Gamer Subculture Study

[Icyshadow]

I'm a college student and for one of my classes I have to study a subculture. Naturally, I picked the "Gamer" subculture. So for any of you who are interested in answer some questions, that would be awesome. Please include your age and gender if you feel comfortable doing so.

1. Do you consider yourself a member of the gamer subculture?
2. How many hours of videogames do you play a week?
3. Do you tend to play videogames by yourself or with friends?
4. How many of your friends play videogames?
5. Do you play online? How many hours online do you play?
6. How many hours a week do you spending watching videos/reading about videogames?
7. What kinds of videogames do you play?
8. When did you start playing videogames and why?
9. How do your parents feel about videogames?
10. If you have free time and aren't playing videogames what else do you do?
11. How emotionally involved do you while playing videogames?(online play, amazing story, etc.)
12. What grades do you get in school/college? (If Applicable)
13. Do you have a job? How many hours a week do you work?
14. Has playing videogames ever negatively affected school/work performance?
15. Have you ever skipped work/school to play videogames? How often?
16. Why do you play videogames?
17. Do you think violent videogames affects aggression and violence in its players?
18. When do videogames go from being a passionate hobby to an unhealthy obsession?
19. Do you ever see yourself not playing videogames?
20. What other gaming merchandise do you own? (t-shirts, figurines, posters, etc.)


Feel free to expand on any of your answers beyond what I have asked and thank you very much for your time for all who participate.

 

[jehk]

ug. So many questions. Can you do, like an online survey? Maybe, survey monkey or something.

 

[V3KT0R]

1. Do you consider yourself a member of the gamer subculture?
Yes.

2. How many hours of videogames do you play a week?
A lot. I don't really count.

3. Do you tend to play videogames by yourself or with friends?
I do a good deal of both, most of my friends are gamers. Conversely, I also play a lot by myself.

4. How many of your friends play videogames?
Most of them.

5. Do you play online? How many hours online do you play?
I do play online. Mostly League of Legends. Half of my gaming time is online, other than that, I have no estimate.

6. How many hours a week do you spending watching videos/reading about videogames?
Quite a bit as well, I don't really count my hours :/

7. What kinds of videogames do you play?
Anything that isn't simulation or sports. I play a good deal of everything else.

8. When did you start playing videogames and why?
When I was five. My brother had bought us a game console (Sega MegaDrive) and we used it as bonding/brother time.

9. How do your parents feel about videogames?
They used to dislike them but as gaming has evolved over time in terms of storytelling, they encourage it more and more. Especially because of my career preference. (Game Writer/Writer in general)

10. If you have free time and aren't playing videogames what else do you do?
I write fiction.

11. How emotionally involved do you while playing videogames?(online play, amazing story, etc.)
I get extremely emotionally involved.

12. What grades do you get in school/college? (If Applicable)
Excellent grades by most standards. 80%s and up consistently.

13. Do you have a job? How many hours a week do you work?
I don't have a consistent job. I'm a student so sometimes I'll work part time for a day or two, just throwaway jobs like handing out newspapers and whatnot.

14. Has playing videogames ever negatively affected school/work performance?
Once or twice, when I used to be addicted to Combat Arms (yeah yeah, laugh it up)

15. Have you ever skipped work/school to play videogames? How often?
I skipped school the day Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood came out.

16. Why do you play videogames?
Because I love them. They make me happy and I enjoy experiencing the storylines. I also love 100%ing them on the hardest difficulty.

17. Do you think violent videogames affects aggression and violence in its players?
Studies have been shown that they do, but that probably has to do a lot with mirror glands. Honestly, I'm with the age old adage of "Better killing virtual people than real ones."

18. When do videogames go from being a passionate hobby to an unhealthy obsession?
When they prevent you from doing things that you need to do such as obligations or taking care of yourself.

19. Do you ever see yourself not playing videogames?
Not really. I see myself gaming until I die in some way or another. Brain Age when I'm 70, here I come ;D

20. What other gaming merchandise do you own? (t-shirts, figurines, posters, etc.)
Posters and T-Shirts.

 

[oplinger]

1. Do you consider yourself a member of the gamer subculture?
No

2. How many hours of videogames do you play a week?
40+

3. Do you tend to play videogames by yourself or with friends?
By myself mostly, but I like coop games with friends.

4. How many of your friends play videogames?
all of them in some capacity

5. Do you play online? How many hours online do you play?
I try not to, I'd say maybe 10 hours a week are online for MMOs.

6. How many hours a week do you spending watching videos/reading about videogames?
maybe 5.

7. What kinds of videogames do you play?
All sorts.

8. When did you start playing videogames and why?
When I was 3 years old, I guess it seemed like a good idea at the time.

9. How do your parents feel about videogames?
They didn't like them at first, but they gave in when they realized I had a passion for it, and it made me decide what I wanted to be when I grew up.

10. If you have free time and aren't playing videogames what else do you do?
I create things in Maya and watch documentaries.

11. How emotionally involved do you while playing videogames?(online play, amazing story, etc.)
Depends on the game, I don't get very emotional when playing Painkiller.. but The Walking Dead has be very emotionally involved.

12. What grades do you get in school/college? (If Applicable)
Cs during conventional school. When I was allowed to work at my own pace by myself, nothing less than an A.

