Nice ranty article relaying a very relevant aspect of video game culture.

Yep...good to see him still in form.

Yeah, with a word like "gamer", the negative connotations and stereotypes seem to outweigh the positives. A little bit like "Tory" in that respect, I suppose. It seems almost... shameful to me.

And no, that isn't because I fit the stereotype almost perfectly (although I'd be lying if I said I didn't.)

If you consider opening a Mana Bar in Melbourne, can I have a job?

(Yeah, I didn't think that would work either...)

I wholeheartedly agree, though I think it's kind of a necesary evil. His argument seems to be that we should consider games like books or movies, as it would be silly to say "I'm a reader", or "I'm a movie-goer", because so many people do that.

I don't really use gamer either, but I'm not sure the term will go away until games gain some more acceptance. This comes with time and defying sterotype, of course, not with this idiotic "gamer pride" thing that's been going on.

Gamer is shorter than a person who plays videogames, therefor a more useable term. Yes there is a lot of negative stigma on it, but nothing that won't change over time. This has happened to many things.

For instance, in Finland these moped-car hybrid thingies (looks like a really small car and has a speed max of 50km/h or so) used to be only used by really old people and people who are otherwise unable to use a real car. Now younger people get them and think they are really tough while blocking the traffic by moving really slowly.

This was an interesting and introspective look in the gaming culture. Labels such as 'gamer' only serves to further separate people when we should be starting to class ourselves together as all one people. Well writ, Yatzee.

The word "gamer" has always rubbed me the wrong way, to the point where I physically have trouble saying it. To me it conjures a picture of someone that plays games and does absolutely nothing else. The way the social image is right now a "gamer" is a useless person.

For example, if you were to have a friendly, personable conversation with your boss, which of the following would you feel more comfortable telling them:
-you like baseball
-you like building model railroads
-you like video games
Chances are, telling them you like video games will not score you extra points and may in fact tarnish your reputation to them.

Seriously, we need a re-branding.

On the topic of the Mana Bar:
Open one on the US east coast...please? Pretty please?

'' no doubt hanging around some South Pacific island looking for dark people to oppress''

Haha, too good.

On a serious note I agree, I hate being labelled as a gamer, just because I like to play video games doesn't mean that all I do.

Well, happy holidays, Yahtzee, have fun for us.
OT: I agree that the characterization is something really negative, whether it's about games or whatever, and that happens with or without the word gamer, I think you're reading too much into it.
"Normality" is also overrated, nothing wrong with it, but I think of the concept as a characterization, as in "run of the mill." I think in our own way, we're all normal people, even those who are desperately screaming "Look at Me."
All we do or like makes us different, and that's how society works, I go out with friends from time to time, I have called them to ask them to go out with me, as I have rejected an invitation because Bad Company 2 was out, and none of these makes me feel less normal than the other.
In summary, I think the word has nothing wrong with it, it's the people who uses it in a way it could lead to a terrible misinterpretation, or, allow me to correct myself, its used in a degrading context, even if you're shouting it proudly; but then, the problem resides within people, and as I see it, people will be twats until the end of days, Yahtzee.
Again, happy holidays.

Sudenly I see a entire thread somewhere on the internet with thousands of
>implyications

First off, Gamers game, Players play, and Shooters shoot. It's just logical.

I enjoy recreational video games. I also uphold a very nice job.

The Stereotypical Vidya Nerd doesn't exist anymore. Everyone and their dog enjoys video games in the Modern Era.

It points to probably the biggest problem with the label "gamer" and other labels as well. It insinuates that this is the only dimension to you, belying the fact that people are complex, difficult, unintuitive things.

This would all hold more weight from me if I wasn't already avoiding the term to self-identify out of an inexplicable shame I have for being one.

Yyyyyeah, but I think in a lot of ways it's necessary to have some labels on yourself. I mean, you don't have to, but things like "I'm a gamer" help to identify with other people within the bracket. People outside it may hold the stigma, but people inside it will know what you're talking about and may concede to be friends with you.

Most people label themselves regardless of whatever negative connotations there may be, because it's just easier than explaining their personal attributes when a bunch of people will already get the point because of that one word.

For another example, I'm gay, and there are is certainly rather a lot of stigma around that label. But it's still easier than trying to explain to people that I am a human with sexual urges toward other humans contrary to typical breeding procedures and whatnot.

I agree with the mental picture associated with the word 'gamer', but amongst friends, we merely use that word to denote someone who has an active interest in video games and with whom we can talk about the topic with :-/

The term is fine, it just doesn't apply to every person who plays video games. For example, I own a motorcycle and ride it occasionally, but I'm not a biker.

This is not the first time a label is created from people who do something and it's addopted by yonger people trying to show himself off.

It happend by the end of the 90s with heavy metal, it's happening now with Nerds, and at the same time there's some kind of Nerd Prestige Classes or Especialization like: "Gamers", "Otakus", "Geek", "Gadgters" whatever.

People look for a label to make themselves feel like someone with something especial, than begin to create new ones, when they think there's too many people already using it.

I hardly agree with this, regarding someone who calls themselves a gamer in a negative light without actually knowing the person is indicative of a problem with that person, not the name itself. I could just as easily turn this argument around and say the same for anyone who calls themselves a "Critic".

I do agree on the whole "Girl Gamer" thing, though. Really, it's just a phase in identity, women aren't going to call themselves this several years down the line.

You should open a Mana Bar in the UK, preferably near me, preferably in the North, near Blackburn...I'd go!

Nah if you do at least open one in Manchester

I was cool with this until the part about no ZP or XP this week. Damn it.

Sir John the Net Knight:
You know, I've put up with the self-important, narcissistic bullshit of a one Benjamin "Yahtzee" Croshaw for quite some time now. And though that is hardly a stretch for me, as I have been absorbing the anger and prejudice of the world's asshole population for a good three decades, I can no longer stand to have Yahtzee's own brand of verbal diarrhea being funneled into my ear canal any longer.

I put up with a lot of shit from people like Yahtzee over the years. But when you call Aerith Gainsborough a "flaky bint", you have stepped over the proverbial line. I have no more patience for you, Croshaw. Take your crybaby rants that you poorly disguise as legitimate reviews and stick them up your pasty, white tuchus. You really wanna know what the definition of the stereotypical asshole gamer that gives us all a bad name? Every morning you look at one in the mirror when you wake up. It's people like you that ruin this hobby for the rest of us.

And before you accuse me of the following. No, I do not own a body pillow or any other perverted anime crap. Though I'm sure you'll claim otherwise in next week's article.

Aeris is a flaky bint. Hell, she was the most boring character in the game. I stand by that steadfast. I never understood the obsession with her.