The Psychology Of Console Loyalty And Brand Fanboyism

GR: Undying console loyalty—or for the lack of a better term, fanboyism—has plagued the industry since its inception. In the early '90s it was the epic feud between Genesis lovers and SNES loyalists, shortly followed thereafter by Sony's entry in the gaming market, which birthed a community of PlayStation loyalists hell-bent against all in favor of the Nintendo 64 or Dreamcast. And judging by how cluttered the internet has become with ranting and raving on whether the PS3 or Xbox 360 is the superior console, not a whole lot has changed since the early days—if anything, it has only gotten worse.

[NYC_Gamer]

I don't have any brand loyalty.. i'll buy any piece of hardware that offers quality content..It's about the software not the logo on the machine.

[knifefight]

I wish more people thought and acted like this. ^

[Shadow Flare]

Tell that to the android fanboys. I've never seen fanboyism on that level before. Far worse then I ever saw with playstation and xbox

[Army_of_Darkness]

Umm, I think you mean the isheeps. android owners aren't blinded by an apple logo. Pay more for less, umm, I don't think so.

[BrutallyBlunt]

@Army of Darkness

People tend to support Apple because they want something easy to use and in a more safe environment. It's a lot more closed off than Android and that can be a good thing or a bad thing, all depending on how much you want to exploit the hardware and how dirty you want to get your hands versus having things just work. Apple's software is structured in such a way that it becomes familiar going from one product to the other. It's like PC fanboys versus console gamers. One offers so much more flexibility but it comes att he cost of the player having to do a little more work. It also comes at the cost of not having every game feel like they belong with one another as far as stat tracking/achievements and online play. On the console it works within the device but it's limited.

To me it's very hard to be a fanboy or loyal to any one product or any one company. There are so many products out there that may do something better. That's why to me it's always go to keep your options open. Every company has faltered. From Atari to Nintendo all the way up to Microsoft. Apple used to struggle at one point too.

This generation it has been very hard to remain loyal. 3rd party exclusives were hard to come by, motion controls added new ideas, online serbices expanded, there was a lot of hardware issues, games are always needing fixing now and patches, hardware is always needing updating, the stagnant of new ideas and the glut of sequels. Right now there really is no reason to remain loyal. Anything can happen with the upcoming generation. We are also seeing things like games requiring online codes, free to play games, DLC still trying to do things the right way. Lots of things going on and we also have to look at the stableness of these companies. Nintendo for the first time recored losses. Sony has huge financial issues, Onlive is still in question, Microsoft is trying to changes things with Windows 8.

To me the companies in the best position right now are Steam and Apple. However Apple isn't very committed to gaming. They don't finance any game development and it's not really a threat at this point to PC/console gaming.

[Shadow Flare]

@army of darkness

Thanks for proving my point so well

iPhone is a brilliant phone. I'll leave it as that.

Why can't you?

[alexcosborn]

That's a great way to be :)

[Sev]

I'm brand loyal, but it's because of quality or certain attributes that make me so.

For example, I like Polo or any clothing by Ralph Lauren, simply because it fits my frame and shape better than other clothing. I'm also brand loyal to Nike, certain food brands, Apple, restaurants, etc.

Brand loyalty doesn't have to be a blind, unwavering dedications, or an excuse to argue with others, but it certainly exists within all of us.

Not just brand loyalty, but team, city, etc. It's natural. Even you, not brand loyal as you say (which I'm not doubting if you say that), are loyal to New York City. Enough to have your username branded with it. That's not a bad thing at all, in fact I'm heading to NYC on Thursday for the Wii U event. I love that city. But Boston is where the heart is for me.

Loyalty exists, and that's just fine. But it doesn't give anyone the right to be an ass just because someone else's loyalty lies elsewhere.

Really a great article, and perfect for intelligent discussion like this.

[ape007]

yep but u can't get 100% unbiased, we are all human after all

[Phil32]

Then you are an abnormality on gaming sites.

[DarkBlood]

true that in fact i go to a point in my mind where i dont say this system sucks or this does better then that etc etc

i like to own all consoles and portables if i can

[pixelsword]

Speaking of phychology, this "writer" is trying to talk about people who suffer from cognitive dissonance, but he's not getting it right because he's not hitting the issues right.

