The Problem with Fanboys

TPG - Fanboys, by definition in the video game industry, are the raving and rampant champions of their preferred system. Usually fanboys take up allegiance to a certain console and will not only buy pretty much anything that comes out for the system, but champion it across the battlefield of every major forum on the video game website front. They are the first line of defense against any game exclusively coming to one system or the other, and will usually show up in news posts to deride or defend the game; most of the time one that the world hasn’t even played yet. Logic is usually their worst enemy and they will attack you simply for owning a different system, not only insulting your system, but indeed your very way of life. Fanboys are a mean and nasty virus of contempt for anything they don’t own that are holding back the gaming community.

[antbolton89]

It's all quite ridiculous, why dont people just buy the console or consoles they want and shut up

[WeskerChildReborned]

Because fanboys think they need to show dominance over the other console fans.

I personally like all consoles equally and they all have their pros and cons.

[kikizoo]

Then, you are a fanboy, since systems and library are not equals ;)

by the way, worst fanboys this gens are not only defending their system of choice, but they are big haters for others systems, always domwplaying best games, best accessories and inovation, lying like kotaku donkeys..

[CaJuaLFeatPuFF]

PS3 dont have a con.
Xbox does . lack of exclusive that are good

Wii is good. lmao

Xbox just suck asss. not being bias or anything .

[WeskerChildReborned]

@Cajual, You can't really say PS3 has no cons when one of their cons if the online service though i don't really mind. I mean it's free after all.

[liquidhalos]

Thats quite true, i dont give a damn what console other people use, just so long as they have fun.

I dont think i can say the same for the chap who wrote the article. According to him, Fanboys come from the cheaper system which as we all know, is the 360. To me the following quote from his article screams IM A FANBOY!!!! This story is a load of old toss, its about as impartial as herpes.

"The biggest factor usually is that the person chooses a system at the start of the generation, cannot afford the others, and so to make themselves feel better about their purchase set out to tear everyone else down."

[NastyLeftHook0]

Exactly, People need to respect other peoples opinions.

Back to the most awarded game in history...uncharted 2 :3

[_Aarix_]

what is your problem? Do you have an erection wearing a sony uniform in tight playstation 3 shorts. I don't know why you feel the need to be a douche but the fact you have 3 bubbles tells me the community and the moderators are biased to the end

oh and uncharted got awards for its cinematic experience XD its a POS as a game.

[Shepherd 214]

Tenton

Not sure if serious..

[Nes_Daze]

@Aarix, talks about mods being unfair for tenton haviing 3 bubbles, meanwhile he calls Uncharted a POS game and has 1 bubble.

[Laika]

@_Aarix_
lol uncharted is POS as a game?????? stop trolling that is not true in the least and you know it.

[2v1]

the real problem is when fanboys own a website and make all kind of stuff up

[KillerPwned]

@antbolton89

Then we just gotta get rid of articles that promote fanboys. The fanboy crap is just some childish fad that needs to go away but wont it never will. Its not only in games of course but all kinds of entertainment ect..

In gaming as of now though I honestly rarely ever hear anything relating to such a person being a fanboy so it does not bother me anymore really. I have no doubt though when the next generation of consoles come out its gonna start all over on here.

[burgerman]

Agreed. Xbox is for repetitive shooters and Kinect while PS3 is for new and exclusive IPs. Why does a casual market and core market get this hostile?

[burgerman]

You're in denial if you disagree. Look at the first comment on this page.
http://n4g.com/news/663245/...

[burgerman]

If the shoe was on the other foot I would be saying the opposite. You cannot deny fact.

I'm sick of shooters. I bought 360 because of Deadly Premonition and Alan Wake because they weren't the same old grey and brown shooters. Shooters have become so mainstream that they're casual.

I could say positive and negative things about both systems but mostly care about the games.

[burgerman]

Casual. CASUAL. Yes I had to introduce my opinion to show you few and far exclusives to this dead system.

