Video Games and the Value of Entertainment

Video games are presented as a young but rapidly maturing medium, comparable to early cinema, and this work focuses on creative and entertainment games rather than serious or applied games designed for education or behavior change. Its central argument is that the entertainment games industry deserves public and institutional support, both for its economic significance and its cultural and social worth. The analysis places particular emphasis on the Dutch and European context, while situating the discussion within a global market that was valued at roughly US$88–91 billion in 2015 and projected to reach about US$110–113 billion by 2018, with the United States and China expected to account for around half of it.

On economic grounds, the work argues that the UK games sector generates more value added than film, television, music, publishing, design, fashion, and architecture combined, and that Europe must pursue this market actively to remain competitive. The author cautions, however, that imprecise and opaque industry data, such as a €70 million discrepancy in Dutch revenue estimates, weakens the strength of such economic claims. Global revenue figures cited from a 2016 Newzoo report place the market at $99.6 billion that year, underscoring the scale of commercial activity.

On social and health questions, the work contends that games carry social value through engagement with politics, diversity, and playful experience, and that their cognitive and social benefits are well documented. Evidence linking games to addiction, obesity, or violence is judged inconclusive, with some studies showing publication bias. The author concludes that there is no societal reason to withhold support from the entertainment games industry, while still recommending age-appropriate access and further research. Finally, the work argues that games have gained recognition as a legitimate artistic medium, appearing in galleries, festivals, and concert settings, and that research funding has lagged behind this cultural acceptance, calling for direct public and European investment in creative and entertainment games research rather than reliance on market forces alone.