5 Reasons It's Still Not Cool to Admit You're a Gamer

Let's get this out of the way right now: The only reason I don't have more game consoles hooked to my TV is because I'm out of ports on the back for cables to plug into, and I don't want to have to get off the sofa to switch over. I've been playing video games since the Carter administration. So do not compare me to Roger "I never play video games yet dismiss them as worthless" Ebert here. Just... don't. I would have taken my SNES as my date to senior prom if they had let me.

But the thing is, I grew up. Gaming didn't. Why? Why is it that of all my many hobbies--reading, motocross, Gun Kata--only gaming lowers my sense of self worth? Maybe it's because...

[Natsu X FairyTail]

kind of a funny read to me but I dont hide the fact that I'm a gamer. To say the truth I dont even mind calling my self a geek in way. I do love Games , ComicBooks , Mangas , PVC action figures , Collectibles, SuperHero Movies japanese Music , UnderGround New School hiphop , Indie music and etc etc

[blizzard_cool]

I agree, why the fuck would I hide the thing I like. I'm not ashamed of my self...

[Hideo_Kojima]

But where I live geeks are now cool.

Edit: The article says its been 30 years and all we had were mindless games but Heavy Rain did very well and was popular towards some casuals.

I think the reason why mindless games seem to be even more popular is because people just want them to be nothing more.

[SeanRL]

What really pisses me off is when you are good at a game or you know a lot about a game and then someone calls you a "gamer" like it's an insult. We're not all fat antisocial people. I work out, I love to act, I've got great friends and I'm a gamer. I don't understand how people think it's an insult to be a gamer.

[presto717]

People still look at me as a "gamer". Even though my rep is steadily climbing. But still...

[Hideo_Kojima]

I know people that are proud hardcore gamers and walk around with N64 Tshirts and yet they are popular.

As long as you have charisma it doesn't matter if you like watching game reviews and marking game releases on you calender.

I think the reason why some gamers are unpopular is because they lack social skills to begin with which makes them boring.

They don't become unpopular because they like games.

The stereotype between uncool and gamers has gone in my area just like the stereotype of people wearing glasses and book worms has vanished in most places.

[rockleex]

That much.

But thankfully Sony's here to provide me with more than just mindless games.

Uncharted 2, Heavy Rain, ICO, SOTC, Last Guardian, GT5, etc.

Playstation grew up with me, its the main reason why I'm still a gamer today. Proud to be one. ^_^

[rockleex]

Not if you play MGS games.

The stories are even better than Bond movies. Close to The Dark Knight levels.

How about Xenogears?

Silent Hill 1?

He conveniently forgets that 99% of all movies have crap storylines and are just crap in general.

Videogames are like that too.

[Prototype]

Who cares what people think

I'm a gamer, you either respect me or find someone else to talk to, end of story.

[IcarusOne]

Especially the "shiny tech" argument where fanboys count pixels instead of giving a shit about the game's story or characters. The fact that in one breath people can piss all over Avatar for "having no story and being only about the technology" and then douche a 360 game for being subHD is almost hilarious...

If it weren't for the fact that 90% of the people on N4G are these people.

[ThanatosDMC]

They think gamers are those weird no life people. Those people are idiots.

[Trey_4_life]

We wouldn't have this issue if it wasn't for the halo geeks ruining the image of gamers.

We all know it's the illiterate children who play that cartoony shooter that gives gamers this image.

[Nike]

I never really found it a prob to be a gamer. I mean, my girlfriend games and has recently gotten into Dragon Age (and flirted with Alistair - f**king Alistair), before which she was into Arkham Asylum and Age of Mythology.

But what I've found is that every one is generally accepting of gamers so long as we don't bring it up in every conversation like it's the only thing we live for (which it obviously isn't - even renowned game journalists like Leigh Alexander admits she'd love other conversation topics besides gaming when she's done with work). I'm pretty sure other professionals don't do that either.