The "problem" with game loyalty (as opposed to just about everything else that has the same degree of loyalty) is that the people who complain about fans aren't often able to get what that fan has, so they go and try to shoot-down a person who has what they can't have, whether it be in terms of software, reputation, hardware, or base loyalty.

What I have noticed is that Sony fans have acceptance issues (which I also and often complained about), but they generally don't often have cognitive dissonance (although, of course, there are some in every crowd). To have cognitive dissonance you have to feel awkward about having conflicting views about two things. Sony fans like Sony products above all other brands, and therefore there isn't any conflict of interests to be had. Now, if they also like the PC or xbox, then it's just that: they merely also like another brand.

Genesis, some xbox, sometimes wii, and for some baffling reason some PC fans have cognitive dissonance because despite the advantage of what each brand offers over Sony's brands, they don't have the reputation, games (in number and/or perceived quality), or the fan loyalty that Sony has (despite any missteps Sony may have had which I also complained about), and therefore to resolve that conflict they would have to actually buy a PS3 to resolve that issue, but for whatever psychological or financial reason they don't and therefore feel the need to debase either the PS3, Sony, or Sony fans. The ONLY reason I come to this conclusion is that I'm sure you've seen on many websites where there is a person rampantly campaigning about Sony or the PS3 but all of a sudden there's an about-face in their attitude... AFTER they purchase a PS3, and THAT'S the resolution to the conflict I've been talking about.

In short, all fans are loyal, but Sony has a reputation of being "cutting-edge" and full of features above other consoles, and PC fans jumped-in when consoles brought out a few games that looked comparable to PC games, and in some instances (Gran turismo 5, The Saboteur, for some time MAG's 256 players in a game) matched or excelled PC performance in a category or effect.

But as far as "fanboysim", it's everywhere: like Republican over Democratic fanboys, or LA Lakers over Chicago Bulls fanboys, or Cadillac over Lincoln fanboys, or Simpsons over Family Guy fanboys.

You barely hear sports fans talking about "everyone should love every team" or "I think everyone should buy every car" although there are probably rare and extreme examples of each existing.

Brand loyalty is when you constantly eat at Burger King instead of McDonald's, or when you go to Starbucks over Biggby, or when you buy Adidas over Nike: you go back to the brand that gives you the better experience, and there's nothing wrong with that.

Other forms of lesser logic will tell you that although you don't want to buy something else as much, you SHOULD purchase it for no rational reason other than some non-existent peer pressure.

[knifefight]

Why is "writer" in "quotes?" Was not a thing written? I guess it was probably typed but dude....

Anyway, in response to:
"You barely hear sports fans talking about "everyone should love every team" or "I think everyone should buy every car" although there are probably rare and extreme examples of each existing."

Are Microsoft and Sony sports teams, then? Are they in a contest that you can "win"? So...I should cheer for another business to do...what, exactly? I should cheer for Sony or Microsoft or Nintendo to declare bankruptcy? Is...that what you're getting at?

Sports teams and sales products are not the same. This isn't some TV game show where you win a contest by selling more than the other guy. Competition does not equal a contest.

[pixelsword]

"Why is 'writer' in 'quotes?' Was not a thing written?"

If I have to explain that one to ya... aw, forget it; I probably do.

Grammar 101.3, Quotation Marks:

When quotes are around a single word it, it can mean that the word is being used in a special or peculiar way and that it really means something else.

Anyways,

"Are Microsoft and Sony sports teams, then?"

No, they are products, just like any sports team. Oh, wait; you must think the owners are in it for the love of the game with $80 tickets and $12 cups of beer.

"Are they in a contest that you can "win"? "

What are you reading to come to that conclusion? I didn't say that, you're just going off on some odd tangent. Since you wish to go there though, you look at the ton of articles stating what Microsoft or Sony has to do to "win E3", have a game "win GOTY", or comes in first, second,or third in sales and you tell me if the industry and it's commentators think these corporations are in a contest they can "win".

"So...I should cheer for another business to do...what, exactly?"

Again, you tell me, I didn't say anything about anyone cheering; that's just you getting weird again. Yet again, since you went there, there's crowds of people doing just that at every E3. All of the things you're asking about are already being done, so what's your point, anyways?

[knifefight]

Oh I realize that you're trying to insult the writer. The grammatical use of quotation marks was not in question, but rather YOUR usage of it was in question.

