(Yicai Global) March 23 -- Video games have become part of daily modern life, but divergent opinions abound on them. Some see them as great scourges, while others feel playing games just diddling about. Peking University, which views them in a unique light, introduced a new course this semester called General Theory of Video Games, via which students can learn about them in the classroom.

 "This class does not aim to train students to play video games but to represent the research and development, technology, industry, media, psychology and other issues related to them," said professor Chen Jiang. As the game industry balloons, many students are going to work in this sector, which is a great talent magnet.

 In addition to Chen's lectures, game development teams will be invited to teach students.

 The course is an elective for the entire student body, but the upper limit for students is 120, and the original lecture hall is unable to accommodate all in attendance because of its popularity, so Chen asked the office of academic affairs to upwardly adjust the number of students to 150 and switch the original hall to another 180-seat one. Around 200 students each attend the course in two classes now.