My fellow Axeheads, today I am taking time out of my assignment filled week to bring an issue to light that needs to be address…..hate. No I’m not talking about kitten punters or the angry neighbor who yells at kids from his porch. I’m talking about gaming discrimination, the hate that gets spread from forum to forum, from comment box to comment box on every gaming site in existence where certain gamers feel the need to “diss” consoles and games for the sake of professing their love for their favorite console and game. Everyone knows what I’m talking about and it makes every knowledgeable gamer’s blood boil. It’s immature, annoying and creating a rift in the gaming community that should not be there.
The obvious catalyst that sparks this hate is the consoles themselves. I know some people (including me) can only afford one console per generation. Therefore, when console exclusives come out (mainly the good ones) some gamers are quick to express their love for the game by throwing out a comment such as “Only On PS3…Cry 360,PC,XbotTrailers and Microdick…PS3 and Sony 4 Life”. This of course if followed by “lol cry some more!!!but hey… everyone knew a gay game like this couldn’t beat Halo 3… it just rocks, and Uncharted 2 plain sucks, truth hurts, eh ?”. Thus starting a chain reaction that spreads the comment tread like wildfire (examples taken from the comments for the Uncharted 2 review on Gametrailers.com).
The other popular sources of hate are popular games. The obvious example is the newly released Modern Warfare 2 where the hate has been pouring in since all that PC controversy that started a month or so back. People think they’re cool to hate a game that’s popular because they’re going against the trends like a rebel and when one speaks out the rest chime in. Now to be fair people have intelligent arguments on why they dislike MW2. HOWEVER, when a comment such as “ThE CRAppiest game ever. this SUCKED. I want my money back. I would rather watch barney and friends! Short campaign, stupid first person camera… If ur wondering what games I do like, Halo” come up on Metacritic, it makes me face-palm so fast I give myself a bruise.
Comments like these do not help, solve, or prove anything. If you want to make a point about a game it needs to be done in an intelligent matter in order to create real discussion and from that discussion it’s possible the gaming community can evolve. Garbage like this fuels the stereotype that all gamers are basement dwelling nutcases and as the simple truth is that the majority of us are not. We are intelligent human beings who are capable of a real discussion but our voice gets downed under the hateful spew these people spread like chicken pox. All these comments do is create a boundary between console and game owners and separates us by consoles and creed. I only own an Xbox 360 but that doesn’t stop me from staring in awe at Uncharted 2 or God of War III and having a blast when I’m playing Wii Sports on my girlfriend’s Wii. We are all gamers and we are all bound together by the same ones and zeros that create the great the games we all love. We shouldn’t hate the games we don’t get or the games that we don’t like. We should appreciate all games and give suggestions how to improve them in a matter in which developers and publishers will listen. No developer listens to the trolls and spammers but they will listen to intelligent arguments. If we can suppress these hateful gamers it will make the comment treads and forums a much happier place to type.
I look at the forums and comments on EpicBattleAxe and I have to give huge props to all you Axeheads, this is the most intelligent group of gamers I have ever seen on the internet. If you guys disagree with me or anyone one else on the site you supply intellectual evidence to support your arguments, you don’t start throwing your poo at the screen in a hissy fit. That’s why you guys are the perfect group to bring this up with and to share a message of love and respect. There will always be some jerkoff who talks trash every topic on the planet just for the sake of being a sh*t disturber but if this article can cause even one troll to open their eyes and see that certain comments are hurting the video game community, then I believe I’ve done my job.
Spread the love my fellow Axeheads, spread the love.
OMG… you are right (why nobody else talks about this? mmmmm), i really dont like when people just say stupid things and there is no argument.
But i think the sites now about this and they help to create this war, for example the comparisons they make about certain games, its just for create controversy.
p.s. sorry for my english btw.
This is so true!
Other people do talk about this. Sessler has talked about it a few times, other sites have addressed via bans and similar.
Jealousy leads to anger which leads to hate.
A lot of the small children that leave the comments cannot properly express themselves, be it that English isn’t their native language or they’re just down right idiots, they cannot comprehend the flaws in their statements that express nothing.
