Only a pwn in their game

[duchaked]

well I do enjoy playing games but...in my immediate circle of friends I play much more than they do, but much much less than if I were to hang with a different crowd (such as online websites like...this one!), so I try to convince them NOT to call me a "gamer"

but in the end it doesn't matter unless they start thinking that I play WoW in the basement all night

 

[Srkkl]

I would understand people calling them selves a gamer if they were getting paid for it (High paying tornaments or testers/programers) but other than that I do agree with you. I myself realize that games are a huge distraction in my life and in a week or so it will be fixed (Lisence and Job.)

 

[Insanum]

You know what really angers me in the current state-of-affairs in the gaming industry?

Gamers. Why?

First of all, calling yourself a 'gamer' has got to be one of the dumbest categorizations you could possibly put yourself in. Gaming is a hobby, it's not a lifestyle. Ever wonder why people that are really into books or movies don't label themselves as some sort of term? Maybe you should.

Socialites...?

Ok, there is more too a gamer then just playing games, a lot of gamers have lives, But at the end of the day if its what someone spends a lot of time doing something and can generalise with other like-minded people then it seems perfect natural to create a classification.

If your a male, Angsty, likes to wear lots of eyliner & jet black clothes, Cry a lot & basically winge a lot, then you'd be more than correct in classing yourself as "emo".

 

[Brotherofwill]

If you build you're a Builder
If you write you're a Writer
If you drive you're a Driver

I just listed 3 things that aren't "lifestyles", as you put it, but still are discribed the same way.

Another counter point, putting -er at the end of something doesn't make it a lifestyle. I'm a homosexual, which is considered a Lifestyle, and I'm not a Homer am I?
(BTW being Bi/Gay is about as much a lifestyle as having brown eyes)

Well in essence you are right but it's not that simple. Being a builder and a writer are lifestyles I would say, I don't see the point of using them unless it is your job. People that experience music or films usually don't brand themselves just for enjoying a medium, games should be no different in my opinion. If people produced games I could sort of understand if they called themselves a gamer or game-developer or whatever.

 

[captainwalrus]

Ever wonder why people that are really into books or movies don't label themselves as some sort of term?

Bookworm. Movie Aficionado.

There are labels for every lifestyle, culture, value system, etc. Being a 'gamer' doesn't necessarily mean that you're driven into a mentality of mass video game consumption, merely a term for describing a hobby that you enjoy doing. It does not mean that hobby consumes your entire schedule, but that it comprises part of it.

 

[Bernzz]

I call myself a gamer because I play a lot of games, and enjoy gaming. It's not my entire lifestyle, it's just part of it.

 

[superbleeder12]

I don't call myself a gamer, I enjoy playing video games, but I'm not a gamer

 

[VoidProphet]

"the boy equivalent of all this feminine Cosmopolitan worship which leads them to spend millions trying to look and behave like a celebrity who probably has a fairly miserable life herself."

Only the guys that dress and act exactly like master chief. But since those are quite rare, I'm pretty sure that that's a crap comparison.

People say 'You're a Gamer if you do this'. I do it. I'm a Gamer. I enjoy gaming. Why is this something which needs to be addressed?

 

[Satoz]

I generally think that labelling yourself is a large part of what is currently destroying individualism and I do get what you are saying. Why not just drop the term, well or atleast only use it around your friends? It always bad to cram yourself into a category, especially if your mind starts believing in it.

I have to say something here, I dont like this whole individualism junk thats going around for some people (i say some because not everyone does this) everyone feels the need to say they are "individual" in everything, its like "oh I cant like that because everyone else does" my point with saying that is even our precious individualism is being invaded by labeling. Everyone is an individual at heart, so adding a little title here and there isnt bad as long as it is not your only tag. I truly think an individual is constructed out of these "tags" some are small and some are large, the difference is there are many not just one, we cant really place ourselves into one tag, because we all have different traits that define us, interests and so on.

