Gaming has become a remedy for cultural unison. It has broken down barriers of competition, communication, and entertainment; it has throttled our very own perception of evolving technologies and creativity. From Nintendo’s first console release in 1985 – which paved the way for console gaming as we know it – to our current generation of console diversity with Microsoft’s Xbox360, Sony’s PlayStation 3, and Nintendo’s intuitive Wii, gaming has become a luxurious means of expressive entertainment beyond our wildest dreams.
However, with this constant diversified genre of entertainment, groups begin to side with their console of choice and begin to perpetuate negative remarks (sometimes conjured stories) toward their console counterparts. This is where fanboyism and bad journalism comes into play. Where this one form of entertainment should be bringing gamers together but is, instead, driving everyone apart. These misleading stories and uneducated opinions are what continue to promote and instill this way of thinking amongst the more gullible of gamers. If the same opinion, or a lie, is constantly repeated and thrown around, it will, eventually, come to be taken as fact. And the cycle will continue to perpetuate itself.
Gamers tend to express negativity toward things that they are intimidated by. Whether it’s an exclusive title hitting the opposite console, or even an inspiring idea to widen user experience (NXE/Home); some journalists promote topics aimed at attacking a certain product in order to receive the attention they’re not getting. It’s a repetitive strategy that can always be seen on websites in order to promote attentiveness or to stir up an unrewarding fight amongst gamers. Sadly, this means of information is actually working and has thus created a two-sided culture in gaming rather than a single group that share the same hobby.
I’m personally tired of going to sites like N4G and reading ridiculous headlines that are complete lies just aimed at receiving hits. Titles like, “Microsoft and Sony to team up for the next-gen console” and the likes. Those are headlines that thrive in promoting unnecessary fibs in order to accumulate hits. The Internet has been transformed into a battleground of hate and despair amongst us rather than a haven for information and love for gaming. It has created small factions between us that instills hatred and lies in order to satisfy the unnecessary need to praise our console of choice. Things that shouldn’t matter to us, but do because our console is constantly being blatantly attacked by whomever. This constant debate of which console is superior to which, and what games are better than others, are all products of misinformation from sources who label themselves “journalists” and fanboys who get a kick from starting the latest flame war.
To those calling themselves “journalists” creating this misleading crap, stop already will you? There’s no need to headline ludicrous material in order to promote yourself. You may have fans and those that are loyal will continue to read your material regardless of what you say (it’s how you say it). You keep posting bullshit and you will eventually lose any credibility you have and just become a joke (as some people already see you). Stop the marketing hype and bring news and solid original thought to the table.
N4G has become one of the many fanboy infested sites that spew nothing but hatred toward *Insert Console Here*. A site meant for sharing gaming news, articles and discussions that has become a haven for flame-bait. Where the ignoramus contently squat and await their chance to belittle anything or anyone that goes against their console beliefs. This generation of gamers resemble the religious fanatic. Where their belief is just, whilst others opinions and/or beliefs are completely omitted and not considered. The lack of open-mindedness has created a one-sided view amongst the newer generation that will just continue to follow the steep hill of ignorance. During the time when Nintendo and Sega were competitors, gaming was just… fun. It didn’t matter that I liked Sonic the Hedgehog and you liked Super Mario. It was just good old fashioned gaming at its prime. Where the media didn’t protrude into our daily lives and fed us the bullshit of NPD sales or Console A has better graphics than Console B. Consoles were there to provide us with a new engaging form of entertainment beyond the realms of Ping-Pong and Pinball machines.
I appreciate that gaming has become mainstream far beyond what was expected. I am grateful to live in an age where I am able to witness the transformation of gaming from its 8-bit origins to wherever it goes. I am grateful that I am able to discuss and communicate my hobbies with millions of others around the world who also share the same passion. For many, gaming has become a savior – a form of therapy to pry their minds away from the real-world bullshit that convolutes their daily lives. A form of entertainment that allows the millions of us to comfort one another through competitive gaming. Athletes have their sports, musicians have their instruments, writers have their pens, and us gamers have our gamepads. Everyone has something that makes them who they are. But the only difference is that I don’t hear baseball players calling their teams pussies for batting on the opposite side, or a trumpet player belittling a Clarinet player in their band for playing a different instrument. We all have our tastes, like and dislikes. Gaming should be done harmoniously and enjoyed by those who love it… What’s so good about shitting on a different instrument that’s capable of playing the same music?
