Only a pwn in their game

[Brotherofwill]

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.

Like any kind of label, being a 'gamer' only puts you in an uncomfortable niche audience that people can advertise to. People in the industry sell this audience all kind of shit while pretending to be on their wavelength, idiotic stuff like Gamer Fuel or whatever. It's a marketing term. It's just a silly term that allows children to feel secure about wasting a large part of their life and spending close to 100% of their money on it, 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.

The kind of devotion that you encounter when looking at gamers these days is beyond creepy. The fanboy and console wars are at levels that are well beyond anything that I would have imagined they could be a few years ago. 360 owners denying the failure rate of their beloved console and PS3 people ignoring the absolutely pathetic PS3 marketing are pretty common. Gaming Rep statements at this point are nothing but mild forms of propaganda that ticker straight into the skulls of their target audience to create a sort-off fashistic response. This is brainwashing what modern consoles companies are doing, well beyond building a fan-base.

So my questions are:
Why call yourself a gamer? Do you see any benefit in it? Ever been tricked by gaming advertising?

All I'm really trying to say is that I don't see the point of labelling yourself because you enjoy video games. If you are at the point where playing games becomes part of your mentality and consumes most of your time you probably should take a step away from it rather than giving yourself a fancy name and eading for deeper waters.

Sorry for the relatively harsh language, I obviously exagerated at times.
Anyone catch the title reference?

 

[LilGherkin]

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.

Maybe that person is a game-tester, I think I'd start calling myself a gamer if that was my profession. Also, there's movie critic, director, actor, movie goer, I'm sure the guy that runs the cinema is on that list too. As for books, Author, Co-Author, Publicist, Reviewer.

 

[Gotham Soul]

Isn't the title a Bob Dylan song?

Anyway, I call myself a gamer because I play a lot of video games. That's about all there is to it. And the only reason I do is because today's modern society absolutely MUST have labels to call everybody. Nerd, geek, jock, whore, so on. It's so people can compare themselves to other people.

Also, most merchandise that's not hardware or games themselves that are advertised to gamers are bullshit. That automatic BAWLS dispenser doesn't work.

 

[Hazy]

It's just a silly term that allows children to feel secure about wasting a large part of their life and spending close to 100% of their money on it.

So a person who surfs for a large percentage of their time, and shells out alot of their money on the sport, has no right labeling themself a Surfer?
I think that as long as you partake in the sport/hobby, you can label yourself as you wish.

As for the article: It was a good read. You make alot of great points, and support them as such.

 

[Gxas]

I am a gamer because that is what society recognizes me by. If society coins the term, and I fit the bill, then I am that.

There is no benefit in it whatsoever. Is there a benefit in being a jock? How about a nerd?

Tricked by gaming advertising? No.

As to the last part, gaming is my hobby. Why should I step away from doing something that occupies my spare time and keeps me happy? Because you think I'm wasting my life having a good time? Wonderful reason.

Obvious exaggerations? Where? I saw none!

 

[Beffudled Sheep]

I call myself a gamer because I play video games... a lot. I don't care if it doesn't actually mean anything or doesn't give me anything positive. I call myself what I am and that is a gamer.

 

[jim_doki]

Gaming has become a lifestyle. It's our own special little thing. there are contests and competitiive scene, its like a sport to us. If we decide to own it, like Emos or Metalheads or Gold Diggers or Whatever, we get that right

 

[Brotherofwill]

Isn't the title a Bob Dylan song?

Nice one, quicker than I thought.

Anyway, I call myself a gamer because I play a lot of video games. That's about all there is to it. And the only reason I do is because today's modern society absolutely MUST have labels to call everybody. Nerd, geek, jock, whore, so on. It's so people can compare themselves to other people.

Also, most merchandise that's not hardware or games themselves that are advertised to gamers are bullshit. That automatic BAWLS dispenser doesn't work.

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.

 

[Kinguendo]

I call myself a gamer because one of my hobbies is gaming, if you write you're a writer, if you dance you're a dancer, if you masterfully bait hooks then you're a master baiter... halfway through I figured I could fit than in here, I apologise.