If you disagree with something, hey, cool, but to go trying to imply that someone isn't really qualified to do their job because you disagree with them is a little bit silly. ;)

The best part was that you passive-agreessively dodged that question by answering a grammatical point that you knew I wasn't asking about. Classy.

[pixelsword]

No, it's silly if someone's going to do an article about the psychology of something and doesn't use any actual psychological terms.

[insertcoin]

Fanboyism is an extremist religion. Don't let the terrorists win.

[dbjj12088]

By terrorists you mean N4G commenters.

[HammadTheBeast]

The trolls are dangerous.

[PopRocks359]

I'd be lying if I said I possessed no brand loyalty. Anyone who follows my comments knows I am a big Nintendo fan and I tend to gravitate toward their platforms and games.

However, I have tastes that expand beyond that. I own a PC that can play a few games, a PS3 and a 360. I love my PS3. I love the games I play on it. I used to love my 360, but after it broke and I had to go through three more, I'm done with Microsoft's faulty products and lousy online service.

I've purchased a bunch of HD collections on the PS3 and even bought some multiplatform games (Brutal Legend and Borderlands to name a couple) I used to own on 360 so I could play them online without having to pay for anything. It's actually pretty awesome.

I also defended Sony during the hack attack a couple summers ago. I felt it was stupid to blame them for something that could have just as easily happened to Microsoft or Nintendo.

Basic point: I like what I like and I don't like what I don't like. I have my preferences, but that doesn't stop me from approaching new and different things from time to time. Just because I like Nintendo games doesn't mean I don't like Sony games or PC games or at one point Microsoft games.

[knifefight]

Yep.
Something tells me the people this article is about won't be posting comments here.

[Sev]

Agreed. Maybe a few, but they'll likely be flagged for trolling.

Good, because there is some great discussion beginning here already.

[HonestDragon]

I agree. I admit that I have loyalty to Sony and prefer getting multiplatform games for the PS3. For me, I prefer having the hard drive already available from the get go, their exclusives, and I like how games look on it. The only games I have for the Xbox 360 are Dead Rising, Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, and the Gears of War franchise. Other than that, the majority of what I have is on PS3.

I have my PC as well for a few games. Nintendo has some of the most addictive, yet creative games I've ever seen. New Super Mario Bros. 2 is so much fun.

"I also defended Sony during the hack attack a couple summers ago. I felt it was stupid to blame them for something that could have just as easily happened to Microsoft or Nintendo."

I defended Sony as well. It was stupid that people were up in arms over this. Think about it: a group of jerk hackers decided to work together to get onto PSN to steal private information of multiple users. It happens all of the time. Hackers got onto Xbox Live before (twice, if I remember right) and quite a few people hacked the Wii before PS3 and Xbox 360 debuted.

Fanboys just need to learn that not every system is perfect and everyone's personal taste will be different.

[jerethdagryphon]

actual brand loyalty is a fairly interesting subject i could wax lyrical on for a while,
the true psychology often stems from what was in the house growing up price and availability.

coupled with style preferences and features, few people truly have brand loyalty in a sterotypical manner who only buy one brand of product in each type.

for instance i have a lg moniter and tv htc phone logic 3 speakers and and ps3

however when it comes to moniters iwill only buy samsung or lg when it comes to phones htc these patterns of purchesing are brand loyalty and is what other groups will try to entice away

often in grocerys better then leading brand is an attempt to sway loyalty while not understanding the causes.

[ninjahunter]

I used to have brand loyalty, then i got a job.

[ZoyosJD]

Any form of loyalty stems from a previous quality experience with a product or service.

If your a company and you have thousands of blindly loyal fans then you must be doing something right, may that be advertising, acting as a status symbol, being affordable, or simply producing quality products.

To say you don't have brand loyalty is like saying that you don't have an opinion. But like with all things, if you have tried it, seen it, or heard others talk about it you have an opinion.

Note: For those who consider owning all systems to mean not having brand loyalty, you too have brand loyalty, just to all the systems.

[Everlastingfate]

Well said, sir.

[Hicken]

My first thought on this article was, "It should be console fanboyism and brand loyalty, not the other way around."

Then I thought about the fact that loyalty for anything exists because of good experiences with that thing.

Why do I like Sony? Because games on their platforms got me into gaming. Sure, I had an Atari and later an SNES, but it was the JRPGS of the PS1 that truly got me hooked. It was Gran Turismo, Spyro, and the one-off fighting games like Evil Zone that opened the door to expanded gaming horizons. It's not like I haven't had fun on other consoles, but I've had the most gaming fun on Sony-branded products.