Gaming has become too mainstream for its own good. Its fruits of entertainment have gone sour because of constant meaningless debates. Gaming sites have been congested with mobs of fanboys that refuse to become console neutral. All I know is that the few of us that are neutral will forever continue to savor the real fruits of gaming while fanboy retards will continue to relapse in the bitter taste of singularity. Where the only barriers that will hold us back is that of finances to support our habits. The real winners here are those of us who cherish gaming for what it is – entertainment. Open up, people. There’s no need to tattoo Sony, Nintendo, or Microsoft on your foreheads. And to you “journalists” who will, undoubtedly, continue to promote egregious journalism, you’re only spawning idiocy and humility on your end.
NXE and Home both suck insurmountable amounts of ass. And the Wii is a huge letdown as a console in the long run, although it was awesome for the first month or so.
I agree with the idea of the article. The problem is that nothing will change. It’s like politics and religion in a sense. The only difference is gaming doesn’t effect other people’s lives on a grand scale. If a person hates the Wii and loves the PS3, it makes no difference to me.
Our dislikes for other people’s choices makes a lot of the online “journalism” interesting. As long as people don’t take it too far I am just fine with fanboyism.
It’s true, no article, no matter how well-written, will change the mind of fanboys. Personally, I have all three consoles (and every console dating back to two gens ago) and I haven’t hated any console. I have definitely loved a console (dreamcast), but no console has ever gotten hate out of me. Disappointment, sure (Wii, Dreamcast’s demise) but never hate.
But seriously, Home and NXE both suck…bigtime.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… you can’t blame N4G for instance. N4G is simply a “News portal”. Have you ever seen them produce an original article on their own? Yes, they change/writeup their own headlines for other people’s opinion pieces, but they’re not the ones writing the stories. They’re simply collecting what is out there. But you can blame them for their news selection process. They choose to republish ‘opinionated’ articles and try to pass them off as news.
Maybe if people would quit trying to pass N4G off as a news-site, and more of what it is, an article portal, and point the finger of blame at the “news” sites that are only giving out partial information, then you’d have a valid point.
Same here. Fanboys have always existed. It’s not anything new. The issue with today’s generation is extreme favoritism. I definitely have a console I “prefer” over another. There’s been thousands of debates I’ve had with people over consoles… 85% of them argue a console they’ve never played which is what is intriguing.
@ Tyler
I totally agree with your post. My beef has a lot more to do with journalism taking headlines to the extreme for the sake of a hit (which later turns out into an immature debate at times).
@nostars
I concur, my friend… I concur.
Yaris’ Revenge
Good stuff -well said.
There is an astonishing amount of drivel online. And what is more annoying is that some people will create those catchy (and untrue) titles, lure people in to get hits and then try to defend their verbose excrement without any form of logic. Every two-bit site and blog think that they are journalists after having written a comment-piece or two. Similarly, there are a large number of sites posting “previews” of games they’ve never touched in their lives.
Those are but a few of the reasons why I face-palm at the Internet community.
I understand that fanboyism will never go away, but I agree with Yaris on the fact that so called “journalists” don’t have to perpetuate the sensationalist rhetoric by fabricating blatant lies as headlines just to drive traffic. I can guarantee you’ll never see us doing dumb shit like that. We keep it original, funny, and completely unbiased. That’s what you can expect from your friends at Loot Ninja.
@Matt Banks – Nice sales pitch.
I agree, my first statement was really directed more towards fanboys in general. Yaris did a great job writing this piece but it really is wishful thinking. Everyone’s a journalist these days and creating flame bate type of posts gets traffic. It’s sad really.
@ Tyler – We also promote the Snuggy. LOL
More or less, it is wishful thinking. It something that most of us “would” like to happen but, realistically speaking, it just won’t. Gaming has become to vast of an industry to even consider the likelihood of any changes with regards to fanboyism. The media, however, does have the ability to tone down on their absurd stories and controversial headlines for recognition… the problem is it just won’t stop. It gives the attention they want and boosts their recognition regardless of whether or not it’s negative.
This industry is just going to get bigger and bigger. And with all this competition, the media has fuel to burn. But we also have to look at the big boys that also bad mouth one another (i.e. Sony/MS).
You know what I do love, though? All these new gamers the Wii has brought it, they’re all exactly where we were with the NES and Genesis/SNES. They don’t have allegiances or fanboy tendencies. They don’t know about the brutal console bashing. This is an opportunity for us to keep them sane and rational instead of turning into Xbots or SDF (Sony Defense Force). They could either turn out to be the teabaggers or the people you want to discuss gaming with… the choice is theirs but it’s up to us to provide them with the true unbiased news as to not try to push them to one side to further a stupid desire for one product to succeed and another to fail.
@Tyler – gotta get the word out