Exclusionary Tactics

     Not to be just another re-hash of a particularly big topic right now, but unfortunately, I have an opinion on this topic. And since this is my blog and not someone else's, I'm posting it. 

     

     This has been an interesting week in the world of gaming. If you follow gaming news (and are not a psychopath), you may have been a little alarmed at some of the things that have been newsworthy this past week.  There was the DDoS attack that allegedly shut down the PSN. The bomb threat that diverted an airplane carrying the SONY CEO. The outrageous  harassment that nearly caused someone to sell his company, and forced someone else to leave her home. 

     Of course—I have an opinion on most of these things. Not the least of which the Fish BS. I mean, look, I agree that he is kind of an a-hole (he told a developer to his face that their games suck, for crying out loud), but you kind of give up your higher ground when you fall to the tactics of common criminals and losers with threats and releasing his personal information to the world. Never mind the fact that while the guy could use more tact, a lot of what he talks about isn't exactly wrong.  So, congratulations on that, way to make people not want to deal with making games at all anymore! Woo-hoo! Job well done. 

Stop being bigots. 

     There have been a lot of opinions coming out over the past few days, due to the actions of a group of psychopaths and losers. I have a newsflash: someone who posts death threats and hacks accounts? A psychopath, gamer or no. And they could be a psychopath whether they were gamers, or book lovers, or movie lovers. (This is not the only group to send out death threats when they don't get their way.) And I don't particularly appreciate being included in this group of crazies. But--people are losing their minds for no reason. There are articles coming about the irrelevance of gamers, leaving gamers behind, and the death of an identity.

     I am what you would call a “hardcore” gamer. (And just for the people that don't seem to understand that hardcore isn't a gaming term, it's just a correct use of the word; a definition: the most active, committed, or doctrinaire members of a group or movement.) I have been gaming since the days of 8-bit, since I was toddling around on legs barely tall enough to hold me (those of you that know me: no “But that’s now!” jokes.) I have logged more gaming hours than any man, boy, or child I know; and played everything from sim games, RPGs, to shooters, and everything in between. (One of my nostalgia tinged favorites: Zombies Ate MY Neighbors.) I have spent hours debating mythos, and designing new characters for beloved games, and replaying games for the 7-8-9-and 10^th times to see different possibilities. I love games. Absolutely love them. I also love books. And music. And you can be hardcore at anything, it's just a comment on how dedicated you are to the topic. 

     Gaming/gamer by definition is not exclusionary. Neither is boarder, artist, cinephile, bibliophile. People invent words to define their interest, and to be part of a group. Anyone can be a gamer, and just because you are a gamer, doesn't mean that you can't also be an audiophile. The above articles are defining a gamer as an identity--an exclusionary belief system---as opposed to what it is: someone who games. 

     I do not think gamers are dead. I don't think they'll die anytime soon. The same way that we have indie films, and subtitled, and all the different kinds of music enjoyed by more hardcore music lovers and movie lovers than what is mainstream, we will always have big, beautiful games, and the gamers willing to put in 200 hours to play them. Most gamers, while perhaps exasperated with people who play candy crush calling themselves gamers in a conversation with someone who has spent the bulk of their life playing games, new and old, long and short like it's equivalent (hence the differentiation of casual gamer vs hardcore gamer---both gamers, just of different degrees), are happy to see an influx of new people enjoying gaming. That means more games for the rest of us, too! More money, more recognition of games as a legitimate business and art form! Woo! 

Very interesting study! This is a good thing--we can all exist!

     These people of the last few days--these people are losers. They are sad examples of what happens when you don't learn to deal with differing opinions in a constructive way, people who never learned how to control themselves and live with society. The equivalent of a grown-ass person throwing a temper tantrum like a 5 year old--and giving the rest of us a bad name.

     I guess the point is this: Please do not include the bulk of gamers--who are happy to see you, and glad to see the medium growing and trying new things---in with these people who are exclusionary to the point of madness. Also, crazies. STOP.