I’ve come across a burst of video game related information since posting my own views on evolution of video games. TechDirt has an interesting article that suggests video game players develop better visual scanning abilities. Is this an added benefit for the US Army?

This is along the same lines as a previous article Techdirt linked to on BBC about how regular play video game players may have improved visual skills. This follows up their posting about video game players being better business thinkers.

CollisionDetection, another blog I visit regularly, has an article that suggests that kids today would rather play the virtual sport than the actual sport. I think he’s off the mark at suggesting that NBA video games should be broadcast instead of (or as well as) the actual games. I don’t think people would actually watch it for any length of time unless the players were extraordinarily good. When it comes down to it, you’d be encouraging players to specialize at non-life skills.

If the Video game is doing better than the actual game, then shouldn’t the NBA be looking at ways to market it’s game better through the game, while gaining a better understanding of what people are looking for in their product?

The latest video game article on CollisionDetection links to a failed baseball game promotion that effectively leverages the popularity of the video games with real sports. The promotion would have had 2 baseball video game players play the first 2 innings of a baseball game, and the rest of the game to be played by the real teams. While the promotion failed to pass the commissioners office due to league rules, it is the kind of thinking that could encourage use of the video game and promote the popularity of the real sport.

Just another way a video game could make a better marketing tool.