Poll: Do you play video games in public?

[Creator002]

Usually not.
I played 5 Days a Stranger (A game fron Yahtzee's most well known game series) on my phone in a hairdresser's waiting for my cousin to finish his haircut and it wasn't a big deal.
But then, does mobile gaming count? Everyone and their dog seems to use their phone in public constantly.

 

[MerlinCross]

If I'm going to be waiting on something (Doctor, Appointment, Bus, blah blah) Yeah I'm gonna bring a portable gaming device with me. I am bored and there is no Popular Mechanics magazine here so yeah I'm gonna do something.

It's weird though when you get like tagged on 3DS, look up and see a young kid playing. No idea how to respond or anything, just keep playing.

 

[verdant monkai]

I've grown out of the "Oh no! Total strangers will think I am a nerd" stage. I honestly think its immature and insecure to not do something that is harmless, and will not annoy other people, just because you are afraid of being seen as geeky.

There's few situations where I'll have time to play handhelds in public, basically if I'm going to be sitting down for a few hours like public transport or waiting for an appointment.

 

[Doom972]

I play using my laptop, smartphone, PSP, and if I feel nostalgic I take my Gameboy Color/Advance with me. I don't really see why it would be a problem. The only exception would be when sitting in a pub, restaurant, etc, but I wouldn't read a book/listen to music in that situation either because I prefer to talk to the people I'm with.

 

[The Squid King]

I play games in public sometimes, usually when I show up to a lecture early or something rather than on public transport. I am much more mindful of the games I play while in public though, I wouldn't play The Binding of Isaac for example.

 

[CannibalCorpses]

Well, i haven't had a handheld since the early 90's but when i did i was quite happy to play it in public, despite the majority of people hating gaming and gamers. *shrugs* I'm not one of the herd, never have been and never will be

 

[Evil Raccoon]

I have absolutely no problem whipping out my 3DS to play Pokemon or smash (Or whatever I have in my DS at that time, really) on my 1.5 hour train commute to college. Got called out once when I was playing Pokemon, by another gamer, doing the same.

 

[G00N3R7883]

I've never owned a handheld, because I want to immerse myself as much as possible in whichever game I'm playing, and even the slightest distraction from people around me will annoy me. So I prefer to play games on PC or console in my own home.

 

[duwenbasden]

Pokemon X and Zelda Skyward on the 3DS? Check.
Shadowrun Returns and Alpha Centauri on the Venue 11 Pro? Double check.

Yes, I definitely do.

 

[Trippy Turtle]

Probably not. It would be awkward to say the least.
Perhaps on a train. But that is literally the only place. Not even on a bus or something else. Definitely just not a shop or at a park or something.
I realize most people won't care but it does have a very antisocial/socially awkward stigma. I for one, am more likely to sit next to someone on the bus who isn't playing a DS. No real reason. Just how it is for me.
I probably do judge a little even though logically I know there is nothing really to judge.

 

[Vigormortis]

The fact that people are still made to feel ashamed of playing video games is both incredibly disappointing and incredibly aggravating to me.

Most people wouldn't even bat a fucking eye if they saw, say, someone reading a book, watching a movie, or playing on their cellphone in public. So I'm baffled as to why they would frown upon or openly mock someone who's playing a game on their DS or Vita.

It seems to me to be the height of hypocritical bullying, and I'm saddened that so many, even on this very site, are actually ashamed of their gaming habits.

As for me, I don't game in public. But this is only because I do not own any portable gaming systems, nor do I use my phone for gaming.

However, if I did own a portable system, you can bet your ass I'd play it in public. If ever I found myself in a situation where I had to wait for some extended period of time, I'd be playing that thing with nary a care for what others thought.

 

[COMaestro]

Yep. I take my Vita to work and play it while I eat my lunch, plus I'll take it with me when I go out in case I have time to kill somewhere. Picking up pizza for dinner? Play my Vita while I wait for it to be ready. Filling the gas tank? Play while I wait. I'm not ashamed of my hobby, so why would I worry about playing games in public?

Though if there's too much natural light outside, you really can't see the screen, so in that case, I wouldn't bother to play.

Probably not. It would be awkward to say the least.
Perhaps on a train. But that is literally the only place. Not even on a bus or something else. Definitely just not a shop or at a park or something.
I realize most people won't care but it does have a very antisocial/socially awkward stigma. I for one, am more likely to sit next to someone on the bus who isn't playing a DS. No real reason. Just how it is for me.
I probably do judge a little even though logically I know there is nothing really to judge.

Even more reason to play games in public then. If people are less likely to sit next to me on the bus/train/whatever, then that just means more room for me to stretch out. And honestly that stigma you refer to is rapidly going away as more and more people grow up having played video games their entire lives.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

Based on my Pokemon habits...

If I have power and the opportunity to, I will play in public, yes.

 

[Foolery]

Hell yeah, I do. Not often, but I'll bring my 3DS to class if I think I'm going to be early. Don't know about the antisocial stigma, most people just ask what I'm playing, and I'm more than glad to tell them. People lug cellphones around and stare at those to ignore interacting with people, so I don't see the big deal with playing a game console in public.

 

[Rayce Archer]

I played my Gameboy EVERYWHERE back in the day. Didn't even use headphones. But it was the last portable I owned.

 

[Tiamattt]

Certainly. Mostly on the bus or anytime I have to wait for a long time, I'm more than happy to pull out my DS or tablet and go nuts. I don't notice or care if people stare or think bad things about me, all I know is I'm having fun and if anyone does notice/think bad things about me they're so bored that a total stranger playing a video game is worth their attention.

 

[Phasmal]

Not really, no.

For one thing, I have about two good games on my 3DS. So unless I want to endlessly replay Fire Emblem, I'm a little stuck. (Plus my stylus keeps falling out!).

And secondly, I don't not play because I'm worried about being seen as nerdy by non-nerds, I just can't be arsed to deal with the alpha nerd police. Is that worse? I don't know.

 

[rvbnut]

I play my Vita/PSP/DS/3DS on the train to uni pretty much every day.

Personally I don't care what people think. Nor do I think negatively about someone who is playing a game in public.

It's a hobby, like reading or playing an instrument. This hobby just so happens to be something that can be enjoyed in public.

 

[J Tyran]

I tend to take my Vita into hospital with me, sitting there in the chair or bed outside of visiting time is damn boring so I take my Kindle, tablet and Vita. Otherwise I don't use it in public, never get much chance as I don't use public transport and never have anytime sitting around long enough to justify carrying a handheld.