[avengers1978]

As a sony fan... My love for there products gets me to go out and buy things like move(highly disappointing) day one... or pick up the vita day one... or buy most of there exclusive games(uncharted, killzone, LBP, MNR, Resistance, infamous, heavy rain, etc, etc)
I enjoy a good argument with the xbox fans or nintendo fans, even PC fans... its a fun distraction from real problems, and I never fell like its anything more than a fun little discussion.
Generally us fanboys are the ones going out and grabbing these things day one and buying more, so whatever company they support wins from there loyalty

[LUCKYXS7LEVEN]

the real problem is who has the bigger dick ? since that comes after " The( console of choice ) is better than ( console of choice )"

[Nitrowolf2]

“Because every gamer is a true gamer: motion gamers, sitting gamers, everyone. And though we may pledge fanboy allegiances to different flags, deep down inside we all serve one master, one king and His name is Gaming." - Kevin Butler

For the Win!!

[solidjun5]

Comment of the story! +1

[dubt72]

That's right, Kevin. Go Xbox!!!

[solidjun5]

"That's right, Kevin. Go Xbox!!!"
Not surprised you would say that.

[Jazz4108]

I have to give kevin butler a lot of respect for that very unbiased quote. In the end we are gamers to the core and the system or systems we play them on are just that systems as the games do the talking and there is more than enough great games on all 3 consoles that no one should be feeling superior to someone else for there gaming preference.

[xyxzor]

Can anyone agree that this issue might be getting a little bit better? It seemed a lot worse in 2008-2009, maybe that's wishful thinking though.

[MaximusPrime]

I agree. Since I joined n4g, fanboys were out of control. That's before PS3 launched back in 2006.

It gradually cools down about 2 years ago. There are still fanboys about.

[LOGICWINS]

In the outside world, the fanboy issue is virtually non-existant nowadays. There was plenty of PS3 hate in 06'..but that was due to the $600 price tag, not the PS3(or Sony) itself.

I've mentioned on N4G a couple times how the cashier tried to discourage me from buying a PS3 WAAAY back in 07', telling me "Are u sure? The 360 is WAAAY better."

Then I said, "Okaaay" Guess she didn't like the fact that I had the disposable income to spend $500 on a gaming console. Haters love ta hate ;)

Now that the PS3 and 360 are affordable and have half a decade worth of games, no one in the outside world really cares anymore.

On the Internet(N4G in particular), we all know its a much different story. I don't want to say N4G is all bad, it really isn't. The problem is that a large chunk of the community have the SAME thoughts and feelings...thus leading to one-sided debates. Without a doubt, some people here ARE crazier than others..but sane people DO exist here.

If I had to pick the worst community on the Internet, I'd still have to be Youtube hands down. It makes N4G look like a utopia.

[TekoIie]

Yeh fanboys/girls of EVERYTHING can be found on Youtube. It's because everyone with internet access knows about youtube and so you get the most immature people and younger people (11-14) who believe they know what they're talking about to its entirety.

Just want to say that these 11-14yo are not stupid (as we all love to say they are), just very naive and arrogant...

[BelieveinGhosts]

I believe Yahoo is just as bad as youtube to be honest. It seems yahoo shares the same users as youtube

[hennessey86]

on sites like this, I own both a PS3 and 360 and when I say anything negative about either of them you get the hardcore fans attacking you hence the one bubble

[Anon1974]

I agree. And I agree with this article. The problem isn't with fanboys in general. I don't care if you love the 360, Wii, PS3, Mario, Final Fantasy, etc. I don't have an issue if you want to geek out about the merits of your particular gaming preference. More power to you.

What I can't stand is those that somehow feel anyone that doesn't see eye to eye with their particular gaming preference is someone who should be attacked and they just cannot, for a second, entertain someone else's opinion. The close-mindedness and the bitterness from a handful really do ruin it for the rest of us gamers who just want to talk about their hobby.

[Puddlejumper75]

That's funny coming from the biggest Nintendo troll on this site.

[Kran]

Same here. It's like no one has heard of free of speech.

[Jadedz]

People who champion a gaming company like they're the only ones that matters, turn me off of buying anything related product-wise from that company.

