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

[super_mumbles]

Mainstream appeal has kinda helped the growth of the industry, which as far as I can tell is no bad thing. Plus now that a wider range or people are into gaming it's harder to stereotype a "typical" gamer.

Although I get the feeling that the "basement dwelling social reject" stigma might take a while to shake off.

 

[Bobic]

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

So let me understand this. Is a hipster a douchebag. Or a douchebag that only does things because no one else does them. My only info on hipsters is from cyanide and happiness.

OT: I just wish people would stop talking about it so much. Like whenever a kid goes mad and kills someone they blame games instead of looking into the kids past or his life to see what really caused it. And i wish people would stop trying to make it mainstream. If it goes mainstream so be it but people working to make it mainstream is lame. I agree with Max Brooks. The more into the open it gets the lesser the quality of product we'll see.

There's a bit more to it but the 'douchebag that only does things because no one else does them' is a pretty good definition.

 

[Plurralbles]

Nope. If it was still just for nerds the starcraft scene would suck and so would multiplayer with less people.

 

[Dogstile]

I like games being more accepted because it means i've got more people to talk to about them.

Not that I was ever in any shortage. Games were always accepted here.

 

[NightHawk21]

Yes and know. As games become more mainstream I think we'll go through a phase (which has probably already started) which will see the release of a lot of cookie cutter games that are essentially reskined copies of the same game. That being said I went to university this year and it was amazing how its becoming something you can speak about and people know what you're talking about and can actually contribute. Hell I remember working my way through a couple labs that were teaching us to use some new expensive equipment, and one of the first topics that came up was pokemon and how everyone girls and boys played/ knew red, blue, and yellow. Another time I was sitting in the library and look around only to see like 30 other people playing any variety of games.

 

[Ghost]

Games released when it was more niche are generally better games, since it wasn't possible to just rake in the cash with yearly re-releases of the same games like it is now.

 

[ajemas]

While it can be nice to keep gaming esoteric and hard-to-understand, I feel like it can be advanced further as a legitimate medium the more people play and get into it. I personally welcome those who want to try getting into gaming, and I think that the more people that play it, the better.

 

[SeriousSquirrel]

I feel like there's still a slight divide. While more people play videogames, not everyone reads into games being released a year from now, or looks into the politics surrounding gaming. Because that group still exists I am a little happy.

It's great that it's a more widely accepted hobby and will hopefuly take less heat because of that, but I'm also happy that I'm part of a more invested group.

 

[Veldel]

Id just like there to not be some many idiot children playing games.

Becides that I am happy the industry is growing and becoming more acapted.

 

[back pain]

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

exactly what I was thinking

 

[Chelsea O'shea]

the growth is a good thing,higher sales generally equate to better quality.
only hipsters can't see that,and besides,i have enough making me and outcast already so i will take what ever i can to have common ground with other humans.

 

[OrokuSaki]

Yes and no. Mostly yes. I'd like it if CERTAIN games dropped in popularity and cleared all the absolute morons who give gamers a bad name out. (aka a massive chunk of the XBox Live community) and I don't even care about the lack of social acceptance because I read comic books and manga, play video games, watch cult classic movies, and quote things out of context. I'm one step below a character on Big Bang Theory and off the social circuit.

But I don't want to gaming to lose ALL their fans because.... well there go my games. I'd like to reach a middle ground where games became a niche that appeals to PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND THE PLOT OF THE GAME. Because seriously, the story of CoD: Black Ops (that while i never played I did watch at least 3 times) was dumbed down to the point that a 2 year old could follow it, if it had made any sense.

Gaming really does seem like a medium that deserves a large fanbase, but then you have to accept all those people who log into a shooter for 70+ hours online and can't form a complete sentence without "N008" in it.

 

[English Stew]

Heeeeeell no. For two big resons.

1. I'm a "games are art" person, so increasing the curtual acceptance of games is one of my cherised causes.

2. I don't know about you, but I want a girlfriend, and I don't want to hide who I am to get one. When I hear people talk about the sausage fest that gaming used to be, I can't help but pity them.

Besides, exclusion is never a good thing.

 

[Lilani]

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

I agree. Not to mention the fact that if different types of people are playing games, it increases the chances of different types of games being produced. And you already see that happening with social networking games and Wii games. Sure, a lot of them are crap, but it takes a lot of empty holes before you finally strike gold.

I mean, just look at Minecraft. With how much gamemakers are putting into graphics and elaborate storylines, it took some creative thinking to come up with something like Minecraft. It's basically Legos with an exploration element--and EVERYBODY loves Legos.

There is still quite a divide though, and that bothers me. The "leet" gamers and general online jerkwads need to get lost. They aren't helping anyone by calling anyone who owns a Wii a fag, and nor are they helping anyone by freaking out and screaming at everyone on the server when their team loses a game.

 

[Vault101]

nah, such an additude is harmful and likelye only delaying the inevitable

 

[JUMBO PALACE]

Why would I want to be stereotyped as a nerd? And besides, lots of people playing games is just better for the gaming industry as a whole.

 

[Tukadian]

I would never want to return to games being just for geeks/nerds. When I bring a good looking girl home and she looks at my proudly displayed collection of classic NES games and bursts with excitement at the prospect of playing priceless childhoold gems, I get a nice warm glow inside. It's a far cry from the old, oh you're a gamer, gross, attitude that used to prevail. I like being able to share my interests with my potential life partner, and with society making video games mainstream and bringing comic books and their heroes into other media with such skill, it makes it much easier to do so.
On top of that, my daughter is now an avid gamer at age 7, and I love nothing more than sitting down and having her kick my ass at whatever game she picks up. Except fighting games, I still whip her butt at those, and yes I am proud of that and the fact that she never stops trying to get me either. We also used to watch The Batman or Justice League on saturday mornings together, and more than once I've come downstairs to find her playing with my D&D minis. I have such fond memories of sharing geeky experiences with her, I don't think that could ever be topped by the feeling of being some kind of gamer/hipster who was into games before they were mainstream.