VisualGPS Creative Trends Technology Beyond the Blue Glow: Video Games as Connection

When we think of video games, we often picture a dark room washed in blue light. A single player, headset on, eyes fixed on a glowing screen. Think: Tron.¹ It’s a visual shorthand that’s been used for years, but it’s no longer telling the full story. 

Because video games today aren’t just about play—they can also be about connecting.

More than 205 million Americans play video games and yes, the Candy Crush your aunt plays at family dinners does count.² That’s over one in three people, spanning generations, genders, and interests. According to the Entertainment Software Association, over a quarter of gamers are over fifty years old. Over 80% of parents play games with their kids. This is likely as Gen X and Millennials, who came of age during the console wars, are introducing their nostalgia to the next generation.

And yet, the way we picture gaming hasn’t kept up with how people really experience them. Getty Images' VisualGPS research shows that only about 1% of tech imagery features gaming. When it does, it’s often the same tropes: Glowing consoles, neon effects, or a player frozen mid‑reaction. What’s missing are the moments of joy, humor, and sometimes even collaboration, the reasons so many of us play in the first place.

Games give us a space to explore, to create, and to connect. Whether it’s through late‑night online raids, nostalgic retro game replays, or shared laughter in a living room. 78% of players say technology helps them feel connected to others. Gaming can help introduce those first steps toward real‑world connection, especially when nearly three quarters of people say they want to meet others in‑person more often.

In an era where most Americans say work/life balance is essential to their well‑being and 80% view creative expression as vital to their health, video games have become an important outlet. Nearly one in three say games improve their mood, and 78% use creative activities (like gaming) to process emotions. Even if we aren’t playing collaboratively, cozy, single player games can be relaxing and give us space to feel more connected to ourselves. Games genres have greatly expanded beyond high‑octane and non‑stop action.

If the visuals don’t yet reflect this emotional and social reality, it’s time to change that. What would video game imagery look like if it showed what gaming feels like?

Imagine players not just sitting alone, but leaning in, laughing, gesturing, and connecting across screens and across generations. Show parents and kids side‑by‑side, friends crowded around a couch, or even someone walking in front of the TV.

There’s also room for creativity and nostalgia. Imagine bright, vivid colors that evoke energy and joy instead of cold neon glows. Pixels can evoke the charm of early consoles, while hyper‑realistic textures can mirror today’s lifelike game worlds. First‑person perspectives can draw viewers directly into the scene, while third‑person shots capture camaraderie. Even subtle visual cues like slightly oversized avatars or shapes that resemble people coming together can symbolize connection and shared experience.

Video games are no longer a niche hobby or a solitary escape. They’re a powerful form of creative expression and emotional connection, one that deserves visuals as dynamic and human as the people who play them.

So maybe it’s time look back to Tron (and subsequent iterations), to move beyond the blue glow.⁴

Sources
[1] The Walt Disney Company via YouTube
[2] Statista
[3] Entertainment Software Association
[4] The Walt Disney Company via YouTube