13. Do you have a job? How many hours a week do you work?
I do, 40 hours a week.

14. Has playing videogames ever negatively affected school/work performance?
Possibly, can't say video games were the reason I didn't do homework (I don't believe homework should be an essential thing.) However, they have caused many many late nights..

15. Have you ever skipped work/school to play videogames? How often?
Never

16. Why do you play videogames?
I like solving puzzles. The more open ended the better.

17. Do you think violent videogames affects aggression and violence in its players?
If they did I would have murdered so many people. So no, I do not.

18. When do videogames go from being a passionate hobby to an unhealthy obsession?
Same as any addiction, when you're hurting yourself and the people around you.

19. Do you ever see yourself not playing videogames?
Nope

20. What other gaming merchandise do you own? (t-shirts, figurines, posters, etc.)
T-shirts and some posters. Can't afford too much else

 

[MrBenSampson]

I am a 21 year-old male.

1. Do you consider yourself a member of the gamer subculture?
Yes

2. How many hours of videogames do you play a week?
24+

3. Do you tend to play videogames by yourself or with friends?
Usually alone, but I enjoy co-op campaigns.

4. How many of your friends play videogames?
All of them.

5. Do you play online? How many hours online do you play?
Most of my gaming used to be online, but I've been online for less than 10 hours in the last few weeks.

6. How many hours a week do you spending watching videos/reading about videogames?
24+

7. What kinds of videogames do you play?
Action/Adventure, Survival Horror, western RPGs and some platformers.

8. When did you start playing videogames and why?
I started playing around the age of 4 or 5. My dad was the one who got me into it. Some of my earliest memories are of playing Doom, while sitting on his lap.

9. How do your parents feel about videogames?
Like I said, my dad was the one who got me into it, but he didn't want me to play too much. My mom didn't like that I played games, mainly because of the violence and profanity.

10. If you have free time and aren't playing videogames what else do you do?
I live in a small town, so there isn't much to do here, aside from playing video games or browsing the internet.

11. How emotionally involved do you while playing videogames?(online play, amazing story, etc.)
I'm usually happy while playing. I might be frustrated at times, but I rarely become angry. A few times I've felt despair, like in...

Spoiler: Shadow of the Colossus

Agro not making the jump.

Spoiler: and Saints Row 2

Carlos being dragged behind the truck.

12. What grades do you get in school/college? (If Applicable)
Not a student.

13. Do you have a job? How many hours a week do you work?
I've had a stable job for almost 3 years. I work for 32 hours per week.

14. Has playing videogames ever negatively affected school/work performance?
Never. Video games are what made me nocturnal, so I had no issues adjusting to working night shifts.

15. Have you ever skipped work/school to play videogames? How often?
Never.

16. Why do you play videogames?
I tend to get bored when sitting on the side-lines, like if I'm watching a tv show, or reading a book. Video games are the only medium where you can become involved, so I enjoy them more than other forms of entertainment.

17. Do you think violent videogames affects aggression and violence in its players?
I'm going to use a point made by Adam Sessler. The competitive nature in video games can fuel aggression among gamers, but not the violence. People can become angry while playing Minecraft. Do I think that video games can be the root cause of violence in real life? No.

18. When do videogames go from being a passionate hobby to an unhealthy obsession?
If neccessities are taking a back seat, then it has become unhealthy. If you're missing work, failing school, or you/your children are starving to death, then it's time to take a break.

19. Do you ever see yourself not playing videogames?
No. I can see myself no longer buying new releases, considering all of the horrible business practices that are prevalent in the industry, but I have multiple console generations to fall back on. Skyrim is the youngest game I've bought. In 2012, I purchased dozens of PS1 and PS2 games.

20. What other gaming merchandise do you own? (t-shirts, figurines, posters, etc.)
None.

 

[The_Echo]

1. Yes.
2. A lot. I've got (around) 15-20 already.
3. Single-player.
4. Two.
5. No.
6. So many. Like. I couldn't even give you a number.
7. Any kind, doesn't matter. Just has to be good.
8. I've been playing for as long as I can remember.
9. They're fine with it.
10. Watching TV/YouTube, probably.
11. Depends on the game. But I almost flooded my house from the Walking Dead.
12. All across the board, depending on subject. I only ever failed math classes because I suck at it.
13. Nope, unemployed.
14. No.
15. Never.
16. I like them.
17. Not at all, given they're mentally stable.
18. Uh. Hm. I guess when you spend an inordinate amount of time on a specific game, it's obsession.
19. Never.
20. A few retro-screenshot shirts, a couple Square Enix Play Arts, collector's editions of Skyrim and Fallout 3.

 

[nomzy]

1. Do you consider yourself a member of the gamer subculture?
Sure

2. How many hours of videogames do you play a week?
Depends on the week, but anywhere between 10 and 40 hours.
There are occasions of course where I don't play at all or play excessively (~80-90 hours)

3. Do you tend to play videogames by yourself or with friends?
Split pretty evenly, but I'm almost always talking to my friends even when playing a single player game. (I have a TS3 Server that my friends and I all use everyday even when were not gaming)

4. How many of your friends play videogames?
Most of them

5. Do you play online? How many hours online do you play?
Depends what games I'm playing during the week, but the answer is probably the same as question 2.