[wishingW3L]

then I think you don't own any current gen consoles, right? Because it doesn't matter if they are Nintendo fanboys or Xbox fanboys they all are the same, that's why we call them fanboys. And this is without mentioning the annoying PC elitists, in this case you have nowhere to go! Every console has more or less the same amount of fanboys, it just depends on the site you're on. On Eurogamer is mostly Xbox fanboys, N4G is PS3, Gamespot are the PC elitists....

[Jadedz]

To a specific gaming company, as if they joined some religious group (which could be any of the Big 3, though some are louder than others).

My apologies -_-

[Puddlejumper75]

I agree. I was a big Sony gamer til this gen and when I saw the level of hate and ignorance coming from that side of the gaming community it completely turned me off from ever owning a Sony product because I in no way wanted to be associated with that group.

[Jadedz]

But I appreciate that you got the point I was making :P.

[Xperia_ion]

The world will end and the fanboys will remain, Outer Heaven.

[Skateboard]

Proud PS3 fanboy, i just don't give a ####.

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[smashcrashbash]

There is nothing wrong with being a fan but many people take it too far. For instance I was a big Nintendo fan back in the day but the lengths people go to defend Nintendo these days is bordering on pathetic. Despite my love of all things Nintendo back then I never kissed their @$$es so much. 'Nintendo invented gaming and controllers and 3D gaming and sliced bread and the sky and the moon and the stars and we should be grateful that we can bask in the glory of Nintendo because they love us and we love them and....'.

[Ducky]

Fanboys take things too far in two ways:
They defend what they like, and they attack what they don't.

In your comment, you just fall under the latter case by singling out Nintendo.

[LOL_WUT]

@smashcrashbash

Dude thats so true you basically wrote what i wanted to say +bub

[Salamander]

They go to great lengths to defend them because other fanboyz.. no idiots, go to even greater lengths to attack them. You simply dont see Nintendo fanboyz trolling PS3/XBOX articles.

Those are the worst fanboyz, ones that slander another fanboyz console of choice.

[smashcrashbash]

Oh come on really? What about the Nintendo fanboys are on the PASBR and LBP Kart articles calling them clones and fakes and copies worst versions of SMK and SSB and all sorts of crap. Or the ones who go on and on about how 3DS is superior to the VITA with cries of doom after they cried constantly about how we put down the 3DS and didn't give it a chance? Don't play the victim. They are there with smart remarks like 'No thanks, I already have SSB'.

[Salamander]

Then their idiots aswell, you still dont see that as half as often as far as Nintendo bashing goes.

[GaryOak]

I'm 50 percent Sony fanboy, 30 percent Nintendo,10 percent MS and 10 percent Skips.

[PhantomTommy]

Goddamn Skips fanboys make me sick!

McCoy's flame grilled steak is by far the best chip this generation.

[12345bnm]

Skips?, McCoy's?.
Ha, everyone knows that Pringles are the best eat in the world. You two are just in denial.
@ GaryOak
That looks sick (the good sick).

[GaryOak]

Pringles? McCoys? Ha,at least Skips go with every meal.

[NastyLeftHook0]

that mad me laugh! that is original and hilarious, bubbles to you.

[DanielBryan]

LMAO!

[Salamander]

WHAT!! your drew that aswell, your skill is phenomenal.

[GaryOak]

Nah,I didn't draw that one.Badly drawn stick men of game characters is all I got in me.

[Fullmetalevolust]

I guess due to the internet and forums, it just spreads easily, people let their fanboy freak flag fly high. Some do so while remaining anonymous, but I remember as a wee lad in the 90s that my friends swore by nintendo while others bought sega products, then sony came on the scene and some still swore their neo-geo was the sh*t lol :)

[ozzywazzy]

I agree with this article. On a side note, the Wii is the worst console of all time.

[thebudgetgamer]

That's only because you have never played the Jaguar.

[Puddlejumper75]

Whats really sad is the worst console in history has the highest rated exclusive this gen. Noty sure what that says about the PS3 since it cant compete with the worst console in history.