Fanboyism transcends loyalty by a wide margin. Things are good before they're even out, the bad is nonexistent, and the competition can do no right.

[BrutallyBlunt]

There are many forms of loyalty and sadly people like Hicken do not represent why loyalty matters.

When you have someone like him who is so quick to defend EVERYTHING related to Sony and at the same time so quick to ATTACK anyone or anything that poses a threat, that isn't just brand loyalty. That is being a loyal slave with only one real agenda. That is to make sure Sony looks better than anyone else.

Companies like Sony cannot be viewed within gaming as something that really needs to have loyal customers anyways. Think about it, they create a platform that needs 3rd party content in order to survive. So what exactly is it people like him are so depserately trying to stay loyal with? All it is now is the idea of Sony being this entity that people like Hicken want to exploit. When in reality all Sony does is offer a system for a magnitude of other publishers to relase their games on. Very few games are actually created just for the hardware.

We live in different times and this idea that we need to still support big corporations like Sony in this fashion are dying. That link between Sony and the games we play is getting less and less all the time. That's why they are so vocal on the forums, it's their only outlet to be heard. When most of the games now are on so many different platforms now how do we acknowledge this need to remain loyal? As we move forward into cloud gaming is this going to continue? Are we going to now talk about SEN and Gaiaka and attack Steam and OnLive and XBOX Live? It's already happening with the attacks on XBOX Live but i imagine this fanboysim will go even further than that as the actual hardware becomes less relevant.

If we put it into context like sports teams it goes like this. It's like being a fan of one specific team. You wear the uniform, you go to the team forums, you cheer them on when they play and so on. When you see a sports fan do that you can relate to it. How can any sane person relate to some fan of Sony (or Nintendo or Microsoft as well) when they are cheering for something that isn't really linked to Sony? Most of those games play the same and look the same elsewhere. So what is it we are cheering for?

So while these fanboys like to talk in general terms what they are really focusing on are the very few exclusive games such as Uncharted. That's why they want them to do so well, that's why they care so much about the review scores, that's why they argue so much and want to compare them all the time to other platform exclusives. They know that's all there really is left to cheer for but sadly the crowds now aren't even close to selling out the stadiums.

So yes it's normal to stick with what works for you, but let's not act like what it is we support is really all that different than what the competitor is offering. Also let's be mature about it and reasonable at the same time. Let's talk about the mistakes along the way and not try and hide them under the carpet. No the emphasis should not be about the downs but let's not treat the negatives like it's taboo to mention. Let's also not always feel the need to react when they are mentioned. We can still be a fan, it's when we get into fanboyism is where things start to go sour.

[BrutallyBlunt]

Ever notice how these fanboys will reason their decisions? When you look at the Playstation 3 as a whole and break it down it goes like this.

Exclusives - they are the best

Hardware - it's the most powerful (yet last generation it wasn't about thr hardware, it was about how most games were on the PS2) and as this cycle extends its welcome the talks will continue to be about exclusives. That way the aging technology is now downplayed.

Online service - it's not the best so the talk is about how it's free. Again this downplays the fact it isn't the best and keeps it's main target on XBOX 360.

Controller - their attitude is why change perfection. As games grow, the need for things like the d-pad lessen. Yet Sony's controller still gives the d-pad the main attention. Funny how the OnLive joystick and new Wii U pro controller mimick the XBOX 360 controller more yet Sony fanboys will claim it's not better.

So as you can see they can validate every angle of why it is better. Quite amazing isn't it for a product to not have any downsides. One person could say well the PS3 was asking a lot when it first came out at $600. Their response is it had a BLURAY player when standalone BLURAY players were more expensive. Instead of saying yes, that's quite a bit for someone who just wants to play games on it. In their eyes they can make any bad situtaion into a good one. That's why they are loyal. Correction, that is why they are loyal slaves.

[MysticStrummer]

*Looks at LevelHead's two part diatribe, laughs, and shakes his head*

Do you understand that you are part of the problem, LevelHead, or do you actually think you live up to your name? You remind me of LogicWins... two names dripping with irony.

[ZoyosJD]

@ Hicken

Unfortunately, the line between loyalty and fanboyism is far thinner, or at least not always seen.