6. How many hours a week do you spending watching videos/reading about videogames?
Probably somewhere around 10 hours maybe less.

7. What kinds of videogames do you play?
A fairly wide variety, but I tend to favour RPGs and FPS games.


8. When did you start playing videogames and why?
Around 6 or 7.
I can't really remember why I wanted an N64 I just wanted one so I guess that's when I started.

9. How do your parents feel about videogames?
Doesn't like them, but won't go out of their way to stop me from playing - I get the occasional lecture about where my time would be better spent though.

10. If you have free time and aren't playing videogames what else do you do?
Usually watching TV shows/Movies, on forums just browse the web in general or I go out with friends.

11. How emotionally involved do you while playing videogames?(online play, amazing story, etc.)
It varies from game to game.
I get angry, sad, happy and everything in between so I do get emotionally involved, yes.


12. What grades do you get in school/college? (If Applicable)
Usually around 60%-80%

13. Do you have a job? How many hours a week do you work?
Yes. 7-14 hours

14. Has playing videogames ever negatively affected school/work performance?
You could say that. I've spent time that I should have spent studying gaming, but as for whether or not I would have studied even if I wasn't doing that is up for debate.
But it probably has I suppose.


15. Have you ever skipped work/school to play videogames? How often?
I've skipped school and played games, but I've never skipped school for the express purpose of playing games.

16. Why do you play videogames?
I enjoy them.

17. Do you think violent videogames affects aggression and violence in its players?
It can, to be sure but it doesn't solely apply to videogames - If you're exposed to violent media of any kind on a consistent basis it will have some kind of effect, but the change varies from person to person and whether or not the change is positive, negative or so minuscule that it's almost unnoticed.

18. When do videogames go from being a passionate hobby to an unhealthy obsession?
When your habits impact your life negatively.

19. Do you ever see yourself not playing videogames?
I don't think so. I can't really give an accurate answer because well, shit happens.

20. What other gaming merchandise do you own? (t-shirts, figurines, posters, etc.)
Nothing.

 

[Saulkar]

21-Male

1. Do you consider yourself a member of the gamer subculture?

Yes. I play games as well as show interest in niche topics, activities, events, and concepts that seem pretty unique to gamers. Personally I feel that videogames are a form of media more potent than books, movies, and comics in that it can bring people together under a single, non-homogenised banner.

2. How many hours of videogames do you play a week?

5-10

3. Do you tend to play videogames by yourself or with friends?

Mostly by myself but I do enjoy splitscreen.

4. How many of your friends play videogames?

I do not have friends. I am a very introverted loner by nature, a product of Aspergers syndrome as I am told however this does not make it impossible for me to socialise as I work with dozens of colleagues and hundreds of customers a week.

5. Do you play online? How many hours online do you play?

Yes however mostly just games that are dedicated to online play (MW: Online)

6. How many hours a week do you spending watching videos/reading about videogames?

I would say more than 10 as I love listening to Total Biscuit as I work on my computer.

7. What kinds of videogames do you play?

Simulations (Arma, Comanche, Operation Flashpoint), FPS(Mechwarrior: Online, L4D, Doom), Horror(Fear, Amnesia, Doom 3, Resident Evil, System Shock 2), RPG(TES, Mass Effect, Borderlands), and RTS (Command and Conquer, Earth 2150/60, Machines, Dark Reign 2)
.
8. When did you start playing videogames and why?

I started playing them when I was three after my Uncle wanted to show me his Commodore 64 and I was immediately enthralled.

9. How do your parents feel about videogames?

They do not like them but have no problem with me or my brothers playing them.

10. If you have free time and aren't playing videogames what else do you do?

Exercise, Draw/Paint, 3D Model/Animate/Sculpt, play the Piano.

11. How emotionally involved do you while playing videogames?(online play, amazing story, etc.)

I lose total awareness of anything that is not the videogame.

12. What grades do you get in school/college? (If Applicable)

I had only passing marks in anything outside of art, animation, creative writing and phys-ed as anything I cannot get emotionally invested in I cannot do good in.

13. Do you have a job? How many hours a week do you work?

I work 20-28 hours a week.

14. Has playing videogames ever negatively affected school/work performance?

Only a couple of times when I lost track of time and came to school tired.

15. Have you ever skipped work/school to play videogames? How often?

Never.

16. Why do you play videogames?

It is something that consistently gives me enjoyment and allows some human interaction without the barrier of interpersonal social cues that I am deaf, dumb, and blind to. Furthermore it allows me to live out fantasies and to try things I would not normally do in real life.

17. Do you think violent videogames affects aggression and violence in its players?

Personally videogames often leave me feeling much more aggressive but not violent afterwards. This can last upwards of an hour. I cannot speak for other people however I do not believe that it does nothing, just not personally sure what. I actually enjoy what this video has to say about it.


18. When do videogames go from being a passionate hobby to an unhealthy obsession?

When it interferes with all other aspects of life on a consistent basis to the point of being detrimental to your ability to function normally in society, eg: Personal hygiene, getting to work or school, getting sleep, paying bills and taxes, socialising, maintaining interpersonal relations, etc.

19. Do you ever see yourself not playing videogames?

I am not sure what the question is asking. Am I being asked if in the near future I will not play any videogames for an arbitrary span of time or will I ever completely give them up and/or actively avoid them.

