Is it publicly and socially acceptable to be a gamer now?

[wraggster]

via joystiq (http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/26/is-it-publicly-and-socially-acceptable-to-be-a-gamer-now/)

Video games aren't a success because of record-setting sales in 2006 ($13.5 billion). They're a hit because it's cool to be a gamer now says ABC News:

"Perhaps the biggest factor in the industry's success during 2006 wasn't the glossy hardware or the cutting-edge games but instead a subtle shift in the once-geeky public perception of the gamer persona. Consumers just don't feel so strange about buying or playing video games anymore."

Sure, gaming has made plenty of in-roads in the hip sector. But I doubt most gamers readily admit to being rabid fans as easily as they would admit to being a music or movie enthusiast. At least not yet.

[toymin80r]

Everyone knows that everybody who has played the wii wants to play along, and the people who have played it has changed their perception about video games. Nintendo just brought the enjoyment of video games back to the industry for anyone who likes to have a good time.

[eatnooM]

I've never given a monkey's whether people know I'm an avid gamer or not :p

[GobboFett]

I've never given a monkey's whether people know I'm an avid gamer or not :p

Exactly. I will tell all the people that I work with that I whittle away most if not all of my free time playing WoW: TBC. They can either like it or go straight to hell and do not pass go (or collect $200 for that matter:D).

Gaming is definitely not "geeky" anymore and that can be good and also bad, bad of course meaning a more crappy games flooded mainstream market. But those that care will see past all that and that is what I believe makes gaming a great hobby/lifestyle. I also don't think that movies or music are too much to boast avidly about, I see them as more of a side dish to enjoy with friends or while gaming. It's not to say I don't enjoy movies or music, I just don't see them as a top-priority social topic.

[gdf]

i don't see any shame in being a gamer. it's not "Cool" but it is definitely acceoted that that is what i do. some of my friends go out or watch tv, but i play instaed, so it's no issue.

[gunntims0103]

Im a Gamer and i don't care who knows it. In fact gaming has been going on strong since the 80's. Since Nes and colecovision people have been hard strong gamers. Its only gotten better from there!

Snes and Sega Genesis put out great games and made a bigger gaming scene than ever before. Thus they laid the foundation for future gamers worldwide.

[Zion]

to be honest i think this has gotten ridiculous now.

who cares if you are or arent a gamer, wow you play games big deal, games dont influence anyone in anyway.

its just a easy way of blaming violence and other things on games.

its ludicrous :mad:

[wolfpack]

id have to agree with zion on this one, no one should really give a damn, were all gamers, we dont judge each other based on that... lets all just have fun!

[SSaxdude]

Seeing as many, many non-gamers like the Nintendo Wii after trying it, I'd say that gaming is on the rise.

[gdf]

i dno, loads of people at my school think the wii is a piece of shit for babies. that's not to say i agree, but i think the wii is noot as widely hailed as everyone says. maybe it's something to do with age groups etc etc.

[cloud_952]

Gaming has come around to the point where it's alright to say that you "play games", but definitely not yet to the level of acceptance where you can actively call yourself a gamer without people talking about it. This doesn't matter much in normal, day-to-day life and with people you know. However, in a professional institution (university, the workplace), it's a little more of a deal.

Casual gaming seems to be accepted, but to game as a hobby, that's still pretty stigmatized.

[F9zDark]

I think it is gaining social acceptance but I don't think its all there yet. I know a few people who have lost dates because the woman didn't approve of gaming.

I don't tell women that I plan on hooking up that I play games unless I know they do. Because quite frankly, I am not losing sex over a game.

[John Vattic]

All I play are sports games with my Jock buddies

[VFerg]

I havent seen any judgement in wether someone plays games or not in like 5 years. I now work full time for a big company and I would say about half the people that work there wouldnt mind or probably play themselves. The other half might not care for it but I highly doubt they give a crap wether someone else plays or not. I would say its an age group thing and also where you live.

[Paradok]

I've never really given it any mind. I've been playing console and PC games since I was nine, and my favorite thing to do before that (and sometimes after too) was go to the arcade. Pretty much every friend I've ever had played games at least a little, and most of the girls I've dated did too, even if it was just cutesy stuff.

The only people who ever gave me guff about playing games were the usual buttmunches who would have just found something else to give me grief about if I wasn't a gamer anyway. Gaming to me's never been any stranger than watching TV.

But I guess I'm just lucky.

[NeoXCS]

I've never much cared if anyone knew I was a hardcore gamer. I have LAN parties with my buddies at my house and game constantly. It's my way of life. Even my girlfriend is slowly working into being a gamer and she's loving it.

[Broadus]

This is retarded. Why are so many "front page news" things just generic, ridiculous qustions? When was it NOT socially acceptable to be a video game nerd, or to enjoy video games?
Obviously, there are still and always will be people who think video games are stupid, or too violent, or whatever. But I've never seen someone who likes video games go "Well I'd better not play video games because some people I don't know think it's unacceptable."
Personally, I hate going into game stores. The people browsing within are so nerdy and they creep me out. But, I've got to get my games somehow.