Much like politics, if something is worded improperly, or does not give respects to the reasoning behind its choice and respectfully acknowledging the opposing views, then it is labeled despite the fact that the true circumstances might call for said point of view.

@ Level Headed

Your entire second post destroyed the little meaning the the last paragraph in your first post might have stood for.

Your words are those of a hypocrite rather than an unbiased gamer.

We don't need a rant about being biased, then have you go and blast one side.

If you really want to do an unbiased in depth comparison, wait until the gen is over, and do it in a blog where you have room.

[DigitalRaptor]

LevelHead, are you serious? just goes to show the extent to which the hatred will push you. Have you ever thought about the lives and other experiences these "Sony slaves" have outside of Sony branded gaming products. you haven't, which is what is why your judgement is so misplaced.

I'll admit to having used some of those arguments to defend PS3 from the haters, but I'll also be the first to admit it's not perfect. What I argue against is trivial issues that are made to be HUGE issues by fanboys, the ignorant and the media.

By your 'analysis' I'm a slave too. hmm... yeah.

The reality is, I'm just a really big Sony fan, who also plays through Valve Steam, Nintendo, Sega. I'm also anti-Microsoft in many aspects due to their consumer standards I just cannot accept. If I grew up with companies taking my money to get online then maybe things would be different for me. notice: not anti-Xbox. Killer Instinct, Jade Empire, Perfect Dark, Banjo - bring them back.

"Slave". call me that if it satisfies your theory, but most of us make our choices on logic. and at the end of the day, its only a relatively small percentage of Sony fans that are Fanboys.

[Outside_ofthe_Box]

@levelhead

In your second post your point was:

***"So as you can see they can validate every angle of why it is better. Quite amazing isn't it for a product to not have any downsides."***

Yet you haven't brought up anything in your post where a Sony fan should be obligated to admit it as a "downside."

***"Exclusives - they are the best"***

And what exactly is wrong with that? 360 fans think they have the best exclusives. Nintendo fans think they have the best exclusives. It's an opinion.

***"Hardware - it's the most powerful (yet last generation it wasn't about thr hardware, it was about how most games were on the PS2) and as this cycle extends its welcome the talks will continue to be about exclusives. That way the aging technology is now downplayed."***

I do not understand your point here. Last gen has nothing to with this gen. You talking about why one justifies their decision are you not? Power is one of the reasons why one might consider to buy a PlayStation this gen while it wasn't a reason to own one last gen. Just like power was a reason to own a Nintendo system last gen, but isn't a reason to own one this gen. Bringing up the fact that the PS2 had the most games last gen is mute as you are trying to say "if the ps2 having the most games last gen was the reason why you bought it then that should be the same reason why you buy a console this gen." The problem with that is nearly all 3rd party games are multiplatform this gen so there isn't any one system that has a huge advantage of a lot of quality games like the PS2 did last gen. I'm not sure how exclusives being the "talk" is an attempt to downplay aging technology. Exclusives are ALWAYS the "talk" about why one should buy a system over the other, from the beginning to the end of a generation. All consoles age so why is it necessary to downplay it?

***"Online service - it's not the best so the talk is about how it's free. Again this downplays the fact it isn't the best and keeps it's main target on XBOX 360."***

So it's *fact* that Live is best huh? It is wrong for someone to think that PSN is better right? Even so, how is saying that it is free downplay that it isn't the best? Being able to play online multiplayer games for free is a reason to own a PlayStation. Why should a Sony fan not mention that fact?

***"Controller - their attitude is why change perfection. As games grow, the need for things like the d-pad lessen. Yet Sony's controller still gives the d-pad the main attention. Funny how the OnLive joystick and new Wii U pro controller mimick the XBOX 360 controller more yet Sony fanboys will claim it's not better."***

So I am a fanboy for thinking that the Sony controller is better lol? Controllers are all about comfort. What is comfortable for YOU doesn't mean it's comfortable for everyone else. If Sony were to mimic the 360 controller for some odd reason with the PS4, you can bet I'll be purchasing a 3rd party controller that resembles the dualshock.

[Outside_ofthe_Box]

Continued...