20. What other gaming merchandise do you own? (t-shirts, figurines, posters, etc.)

Videogames Live concert merchandise!!!

 

[DanielBrown]

1. Not really.
2. I'd assume 6-10 hours/day, so 40-60 hours/week sounds about right.
3. Mostly by myself. Grown bored by MMOs and Minecraft lately.
4. All of them play when they're bored.
5. None at the moment. A month ago it would be more than half my game time.
6. One hour, maybe. News on this site and the occasioal Lets Play for games I'm intrested in.
7. Adventure/RPGs are my favorite. Play them all except for sport games and RTS though.
8. When I was seven years old I got a Playstation from my mom. Started then, but I had played a lot of NES/SNES at my friends houses before that.
9. My mom doesn't play herself, and thinks I play too much, but she isn't vocal about it.
10. Surf the internet, feeling bored out of my mind.
11. Not at all. It's just escapism and to pass time to me.
12. Not in school now, but I had good grades in spite of not studying at all.
13. Nope! D:
14. I assume my grades would've been even better if I had actually studied, so yes.
15. Never just for playing games, but I often skipped school just because I didn't feel like going.
16. Escapism and to pass time!
17. Not in my case at least. I can get worked up or aggressive from watching such movies, but games have never had that effect on me.
18. When they interfere with your life and becomes a priority.
19. Yes, when I've gotten my life sorted out I'll have less time to game. Won't be a problem.
20. Nothing of the kind except for a Diablo III poster I got when I picked up my pre-order. Haven't unfolded it yet.

 

[MajorTomServo]

1. Do you consider yourself a member of the gamer subculture?
Yes, specifically the retro gamer sub-subculture

2. How many hours of videogames do you play a week?
Varies wildly, depending on how busy I am, but usually ~10

3. Do you tend to play videogames by yourself or with friends?
With friends whenever possible, but our schedules don't really match up well.

4. How many of your friends play videogames?
In my close circle, 3 are hardcore, 5 are "sure, I'll play"

5. Do you play online? How many hours online do you play?
Only TF2 and CoD. Usually zero, up to three if I'm in the right mood. I tend to only like playing multiplayer with friends in the room.

6. How many hours a week do you spending watching videos/reading about videogames?
Two new episodes of Game Grumps a day times seven days a week... So I guess about two.

7. What kinds of videogames do you play?
Platforming is my favorite, but I also like shoot-em-up, stealth-em-up, and sandbox games.

8. When did you start playing videogames and why?
My dad had a NES and bought me Mega Man when I was really little. Fun colors and sounds drew me in I guess.

9. How do your parents feel about videogames?
My dad tries to keep up with gaming a bit because he knows it's my main hobby, but he's old. It's kind of endearing, actually. My mom doesn't really like them, she still sees games as a passing fad and something only little kids do.

10. If you have free time and aren't playing videogames what else do you do?
Probably read those generic low-budget truckstop novels.

11. How emotionally involved do you while playing videogames?(online play, amazing story, etc.)
I can get really invested when it gets frustrating, because once you beat a really hard part, you're on top of the world.

12. What grades do you get in school/college? (If Applicable)
3.6 GPA for this semester. Grades were awful last year, but that was for unrelated reasons.

13. Do you have a job? How many hours a week do you work?
No, I'm a full-time student

14. Has playing videogames ever negatively affected school/work performance?
In the past, I'd say so, but I've grown responsible over the years.

15. Have you ever skipped work/school to play videogames? How often?
Only once, to play Skyrim when it first came out

16. Why do you play videogames?
Fun little bit of escapist entertainment. I like collecting old games too, just because of the feeling of "there's a finite number of these games in the world. They'll never make anymore for the rest of time. And you have one."

17. Do you think violent videogames affects aggression and violence in its players?
Realtalk: As much as we like to say there's no correlation, I do think there is. I don't think people are going on killing sprees because of games, but I do find myself saying "Fuck him up! Stab him in the throat!" more than a non-gamer would.

18. When do videogames go from being a passionate hobby to an unhealthy obsession?
When it starts interfering with you life in a negative way. Ex. skipping work to play games, not leaving the house for four days because of WoW, etc.

19. Do you ever see yourself not playing videogames?
Maybe someday when I'm old, but who knows. If I do, it'll be because something else filled the hobby vacuum.

20. What other gaming merchandise do you own? (t-shirts, figurines, posters, etc.)
Shirts, a couple posters, and a Metal Gear bookbag.

 

[Artemis923]

Here ya go, brody.

Spoiler

1. Do you consider yourself a member of the gamer subculture?
I most certainly do.

2. How many hours of videogames do you play a week?
That depends on my mood, other plans, and homework load. But for a rough estimate, probably about 15 hours.

3. Do you tend to play videogames by yourself or with friends?
With friends, whenever possible; usually, on my on though.

4. How many of your friends play videogames?
All of them.

5. Do you play online? How many hours online do you play?
Right now I do some Chivalry: Medieval Warfare, otherise it's Street Fighter 3rd Strike. Roughly about 5 hours I'd say.

6. How many hours a week do you spending watching videos/reading about videogames?
I check the Escapist every day for about 10 minutes...so, one?