[baracki96]

I believe this is a good question because yu get to see different people's and places' view of the modern day acceptance of gamers. Gamers are accepted to a degree. If you are talking to someone how games little or not at all, and you say you play some madden and halo, then they are usually completely accepting. HOWEVER, if you start talking about how you finally got your paladin to level 60 after playing world of warcraft for 48 hours straight last weekend ( no offense to WOW gamers) then they will probablly nod nervously and try to come up with an excuse to get away from you. Basically, casuall gamers are accepted, while serious gamers will have to wait until they are no longer viewed as Serfs.

[Fittersman]

i dno, loads of people at my school think the wii is a piece of shit for babies. that's not to say i agree, but i think the wii is noot as widely hailed as everyone says. maybe it's something to do with age groups etc etc.

hahha, i think the wii is stupid... lol, personally i dont want to sit around waving a piece of plastic around, i would feel dumb... but thats just me, i prefer the classic joystick and buttons stuff.

and yeah i like video games but most of the time i personally dont go around bragging about it, but if someone asks about it i will tell.

[BrooksyX]

I have noticed that every other person in my Hhgh school has a Xbox 360 and Xbox live. Literally every day I find out someone new who has live and add them to my friends list. So I would have to agree that gaming can be called '"cool" and acceptable nowdays.

[SnoopKatt]

I think everyone at my school has some sort of console. Most of my friends aren't really gamers, but I get along with them fine (most of them are into music). I don't think being a gamer could be considered cool, but it's not like you are a social outcast or anything if you play video games regularly.

[Ennohex]

Great.
Now it's fasionable to be a gamer huh?
Who gives a rats ass?
Not me. :P

[razorak]

Once a drunkard, always a drunkard.

Likewise:

Once a gamer, always a gamer :)

[canvasch]

i kinda don't like the fact that it's so acceptable to be a gamer... because if someone sees me with my ds or they overhear me talk about a game... they'll act like they're an expert on games because they have a ps2 and a couple of sports games -.- ....posers...

[F9zDark]

Most of my friends are hardcore gamers, save two; one who is casual gamer and one who hasn't touched games in damn near 6 years. He'll play a Duke3d dukematch with me when we hang out, which is rare, but other than that...

It depends alot on demographics. Some areas its more acceptable to be a gamer than others. Sadly, in my area, its not totally acceptable yet.

[vtd@.//]

gaming rules i've been playing since atari! then snes,genesis,playstation,n64,ps2,gamecube, and this is my xbox 360 year! lol not to mention my portables:gbc,wonderswan color,gba,ds upgrade to dslite,etc. it is acceptable to be a gamer in the los angeles area lol! just a few (maybe 1 out of 10 will be like wtf is an xbox? or they only play counterstrike...) um i dunno about counterstrike but yeah i'm a console gamer mostly and some mmo on pc like flyff ...

[Shadowblind]

I didnt know its cool to be a gamer. Its just always been my lifestyle.

[Styroformer]

Im a hardcore gamer, and ive always been a hardcore gamer, and ill die a hardcore gamer, point is, ima true gamer and it may or may not be "socialy acceptable" but i dont care, this is how i live, i tell my friends how much i play and they usually say ima geek or something of the sorts but they still talk to me, they dont run away going "OMG NERD GET AWAY FROM ME" id rather have it so that its less socialy acceptable so that we dont have the casual gamers who play like an hour every week and try to act like they are gaming gods, i hate posers, i wouldnt mind them if they only they didnt act like they think they know everything, if they honestly said, "yea i play games, but i dont play often" then i would accept that and id prolly talk to them about something not gaming related. I just hate it when noobs go around talking smack and dont have the knowledge or power to back it up. Thus ends my little rant ^_^

[Cap'n 1time]

I find it sort of immature to bring your nintendo DS or PSP to classes. Other than that I dont see the difference from reading a book or playing DS... It is just something to do to pass the time for me. Every time i take a flight I dont run through first class and yell "HEY ALL YOU SUDOKU AND CROSS WORD PUZZLE PEOPLE ARE NERDS!".

[gdf]

i kinda don't like the fact that it's so acceptable to be a gamer... because if someone sees me with my ds or they overhear me talk about a game... they'll act like they're an expert on games because they have a ps2 and a couple of sports games -.- ....posers...

i know what you mean. there are loads of people who say things like "360 has shit graphics, ps3 is better by miles" and "gears of war is shit" then i'll say something about mario or jak and daxter and i get all this "thats for kids" bullshit from some prick who only plays FIFA 07 on his psp. (i'm talking about several people here.) :(

[dhraad]

Frat gamers...no, they arent really gamers, they just need something to do between watching real sports and drinking.

Most of us will agree that we have been geeks before it was fashionable, but there are some good things that come with our niche becoming more mainstream. Websites and some specialty stores offer merchandise only a geek would wear, and it is easier to find people with similar interests in gaming.

I am not, however, going to base my geekdom on my gaming alone. I read as much as I play games, and I also play D&D (you know, that really geeking game where you throw dice and write on paper). But I am proud to be both a gamer and a geek.

[Cap'n 1time]

. But I am proud to be both a gamer and a geek.

amen brother.