Gamer Stereotypes

[newwaytodie]

Hey forum pals.. (and enemies I'm sure)

I'm developing a thesis about the stereotypes surrounding gamers, and I would love for your commentary. It's a hot button issue and I want to hear from a lot of people to see what kind of experiences, opinions, or anything pertinent about the subject. Gaming is past it's infancy and is heading towards what I lovingly refer to as it's "akward teenage years", in which it attempts to become "cool" by trying to "fit in".

A move towards casual gaming such as rock band and guitar hero has non-gamers flocking to consoles that they may have never considered otherwise.

Please, have at it, as I know the RB forums can surely deliver the kind of insight that will give me a 4.0 paper.

[Apples]

Well, stereotypes are just that... generalities that may hold a grain of truth but are useless for making sweeping characterizations.

As far as gamers go, there's the tired stereotype of the obsessive teenage nerd playing games 24/7 out of his mom's basement. The socially awkward neophyte who sucks at athletics and excels at academics.

I've seen a few folks in my day who might fit that type of criteria, but many who don't. Back in the day when I was in high school, the "jock" cliques accused me of being too much of "computer nerd". Meanwhile, the "computer nerds" accused me of being too much of a "jock". (Lucky me, I was good at both)

And then I realized an obvious truth... anyone willing to make such sweeping judgments is a small-minded fool and not worth the time of day.

[newwaytodie]

I'm not sure I would go as far as to call anyone small-minded.... Maybe ignorant or uninformed, but that is my point. Games are becoming less and less of a "nerd thing". When you've got grandmothers picking up a Wii at thier local GameStop because they absolutely love Wii Play, it shows you that the typical stereotypes aren't valid at all.

But it is still an issue, if you're on a date and you tell him/her that you love video games, what is their first impression going to be? And if you have a job interview and they ask you what some of your outside interests are (and you actually tell them that you play games) will their judgement be slighted? It's a very intruiging social issue, being that you don't get that kind of response if you substitute "games" for "movies" or "music".

I'm all about shattering preconcieved notions.

[Rock_Starman]

This might help:

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/z_Eey3scLcw"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/z_Eey3scLcw" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>

Though I'm a guy and do play plently of games I have no clue what the f they're talking about in that last question either.

[FallenAce]

Omniscience. Just because I like video games, I know everything about X technology.

This may bleed over a bit, because I work in IT, and I have A+ Net+ MCSA certs, but when it comes to questions about video games, it is assumed I know everything about any one topic, be it a specific game, or the protocols XBL uses. I once had someone ask me programming questions. I only know some VB! Why would I know how to write my own engine for an RPG? Stuff like that. My boss asked me if I could edit some other company's program so we could fix some spelling errors. I tried to explain what source code was...

[Thrashdragon]

The "nerd" gamer stereotype doesn't really hold water anymore. The biggest gaming demographic is 25-34 year old males...i.e. regular people with jobs and families, not fat kids in basements (for the most part). We're also the demographic with the most disposable income...the ones that can buy nextgen consoles or new graphic cards without having to wait for a birthday or a holiday to come around. The ones that can afford to pick up every one of the gajillion great games coming out this fall (although the sheer number of them is making some of us think that maybe sweetie won't be getting jewelry this Christmas). :D

[Kang_Zircon]

I don't like the stereotype that, in order to be a "true gamer" you have to be hypercompetitive, play online games, have a "kill teh n00bs!" attitude and only care about being "the best" at whatever you're playing. With things like score hero and xBox achievements, it seems like people are trying to force that attitude even into single-player games.

For me, when a game becomes about things like acheveiments and high scores it stops being fun.

[Thrashdragon]

With things like score hero and xBox achievements, it seems like people are trying to force that attitude even into single-player games.


The funny thing about people with really high achievement scores, is that they got them by renting kiddie or casual games (where you can get all 1000 points in an afternoon). That's so hardcore. :rolleyes:

[Kang_Zircon]

The funny thing about people with really high achievement scores, is that they got them by renting kiddie or casual games (where you can get all 1000 points in an afternoon). That's so hardcore. :rolleyes:

That's ridiculous - Especially if they don't enjoy the games. That's not gaming, that just work...

[gh2masterwellalmost]

Gamer stereotypes in my clique aren't often used. Why? Cos my clique is full of gamers. Outside of that, I either get taken the piss out of 1) long hair, thus according to them I must be emo 2) the music i like. Sad that Eminem gets precedence over Nirvana or Radiohead or 3) the fact I game. The "nerd" title is still going believe me.

[Simonious]

This might help:

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/z_Eey3scLcw"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/z_Eey3scLcw" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>

Though I'm a guy and do play plently of games I have no clue what the f they're talking about in that last question either.

They're referring to C&C Generals: Zero Hour. A rockvee is a Humvee with a rocket launcher, a Jarmen is the Middle Eastern side's hero unit, an Ambo, I believe, is the USA's hero unit, a Scorp is a tank, and a Quad is a vehicle with machine guns.

[MotleyPriest111]

All violence is derived from Grand Theft Auto. Medal of Honor and Call of Duty were the direct cause of World War II. All gamers are violent and have committed multiple felonies the moment they boot up GTA III. Grand Theft Auto is the only violent game. The Hot Coffee mod was the first time cheeto-nerds ever witnessed pixelated sex. Holding a dual-shock controller is just like holding a pistol. The Nintendo Zapper (Duck Hunt) was the first time people ever heard of the term "gun" (Despite it clearly being called a "Zapper"). Buying a video game = killing babies.