7. What kinds of videogames do you play?
All kinds, but I have a distaste for new games with big action set pieces, no originality or storyline, and that are under 20 hours to complete. I tend to lean towards past classics at the moment; favorites include HoMM II/III, Diablo 1/2, Metal Gear Solid, Homeworld, Medieval: Total War, Starcraft 1, Warcraft 2, Street Fighter, DOOM, Zelda: Lttp, LA and OoT, Castlevania: SotN and Belmont's Revenge, Rock Band 3, Chivalry: Medieval Warfare, Lords of the Realm II, Dark Souls...and a ton more. Those are just the ones I'm playing lately.

8. When did you start playing videogames and why?
I started at 3, playing Kaboom with my mum on the Atari 2600. Erm, because games are fun?

9. How do your parents feel about videogames?
No idea, I don't live with them.

10. If you have free time and aren't playing videogames what else do you do?
I play a large assortment of miniatures games; Warhammer Fantasy and Forty-K, Warmachine, LotRSBG, Malifaux...I spend a lot of time modeling and painting them. Other things include black metal guitarwork, SCA hard suit combat, drinking Arrogant Bastard, and copious amounts of sex. That detailed enough for you?


11. How emotionally involved do you while playing videogames?(online play, amazing story, etc.)
Depends on the game. I'll get excited playing SF3, and story driven games like The Witcher or Mass Effect {before I beat them}, but not something like Halo or Gears of War.


12. What grades do you get in school/college? (If Applicable)
A's and B's, brody.

13. Do you have a job? How many hours a week do you work?
Full time student at AI, learning how to program games myself.

14. Has playing videogames ever negatively affected school/work performance?
Not in a substantial amount, no.

15. Have you ever skipped work/school to play videogames? How often?
Occasionally, but only if the game is really good and brand spank my ass new. So, not recently.

16. Why do you play videogames?
WInd down, escape the real world. THe real world is a place where everything sucks dick and drama and blah. With games, I can drop all of that, cut some mother fuckers in half for a few hours, and truly be at peace.

17. Do you think violent videogames affects aggression and violence in its players?
Not in the slightest...assuming the player is mentally stable, of course.

18. When do videogames go from being a passionate hobby to an unhealthy obsession?
When you don't do the shit that needs to be done because you're too busy gaming.

19. Do you ever see yourself not playing videogames?
We'll see. If I ever stop playing, it won't be because of lack of interest, but of my disgust at the overall way the game industry operates.

20. What other gaming merchandise do you own? (t-shirts, figurines, posters, etc.)
How bout an official Frostmourne replica?

 

[Tanakh]

1. Do you consider yourself a member of the gamer subculture?

No

2. How many hours of videogames do you play a week?

Currently? Around 7 a week. During holidays and till I ran out of free time mid Feb, around 40 a week. On average during the year probably around 18 or so a week.

3. Do you tend to play videogames by yourself or with friends?

Both.

4. How many of your friends play videogames?

Using the therm friend loosely, 5.

5. Do you play online? How many hours online do you play?

Again, depends on the season/game releases. But around 75% of my game time is online.

6. How many hours a week do you spending watching videos/reading about videogames?

One, at most. Probably average about 20 mins a week. Unless you count replays/streaming as watching videos about videogames, then around 5-6 hours a week when i have free time and 1-2 a week when I am busy.

7. What kinds of videogames do you play?

If it seems fun and is released on PC, I'll do it. Don't care for generes.

8. When did you start playing videogames and why?

Probably around 1987, I got a NES.

9. How do your parents feel about videogames?

Father - Don't know. Mother - Abhors them.

10. If you have free time and aren't playing videogames what else do you do?

In no particular order read, write, program, see GF (or watch porn depending on my status), bit of exercise, lurk forums, spend time with the family or sleep among others.

11. How emotionally involved do you while playing videogames?(online play, amazing story, etc.)

How is online play an example of emotional involvement? Anyway, not that much.

12. What grades do you get in school/college? (If Applicable)

I never got an average grade below nine from kindergarden to college for any given semester, the scale going from 0 to 10.

13. Do you have a job? How many hours a week do you work?

Part time, around 32 hours a week.

14. Has playing videogames ever negatively affected school/work performance?

Yes.

15. Have you ever skipped work/school to play videogames? How often?

Yes, once a month or so.

16. Why do you play videogames?

Currently? The videogames I play help me relax and focus to work better, those are DotA2, SCII and Hexagon. On my gaming sprees because I want to have fun or are trying to avoid an issue in my life.

17. Do you think violent videogames affects aggression and violence in its players?

I have not enough info on the subject to give an informed opinion, no one does ATM really as there hasn't been a well designed scientific study run on a statistically significative population. My guess? They do, but the effect is small enough to be insignificant for anything.

18. When do videogames go from being a passionate hobby to an unhealthy obsession?

Is this a rhetorical question? There is no magic test to know that, but a general rule would be when the subject invest so much in games that he suffer repercussions in other aspects of his life he deems more important.

19. Do you ever see yourself not playing videogames?

No.

20. What other gaming merchandise do you own? (t-shirts, figurines, posters, etc.)

None.

 

[fenrizz]

Male, 26 years of age.

1. Do you consider yourself a member of the gamer subculture?

Yes, I guess I do.