Constructive criticism is not known to them which is why I believe that in the US when you give criticism you are often met by fuck you from the other end. All which appears negative must be rejected with further negativity. Ah, these kids are so dumb. I’m just happy I was never that mentally challenged.
Well, I would like to make my “argument” to this article.
Now, I totally agree with the sense that there have been too much hate flowing around community.I will explain later why it is not going to stop.
First of all, I think that GTtv and now EBA are trying to explain(or excuse) GT.com review scores on MW2.
Honestly, there are going to be half a million views of the review in next few days and the review itself is not getting high scores. It all started with the GTs own comparison to UC2 AND people started complaining about Shane’s own “criterias” for a game that deserves higher than 9.3 . It seems simple enough, right?
Next, the review of the “most anticipated game of the year” has NOT been FAIR. The reviewers (Shane included) have played the game, and experienced the game, and liked the game that was supposed to be multiplatform, only from Xbox perspective, it plays perfect on Xbox, no complaints there. But assuming that the score covers all 3 platforms is ridiculous and that’s what made so many people angry (even from PS3).
I must say, I would like to say that I am the PC gamer and I sure enjoy visiting the gt.com site for reviews, this became the one where I strongly disagreed and I made myself heard on the forums.
But now, as a guy from Europe, and as a PC gamer, I have seen hundreds of comments from Xbox fans especially that left terrible comments about ALL pc gamer’s comments.
To put in another way, I haven’t seen PC gamers comments been insulting to gamers or to the consoles, most of the arguments were fair and clear, but in response console gamers are just covering us with sh*t from the feet up. And also to add, most PC gamers are well educated about technologies and software issues with MW2 especially to be upset.
Now, is this what you mean in your article when you say about people who “diss” consoles and games, you mean us, PC gamers?? how freaggin fair is that?
And to give you my perspective on the issue, I think it all comes to the way American culture has been brewed in the last few decades. You raise kids with the strong feel for competition, differences, domination, encourage to be the best, to be smarter, stronger etc. You cheer for your favorite team, you think your army is the fairest and bravest of all, you let your media to make the country look like the hero and the rest who don’t follow, the enemy. It was fine in COld War, but there is no need for it now.
I have been to a soccer game here, in Iowa between 4th graders, have been sitting with my friend to watch her daughter play. You would not believe the things some parents were yelling to their kids or the kids from the opposing team. And you know what, kids will be raised with the mentality that it is ok to insult and offend other people. And the same thing happens in mostly every insitution in your country, either it be separating PS3 from Xbox, or making awful comments about the games. It is in the peoples brains and if you find a single comment from other country than US from PC gamer that is insulting to the console, gamer AND the game, that is based purely on rage and no real facts, i will delete this whole argument and say “yes, i was wrong”
PS JUst look at the iMAc commercials, one of the greatest companies in the world bases its biggest ad campaig in dissing PCs ALL THE TIME. What else to say?
I don’t think that people hating on other consoles is very new. However, I think the concepts of hating transcends across everything that human’s touch.
Coke vs. Pepsi
Ford vs. Chevy
Imports vs. Domestic
Mac vs. PC
East Coast Rap vs. West Coast Rap
Nike vs. Adidas
M-16 vs. AK-47
Google vs. Yahoo
New England Patriots vs. Everyone Else
Democrats vs. Republicans
…it goes on and on and on. It isn’t segmented to just consoles. People simply LOVE to bash other people’s purchases or interests. I believe it is mainly because the trolls are trying to better justify their OWN purchase within their OWN mind. What better way to do that than to belittle anything approaching a valid alternative? What has made things even worse is the Internet and the anonymity that it brings. When you take away any and all consequences of speaking your mind, you get an uncontrollable increase of people who act and say irresponsible things.
To prove my point, do you really think that some people would say the things that they say and say it the way that they say it…if they were standing in front of the person they were saying it to? Of course not. Well…maybe Republicans…but STILL, 99.8% of everybody else would not.
So in the end, it isn’t the fact that people are being critical of a product. Its that the way that they voice that criticism, which is usually filled with an uncivil viciousness that actually surprises me daily to the levels of ferocity it can reach.
…and well said, Orange Wacko.