[MattyG]

Virtual Boy begs to differ.

[InTheLab]

Remember when it was ok to criticize something? Now you're a fanboy or a "haters gonna hate". Can't say s*** anymore with losers labeling you something...and I blame that on actual fanboys...

[YodaCracker]

N4G has got to be the most one-sided gaming community in existence.

[Outside_ofthe_Box]

"Most" one-sided in existence? It's not as one-sided as you would like to believe.

[shaun mcwayne]

its just human nature. large groups of people start to form bonds with like minded people, then they alienate the people they have less in common with.
just play games have fun and get beezer kill streaks.

[Dms2012]

Well, lets all have a vote on which group are the most extreme in their allegiance. And don't say "they are all about the same" either, because its simply untrue.Hint: They often post lists of exclusives and state opinion as fact.

[AngelicIceDiamond]

Fanboys keep me from having an opinion or have a general thought on something, bash, bash, bash to no end. Which is fine, because fanboy packs make themselves believe everything is right, and forget the outside world and real life in general.

So N4G get yourself together.

[Massefface]

The instruments of my gaming symphony are special, their quirks and niches bring smiles and tears. But they are not the point of the music. They are the vessels that sail me to Valhalla.

*floats above the ground with legs crossed, eyes closed, palms up*

[Bonerboy]

Kids + Internet anonymity = Fanboys and losers.

[rob6021]

You add on the fact a lot of kids' parents can only buy one console, you get a lot of people with immature hate to defend their ego/console of choice. No one wants to admit they were wrong in this day and age it's pretty sad.

[tiffac008]

Fanboys are in truth, a minority in the gaming community but because they are the most out-spoken they can overtake most discussions and turn it into a flame war.

Respect is easily replaced by biased, hateful, illogical comments and they will do it without shame or remorse.

The saddest part about this is our so-called gaming journalists feeds off this kind of hate just to get more hits.

[DrRobotnik]

I remember like it was yesterday. Back in WW 16-bit. Sega threw the first punch with its spinach green commercials towards the Gameboy. Nintendo then retaliated with the release of these weapons of mass destruction called "pocket monsters"......many have died that day. but Sega got the last laugh. After the death of the Dreamcast, its essence never faded and actually became the first Xbox. With exclusive released game like Panzer Dragoon 3 and Shenmue 2, along with the new "S-controller"(revam ped 3D controller from sega saturn) Sega has quietly lived on. Muhahahaha...(cough).

[Iveyboi]

I was a fanboy...then I took an arrow to the knee

[007Bond]

Xbox has the better online, PS3 has the way better exclusives, Wii is a great family system. FACT

[mike1up]

Proud Nintendo fanboy.

[LX-General-Kaos]

well said

[hellvaguy]

Is it just me or has NG4 less fanboyish in the past 4-6 months than it has in years past?

Ive also noticed more MS + PS3 teaming up against WiiU. Maybe, maybe not. Just seems like a trend Ive been seeing.

[Hicken]

The question is how much is just that of a fan, and how much is that of a fanboy?

I like to think there are fans, fanboys, and anti-fanboys.
To be honest, the latter are the worst. Fans just have a preference. The may or may not have all systems, but they generally don't have too much negative to say about anything, unless something REALLY deserves it.

Fanboys downright love their company of choice, though they can sometimes go a little too far in their love. They tend to be the ones that retaliate when other fanboys or anti-fanboys attack their preference, whereas a fan would just leave the situation alone.

Anti-fanboys, though...

Anti-fanboys attack fanboys. They don't necessarily have their own preference, but they don't hesitate to call fanboys out for stating what they love. They're quick to try and make a fanboy look bad for liking whatever they happen to like, while claiming a neutrality, themselves. You'll often find them stirring up trouble by bashing a company or a person defending that company, only to follow up with something like "I'm unbiased, because I own all three consoles."

Fanboys can leave each other alone often, but anti-fanboys feel it's their duty to call out fanboys for no other reason than that they have a strong preference.

[mike1up]

I want to frame your comment on my wall. Very well said!