2. How many hours of videogames do you play a week?

Depends on the week.
But 10 to 25 hours is a good average.

3. Do you tend to play videogames by yourself or with friends?

Usually by myself or with my fiancee.

4. How many of your friends play videogames?

Most of them play to some degree.

5. Do you play online? How many hours online do you play?

I do play online, but I do not really like to make that distinction as that too varies each week.

6. How many hours a week do you spending watching videos/reading about videogames?

A few, maybe 2 to 5?

7. What kinds of videogames do you play?

PC, PS3, 3DS and mobile phone.

8. When did you start playing videogames and why?

I started when I got a SEGA Master System 2 for christmas as a child.
Why? Because it's fun.

9. How do your parents feel about videogames?

Indifferent.
I get the impression they don't really care either way, just another hobby.

10. If you have free time and aren't playing videogames what else do you do?

Read books, watch TV and movies.
I also like to hike in nature and go fishing.

11. How emotionally involved do you while playing videogames?(online play, amazing story, etc.)

Depends on the game.
From not much to very much depending on the game.

12. What grades do you get in school/college? (If Applicable)

N/A.
I finished school many years ago, but I did have good grades.

13. Do you have a job? How many hours a week do you work?

I do have a job, in the oil industry.
I work a standard 37.5 hour week, with some overtime at times.

14. Has playing videogames ever negatively affected school/work performance?

No.

15. Have you ever skipped work/school to play videogames? How often?

No.
But I have used vacation days to play a new game I was excited about.
Though that is rare.

16. Why do you play videogames?

Becuse I like it, it's fun.

17. Do you think violent videogames affects aggression and violence in its players?

No I don't.

18. When do videogames go from being a passionate hobby to an unhealthy obsession?

I don't know.
When it starts to negatively affect your life (school/work).

19. Do you ever see yourself not playing videogames?

No, not really.
I don't see why I would stop, unless I just lost the interest somehow.

20. What other gaming merchandise do you own? (t-shirts, figurines, posters, etc.)

Lots.
Companion Cube dice for the car, a few posters and figurines here and there and some t-shirts.
My home is not dominated by them, but they do have a presence.

 

[neonsword13-ops]

Spoiler

1. Yes
2. 20-30 hours a week.
3. I prefer to play alone. I still play with friends, but not as often as when I'm alone.
4. Uhh... eleven of them.
5. Yes, I play online. 5-15 hours a week.
6. 40-60 hours a week.
7. I play all genres of games except for fighting games. My preferred genres are (J)RPGs, puzzle games, and strategy/simulation games.
8. I started playing games when I was 4 years old. I enjoyed the feeling of visiting new worlds. And I also believe that they somehow helped me cope with my parent's divorce while growing up.
9. Mother - Hates violent video games. Doesn't really care for the rest of video games. Although, she did watch my little sister play Portal 2 fairly often and thought the story was pretty interesting.
Father - Shows interest in some games like Uncharted or Mass Effect. He enjoys racing games like Mario Kart and Need For Speed with a passion.
10. I like to draw on my art tablet or watch stupid Youtube videos.
11. It really depends on the game and how it pulls me into the experience. As long as the story, characters, music, and atmosphere are correct, I will easily be attached to a game. Persona 4 gets all of those things right. It creates the ultimate player experience.
12. B+'s to A/A-'s.
13. I do not currently have a job.
14. Staying up all night to finish Persona 4 made me super tired the next day, but I wouldn't say it affected me in the long run. I usually don't play too many games that end up getting in the way of school work.
15. Nope.
16. They're fun and I enjoy the stories and worlds they present.
17. Not in the slightest.
18. A passionate hobby to an unhealthy obsession? Well jeez, umm... I guess I have an example. Say you're playing World of Warcraft with some online buddies. Your real life friends invite you out for a night on the town to have some fun, and you decline their offer without a second thought. I guess that's one major transition.
19. NO.
20. I have two Team Fortress 2 T-Shirts, five Team Fortress 2 posters, one Portal 2 poster, an Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood poster (courtesy of Gamestop), and a Pokemon blanket that I used as a child.(Thanks to my wonderful mother who made it for me after I was born)

 

[Zombie Sodomy]

Male, 19
1. yes
2. I spend about 90 hours on my computer every week.(53% of time) So approximately anywhere from 45-90 hours
3. alone
4. friends? What are those?
5. yes. I only have a computer now so same as answer to #2. That being said I typically prefer single player anyways
6. how many hours of video does escapist come out with each week?
7. rpg's are my favorite. I also like stealth games
8. I wasn't that young. My first game was Age of Mythology, but I don't remember how old I was. I started because they were awesome
9. I've played Age of Mythology and Guild Wars with my dad online for years, so he's cool with it. My mom hasn't always been a big fan but she's coming around.
10. escapist, reddit, adventure time, sometimes I masturbate.
11. a lot. As I mentioned in another thread I developed a man crush on Alistair while playing Dragon Age.
12. almost 4.5 average gpa in high school. Good SAT: 99th percentile critical reading, mid 90's number for writing, high 60's or 70's for math. Can't remember the full number.
13. no
14. seems pretty likely
15. no
16. fun,probable escapism,get to feel a kind of control over my future/surroundings that is missing from my real life
17. no
18. When you can't tell the difference between game and real world (aka: when you're bat shit crazy)
19. no
20. my roommate printed me a companion cube with his 3d printer