My girlfriend wants to talk about Dragon Age, then I also tell her about AD&D games, Baldur's Gate 2 and Awakenings. Do I preach about the artistic merit of Chrono Trigger while we're having lunch together? For that matter, do attorneys give legal advice, psychologists psychoanalyse or chartered accountants get taxes when doing the same with their loved ones? Not really, and not on a humongous scale.

[TrailerParkSupervisr]

that pic at the end is hilarious! the guy dressed up as a Big Daddy.

PS: don't wear that on your first E-Harmony meet-n-greet.

[CellularDivision]

Ill be honest, I do not call myself a gamer. Ever. Gamers are loosers.

Also...

American comics are better than manga.

Ghost Rider (awsome burning skull) vs YuYuHakusho (14 year old kid spirit gun ooh scary)

[XabiTheHumble]

You just basically exposed your self as an example of point number 2. Instead of focusing on the story of the manga your to worried about how cool the character looks. 12 year old confirmed.

[IcarusOne]

What was the point of that comment?

[MisterNiwa]

But you hate the Playstation, ohohohohoho.
CONTRADTICTION MUCH, ISNT IT?

Ok so, I agree with most of you guys..

If I were to say that I enjoy games, and someone would be like:"Really? You are a Gamer?" Id just say: "Yeah.. so what?"

Geez, people these days.

[HolyOrangeCows]

"I'm going to guess these sessions rank right up there with a men's room conversation with a stranger at the very next urinal, while the stranger is pooping in it"
LOL, funny article.

I'm so ashamed of my gamer-ness! *Slit, slit, slit*

EDIT: I disagree with number one. Having high standards for something we put $60 smackers (And a heck of a lot more outside the US) on isn't a crime.

[tinybigman]

about my gaming habits i tell them to go to hell hahahaha.

[Imperator]

Why would anyone be embarrassed of being a gamer? It's a hobby I love.

[Dsnyder]

But he makes some good points. Especially in the immature sexual elements and the gamers whining over sub HD. When Bayonetta came out I knew gaming had reached a new low. It was getting unbelivably good scores for basiclly being about a woman with 6 ft legs and a grapefruit heat runing around provacatively and pulling off stripping dances with every finishing move. I protested the game on n4g and most people either said that I was a butthurt ps3 fanboy or I was gay (really now?) and I realised with such an acceptance on low forms of entertainment like this, gaing wont be considered a mature medium for a long time.

Then there is the whole pixel counting thing and comparing multiplat games with minimal graphical differences. The fact that people can whine over a few minute pixels missing for your game is pretty sad but going as far as to compare GTA IV's minimal graphical differences between the console versions just to win your fanboy wars is childish. Fanboys dont know when to just shut up and admit that thier cause is not helping anything.

[Reibooi]

Bayonetta was reviewed so well because it has some of the best action combat ever put in a game.

In fact if you spent time reading any of the reviews you would know that 90% of the complaints about the game was the over the top sexual presentation of Bayonetta herself. That however doesn't change the fact that the game has excellent game play and combat and that's why it was reviewed so well.

[Baka-akaB]

i do noy know where your allegiance lies , and i frankly dont care .

Like said above , pretty much every complains about the game was precisely about its massive amount of erotic material and skimpy outfits , with it's very confusing yet paperthin plot .

Pretty much most reviews gave warnings about that aspects of the game , and were only compelled to still give it good grades , because underneath it all , the gameplay was that deep and that good .

You also mention something , that makes me go mad quite often ... why that butthurting need of "maturity" , and "acceptance" ?
Is your self esteem so low , as a gamer , that you feel such a longing ?

Mature medium ? Wich exactly ?

Was de Sade , Beaudelaire , and many other poets and writers , comtemporary or from the past , that concerned about appearances and posturing , that it prevented them from writing basically porn prose ? And did it stopped them from becoming classic authors , while scandaleous in their lifetime ?

