I don’t think I’ll ever forget the first time I played a video game. I remember standing in my living room with my older brother, watching my dad set up our first gaming console: the Wii. From the moment a controller was placed in my hands, the Wii and other video games became a center for entertainment, distress, and community with my two brothers. Wouldn’t it be nice if we had something similar here at Gordon?
Not too long ago, we did have something similar: a Polycade arcade machine located in Gillies. Just like my childhood Wii, this mini arcade station was a source of life and fun up until last February. One day, our Polycade was destroyed. The wires were cut and the whole machine was beyond damaged. It is unclear who committed this crime, but it is clear what the people would like to see come next.
Kellen Donahune, a sophomore Deciding Major, spoke on the desire he has to see this arcade machine replaced and how it would benefit the community. He argues that this gaming console is more than just a machine, it’s an accessible environment to wind down, play some classic arcade games, and make friends. He spoke on how it is an easy and intuitive counsel to operate, whether it’s your first time playing it or if you’ve been playing for years.
Due to its ease of use and ready entertainment, “it’s a good sense of community building”, Donahune says, speaking to the comradery a new Polycade has the chance to build. Having this arcade game back up and running opens up a space for the Gordon community to connect and have fellowship. “That can be a great way to basically make a friendship out of a video game, and that’s something I think is genuinely amazing.”
“People will naturally want to play games that they can see.” As of now, our Polycade is inactive and out of order. But when it was working, people were attracted to it and got to enjoy it. Donahune shared how an arcade machine like this can be a great way to destress, something all of us Gordon students can benefit from.
From a young age, my brothers and I spent hours bonding over video games, and these moments helped foster some of my fondest childhood memories. Why wouldn’t we want to see this here at Gordon by replacing the Polycade arcade console? If it gets fixed, Gordon students would have a place to hang out with their friends, make new friends over a shared interest, or be able to distress alone. Having a mini arcade station opens up our students to a greater sense of community. “It’s amazing what simple pieces of technology can do to foster this growth, this scene, this community of people who like playing video games together.”
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