Dude, what is wrong with you? You forgot Ninjas Vs Pirates, Freddy Vs. Jason AND Marvel vs Capcon :p.
K, sorry, i just had to do it ^^.
You just gotta love the coherent smart topics that come up at the axe. This really is a healthy place to discuss stuff.
Now, on what Orange Wacko said, i have to agree to some extent to what he said. Being mainly a PC gamer (pretty much forgotten by the gaming industry right now) and not being from the US, I don’t share much of the philosophy the reigns amongst the gaming world… but i really don’t think that this is about PC gamers supposedly hating on MW2. I believe it’s just about general hating amongst gamers that must prove to themselves that they chose the right console, that their money was well spent.
This brings me to another valid point, also borrowing much from Orange Wacko: perhaps one reason for EBA being such an open minded and overall decent place to discuss is the fact that it has members from all over the world. I’m not saying that any country’s culture is better than the other one, but too much of a single one can be just annoying, and might as well lead to trolling. And it’s undeniable that gaming culture can be way too american (as there was even an “On the Download” topic about this).
Well, when it comes to trolling, i guess it’ll always be around, and we’ll just have to take refuge in havens such as the axe.
Metal creates peace.
Well said sir!
I have been considering this very thing for months yet feared writing anything on the topic would prompted the very flamers I would dis-own. EBA is such beautiful oasis in a sea of slander, to bait them over here would be a crime deserving of capital punishment. You have shed a light on the subject without being antagonistic and I commend you.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say where it starts, as far as I know it permeates all consoles(including PC) and genres, but would say that it is not going to end. As with any topic that has a passionate following I expect many a discussion or conversation to deteriorate into little more than a contest of fanboy-ism. It is disappointing to see it spread like wild fire leaving malice and ignorance in its wake.
I can only implore people to resist the urge to fire back and to simply stay out of discussions you either don’t belong in or have no relevant information on.
Remember that any statement ending in ’nuff said’ is a lie, and any comment following it up is too much said.
I would disagree with this. I could not provide specific examples of this but I recall thinking in Jr. High School that many of the kids where just obnoxious and confrontational and I couldn’t wait for them to grow up. Then I went to High School and little changed except for their height so I thought the same thing…grow up! Then I entered college and everybody had a much broader vocabulary but they just seem to love their pettiness. I now work full time and I can attest that no matter how old they are or where they are in relation to you, some people will just find a way to be obnoxious and confrontational. Don’t get bitter about it, just know that their everywhere.
Your quote is not in its entirety in the text and thus is taking it out of context. You’ve removed the end of the sentence and made the writer out to be the very thing the article is condemning. The sentence in its entirety is this:
“I’m talking about gaming discrimination, the hate that gets spread from forum to forum, from comment box to comment box on every gaming site in existence where certain gamers feel the need to “diss” consoles and games for the sake of professing their love for their favorite console and game.”
The writer is not singling out PC gamers he describing how a consumer makes a choice about what they like then extend that opinion to despising every other option that threatens the validity of their choice.
You make some interesting points but should be aware that the article is not a slant towards any one platform but rather a call to all gamers regardless of platform to be respectful and stand united in in the interest of improving community and by extension, perhaps the industry at large.
I hope you realize that by giving props to us (your fellow Axeheads) and saying that we’re the most intelligent group of gamers out there, you are in fact creating a rift in the gaming community.
I’m not saying you don’t have a point. Just don’t forget to practice what you preach and all that.
P.S. Your favorite game sucks!
A good write-up. I’m glad to see that I’m not the only one becoming increasingly frustrated with nonsensical and ultimately pointless arguments regarding different gaming platforms, etc.
More often than not, you see these blanket statements being tossed about. You know the kind I mean, “X sux LOL”. Generally if I deem it worthy to voice my criticisms on something, I _always_ make sure to base my critique on coherent, thought-out arguments as opposed to just stating that I don’t like whatever it is I’m criticising. I reckon a big portion of the silly hate sloshing about is just trolling from both sides, done by numpties with too much time on their hands… or people, who just cannot be bothered to form a coherent sentence or argument, yet still have the irresistable urge to post SOMETHING (See. “FIRST!”). It’s become so annoying on some sites that I’ve stopped even glancing at comments, EBA being the obvious exception, since a healthy portion of the userbase here seem to be surprisingly well-mannered
I don’t think commenting a group on their own website is really creating a rift. If I went to like an IGN forum and said “OMG u guys are such morons everyone at EBA are so much smarter then you dickheads” then yes I would be creating a rift
.