Again wasnt one of this year's smashing tv hit , Spartacus , a gratuitous display of naked women , sex scenes , and blood ?

Isnt transformers one of the biggest movie success of the decade , with over 800 millions $ , when it's as dumb as it could be , and an excuse for many to oogle at megan fox ?

The only criteria of acceptance games need , is the amount of people playing , and it's worth as an industry . It already easily equally successful if not superior to tv and movies , with an ever increasing user base

If game studios stopped doing whatever they want , and kept following code established by so called superior or more mature medium , they would just shrivel into mediocrity .

[Nike]

Never really checked out the Alan Wake graphical analysis articles when they came out, but lol, did they really go into so much detail? Quite hilarious.

[dizzleK]

girls don't want to know that your k/d ratio is actually bigger than your penis.

[TrailerParkSupervisr]

That shit is hilarious.

[XabiTheHumble]

Luckily for me, both are pretty impressive.

[jjesso1993]

Im not ashamed either why be ashamed of somthing I enjoy i have never ever been put down for liking games and I would not let anyone put me down for somthing I enjoy

[AliTheBrit19]

Lol, I get stick for it all the time

Everyone has that "thing" about them at College I guess, I'm the "gaming geek"

Also the "guy who's going to come in with a shotgun".... Long story :|

[electricshadow]

I admit I'm a gamer to everyone I meet. They "find" out eventually. I'm not ashamed of it at all. I play games for a hobby. Does that mean that's all I do? Of course not. I have friends, I hang out with them, and I go to college. Sure, they bug me about it, but it's all fun and games.

[LordMarius]

Everyone knows Im a "gamer" they just check my facebook posts, trophies after trophies, but aside from that I dont let games intrude on my social life unless the other people want to talk about them

[dgroundwater]

"But I'm also an adult, with a wife. A homeowner who works very hard to maintain something that looks like dignity to people who catch a glimpse of it from passing cars."

A big pet-peeve of mine. Get your TV out of your window. No one wants to see your crap.

[ZombieNinjaPanda]

Wow, I actually completely ignored the title of the article and focused on each of the 5 separate points, which this author could easily have turned into 5 different articles easily.

Good read.

[Sarobi]

Friend: man you still deal with the video game bullshit

Me: yep

Friend: Why? its so lame

Me: I cant be a soldier/Terrorist/Killer/Pro boxer/football player/Space marine in real life now can i?,

Friend; ..true.. Hey Halo Reach looks like the bomb man!

Me: yep..

THE END!

[Optical_Matrix]

Why would I lie? Or try to hide it. I love gaming. It's a hobby. As is my love for buying manga, anime, action figures etc. If you're too ashamed to admit you're a gamer, then you shouldn't be gaming, end of story. You put the rest of us purists to shame

[whitesoxfalife]

been a gamer for years i dont need to hide it from no one everybody in my hood or city knows im into gaming from the days of packing up ps1 to go over a friends house in the blistering cold to kick some ass in madden 98 to throwing madden tourneys...from having it in the bedroom playing at night(them super mario bros days) to having it the living room or my case in my basement set up real nicely watchn HiDef movies on a kick ass tv... from only learning how to play it to know how fix ya system if it breaks down(everybody should relate to that one some time in their gaming life). from kickn somebody ass in streetfighter 2 to kickn somebody ass over xboxlive/psn.... gaming is a very expensive hobby.... we have a life but we chose gaming to be part of our lives...and over 25yrs later... still gaming strong i could care less how you feel about me and my gaming......I am that gamer...oh if you want to play me in soment "whitesoxfalife" get at me on 360 and if ps3 is ya weapon of choice "whasgood"

[Jack Klugman]

For my non-gaming friends I describe it as they enjoy a good book I enjoy a good video game. My gf spends as much time reading a book as it takes me to finish most games. simply a new narrative for story telling..

many people still feel games are shallow and involved shooting something or hunting down dots in a maze. little do they know about the power of storytelling many games have. these same people who would give me a hard time about it are also the ones that after watching me play for about 20 minutes are glued to the screen watching..

