What Is A Video Game?

Welcome to the first class post. As you know, my name is VGHistorian, and I teach this "class". Today's class isn't specifically retro, like I said this blog is. So sue me. But anyway, video games mean many things to many different people. According to google search, a video game is a game played electronically by manipulating images on a screen. But this is in no way the end of the discussion. I'm going to use what video games mean to me as an example. To me, video games are an alternate reality where I can be whatever I want. I can be a Gyaraku Star pilot defeating alien armadas. I can be a plumber fighting mushrooms and turtles. Or a baseball player. Or basically anything. The point is, I can be anything in this private, fictional reality. I love video games so much that I have invested a little part of my life into these realities. What I mean when I say that is, I have almost divided up my life into these smaller realities, where I am anything I want. I need to put a little spot in my personality where these video games reside. As you can see, video games are so much other than a game. They are places of escape, or just a fun place to hang around. Now, for our first comment prompt: What are video games to you?