What are Games? Pt 1 of ??

In replying to a discussion post, I came to some realizations.... Video games are "safe."  A ship in harbor is also safe, but ships weren't built for harbors, and none of us are built for video games (if anything, it's the other way around). Games are not made for you to press all the right buttons anymore.  That's actually a challenge.  Games are made now to press all your buttons - keep you playing, get you hooked, and woo you into buying the sequels and/or expansion packs, and strategy guides.  To make you faithful to their brand in order to maximize profits (it really is just another business after all). Games are designed to "fulfill" all our fantasies, to give us everything we want out of life with as little effort as possible.  Make a game too much like reality and it's too hard.  It's too boring.  I've not played it, but I've heard such criticisms about GTA IV, for instance.  I'm tired of wanting everything and nothing and getting it easily.   The games are gone.  I just have to make sure I don't fall into old habits.