Women haven’t always gotten the red carpet treatment when it comes to their roles in video games. They have been overlooked, inserted as poorly written fan service, or a damsel in need of saving. But things have changed over the years, and it’s more than indie studios creating games with female protagonists. Larger developers and publishers are recognizing that women enjoy playing video games just as much as men. And that games featuring strong female protagonists are just as sellable as those featuring men. It’s apart of a growing trend that branches away from the norm. Giving girls the chance to see themselves as more than a princess in need of saving, but as someone who’s courageous and has the power to overcome the odds. So, let’s take a look at some great games that feature an equally great female protagonist.

Valve’s Steam service offers a wide variety of high-quality games at low prices. So there’s no need to wait for a sale on Steam to save on games to add to your collections. They have a wide variety of great budget-friendly games in different types of genres. Which is perfect for those times you’re looking to branch out and trying something new without spending a bunch of money. So if you’re in the mood to play something new, then check out one of these 5 Steam games that are under $10.

Over the last decade, the video game industry has seen a rise in notable indie games. It was a sign that developers who had an idea and where willing, could create a game without a big studio behind them. And this was a game-changer for all black game developers who wanted to change up the game with their take on different genres. According to the International Game Developers Association’s 2017 survey, less than 1% of game developers are African-American. But, that doesn’t mean that they’re not putting the time and effort to create development studios and games. And during my time in Detroit for Youmacon. I had the opportunity to meet a black game developer with the will and an idea. To change up the game and create games with his take on them.

Video games have tackled many topics over the years, and one of those topics is mental health. It’s a topic that can offer the player a chance for empathy and understanding when it comes to mental illness when handled the correct way. Not all video games that deal with mental illness are an accurate, empathic, description of mental illness. Especially in the horror genre, in older games characters with mental illness were depicted as the creepy straight jacket characters you’d want to avoid. But, we’ve come a long way since then.

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Have you ever felt aches and pains after hours of gaming? Or do you have a desk job that involves sitting at the computer for long periods of time? If the answer to that question is yes then you’re in the right place. Playing video games or sitting in front of a computer for long periods of time can cause problems in your eyes, neck, shoulder, wrist, and back. You can relieve and even prevent the problems caused by this by wearing blue light blocking glasses while you game or work on the computer, and doing a few simple stretches. So if you start to feel tension after playing a game for a while or have a desk job that involves hours on sitting try doing these simple stretches. This will help relieve or prevent any neck, back, wrist, or shoulder pain you may experience while playing video games or during a long workday.