And also I don’t believe I mentioned Barbie: The Island Princess so no, I never stated my favorite game in the article
.
In all serious though I want to say that all these comments exemplify exactly what I was talking about. Clean, thoughtful discussion creates a stronger community and thus a more enjoyable community to be a part of.
Well, you have said it yourself. I don’t want to be picky or anything, I am trying to explain how some people might understand some word usage…
The article is asking the gamers from their particular Platform to be respectful and supportive. The Platform, not just consoles.
I understand what Lucas Archer was meant to say, and I get his point, trust me. The comment in his article is meant to be read in a few ways.
When he talks about people who “diss” consoles (not platforms), if I am a PC gamer, I will think he means me, a guy with a PC(which is NOT a console). And logically, the only ones who will “diss” consoles, are PC people))
You get my point? If he would have said people who “diss” other platforms or games etc, I wouldn’t say nothing.
I aint trying to criticize the article, I am just explaining my argument, thats all.
Whateveh. Every1 knows that Halo 3 is da best game evah maid… Xbox 4 lyfe! PS3-yr-olds need to go cry back to mommy lolololololololololollolololololol!!!11/1/1one
Seriously, though, why do we need a column to address this? Ignoring trolls is the best way to deal with them, I think.
@ERName:
I agree that ignoring trolls and flamers is a good idea in general but I don’t think that means calling people to rise to a higher standard is bad. Apathy is typically the easiest answer, not necessarily the best or the most effective depending on your end goal.
@Orange Wacko:
I maintain my opinion that you take it out of context and that this is to the detriment of your argument. I believe it is reasonable to say that if a reader consumes more than the first sentence they will finish the first paragraph and is unlikely to stop halfway through a sentence halfway through the first paragraph. Take note that the sentence in its strictest sense only pits consoles and game against other consoles and games. At best you might say he is ignoring the PC altogether as a viable platform in the initial paragraph but that would seem just as much as it does now that your simply looking for a reason to feel ostracized, victimized or in general to be the underdog. Most people like to feel like they are overcoming an obstacle, it can help define a sense of propose among other things, I simply don’t think that Archer’s article is the obstacle you see it as if you must resort to arguing semantics.
RESPECT! well said!
Trying to convert trolls is as conceivable a goal as trying to eliminate jealousy. Although I do agree that there are many gamers who spends more time typing “Xbawx $UKZORZZ LOLOL11!!,” well moderated forum and internet spaces generally result in intelligent people. Gamefaqs is an extremely poorly moderated space, and is where I had my first share of “you sux lol.” Whereas, EBA and even places like PS3forums, where you’d expect the fanboy tolls reside, are almost entirely troll-free. I guess what I’m trying to say is, keep up the good work EBA!
I totally agree to the blog post. Last generation I had all 3 consoles, this generation I haven’t bought the 360 so far, not because I think it’s bad or the games are worse than on the PS3 or anything, but simply because I am busy enough (besides my job) with my PS3, DSi and yes, sometimes even the Wii. Do I have to hate the 360 only because I don’t have it? Of course not, it’s a good thing having a competition going on between consoles, this urges the developers to push the quality of games further and further, which obviously is a good thing for us gamers.
Regarding the whole fanboyism issue: I think it’s mostly (but sadly not only) kids under the age of 16 who are just not grown up enough to even be able to understand what a “discussion” is all about, and some of them live in an environment where they will never learn it, bad for them, bad for us mature gamers…
However, one more thing I am going to say: fanboys just don’t love gaming, they just need a platform to spread their hate / desperation / lack of self esteem etc…
Have only found my way to EBA a week or so ago (although I’ve been around GT for a pretty long time…), but am loving it so far and just felt I had to weigh in for the first time.