 

[Shinsei-J]

Male aged 17

1. Yes.
2. Around 20 these days.
3. Single-player.
4. Four
5. I play online often but how long depends entirely on whether or not I feel like socialising.
6. Mabye 10 to 20 hours.
7. Anything and everything, old or new.
8. I'd say I was around 3-4 years old, my mum played platformers and my dad played JRPGs.
9. They still like games even though they don't really play them anymore, though after seeing Ni No Kuni my mum wants to play it.
10. Making amateur films, watching films with my friends and volunteer work.
11. I invest heavily in games that give you an emotional experience with characters that are relatable.
12. N/A
13. 18 hours untill I quit last week due to moving.
14. Nope.
15. Not even once.
16. They can tell a story in a way no other medium can.
17. They can act as a trigger much like sport can but they aren't the problem nor do they create any aggression that wasn't there aready.
18. Once it has affected you unhealthily whether physically, mentally or socially it's a problem. (Tautology)
19. Mabye for a few years if I had a life changing event that required me to work more, ie, kids, sick parent, ect but I'd be back eventually.
20. I own a few figures, posters and swords.

 

[RyQ_TMC]

I'm male, not a big secret. Mid-twenties.

1. Do you consider yourself a member of the gamer subculture?
Yes.

2. How many hours of videogames do you play a week?
20-25 is probably my average.

3. Do you tend to play videogames by yourself or with friends?
Almost exclusively by myself. Occasionally with a friend.

4. How many of your friends play videogames?
One that I know for sure, a few occasionally. Almost none.

5. Do you play online? How many hours online do you play?
Almost never.

6. How many hours a week do you spending watching videos/reading about videogames?
3-4 hours, maybe? If forum threads count, then more.

7. What kinds of videogames do you play?
RPG, action adventure. Love strategy games, but haven't seen much recently.

8. When did you start playing videogames and why?
I was 4 when I started, mostly watching my sister play on my dad's office desktop. But until I discovered Settlers 2 as a 9-year old, I played very rarely.

9. How do your parents feel about videogames?
They think they're for kids, they're a timewaster, and I should grow out of them. But they tolerate my hobby.

10. If you have free time and aren't playing videogames what else do you do?
Spend time with my wife, cook. I still manage to read quite a bit, but since my work involves a lot of reading, I don't do it as much in my free time anymore.

11. How emotionally involved do you while playing videogames?(online play, amazing story, etc.)
A little bit in better games. Not much.

12. What grades do you get in school/college? (If Applicable)
My all-time average would be just below 70%. My bachelor's was an Upper Second Class, that's probably a good indication.

13. Do you have a job? How many hours a week do you work?
Officially 35 hours. Sometimes, when I have long experiments, might be twice that much.

14. Has playing videogames ever negatively affected school/work performance?
Occasionally. But when it wasn't videogames, it was books or girls. School has never been high on my priority list.

15. Have you ever skipped work/school to play videogames? How often?
I sometimes get to work late/leave early when I play a good title. But never outright skip.

16. Why do you play videogames?
Probably a bit of escapism is involved. Other than that, it's a way to experience stories which requires less intellectual involvement than reading a book.

17. Do you think violent videogames affects aggression and violence in its players?
Never looked into the science side of things. I think it might be a variable, but only one of many and definitely not the most important.

18. When do videogames go from being a passionate hobby to an unhealthy obsession?
When they rank above family.

19. Do you ever see yourself not playing videogames?
My gaming time has already shrunk since I got married, I expect it to shrink further when we have kids. Maybe a day will come when I won't have time to play. I'll accept it then.

20. What other gaming merchandise do you own? (t-shirts, figurines, posters, etc.)
A few T-shirts. A figurine I've never even unpacked. I don't buy any merchandise on its own, all I have is collector's edition stuff.

 

[Vault101]

[b/]1. Do you consider yourself a member of the gamer subculture?[/b]
hmmm...In a way yes..I generllay don't have alot of people to talk about it IRL and I dont go to cons or anything...however I am very active online, I read up on gaming news constantly so I guess that counts..
[b/]2. How many hours of videogames do you play a week?[/b]
5 or so at the most...more on weekends
[b/]3. Do you tend to play videogames by yourself or with friends?[/b]
single player 4 life (or untill I get better internet)
[b/]4. How many of your friends play videogames?[/b]
just one
[b/]6. How many hours a week do you spending watching videos/reading about videogames?[/b]
...hard to measure....an hour at most each day
[b/]7. What kinds of videogames do you play?[/b]
anything except JRPG's and MMO's
[b/]8. When did you start playing videogames and why?[/b]
as a kid...got into it later because I liked them
[b/]9. How do your parents feel about videogames?[/b]
neutral most likley
[b/]10. If you have free time and aren't playing videogames what else do you do?[/b]
draw or read comics...or read stuff on the net
[b/]11. How emotionally involved do you while playing videogames?(online play, amazing story, etc.)[/b]
depends on the game...ME3 being the most emotionally involved ive ever...if its engaging and has a good story I get that way...or some games like DMC I like/enjoy but wouldnt get emotional over
[b/]12. What grades do you get in school/college? (If Applicable)[/b]
low....due to me being lazy (or a dumbass)
[b/]13. Do you have a job? How many hours a week do you work?[/b]
7 hours a day
[b/]14. Has playing videogames ever negatively affected school/work performance?[/b]
no....any difficulty there is the result of deeper issues
[b/]15. Have you ever skipped work/school to play videogames? How often?[/b]
nope....not even for ME3
[b/]16. Why do you play videogames?[/b]
because they are engaging and fun
[b/]17. Do you think violent videogames affects aggression and violence in its players?[/b]
hard question...generally no, definetly not to the point of shooting kids....
[b/]18. When do videogames go from being a passionate hobby to an unhealthy obsession?[/b]
when it comes at the cost of everything else
[b/]19. Do you ever see yourself not playing videogames?[/b]
if I have more important comitments..
[b/]20. What other gaming merchandise do you own? (t-shirts, figurines, posters, etc.)[/b]
I own lots of action figures and posters

