Do you wish gaming was still "just for nerds"?

[Ando85]

Probably a good 10-15 years ago I recall walking into an Electronics Boutique in the mall and started browsing the games. Soon after a mother, teenage daughter, and younger son walked into the store. I overheard the teenage girl say "Mom! I can't be seen in here. This is the nerd store!" I quietly chuckled to myself.

Nowadays these same girls are WORKING at EB/Gamestop. Gaming has become a more accepted form of entertainment over the years. Even cool people play video games now.

Do you wish it was still more of a niche hobby, or do you like its growing acceptance?

 

[Bobic]

I like its growing acceptance because I'm not a damned hipster.

 

[NeutralDrow]

Why would I want to keep this enjoyment to myself? That'd be pretty goddamn selfish.

 

[Radoh]

Why on earth would I want to go back to being a societal pariah? That has never been fun before, why would I want it now that people are more accepting of gamers?

 

[Twilight_guy]

No. Being a niche practice is what gets jack Thompson on your ass blaming you for all society's ills. Expanding gaming's audience is making it more legitimate as an art-form and expanding its horizons. More people means more diverse interest and that means a greater range of stories to tell and that's a good thing.

 

[Legion]

I'd prefer it was more open than it was at the moment. Although it is widely known as a viable business there is still a level of "shame" around it. You now hear radio DJ's talking about Call of Duty but there is always a level of defensiveness and mockery as though it isn't something grown men should really be doing, almost like it is some kind of guilty pleasure.

 

[PettingZOOPONY]

If it would make the yearly releases go the fuck away then yes.

 

[ScoopMeister]

Growing acceptance means more money for the industry, which is hopefully a good thing. As long as people can learn to accept each other within the gaming community (which unfortunately doesn't always happen), then I think it's great that the industry is becoming more widely accepted.

 

[SaetonChapelle]

Im happy that its growing. That means more money for the industry, as Im not a complete social outcast (however there's that still small percentage). It's great. Plus, shouldn't mean be happy that those girls are working there? xD

 

[Ando85]

I'd prefer it was more open than it was at the moment. Although it is widely known as a viable business there is still a level of "shame" around it. You now hear radio DJ's talking about Call of Duty but there is always a level of defensiveness and mockery as though it isn't something grown men should really be doing, almost like it is some kind of guilty pleasure.

I notice also you can still be dubbed a nerd in the current culture. For example on Black Ops I played quite a bit when it first came out and prestiged way ahead of most people. I'm playing a socially acceptable game, yet the amount of time I spend on it still classifies me as a nerd with no life. It is sort of a guilty pleasure for me.

 

[SonofaJohannes]

Nah, I never really cared about what other people thought about gaming. If they want to play games juat like us "hardcore gamers", then let them.

 

[Omechron]

If it would stop the madden madness and the stupid grey and brown military fpses, then yeah I'd be cool with that.

Even more than video games being dorky though, I miss tabletop games being evil.

 

[Palademon]

If I was against it being accepted I'd be against ever being in a relationship.

It pretty much still is for nerds, unless you're a hipster or the type of guy that gets a console purely to play COD, then wonders why I know so much about upcoming releases.

I kind of like its current situation, because it kind of discriminates against ignorant or stupid people, so most gamers are likely to be intelligent and open minded.

 

[Griphphin]

Honestly, I'd prefer it to be as wide-spread and accepted as possible. Acceptance is a big thing for me personally, and I'd like one of my bigger hobbies to be something I can tell other people without qualifiers or explanations.

 

[sublight]

Keep it just for nerds? Oh, hell no. Gaming still isn't a topic I can discuss with most friends or co-workers, and my spouse is still firmly in the 'video games are for mass murderer shut-ins' camp. The more widespread it gets, the better, IMO.

Besides, every other form of media has benefited from having a large base of enthusiasts. More works get created for different ranges of interests, and more young people will come on the scene with aspirations of bringing their own artistic visions to the world.

Someday, hopefully, people at work may stand around the water cooler discussing the latest game release the same way they argue Godfather vs Goodfellas or swap quotes from last night's 30 Rock.

 

[Jamienra]

I like that it's become acceptable because it means games are being given larger budgets and teams are getting bigger and consoles are becoming more and more powerful. At the same time its not become completely acceptable, certain game types are still nerdy and "gay", people look down on others who play games that aren't mainstream often, playing older games makes you "sad" and because of this the only games the industry is churning out at the moment are all samey shooters with little innovation.

At least when I was younger games were pretty much unpredicatable when I picked them up. Now I can pretty much guess what I'm about to play and have to rely on story and characters rather than ridiculous gameplay. (I'm not stupid, I do understand games like Brutal Legend, Portal and Oblivion have helped innovation in new generation. Think about it though, my point still stands)

 

[Fledge]

I don't like how mainstream certain games have become. I find it sad that so many people are in love with the Call of Duty franchise despite it's sever lack of quality.

I want GOOD games to become loved by everyone.

 

[Furioso]

No, the more it grows the more socially acceptable it becomes, which has it's ups and downs, but more people need to understand all the random references I make!

 

[Quaxar]

But... if it became a hidden gem... nobody would produce high-cost games anymore because they wouldn't get profit from it!
So no, while I do love the simplicity that is space invaders I'd much rather spend a gaming weekend with Portal or Bioshock.