***"One person could say well the PS3 was asking a lot when it first came out at $600. Their response is it had a BLURAY player when standalone BLURAY players were more expensive. Instead of saying yes, that's quite a bit for someone who just wants to play games on it."***

First of all you could have bought a PS3 for $500, not that $500 dollars is any cheaper. Second it's called explaining why the console is priced so high and isn't denying that $600 is expensive at all. You just choose to see it that way. If you wanted it to be cheaper then Sony would have to remove things from the hardware to make it cheaper. Sony did that by taking away PS2 backwards compatibility. Now you have people complaining "why Sony did that." Well it's because you guys are complaining about the price so they did that to reduce production costs. "But, but, but I want to play PS2 games on my PS3." Well then you should have bought the system at the initial asking price.

***"Correction, that is why they are loyal slaves."***

I don't see how anything brought up makes anyone a slave. Saying a console has the best exclusives make you a slave? Saying a console is the most powerful makes you a slave? Believing one online service is better than the other makes you a slave? Believing one controller is better than the other makes you a slave? Explaining why a console is expensive makes you slave?

Everyone is a slave according to you.

[R1CAN617]

If something happens to me or my family will sony,microsoft or nintendo come to me & my familys aidaid? No so Why have loyalty to a piece of plastic & wires backed up by a Corporation that isnt loyal to you is the way i look at it.

[berndogskate]

Sorry but i love being a part of the ps3 community in every sense of the word, so does that make me a fanboy because i prefer one over the other? apple and oranges my friends.

[vortis]

Actually...it does.

[Imalwaysright]

What i dont understand is fanboys defending negative points of the product their loyal to! If im a fan of something i want it to better, not worst and that is the exact opposite i see here on N4g. 360 fans defending Live fees or lack of new IPs, PS3 fans defending PS3 € 600 price or removal of backwards compabilty... I personally just find those fanboys to be beyond stupid.

[Jadedz]

I'm a Nintendo fan, and I'll agree certain points Nintendo is lacking in.

Basically "no one person or company is perfect," is my understanding on this topic.

[wishingW3L]

why people always say that GTA and MGS are Playstation exclusives?

This article is so fail, I thought he was going to write something smart but all he did was take a jab at Sony and its fans. Sony first party sucks, Uncharted is overrated and Sony fans are the worst... That's the article in a nutshell. =/

[mayberry]

wishingw3l- your comment is very correct! This article was a clear jab at sony! I have a launch 60G ps3 and also a recently purchased 360(360 has been repaired 3 months after purchase-disk door wouldn't stay closed), my ps3 is on at least 6-8 hours a day now for years with no issues. That being said, both consoles are just electronic boxes to me.
If I could be labeled a fan of one over the other, so be it,in MY case, one(ps3) has treated my interests better than the other(360), but I love them both because adult electronic gaming entertainment is one of my biggest "hobbys".
The writer of this article is a 360 fanboy. No question. I say that because of what he wrote and wishingw3l and myself can clearly see this and i'm sure other non-biased gamers can too.

[dbjj12088]

This thread will be full of exactly what the article was decrying. Get over it Sony fanboys.

[ZoyosJD]

While this article clearly was a jab at all the different stereotypes among fanboys (particularly of the Sonybot, PC elitists, Big "N"ostalgic, and FPS60 kinds), it has been a long time since I've seen an article spark such a generally agreeable intelligent discussion.

The fact that the article was flamebait and that we could still see past it enough to have a disscussion rather than a "war" on here says it's time to move on and leave the articles premise in the past.

[rainslacker]

I agree Zoyos. There are plenty of like-minded people on here and other forums on the internet. But for every one that may come around to this way of rational intelligent thinking, two more take their place. I think people just get tired of having their opinion drowned out by the rampant trolling that goes around.

Take solace though in the fact it's not just the gaming press/media that is infected by this, but pretty much everything that has any kind of media outlet, and compared to political forums we have it pretty good.

[BlaqMagiq24]

I'm not gonna lie I'm a huge PS fan. I feel the console has the best quality to suit my taste. However that doesn't mean that I hate the other consoles or try to bash them. In fact I love to play Gears of War and Left 4 Dead on 360 but that was about it. There were more exclusives I enjoyed on PS3 than 360 but this is my personal opinion. To each his own.

[wingman32x]

Nowadays I'm more in line of what Nintendo is offering, but that doesn't stop me from recognizing the merit in the other systems. When something impresses me, it impresses me. I don't give a damn what logo pops up at the end of the trailer. For example, I really liked the Beyond trailer at E3 while also liking the Pikmin stuff. Even if something doesn't appeal to me, I see why the people that do like it are excited. Examples of that are the Uncharted series and the AC series.

