Gamers Get a Hollywood Makeover

Back then, most directors were too old to play games, and clearly didn’t bother to observe anyone who did. But to be fair to Hollywood, game culture is also hard to film because so much of a game’s appeal is internal. All the strategizing, the mental mapping, the cybernetic thrill of being in a loop with a complex system: That’s all invisible. It happens inside your head. As TV critic Neil Postman noted, “The act of thinking is not televisable.” Games suffer from precisely the same problem. That’s why directors resort to such exaggerated physical cues — the bugged-out eyes, the twitching — in an attempt to paint the excitement of game-playing on the outside of a player’s body.

But I think the tide has finally turned. These days, half the movies I see have engaging, witty depictions of everyday gamers, none of whom are latent homicidal maniacs. —Clive Thompson —Gamers Get a Hollywood Makeover (Wired)