XD

 

[Brotherofwill]

As to the last part, gaming is my hobby. Why should I step away from doing something that occupies my spare time and keeps me happy? Because you think I'm wasting my life having a good time? Wonderful reason.

The difference here is that it occupies your spare time rather than all or most of your time. Feel free to do whatever you wish with your time, sorry if the last part got across as me being on some kind of high horse.

 

[Syntax Error]

Gaming has become a lifestyle. It's our own special little thing. there are contests and competitiive scene, its like a sport to us. If we decide to own it, like Emos or Metalheads or Gold Diggers or Whatever, we get that right

Amen to that brother! Heck, this site is devoted to "Gamer Culture"; from the industry to the people that drive them, gaming has indeed become mainstream in the last few years.

 

[WolfMage]

I am a person who play's games. One who [plays] games. A "gamer".

No, no real benefit, other than having a social and verbal shortcut to meeting other "gamers", a.k.a. other people whom enjoy games, and the playing thereof. And no real detriment, other than some people automatically thinking less of me, more spam and junk mail, and people trying to sell me gimmicky bullshit.

Nope, not tricked, but saddened that people think something to the effect of "They watch a TV and hit buttons all day, they must have tapioca pudding for brains."

And now I'm hungry for brains. I mean pudding. Pudding.

 

[Gotham Soul]

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.

 

[quiet_samurai]

It's called marketing to a target audience, welcome to modern economics bud.

And who the hell are you to tell people they have no right to call themselves whatever they want or place themselves in a demographic? Nobody is here to impress you. Even though gaming is a hobby to most, for some it is a way of life and to them it's what keeps them going. If those kind of people aren't gamers then what would you call them? I'm a gamer, but I'm also alot of other things as well, just because you have one title doesn't mean you can't have others.

Making threads that lash out or target the entire community is stupid, no matter how much you explain yourself in the last paragraph.

 

[dmase]

.... the ps3 rocks screw you bub. jk

anyways you have over a 1100 posts on a video game magazine website, what does that say about you? I play video games a lot however i also work, go to school, and go on dates with my girl. I'm a gamer tho and an average joe everybody usually fits into more than one stereotype.

Now go take out your boxes of mountain dew that has "win a free 360" on the side.

 

[Julianking93]

I only call myself a gamer if someone asks me that in those words, I've never referred to myself with that term, not because I don't like it, but just because I see no need to just go around saying "Hey I'm a gamer!"

 

[TheTygerfire]

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)

 

[DoomyMcDoom]

I consider myself a gamer... sure it's a waste of time... but hey it's a gloriously enjoyable one... as opposed to one of my other indoor hobbies wall watching... or oversleeping... or eating cuz i'm bored... i think it aint too bad.

of course in nice weather i work on my car in my driveway... and i work to make money... but it's all a waste of time in the long run. we all die and unless we do something horrible we generally all are forgotten, what's the point?

 

[Brotherofwill]

It's called marketing to a target audience, welcome to modern economics bud.

Never took a class of economics in my life, kind of glad I haven't. That was basically was I was trying to say I guess.

And who the hell are you to tell people they have no right to call themselves whatever they want or place themselves in a demographic? Nobody is here to impress you. Even though gaming is a hobby to most, for some it is a way of life and to them it's what keeps them going. If those kind of people aren't gamers then what would you call them? I'm a gamer, but I'm also alot of other things as well, just because you have one title doesn't mean you can't have others.

I'm not telling you to do anything. I was asking why you do it.

Making threads that lash out or target the entire community is stupid, no matter how much you explain yourself in the last paragraph.

Do you feel insulted or lashed out at? That certainly wasn't the point. Maybe you are a bit sensitive or I'm just a bit ham-handed in my delivery here, but this is certainly not a bashing thread.

It sure beats talking about your favourite kinds of pie in most threads these days. Atleast we'll get some semi-interesting gaming related discussion going here.