[FallenAce]

This is clearly a record of unadulterated truths.

[gh2masterwellalmost]

The Xbox 360 and PS3 shoot lasers, but only at the old. They also rob banks.

"The Truth According to the Devi- I mean Jack Thompson", only £1229393929.99 from your local bookstore!

[newwaytodie]

Ok, no need to get sarcastic guys. Can I get some intelligent insight? Thank you Zircon.

[MotleyPriest111]

Mine are real.... Haven't you noticed that everytime someone under the age of 20 kills someone, they always say "Have you ever played a video game?" to which he'll say "Yeah." Then right away, they say "Aha! Grand Theft Auto made him do it. Video games train the youth to become murderous beings." GTA is always the first game to be blamed.

[Smidget]

Another aspect of this I'll bring into play is e-sports; something I've a decent bit of experience with. Gaming isn't just gaming anymore for a lot of people. It's one more reason playing hours upon hours of a game to become the best isn't some fruitless activity as many and most non-gamers view it (other reasons for us gamers including 1: just because, its what i enjoy doing, get off my back :p and 2: honing your gaming skills for a future in the gaming industry ). This is definitely still a very small percentage of gamers and the e-sports industry is still a baby but its slowly becoming a defining factor of the video game world. Being able to respond to someone making fun of you with "yeah but I made an extra 5, 10, 20, 30.. thousand this year doing this" usually shuts them up pretty quick. Gaming as a sport has really opened the doors for industries outside of the video game world to get involved, opening the eyes of a lot of non-gamers to what gaming has become and is becoming (not in an esports sense; just in general). People who realize that games aren't "mario brothers" anymore and that nor is the industry are usually slower to call "gaming geek" than those who don't quite understand it.


EDIT: So I just came back a few hours after posting this and watched the above video, haha. It opened with "pro gamers" and I just thought 'crap.' So much for my "another aspect of this I'll bring..." haha. At least I perhaps expanded on it a bit? maybe? :p

[Chthonic]

Mine are real.... Haven't you noticed that everytime someone under the age of 20 kills someone, they always say "Have you ever played a video game?" to which he'll say "Yeah." Then right away, they say "Aha! Grand Theft Auto made him do it. Video games train the youth to become murderous beings." GTA is always the first game to be blamed.

Well, naturally it is. It's the only game the non-gaming public is aware of. :rolleyes:

You'd think that people might at least educate themselves slightly on the subject before tossing out accusations like that, but I guess that's just indicative of how ignorant and gullible the average person is these days.

[newwaytodie]

Come on people, I know there has to be some of you out there not living up to the gamer stereotype.

[Daesania]

I'm just starting off the premise of this post by saying I did not read anyone else's comments besides the initial poster, mainly cuz i just didnt feel like it.

I kind of defy all the womenly gamer stereotypes out there. I keep joking with my friends that there is no reason I should be single, I'm the ultimate gamer girlfriend. To give my background, I play D&D, I play FPS games, and I play RPG games.

It seems the stereotype for women gamers is that we're all fat lazy people (or does that fit men too?) with no lives just tryin to score a guy off the net.

When people look at me, they dont see gamer. Infact, most people are shocked I used to be a hardcore gamer. I admit, i used to be addicted. I played Everquest for 7 years and easily played that more than a full time job, hours wise.

After I got bored with Everquest, I moved on to Counterstrike, played that for 2 years. I've since backed off of all gaming, I cancelled my internet. I've been without any internet games for about a year now... I am starting my internet up in a few weeks and I do plan on getting into atleast one internet based game but i am definatly not getting sucked into it as last time.

Even before playing those internet games for 40+ hours a week, I'd still make time to see friends, go out and have a good time, OUTSIDE of my house.

I dont know if this is what you were looking for, but thats what you got :P

[Simonious]

Proof. (http://www.theslackerz.com/index.php?Page=42)

Thar it is. Linked for long... lengthness.

[newwaytodie]

Thanks Daes, I do think that you are an example of defying a stereotype in that you are female. But I also think you brought up another valid concern about stereotypes within the gamer community. Men that are hardcore gamers do tend to be suprised or apprehensive towards female gamers, and that's a problem with the development of legitimacy within the video game industry. If you look at pro sports, women have a long and storied history of breaking down stereotypical walls to prove that they are capable of playing the same sports that men can on a professional level.

The gender stereotype reminds me of high school. We had a girl on the wrestling team and it was always hilarious to see how a guy would react if he had to wrestle her. Strangely, the humility of losing to a girl hasn't changed very much over time.

Adversely, I kinda felt bad when I pwned the Frag Dolls at Ghost Recon 2. They then proceeded to accuse me of glitching. Very uncool ladies... Very uncool.

[Daesania]

Yeah, I played in the CZL (Condition Zero League) when I played Counterstrike : Condition Zero. Guys would accuse me of being a guy all the time because apparently women cannot be good at video games. /rolls eyes. Whats even funnier was I had a spraypaint when they died that was a picture of a person laughing with the caption "you just got owned by a GIRL". Usually pissed them off :)

hahah. Let me know if you need any more info from a womans prospective, New.