Editing Video game (section)

===Game media===
[[File:NES-Cartridge.jpg|thumb|right|An unlabeled game cartridge for the Nintendo Entertainment System]]
Early arcade games, home consoles, and handheld games were dedicated hardware units with the game's logic built into the electronic componentry of the hardware. Since then, most video game platforms are considered programmable, having means to read and play multiple games distributed on different types of media or formats. Physical formats include [[ROM cartridge]]s, [[magnetic storage]] including [[magnetic-tape data storage]] and [[floppy disc]]s, [[optical media]] formats including [[CD-ROM]] and [[DVD]]s, and [[flash memory]] cards. Furthermore [[digital distribution]] over the Internet or other communication methods as well as [[cloud gaming]] alleviate the need for any physical media. In some cases, the media serves as the direct read-only memory for the game, or it may be the form of [[Installation (computer programs)|installation media]] that is used to write the main assets to the player's platform's local storage for faster loading periods and later updates.

Games can be extended with new content and [[Patch (computing)|software patches]] through either [[expansion pack]]s which are typically available as physical media, or as [[downloadable content]] nominally available via digital distribution. These can be offered freely or can be used to [[Video game monetization|monetize]] a game following its initial release. Several games offer players the ability to create [[user-generated content]] to share with others to play. Other games, mostly those on personal computers, can be extended with [[mod (video games)|user-created modifications]] or mods that alter or add onto the game; these often are unofficial and were developed by players from [[reverse engineering]] of the game, but other games provide official support for modding the game.<ref name="lombardi">{{cite web |last=Hyman |first=Paul |date=9 April 2004 |title=Hollywood Reporter interviewing Doug Lombardi, Quote: "Mods absolutely helped us drive huge sales to 'Half-Life'" |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000484956 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080506004712/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000484956 |archive-date=6 May 2008 |access-date=10 August 2009 |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}.</ref>