Slashdot Mirror
This Just In - Gamers Are Human
A new study by the Entertainment Software Association reveals that, amazingly, gamers are regular human beings. The study shows that avid game players are just as religious, artistic, and social as anyone else. From the article: "Gamers are everywhere and they're everyone. They are your friends, neighbors, co-workers, relatives, and kids, they lead responsible and caring lives, balancing their enjoyment of interactive entertainment with many other activities important to a well-rounded lifestyle...Indeed, those who continue to portray the game population as single-minded loafers are living in their own fantasy world."
Something I've noticed is that it's become okay to be a gamer, even a computer gamer. When I first got into computers in the seventh grade, you were a nerd if you chatted with your friends via text. A mere three years later, and it was hip to be chatting your friends on Yahoo or AIM. Jocks and trendy girls were sending e-mails to each other, and it was okay.
;) The nerds of nerds.
While it was kind of hypocritical, it is cool because the result since has been that the image of a gamer is more mainstream now. In fact, I've noticed a lot more older gamers these days, which is natural since the people who first played Super Mario Bros. in the 80s are grown adults now, often with families, who still follow gaming. But I think the barriers of age, social class, and so on have kind of broken down. Though you still have gamers even other gamers won't touch, like EQ2 players.
All in all, though I think gaming companies are in trouble, the gamer is doing pretty well these days. And yes, we are human.
At the risk of saying something other than, "Well duh... who posted this?!"
I think the great engine behind the "popular" image of gamers as loafers stems from marketing rather than popular experience. I see "gamers" depicted in television advertising regularly. It always has 2-3 guys in their early 20's sitting in a dark room, on the couch, surrounded by junk food and illuminated by the blue glow of a television. I see this almost every time I turn on "The Simpsons."
By contrast, in real life I've only seen this environment a handful of times. Now why exactly the marketing folks think telling me I can be like the balding guy on the couch is going to get me to buy their game, I don't know. Maybe the answer is that gamer/loafers tend to wind up in marketing?
Trying to use sarcasm in text-based forums does not work.
This story seems to be about how people perceive video games and the people who play them. Since a huge slice of Slashdotters likely are also gamers, this probably is of interest to more people than you might think.
One of the reasons I like Slashdot is that it goes beyond the same tech stories I could find at any number of other sites. Slashdot is an online magazine of geek culture, and that culture includes plenty of things beyond new *NIX applications.
Read the EFF's Fair Use FAQ
What is it about mainstream culture that has made entertainment something you watch rather than participate in. Isn't it more likely that sports fans are the ones that are not execising, going to church and voting. "Can't right now babe, the game is on." OK that is probably a personal bias since I don't watch sports. Still I do not get this attitude that gaming is somehow bad for you. Where did it come from?
Insert Generic Sig Here:
Up to date video cards, system boards, disk space, games, subscription MMORGs, broadband...
Sheese, maybe I'll go back to 2nd Edition AD&D...
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Yea, yea, I'm sure I'll come up with a snappy sig soon
Not to mention, if you're looking to convince someone who believes otherwise they're unlikely to put much faith in a study by a body called the Entertainment Software Association. Consider how /.-ers react to studies about Windows security and/or reliability from Microsoft. A skeptic is likely to remain skeptical, and with good reason.