Well, yes, it would be, IF they weren’t completely flooding all the forums…
You know what annoys me? People talking about how much they hate the haters… What is the #1 rule of the internet? Anybody? Bueller?
Normal person + Anonymity + Audience = Total dick bag
Thats it. Plain and simple. I have my reasons for loving my PS3. I have many reasons for hating the 360 including the fact that I did own one. i had to get it replaced numerous times. The hard drive was faulty and erased all my saves about once a month and a myriad of other reasons. Should I not explain this? Should I agree with someone who says the 360 is better? What should I do?
I am a Fanboy and freely admit it. Let me ask you, The author, a question. Who is it hurting? Truth be told it is the industry that is instigating a LOT of the fighting. Interviews asking Insomniac when they are making a 360 game or probing the hell out of Major Nelson for info on “Possible 360 exclusives next year” or Gabe the douche bag Newell spewing his PS3 hate all over the internet. I get defensive because MS’s customer support sucked and sony’s has been nothing but spectacular. The console itself is a spectacular deal. online play is the same as far as Lag goes and honestly in my experience the 360 has worse lag in games although they do have “Cross game chat” which 360 fans seem to think is the next coming of christ when really it is a feature i would never use and the only ONLY thing they have over the PS3 for now… The exclusives are unrivaled.
Little things get to me like Shane Satterfield giving UC2 a 9.3 because it was “Unoriginal” then giving MW2 a 9.5…. WTF?
Hate is fueled not just by the fanboys but by the industry as a whole. The hate will always be there when things like Invisible walls talk about sales instead of games. When VGchatrs is run by some moron with guesses. When MS buys exclusive timed DLC… it’s a fight and there are sides to choose or you can stay neutral but don’t knock people when they choose a side because truth be told. I have a Gaming PC, PS3, DS, PSP, Wii and even a closet full of old consoles and I had a 360 and it is the only console that has truly made me question “WTF were MS thinking when they made this broken POS”.
Fell how you want but the hate is not just from fans it’s from MS, Sony, Valve, GT, N4G, Neogaf, Nintendo and everyone else. however for my “bang for your buck” the PS3 is the only way to game and with a PC there is very little I can’t play that I actually want to thats a 360 exclusive. Hate on me all you want but if you want to get rid of fanboys then the industry needs to make the first step. and “blogs” like yours wont help in any way.
I have been preaching this for a very long time, I’m glad that someone made an article about it. I feel that as gamers it shouldn’t matter what platform we play on or game we play, only that we are playing games. I also think the hate for the casual gamer is ridiculous for pretty much the same reason.
ha ha
wow, man. It does truly take some great imagination, patience, and time to convert simple issue into a complicated topic. The way you express your opinion and views makes things a little more hard to understand for people who like clearity of thought, where clearity is achieved in a lot harder way than swimming in the “water” of big words, expressions and complicated sentence structures. I think this is the case with you, my friend.
Well, at least I wasn’t bored when I read your novel.
Orange Wacko:
It was not my intention to make the discussion personal…sorry.
Jinxstar:
I think a lot of the polarizing fuel you are referring to is mostly from media trying to sensationalize and dramatize the situations to gain an audience. It really sucks about your 360 though, it reminds me of when Sega stopped supporting the Dreamcast. It was embittering.
@ Heavy pants.
I do love this site because of it’s commentors lack of idiocy. However the truth is on every site including this one the articles with the most hits are the negative ones. Plain and simple. Just like the old newspaper saying of “Sex sells”… Thats basically what sells in our industry is the lies and everything else thats put out.
I have friends who love their 360′s and I jibe them a little bit but really when someone asks me what to get I ask them many questions because for some folks the 360 is the right choice. I try to be honest but for me the 360 is a total waste. I tried it numerous times and all it has done is left a bad taste in my mouth.
I am just saying hating on haters is no better then being a hater yourself and I have seen NUMEROUS articles just like this with liberal “Lets all be friends” agendas that don’t work. Especially on the internet. If you don’t like it stay out of comments sections and just read the news…. simple eh? This is the only site I really comment on anymore because I do like the people… I like the guys who run it and I think their news is always relevant and not BS. Lets hope we can keep it an oasis.