Forgive me for being a bit abstract for a moment, but I found myself pondering just why certain people arn't into video games.
I look at TV, music, and film, and I think it's fair to say *most/all* people like these 3 mediums of entertainment in some way. Everyone has a music taste, everyone has watched films, and most people partake in some sort of TV show (I don't watch TV much, but I'd be a liar if I said I didn't watch quiz shows while eating dinner.)
Gaming spans different genres, probably the most technological devices (for example, you can play a decent game on your phone, but you can't/won't really convincingly watch a movie. The screen is just too small), a number of different target ages, and anything from casual to hardcore, yet looking at most of my family and many people I know, no type of video game is of any interest to them. Upon asking them, the usual response is just "I dunno, I've never really done it" or "I'm not very good", or even worrying, a "they're for geeks" type answer.
So I ask: in the future, will there be a time when mostly everyone plays SOME kind of game (like everyone has a music taste now) or will it always be too much of a niche thing, and if not, what is stopping millions of people now? Age? Money issues? Stigma? Self imposed barriers?
EDIT: Just to clarify, by "plays games" I do not mean gamer. You don't have to raid on WoW to be a gamer, but in the same respect, if you play Angry Birds every few weeks, you're not a gamer.However, the people I refer to in this are the people who don't play anything, and even Angry Birds would be too scary.
I am a huge music fan. My uncle thinks music is okay occasionally. We both like music on some level, where as I play video games, and he does not at all, in any respect, there being the difference.
EDIT 2: Interesting points, specifically the interactivity and increased cognition. I don't know about anyone else, but I play games because I want to keep my mind active. I always want to be doing something. My Mum, bless her soul, for example, watches TV for the opposite reason, despite her being as intelligent as me.