Bubble+

[tiffac008]

I think the anti-fanboys your mentioning are closet fanboys. They just don't want to admit it or they know they are and are just acting like they're not, just to spite the opposition.

[BrutallyBlunt]

1. A fanboy is one who trolls articles about Kinect and laughs at low scores while ignoring bad reviews for Playstation Move titles.

Hicken is guilty of that.

2. A fanboy is one who cannot distinguish the games from the console, which therefore invalidates their opinion. A great example are those who won't give Forza a chance while loving Gran Turismo. Truth is both are great racing games.

Hicken again is guilty of being totally biased in favor of GT due to it's relation with both Sony and now the Playstation 3.

3. A fanboy will go out of his/her way to comment on articles that should hold no interest to them. They do it out of ignorance, fear, and because they are threatened.

Hicken is now 3 for 3.

4. A fanboy will scroll through the comment section always looking for negative comments about the platform holder's system in which resides under the unbrella of one company.

Bravo, Hicken has gone 4 for 4.

There is really nothing wrong with being supportive of a franchise or even a company. Car lovers do it, sports fans do it and so on. The real difference when it comes to videogames, namely this current generation (where the real issue seems to stem from XBOTs verus Playstation fanboys) is that unlike different models of Chevy cars versus Ford for example or sports teams is Sony resides in Japan. So there isn't even national pride at stake here. Nintendo is also from Japan so is this East versus West? I can't see it being a real factor. Another problem with these two systems and their allegiant fanboys are they share an awful lot of the same games and perform an awful lot the same way. So why is there so much to argue about when in reality there isn't?

That's what makes it so ridiculous. It's not even casaul games versus hardcore because these two groups have clashed dating back to last generation. Kinect is just a new excuse to further this deranged group of gamers into an endless debate about nothing.

I have an easy answer to all of this, how about we just act like gamers who are interested in games? How about we actually just have fun and be entertained no matter if they are AAA multi-million dollar projects, small indie titles or even IOS or web browser games? There's no need in creating groups or segregating the gaming communities.

The way i see it is if they enjoy that game whether it's on the 3DS, PC, Vita, Facebook, XBOX360, who cares? Far too often we see forum dweebs who feel the need to categorize the game first before it can even be enjoyed. We've seen casual games for decades, so why is it now this so called hardcore crowd feels the need to downplay them? Fear and ignorance, that's really the only explanation.

[EVILDEAD360]

LMAO @ Levelhead typing this comment from Thisisabsolutelythetruth.com..

1 through 4..classic...

Evil

[Jirachi]

Wait I heard of nintendo fanboys but wii fanboys? no the people who like wii are either nintendo fanboys or people who aren't fanboys of anything.
I never for example see a wii fan say negetive things about nintendo's consoles not named wii...

Were all fanboys of somethings,just there are open minded and close minded fanboys.
Like me,I'm a huge nintendo fanboy but i own ps3/360/ps2/psp/and vita as well as every nintendo system(except virtual boy)

I really only get mad when people mock the following Twilight princess,Final Fantasy VI,The pokemon Jirachi,The pokemon seris(specifically gen3 is one i defend most as it's my favorite),Kirby,Shantae,and Toadette

If you're not mocking one of those things even it's something i like i won't get really mad.
(as far as sony and microsoft i really didn't start playing there games until a couple years ago so i don't have any oppion on most of them)

[Kran]

Too true. I write an article that mentions 1 con about the PS3 (Even though I state I like the PS3) and I get haters wanting to punch me in the face.

I write an article about the 360 that does the same thing, I get haters wanting to punch me in the face.

I say something good about the PS3, out come the 360 lovers to hate

Same with the 360 and the PS3 lovers to hate

This site gets really ridiculous and I think N4G needs to crack down on the most abusive fanboys.

But then by doing that, N4G will lose readers, so its either "take it like a bitch" or "stop reading N4G*

[Tzuno]

I judge their policy not their tech or games. No ps2 games on ps3 apart from old ps3 models. Now that's a big letdown for a fresh customer.

[MadLad]

Yeah.