[crapgamer]

I'm in my 20's and am not ashamed to admit I'm a gamer. I grew up gaming and It's not something you grow out of in my opinion. In actuality the average gamers age is 35, and the industry goes after the 18-35 year old market the most. Nobody under 17 should be playing Halo, COD, God Of War, Gears etc... They are rated M for a reason.

[Pozzle]

I've never had anyone call my gaming hobby "geeky" or "lame".
Some people think it's confusing that I play games, mostly because they DO think it's a hobby for kids. But then they'll usually "get it" when they see me playing a game that isn't kiddish. I got a few friends (who were never interested in games) into Heavy Rain because they saw an ad for it and "had no idea games could be like that". Haha, awesome!

With that being said, most of the article makes a good point. There are some things (douchey online players, the ridiculous amount of scantily clad female characters, things like GameCrush, etc) that don't help the image of gamers. We try, but sometimes it seems like the industry doesn't see us as more than a bunch of douchey virgins who will buy a game based solely on how much skin and guns are in it.

[Baka-akaB]

The funniest thing , i often saw those american tv shows where being a geek is frowned upon , especially in highschools settings .

And i always kept thinking it was the usual stereotypical tv crap , as the norm here is actually to do at least one of those things , if not all of the above :
play games , watch anime , read comics/manga .

And yet out of the blue once everywhile you get those "is gaming cool ?" "do you admit you're a gamer" etc kind of articles , why makes you wonder , about the state of mind of some countries .

[LOLconsoles]

"5 reasons it's still not cool to admit you're a console gamer."

Fixed.

[KillerPwned]

I don`t understand why we should be ashamed of who we are no matter what unless its something really bad. But being ashamed of being a gamer? No reason at all like in the US if you look it up a good percent of us do play video games regulary.

[unknown100]

no offense but mostly all the people who are gamers hav emo or fat girlfriends.

[ugabugaz]

cool read

[Official General]

Being a gamer is associated with a typically masculine, macho image believe it or not. Women, beer, football (soccer), fast cars, and gaming is seen as being a typical modern man. It certainly is not associated with being 'un-cool' here.

[KillerPwned]

That`s how i see it here in the US when my girl goes out with her friends. It would be just like a super bowl party at my house but video games. A good amount of guys anymore do play games and that`s what women i think expect. But its nothing bad gaming has expanded out of the geeky world and into a more masculine style in a sense of being.

That is all in my own personal opinion.

[bjornbear]

if i enjoy playing video games, and reading about them, and knowing about the recent up and coming stuff makes me a gamer

then i guess im a gamer =3

[BannedForNineYears]

Good read.
I'm definitely guilty regarding the
"We Can't Shake the "Lonely, Anti-Social Virgin" Stereotype"
I hate socializing with people. -_- Unless that person is a gamer.
Rofl. xD

[JasonX43]

What this guy said makes alot of sense. I mean, I passed on Bayonetta because the "almost naked" parts of her special moves seemed a bit childish to me and the way the oversexed up the character also!

[KingOfOldSkool]

Really? There are countless tv shows and movies that are significantly worse than Bayonetta..

[xshadowtonx]

None of these are right if you ask me. Except #1 I can agree with that.

[KingOfOldSkool]

We need to start admitting that its gamers themselves that are perpetuating this lingering problem.. although insecurity seems to be the undoing of many groups of people beyond that of just gamers though.

Anyways.. anti-social? Probably. Lonely virgin though? Funny.. As a gamer and a jock growing up I got more ass than the vast majority of people who tried to mock my gaming.

[Red_Phoenix]

I'm a gamer and very proud of it. Shame on those who believe it is wrong to truly show ones true self.

[orion456]

What he said about Alan Wake was extremely sad but extremely true.