Co-opting of gaming culture

[incompatible with life]

We're already seeing companies trying to cash (http://www.gillette.com/FusionGamer/en-US/gamer.shtml) in (http://www.gamergrub.com/) on gamers. And video games have much more mass appeal than even say 5 years ago.

Which then brings to mind the possibility of gaming culture going mainstream and people trying to copy gamers.

I must admit though, I probably don't see it happening myself. For one gamers would need to be perceived as cool or at the very least exclusive. The former's not really going to happen given gaming's inherent geekiness. And the latter also probably isn't going to happen with games getting dumbed down so they can be picked up by anyone.

Thoughts?

[UC1]

There is always the possibility of non-gamers trying to copy gamers. Just the other day I saw a kid mashing on an arcade machine outside the movies, and there weren't even any credits. The kid must have been brainwashed by all the mainstream gaming culture shenanigans.

[Tukenstein]

There is always the possibility of non-gamers trying to copy gamers. Just the other day I saw a kid mashing on an arcade machine outside the movies, and there weren't even any credits. The kid must have been brainwashed by all the mainstream gaming culture shenanigans.

I used to do that when I was a kid. I never had any money, so I'd sit there pretending I was playing whatever was happening on screen and also hoping somebody would come along and give me money because they felt sorry for me. =p

[Stevorooni]

* gives Tukenstein some money *

[Space_Monkey]

I used to do that when I was a kid. I never had any money, so I'd sit there pretending I was playing whatever was happening on screen and also hoping somebody would come along and give me money because they felt sorry for me. =p

I did this too. :)

You'd eventually get a dollar from a sympathetic Nan and you were so awful at it you wouldn't make it past the first check point.

But for that one minute your mind was blown.

[AranchineD]

Sure, everyone wants to be like Gabe Newell!

[Xanafalgue]

Sure, everyone wants to be like Gabe Newell!

I got a boner.

[incompatible with life]

Still I do wonder what it'll be like when people start using phrases like "fail" and "for the win"

[Sytadel]

Still I do wonder what it'll be like when people start using phrases like "fail" and "for the win"

My sister has already done this.

Fashion trends tend to be set by people who are extremely popular (celebrities), but can't be easily imitated - musicians, actors, wealthy people, and so on. For gaming fashion to catch on, you'd need celebrity gamers for everyone to imitate.

[ThePhotoshop]

Apart from the obvious playing of videogames, what part of gaming culture is exclusive to gaming?

There's nothing to imitate beyond playing a game. And anyone can do that; it's not exclusive.

It's also not exactly rich, diverse, or fulfilling. Why would anyone want to copy it?

[incompatible with life]

Apart from the obvious playing of videogames, what part of gaming culture is exclusive to gaming?

There's nothing to imitate beyond playing a game. And anyone can do that; it's not exclusive.

It's also not exactly rich, diverse, or fulfilling. Why would anyone want to copy it?
Well there's more to it than just playing video games. Yes anyone could pick up a controller but that doesn't necessarily make them a gamer. Just like how me stepping on a skate board doesn't make me a boarder.

And I don't think it needs to be particularly rich, diverse or fulfilling for people to want to copy it (how many co-opted cultures are?). It really only just needs to be trendy.

[UC1]

Still I do wonder what it'll be like when people start using phrases like "fail" and "for the win"

That would be both gnarly and bodacious.

[Mike-Towns]

I look forward to the day the crowd at a sporting match shouts out 'F*** YEAH SEAKING!!!' when their team wins.

[Lex]

Well there's more to it than just playing video games. Yes anyone could pick up a controller but that doesn't necessarily make them a gamer.


really, like what? to truly be a gamer you have to wear lameass 1up shirts and post on messageboards?

[Nic Xtreme]

Apart from the obvious playing of videogames, what part of gaming culture is exclusive to gaming?

There's nothing to imitate beyond playing a game. And anyone can do that; it's not exclusive.

Exactly. That's all there is, playing a video game - and that's what separates people who don't play video games from the majority of those who do.

There is a minority of video gamers who do all that nerdy, embarrassing shit, and host shows like Good Game *shudder*, and they display this perceived "culture". But, god damn, that's just bullshit. I hope it never, ever, ever catches on.

And it won't. Because it is shit.

[AranchineD]

I always thought the guys on Good Game were taking the piss out of the people who actually do that kind of stuff seriously.

Or they don't really care either way and are just having fun so lighten the **** up! >_>

[Halt, Hammerzeit]

I don't think gamers have much of a culture to co-op. I think you might be confusing internet/geek culture for gamer 'culture'. I've found that more people are now willing to wear 'geeky' t-shirts, like an Autobots symbol with a pair of Groucho Marx glass with the phrase "Robots in disguise" written underneath, a green shirt with "+5 Green Tunic" on it, or people actually saying 'LOL' (the funniest thing is watching someone trying to say ROFLMAO in real life, then beating the crap out of them of it).

That said, the advent of main stream video games, like Guitar Hero or all the stupid little sports games on the Wii, has made video games more known to the masses (as ane example a DJ on a local radio station will still mention his love of Mart Kart Wii live on air every now and then), but that's not culture so much as certain games making casual gaming more appealing to those that don't normally play video games.