Video games are an important part of contemporary culture and economy, since the number of video game users is constantly increasing, part of that group consists of children. Socialization of young gamers largely takes place in the family. The purpose of this article is to present the conclusions brought by the research on role of video games in the life of the modern family. The study focuses in particular on the issue of technological and cultural competence of children and parents. The research was conducted employing quantitative and qualitative methods a questionnaire survey and interview. Some worrying phenomena has become noticeable within the pool of twenty four surveyed families, especially in terms of: shortcomings in the cultural and technological competence of parents, insufficient level of parental control, limited communication between parents and children or the lack of support from the school. This article is an attempt to deepen the analysis of impact that video games have on the family environment. The mentioned issue is particularly important in the perspective of growing prevalence of this medium and its specificity significantly different from older media.

The theoretical and methodological framework of the undertaken issue is indicated by basic notional categories - culture, value and valuing orientations. While analyzing the philosophical and educational context, assumptions of social and cultural anthropology were applied (with a special focus on its anthropocentric-cultural current), (phenomenologically orientated) axiology and cognitive psychology (with the use of its cognitive-developmental theories). Assumption was also made concerning the exploration of youth’s image of the axiological world and the valuing orientations manifested by them, that make it possible to learn the way(s) rooted in culture and experience, in which learners understand themselves, Others and the world.