In terms of brand loyalty, that has really existed for me in the portable space, where I'm firmly on Nintendo's side. Console wise, I've been all over the place. I have owned many systems from many companies. Maybe that trained me to look past who's making the stuff.

[Treian]

It's all about the games for me. The PS3 has a great bunch of exclusives that are interesting to me. Otherwise, I just play most multiplat games on my PC.

[Somebody]

I'm an extremely loyal PC gamer but it doesn't mean I look down at consoles. I've helped a friend to buy a PSP and recommended the PS3 over a PC to another. Recently I told a co worker which store has the latest Psp Vita games (her husband is a true Sony fanboy-owning every Sony consoles from the PS1 up to the Vita - and a not so cheery view of the X Box). My brother bought an X Box 360 but I didn't go Obi Wan on him.

They chose those devices because they chose what's comfortable for them. Loyalty is fine but like Sev said, there's no need to be an ass or blind about it.

[rainslacker]

The fanboys of today are nothing like they were back in the early generations of consoles. During the Atari and NES/Sega days people would hype up their preferred console and make jabs at the competitor, but for the most part it actually required real intra-personal communication. This kept things a lot more civil.

The internet as it is today wasn't around back then, but there were message boards and various other outlets for socializing with like-minded people. Back then if people acted disparagingly towards another console with the types of attacks you see here on an hourly basis people might argue with them for a few minutes then just ignore them.

Maybe it's time we stop calling these people fanboys and see them for what they are...Trolls.

That being said and more on topic with the article, brand loyalty is usually generated through creating a product that people want. If you continue to deliver products that a large number of consumers want, then you will retain brand loyalty. If you stop delivering, then peoples attitudes will start to shift. They may be willing to forgive transgressions based on nostalgia, or they may just realize that sometimes companies, like people, make mistakes.

Unfortunately brand loyalty is taken too much to the extreme sometimes, and people become blinded to the fact that there are other options out there that some people may prefer or want. I've never understood why so many people have to give someone who has a different preference a hard time. It's really like they feel better by making someone else feel worse...so I guess we can call them what they are...Bullies.

So to summarize...there is a difference between brand loyalty/fanboyism, and Trolling/Bullying.

[yokokoroma]

This is one of the BIGGEST misconceptions in gaming PERIOD. There is a difference between fanaticism and familiarity. Yes, there is an abundant amount of fanaticism for said consoles, but there is also the underlying familiarity, for those who transitioned with each consoles iteration. (i.e. PS-PS3) This is true in my case, as I am a PS only gamer, as a result of familiarity. I know the PS brand, and what to expect from it. The same applies to all consoles, familiarity is rare, but it's there.

[KonaBro]

Having a preferred company you like and buying their products is a part of life. Everyone does it. It's when you take this like and grow obnoxious with it to the point where the company can do no wrong and you are defending them like they were your own mother, then there is a problem. Myself? I'm a pretty staunchy Sony fanboy but at the same time I own a Xbox 360, Wii, DS Lite, 3DS, etc. I might like Sony as a company more but I like games in general more than a brand loyalty.

[SOULJER]

I agree with KonaBro. I also prefer Sony products, but find that I enjoy gaming all around. My thoughts, in a nutshell, is that the gaming world is a lot like politics, with Sony as one party (I'd like to think Democratic) and XBox as another party (Republican). In the end, to select one party over another is a matter of preference, but to stick with or defend one party affiliation over another when that party's record shows several flaws can be obnoxious, unrealistic and stops other people from really listening to what you are saying. I consider myself an "Independant", even in the gaming world.

[Alos88]

There's only one sentence I strongly disagree with, and that's
"...many fanboys attempt to disillusion themselves by believing that Sony's first-party lineup is just as strong as it has ever been."
Oh yeah, because games like The Last of Us, God of War, Infamous and Journey are all weak titles. It's all about Uncharted, the rest suck, right? /sarcasm

[ALLWRONG]

I have brand loyalty to everyone, but one.

[kingPoS]

Fanboy!!! where, Where! (looks at own shadow) I might as well come out and say it. (a deep breath here) I'm a Gateway, Samsung, HP, Western Digital, Logitech and..... Sony fanboy!