 

[FourCartridge]

20-Year old Male:

1. Do you consider yourself a member of the gamer subculture?
I tend to think of myself as a fan of a games series(Sonic, X-Com, etc), but otherwise no.

2. How many hours of videogames do you play a week?
Don't count. A lot though.

3. Do you tend to play videogames by yourself or with friends?
See 9.

4. How many of your friends play videogames?
Zero.

/foreveralone

5. Do you play online? How many hours online do you play?
Yes, typically 4 Hours.

6. How many hours a week do you spending watching videos/reading about videogames?
About 2 hours.

7. What kinds of videogames do you play?
Racers(arcade racers to be specific), Turn-Based Strategy, & Shooter RPGs like Fallout & Bioshock. I used to be fond of platformers, but they seem stale & barely relevant, so I moved on.

8. When did you start playing videogames and why?
When I was young back in the early 90's for fun. The fond memories I had with SMB3...

9. How do your parents feel about videogames?
They used to play SMB3 or Cool Boarders 2(just those two) and would brag to each other about who was better. I've been trying to get them in another game of mine(ASRT) and seem to be enjoying themselves, when getting past learning the basic skills. XD

10. If you have free time and aren't playing videogames what else do you do?
Shuffle cards, listen to music, eat a snack.

11. How emotionally involved do you while playing videogames?(online play, amazing story, etc.)
I usually tend to just lose myself int viewpoint of whom I'm controlling and try to behave as he would, or awe at the scenery. I'm a mute during online play beyond the general rage/cheers from close calls.

12. What grades do you get in school/college? (If Applicable)
N/A

13. Do you have a job? How many hours a week do you work?
No. =(

14. Has playing videogames ever negatively affected school/work performance?
I've had cases where performance was dropped but something else was at the root of it.

15. Have you ever skipped work/school to play videogames? How often?
No.

16. Why do you play videogames?
It's just about the only reliable hobby I have.

17. Do you think violent videogames affects aggression and violence in its players?
No. I think that violent games are a symptom of a much deeper social problem.

18. When do videogames go from being a passionate hobby to an unhealthy obsession?
When it's all you think about and nothing can get you to turn off the console.

19. Do you ever see yourself not playing videogames?
No, unless tabletop gaming gets really cool.

20. What other gaming merchandise do you own? (t-shirts, figurines, posters, etc.)
A few pins, figures, and a desktop wallpaper, but that's it.

 

[bigfatcarp93]

1. Do you consider yourself a member of the gamer subculture?
-Yes.

2. How many hours of videogames do you play a week?
-6-8.

3. Do you tend to play videogames by yourself or with friends?
-I don't have any friends, so by myself.

4. How many of your friends play videogames?
-None, again, none exist.

5. Do you play online? How many hours online do you play?
-No.

6. How many hours a week do you spending watching videos/reading about videogames?
-A lot, but I couldn't really tell you exactly.

7. What kinds of videogames do you play?
-Varied Shooters, RPGs, and Adventure, as well as any combination of the three.

8. When did you start playing videogames and why?
-When I was like 10 or 11, and because my brother had a PS1 he let me play.

9. How do your parents feel about videogames?
-My dad loves 'em. Sometimes he plays with me.

10. If you have free time and aren't playing videogames what else do you do?
-Surf the web, walk, read comics, walk some more.

11. How emotionally involved do you while playing videogames?(online play, amazing story, etc.)
-I force myself to become as emotionally invested in the story as I can. Especially in RPGs, I immerse myself completely.

12. What grades do you get in school/college? (If Applicable)
N/A

13. Do you have a job? How many hours a week do you work?
-Yes, whenever I want.

14. Has playing videogames ever negatively affected school/work performance?
-No, in fact, being a writer, I take much inspiration from the games I play.

15. Have you ever skipped work/school to play videogames? How often?
-I once "forgot" about school so I could start on Halo 3: ODST. Do not regret.

16. Why do you play videogames?
-Because I enjoy them.

17. Do you think violent videogames affects aggression and violence in its players?
-Possibly, but only slightly if at all.

18. When do videogames go from being a passionate hobby to an unhealthy obsession?
-I'll let you know when I get there.

19. Do you ever see yourself not playing videogames?
-No.

20. What other gaming merchandise do you own? (t-shirts, figurines, posters, etc.)
-Gears of War wallet, varied posters of varied games.