In the last 30-plus years, video games have come a long way. We went from Pac-Man to Super Mario Brothers to Resident Evil. Graphics went from 8 bits to 16 and on to full 1080p high definition. Content formats transitioned from cartridges to CDs to DVDs and now Blu-ray discs and digital downloads.
Block-style visuals gave way to the stunning imagery of games like the Uncharted series – a franchise that rivals the cinematic environment of an Indiana Jones film. Just ask Harrison Ford, who was featured in commercials advertising Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, marveling at the realism and immersive storytelling of the game.
Year after year, there are innovations in technology that bring visceral experiences to consoles and mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. The equipment continues to get more powerful, and subsequently generates considerable amounts of heat. Historically, consumers have run into problems with consoles overheating and breaking down.
But, companies like Sony and Microsoft that make the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360, respectively, are relying on the latest in thermal management technologies to control the heat generated by these increasingly powerful systems. Combined with material bonding techniques that help to reduce the overall size of gaming machines, companies are able to reduce manufacturing costs while delivering the most powerful equipment the industry has ever seen.
According to a study released by Parks Associates earlier this year, the number of individuals playing video games in the United states has skyrocketed by 241 percent since 2008. The popularity of consumer electronics is creating growing demand for manufacturing technologies that can deliver on user expectations.
"Today's games drive technological and societal advancements that serve gamers and non-gamers alike," Richard Taylor, senior vice president for communications and industry affairs at the Entertainment Software Association, told Mashable.
Innovative thermal management of electronics is going to be in high demand for a long time to come because, without it, lucrative sectors like the gaming industry wouldn't be nearly as profitable as they are today.