So any one label is stupid, but there is something about them, if you have a passion for gaming people understand that when you say gamer. What would coin it as? "virtuaplaya'" or "videogameplayer" or maybe "button masher" i mean its all the same, its just a gamer games, he is in the act of gaming, hence he is a gamer. It doesnt mean thats all he does but its an interest. If someone tells me they are a gamer I dont assume they only play games and have no life, they obviously have other labels which they are not sharing right away. People dont just say everything they are, just imagine if someone told you this:
" oh me? im a jock that has a bit of an emo side to me, im a gamer, a fanboy of this, a movie goer and critic with a mound of uniqueness and individualism sprinkled all over"

Im not trying to be annoying here, its just that saying you are a gamer doesnt imply you spend every second gaming, buying products for gaming, and only live breathe and die with gaming. It doesnt mean you will eat up ever ad. Thats like saying a "jock" has to only like sports, and can never understand when somethings a good deal or a rip off, and never has time for anything else.

 

[VoidProphet]

Threee Paragraphs of Truth.

Agreed.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

First of all, calling yourself a 'gamer' has got to be one of the dumbest categorizations you could possibly put yourself in. Gaming is a hobby, it's not a lifesyle. Ever wonder why people that are really into books or movies don't label themselves as some sort of term? Maybe you should.

Bookworm.

Cinephile.

Goodbye.

 

[King_Paco]

well some people do make money by gaming via tournaments and such. so there by they are real gamers. other than that i have no idea how the title stuck to every damn person who picks up a controller and knows how to play.

 

[megapenguinx]

I am a gamer because I play games. Alot. It is a lifestyle to me, and I see no real benefit from it. There doesn't have to be a benefit. I could call myself a cabbage and neither gain nor lose anything. I don't do it because it was marketed to me, I do it because I genuinely love games. The only categorizations I find moronic in this "niche", are the retarded "hardcore" and "causal" titles.

 

[FallenJellyDoughnut]

I generally think that labelling yourself is a large part of what is currently destroying individualism and I do get what you are saying. Why not just drop the term, well or atleast only use it around your friends? It always bad to cram yourself into a category, especially if your mind starts believing in it.

I like to think of gamers as a taxonomy for people who play video games. Modern monoculture has the idea that labels for people who are similar are so important that any other alternative is too hard to use effectively in things like everyday conversation. And honestly, it's easier to say "I'm a gamer" than "I play a lot of video games".

So, to answer your question? We call ourselves gamers because we are too lazy to find another way to represent our interests.

That's how I see it anyway.

Im not lazy so I call myself a Mass Binary Code Set In a Specific Order Player

 

[Zombie_Fish]

well some people do make money by gaming via tournaments and such. so there by they are real gamers. other than that i have no idea how the title stuck to every damn person who picks up a controller and knows how to play.

Because everyone else thinks that the real gamers are doing a hobby, so if they're doing the same hobby, they must be gamers as well.

Titles aren't given out because they're lifestyles nowadays, they're given out because they're hobbies. They're something you like to do. Sure there are now worse wars than ever but the people taking part in them do it because they genuinely like that console.

 

[Brotherofwill]

First of all, calling yourself a 'gamer' has got to be one of the dumbest categorizations you could possibly put yourself in. Gaming is a hobby, it's not a lifesyle. Ever wonder why people that are really into books or movies don't label themselves as some sort of term? Maybe you should.

Bookworm.

Cinephile.

Goodbye.

I know the terms exist but I honestly have never ever heard anyone describe themselves with them. Maybe it is just less common, more hardcore or an American thing, I don't know.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

First of all, calling yourself a 'gamer' has got to be one of the dumbest categorizations you could possibly put yourself in. Gaming is a hobby, it's not a lifesyle. Ever wonder why people that are really into books or movies don't label themselves as some sort of term? Maybe you should.

Bookworm.

Cinephile.

Goodbye.

I know the terms exist but I honestly have never ever heard anyone describe themselves with them. Maybe it is just less common, more hardcore or an American thing, I don't know.

Well I call myself a gamer because I spend a lot of time gaming, it's a hobby not a lifestyle choie that's true but that doesn't mean we shouldn't use a simple little term to describe ourselves and something we love to do.

I really don't see the harm, and due to Nintendo and thier family toys I believe it won't be long before the negative, antisocial image of the gamer disappears altogether.

Also you are right in that the console wars are utterly fucking stupid and just make us look like idiots. Gamers have enough detractors without squabbling like fools amongst ourselves.

 

[Soxafloppin]

I honestly never call myself a gamer. Not even in this neck of the woods.