A report by the NYT talks about the way in which authors, librarians and teachers are using video games to attract youngsters to reading. One such game is the Rings of Orbis. This game is tied to a series of sci-fi novels by PJ Haarsma. Players have to read PJ Haarsma’s novels to find their way through the game.

Some people say that video games are legitimate tools for learning while other say that they cheapen literature. Technology poses a threat to literature according to these people. Games cannot create fictional worlds as complex as those woven by literary geniuses. These worlds cannot be rendered correctly in video games. Video games do not go further than bettering hand eye coordination.
One reader of the NYT commented that books that have shaped culture should not be compared to poorly scripted video games as that is insulting to the books. The other half of the story is that video games can improve comprehension. One such game is Reader Rabbit. Other skills develop very well via video games as well. Strategy, cooperation and such skills develop while playing some games.

Just because the media is digital, it doesn’t mean that the media is bad. More important is how good the game is.