I always viewed that as a really low move on Sony's part.

[badvlad]

Im a fanboy of good games

[PersonMan]

I hate it when I try to tell someone why I prefer to game on console instead of PC and I either get called a liar or they tell me to enjoy my sub-HD jaggies and sub 30fps frame rate.

PC elitists are so annoying. They don't understand that PC gaming isn't everyone's cup of tea.

I understand that there are a lot of technical things PC does better than console, but I like the ease of using a console, bigger variety of game styles and the ability to trade in used games or let a friend borrow them. Plus, it's way easier to find friends with PS3, 360 or Wii. Also, I don't believe PC has split screen abilities or same-screen multiplayer like the consoles have.

[PirateThom]

I've always wondered.... why is supporting a sports team or an athlete completely acceptable, but supporting a company or console deemed "fanboyish"?

At the end of the day, you're throwing support behind a business, regardless of how "charisma" they may or may not have.

[DivineAssault]

The problem with fanboys is that they prefer xbox & wii over PS3 lol J/K, i have all 3 & all 3 have their own strengths & weaknesses... Theres no room in my wallet for all 3 again this next wave.. Whoever has the best selection of services & games that I like, will gain my money... Its not cartoons or shooters either (ya that was low)

[Urbz7870]

I own all 3 consoles and i hafta to say that Sony fanboys are the most annoying ppl imo.

[Toman85]

I own PS3, Wii, PC, 3DS, PS Vita and Xbox 360 and I hate to say that Xbox 360 fanboys are the most annoying ppl imo.

They denies when a Nintendo fan says: No great exclusives, just Kinect and XBLA (those two arent the reason I own a Xbox 360) and so on. The worst part is Xbox 360 fanboys do personal attacks to you if you have your own opinion.

See what I just did there? :3

[Urbz7870]

They denies when a PS3 fan says: No great exclusives, just XBLA and Kinect.(those two arent the reason I own a Xbox 360) and so on. The worst part is PS3 fanboys do personal attacks to you if you have your own opinion.

Oh i saw what you did there, but look what i did here.

[miamicanesruleall]

The problem with fanboys is that they have no balls and even fewer brains. The end.

[taquito]

yeah,,,,console fanboys are soooo annoying, even more so when pc smashes all of them, they talk about the graphical differences between ps3/360 for hours and the pc version is literally a whole generation beyond either console....lol.....jk ....i'm a pc fanboy

then a ps3 fanboy next

then a xbox360 fanboy too

actually even a psp fanboy, it is still a way better system than vita or 3ds to me

[dubt72]

Bieber > Sony

[MadLad]

N4G and Gametrailers, as far as I've seen, are the worst for this.

Personal opinions are almost never allowed. Hell, going back to the recent article about the best games of this generation.

I listed my top ten games, none of which were on the PS3 (a system I don't own), and I got five private messages from people, bashing me because Uncharted and Heavy Rain weren't in my list.

Here's a little information . . .

I don't own a PS3, I care little for many popular Sony exclusives, and my opinion is just that - my opinion. Grow up.

[imXify]

Phenom has learn to ignore arrogant fanboys and move along with life.
Great job Phenom !

[nik666uk]

Why haven't PC fanboys been included? U know the ones who think they're some kind of elite gamer, above everybody else, who moan when they don't get a version of a game, steal it when they do, who cry like spoilt brats when they don't like how a game ends, U know the kind!!!

[IQUITN4G]

Not much news to report on i guess. Everything is just turning this way i suppose. We'll be playing N4G farm games soon and all the usual nonsense. And yes I didn't have to be in here poking my nose in, it's just that you can have these debates in chat lobbies. I can understand articles existing like this but it's not worth reporting as news surely

[Omnislash]

I just see it like it is.
I did my research on all 3 systems and the PS3 is clearly the best, I sell video games and I tell people the facts on all 3 consoles and let them make a decision, 90% of the time they want a PS3. The only time someone wants an Xbox is because theyre huge halo fans or something happened to their last Xbox. The only time they want a wii is usually for their kids.