamer in the US is 35 years old, so not so young really! Tom: No, it’s not. Laura: The good thing is that attitudes change over time. The gamer community is now much more accepting of female gamers – something which is reflected in the rapidly increasing number of female pro gamers like me. However, I’m still worried about how females working in other areas of gaming, such as game design and journalism, are often still the target of abuse and insults from male gamers and colleagues. Tom: Yes, I’m sure it’s a struggle to stay cool and not react. Laura: It is, Tom, it is. But in the end, it’s about maintaining a healthy level of respect. And sometimes people just need a little help to remind them how to do that!
Prepare 6 в презентациях Listen again. Then choose the correct options. 1 When she was younger, Laura’s parents wanted her to play with their choice of toys / a controller / a computer. 2 A half / 15% / A third of US gamers are adult females. 3 A typical gamer in the United States is 30 / 33 / 35 years old. 4 The number of female pro gamers is steadily / slowly / quickly going up. Tom: Good evening, and here we are with another edition of Gaming World. I’d like to welcome a very special guest to today’s show – Laura Sanchez. Hello, Laura. Laura: Hi, Tom. It’s a real pleasure to be here. Tom: Now Laura, I’m sure many of our viewers will recognise you from your recent success in the world of gaming. Can you tell us a bit about that? Laura: Yes, well, along with my team, I’ve won some major game tournaments this year. Tom: Congratulations! How long have you been gaming? Laura: Since I was old enough to pick up a controller! My parents tried to give me girls’ toys to play with, saying that computers were for boys, but I didn’t listen to them! And some things haven’t changed all that much since then … Tom: What do you mean? Laura: Well, there are still lots of people who think that gaming is a boys-only club. It’s hard not to get irritated when people say that. Tom: I’m sure it is. So what do you say? Laura: I take a deep breath and respond positively. I tell them that roughly equal numbers of men and women play games. But some people still don’t want to listen, so that’s when I hit them with the statistics: Did you know that in the US, 33% of gamers are adult females, compared to 15% who are young males? Tom: Now that is surprising! Laura: Isn’t it? And there’s also evidence from the UK which shows that women are more likely to be gamers than men. Women have an important place in gaming. We have to work hard to change negative attitudes. It’s about telling people the facts and opening their eyes. Tom: Yes, I agree completely. But I’ve still heard lots of people say that although women play games, they aren’t ‘true’ gamers. And that’s because they don’t play as often as males or are usually less skilful … Laura: Look, as I said before, dealing with negative attitudes can be a real challenge. People who say things like that need to understand that there’s no such thing as a ‘real’ gamer. Gaming is open to everyone to enjoy and take part in as they choose. Tom: And what about all the people who still think that gaming is only for teenagers, closed away in their bedrooms for hours and hours? Laura: Well, I tell them that the average gamer in the US is 35 years old, so not so young really! Tom: No, it’s not. Laura: The good thing is that attitudes change over time. The gamer community is now much more accepting of female gamers – something which is reflected in the rapidly increasing number of female pro gamers like me. However, I’m still worried about how females working in other areas of gaming, such as game design and journalism, are often still the target of abuse and insults from male gamers and colleagues. Tom: Yes, I’m sure it’s a struggle to stay cool and not react. Laura: It is, Tom, it is. But in the end, it’s about maintaining a healthy level of respect. And sometimes people just need a little help to remind them how to do that!
Prepare 6 в презентациях Complete the sentences with the words. USEFUL LANGUAGE Talking about negative attitudes 1 It’s hard not to get ____________ when people say that. 2 I take a deep breath and ____________ positively. 3 We have to work ____________ to change negative attitudes. 4 Dealing with negative attitudes can be a real _____________. 5 The good thing is that attitudes change ____________ time. 6 It’s about maintaining a healthy level of ____________. respect respond challenge over irritated hard
Prepare 6 в презентациях PROJECT Gaming habits Work in groups to investigate gaming habits and attitudes towards gaming. Use these steps to help you. 1 Design a questionnaire or online survey. 2. Find out what people think about gamer culture and different groups of gamers. 3 Aska range of people about themselves and their friends / families. 4 Ask about gaming preferences, habits, attitudes and toxic behaviour. 5 Display your results on a poster or slide presentation and write a brief summary. Present your work to the class.
