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When it comes to gaming and school children there is a fine balance between encouraging and discouraging or even banning the use of games consoles or internet-based games.

Deciding what games your child should be playing is a difficult choice to make as there are several factors to consider for both you and them. Age-related games with a legal requirement to only sell to that age group or above is usually due to violence, bad language or inappropriate sexual content, so it is always best to only allow your child or teen to play age-related games.

This then brings in peer pressure for teenagers as many of their friends may be ‘allowed’ to play games unsuitable for their age group. Your child may feel ostracised by their friends and this can be difficult for parents who want to instil boundaries.

When you decide on purchasing a console for your child, a conversation should be had to ensure they understand the age restrictions and for them to be in agreement. Then when conflicts arise regarding age-related games, you can remind them of the conversation and the need to follow the rules.

It is also wise to play the games yourself, so you understand the content and can show interest in your child’s/teenagers interests. For gaming which is internet-based, they may require subscriptions which an adult has to pay for. It is strongly advised to research the game in question, review its contents yourself and speak to other parents of children/teenagers using the software to ensure you are happy to allow your child to download and play the game concerned.

Some games offer children a way to relax and have some stress free alone time, which is good, as long as the gaming sessions are short in length and not interfering with their education

Offline gaming is simple, it is the process of being able to play games without the need for an internet connection. This form of gaming comes with a large range of benefits, we are going to discuss these with you today.

No Internet No Problem
The best thing about offline gaming is the fact that you can play these games without an internet connection. Making it possible for you to play your favourite games even when you are away from an internet connection.

Minimise The Danger
Playing games offline means you will be playing them single player. This minimises the amount of danger that is brought to you by online gaming. No more risk of online bullying and threats to yourself.

Fewer Distractions
When playing games offline, you will find that you have fewer distractions making it easier for you to complete your game. This is because you will not have the distractions of other people playing with you, or talking to you throughout the game. Making it easier for you to focus on what you are doing.

For some of us, it is more affordable for us to purchase console games second hand. With some console games being priced up to £50 or more, it can become an expensive hobby. But, what should we be looking out for when purchasing games secondhand?

Where Can I Buy Secondhand Games From?
There are a few common places that you can purchase secondhand games from. Some of these include game retail stores, Facebook market place, eBay, and car boot sales.

What Should I Look Out For When Buying Secondhand Games?
When purchasing secondhand games, there are a few main things you should look out for. These include:

Scratches On The Disc
One of the first aspects you should look at is this disc itself. You should complete a full examination to see if there are any scratches or damage to the disc. Deep scratches can cause issues with gameplay, for example, the game jumping, not loading correctly, or not being playable at all.

Does It Have A Disc?
When purchasing games from car boot sales, Facebook market place or eBay, it is always best to check that the disc is included. People will generally sell some games for pence, hoping you won’t notice there is no disc included. While this is only a small price to pay, it is still a waste of money for you as you still do not receive the game, or you have the wrong game.

What Console Is It For?
Sometimes people can make honest mistakes of placing wrong games in the wrong cases. Therefore you should always check that the disc, in this case, is the correct game and is for your correct console. Not all older console games will work on the newer consoles.

These are a few aspects you should always look out for when purchasing secondhand games, always making sure you are getting the value for your money.

Over the years we have seen the gaming industry take massive turns. Before it always used to be the battle of the consoles, which one was better Nintendo or Sega. Now the world has been introduced to PC gaming, it is no longer console wars but PC vs Console. Today, we are going to discuss PC and Console gaming, helping you to decide which is better.

The main aspect you want to consider with gaming is always the quality of the gaming footage. For this one, it entirely depends on the quality of the screen you are playing on. With most good quality TVs costing higher prices than good quality PC screens. You can get more for your money in the PC world.

Some people may focus on the chances to upgrade their system. With a console, it is near impossible to upgrade your system until they bring out a new console. You are essentially stuck with what you paid for until you upgrade to the next released console. However, with a PC you can upgrade your gaming software as and when you want to. With you being able to purchase upgrades to make the game’s to process faster or even the quality to be higher. In this sense, a PC is better if you are someone to wants to upgrade.

Finally, in this debate, you need to consider the games which can be offered. In both cases, some games will only be available to one or the other system. You are mainly able to purchase a game on both systems with their only being some expectations. Therefore, this aspect will depend on your own personal game taste.

At the end of the day, it is completely down to personal taste with which will be better. Personally, PC gaming has more benefits with upgrading and quality. But this is not to say console gaming isn’t just as good.

It has recently been announced that any Star Wars themed games are now going to be branded under the Lucasfilm Games banner. Lucasfilm is the company which produced Star Wars alongside Disney, so it is without a doubt that the games were expected to be taken over by the owners of the franchise. Star Wars games which have already been released will now come under the Lucasfilm Games branding. Any upcoming releases will also follow this pattern, being branded under this new gaming company. Lucasfilm Games will however not be developing their own games, with Disney stating themselves on their Star Wars based website that the games will still be “developed in collaboration with the finest studios across the industry”. EA is the current developer for all Disney related games, however, this is only set to run until 2023. After 2023 we will discover who will be developing the next load of Disney and LucasFilm games.

Online gaming has grown throughout 2020, with many people taking up gaming with their newly discovered free time. But what are some of the most popular online games of 2020?

Fortnite is one online game which has continued to grow in popularity. With it being one which is easy to master yet still possible to grow massively in. With people being able to build careers playing this online game.

Another online game which has become popular this year is Among Us. This game is another which is super easy to master, yet it is allowing people to build a career playing it.

Another online game which is continuing to be popular since its release in 2009 is Minecraft. It is a super simple game which offers a range of difficulty levels, as well as a range of mini-games to play. With some gamers creating their own servers for fans to play on, helping to keep the popularity alive.

Online gaming is a very touchy subject. In this article today, we are going to discuss if online gaming is safe.

Online gaming can be extremely dangerous. There are some people out in this world who can possibly harm you. Some will use online gaming platforms as a way to lure victims to them without them knowing it. It is also important to note that foul language such as swear words are used often, so this may not be the safest for innocent children.

However, it is possible to make online gaming safe for you and your children. Some platforms allow you to control who you play with. Allowing you to create settings which only allow you to play with people you know. It is important to note that some people may still get through these protection settings. To keep everyone safe your best bet is to play multiplayer over full online mode.

There comes a point in your child’s life where they will be wanting their first games console. But how do you decide which one is best for them?

One of the first things you should consider is what games each console choice has to offer. Choosing a console with a range of games for your child will be your best option. This means they shouldn’t get bored of their console.

You should also listen to your child. Have they asked for a specific console? If they have, you should highly consider this console. There may be a reason why they are wanting this certain console.

When looking to buy a console I would also recommend talking to the parents of your child’s friends. Try to find out what consoles they have and which ones are preferred. This will allow your child to connect with some of their closest friends online.

There are many different games that are suitable for children. One of the main things you will need to consider is the age rating of the games. You will also need to check the games before you let your children play.

One game which is suitable for children is Minecraft. It is tailored towards children so is not extremely graphic, but does allow them to fight. It also allows children to be creative and explore.

Another good game for children is Fortnite. This is very popular for children currently as it allows them to play fight in a more child-friendly environment. It is a lot like Call Of Duty but less graphic. You will just need to be careful if they play live as some of the languages is not child friendly from other players.

Finally, Mario Kart. This is an excellent game for children to play. It is lots of fun and allows them to be extremely competitive with family and other racers.