Can Gamers Be Elitists?

[SinkingBadges]

Before I start, I don't know if there is a thread EXACTLY like this one, but the search tool didn't find EXACT matches, so...

I was wondering, just as a thought, how would it be if gamers became elitists? I mean the REALLY pretentious kind, the ones that, for example, with a film elitist, if you mention a movie like Transformers they go "Are you stupid or what?" and give you that ugly look, like "I won't waste my time with this people".

I know the situation (at least in online communities) may already be a bit like that, or maybe it isn't, but that's not the point. The point is, with the famous casual/hardcore debate, there is a possibility that it happens. This is mainly hypothetical (and overdone, now that I think about it), but what if the word "casual" took a similar position to the one the word "n*gger" (sorry, but the situation called for it) had a long time ago? I think that is worth a thought.

In my opinion, some gamers already show (at least that's what it looks like to me) signs of that, specially after the boom caused by bite-sized games like Angry Birds. I don't think that is a bad thing, why should anybody have a problem with a larger market? Well, unless things like this happen:

http://www.destructoid.com/angry-birds-boss-claims-consoles-are-dying-196361.phtml

But that's just me. What do you think about the possibilities? Would you agree with that way of thinking? Do you think it will even happen? Please, see that I'm not stating anything I believe to be facts here, this is supposed to be a "What if...?" kind of thing.

Just in case, forgive me if some of the words are mis-used, but english isn't my first language.

Share your thoughts.

 

[Chicken Tuxedo]

Those kind of gamers have existed for a long time.

 

[SinkingBadges]

Those kind of gamers have existed for a long time.

Care to elaborate on why you think that?

 

[Chicken Tuxedo]

Care to elaborate on why you think that?

I've met them, that's how I know. Go to gamefaqs.com and you will run into a lot of them.

 

[SinkingBadges]

I've met them, that's how I know. Go to gamefaqs.com and you will run into a lot of them.

Is that a case of elitism, or fanboyism? They are very easy to confuse, I say from my own experience. Somebody can say a game they like is better than what you like, and it doesn't necessarily have to be elitism.

 

[Garo]

There are always those types of people. I find it hilarious, personally. Art is a subjective thing, and fun even more so. Games are art as well as tools of entertainment - both uses of games are purely subjective, and to look down upon others for their taste is foolhardy.

Interesting that you mention "film elitists" though. I suppose that I could fall into that category at times - being a film student, I have some pretty heavy ideals when it comes to film as an art and what not, but I don't look down on people for liking Transformers. I don't understand it, I've never seen the appeal, but to each his own, right?

I only wish that everybody had that attitude. I am quite sick of respecting people's taste in Transformers and then having them spit venom back at me when I talk about my favorite films (I'm Not There, for instance. You should hear the earfuls I get about how "pretentious" and "idiotic" the film is, and how pretentious and idiotic I must be for liking it).

TL;DR: Yes, those gamers are out there. Show them a picture of some pretty graphics to distract them, and then walk away. You'll feel better.

 

[SinkingBadges]

There are always those types of people. I find it hilarious, personally. Art is a subjective thing, and fun even more so. Games are art as well as tools of entertainment - both uses of games are purely subjective, and to look down upon others for their taste is foolhardy.

Interesting that you mention "film elitists" though. I suppose that I could fall into that category at times - being a film student, I have some pretty heavy ideals when it comes to film as an art and what not, but I don't look down on people for liking Transformers. I don't understand it, I've never seen the appeal, but to each his own, right?

I only wish that everybody had that attitude. I am quite sick of respecting people's taste in Transformers and then having them spit venom back at me when I talk about my favorite films (I'm Not There, for instance. You should hear the earfuls I get about how "pretentious" and "idiotic" the film is, and how pretentious and idiotic I must be for liking it).

TL;DR: Yes, those gamers are out there. Show them a picture of some pretty graphics to distract them, and then walk away. You'll feel better.

There's some interesting thoughts in here:

Yes, there are always people like that, but as I told to Chicken Tuxedo, with gamers it's a very interesting case. As the medium of gaming is much more riddled with fanboyism, it is harder to tell whether it is a case of an elitist, or a fanboy. A fanboy mindlessly defends what he thinks is better, while an elitist (or maybe "snob" is a better word) mindlessly presents as superior what he is made to believe is better. I'm not sure if I presented the difference very well, but I hope you got my point.

I only used film elitists as an example, I gotta admit I kind of am one myself. The same thing happens with other mediums: Literature snobs probably insult those who like a popular series like, say, Twilight. It's definitely not what the "powers that be" for lack of a better term, would consider a masterpiece of the medium, but the idea of somebody being less because of liking it is really unpleasant, as you said.

I don't think gaming has a REAL elitist group, that is what I try to say. I think its at least not like the film elitists. At least they're not as dominating as in other mediums.

 

[Garo]

There's some interesting thoughts in here:

Yes, there are always people like that, but as I told to Chicken Tuxedo, with gamers it's a very interesting case. As the medium of gaming is much more riddled with fanboyism, it is harder to tell whether it is a case of an elitist, or a fanboy. A fanboy mindlessly defends what he thinks is better, while an elitist (or maybe "snob" is a better word) mindlessly presents as superior what he is made to believe is better. I'm not sure if I presented the difference very well, but I hope you got my point.

I think I get your point. The issue is that you get some "anti-fanboys"; people who don't adhere to a single brand, but do continuously put down another brand. You see a lot of Nintendo anti-fanboys, because of Nintendo's focus on gameplay and story over graphics. A lot of people will either place graphics far above the other two, or hold all three as equally important. Since Nintendo is by no stretch a graphical powerhouse, you get a lot of types who will look down on you for liking their games. Even though Nintendo games are the best games of the year, consistently, with a few rare exceptions - Valve usually can trump some Nintendo stuff.

 

[Vibed]

Elitists seem especially prominent in certain genres, like Fighting or other competitive genres. General gamers can be like that too, when others don't know the supposed "simple stuff."

Fanboys tend to liken a certain company, brand, or series and insult the others. Elitists can be opposed to others liking something but mostly feel superior to others in that area, and as such develop a sense of entitlement to the game. They only want to allow a specific group to do what they do.

But yeah, they've been around forever.

 

[SinkingBadges]

Ok, guys, I see what you mean. But I still don't think elitism is really as common a practice as in other mediums when it comes to gamers.

First of all, we see an attitude that shares traits with elitism from several groups. Nintendo fans could be considered elitists just as much as those that turn down the systems because of the graphics, the way I see it. They always bring up the idea that gameplay is the most important part of a game, and say that grapghics don't matter at all (which I agree with to some point), but what about the standarts of presentation? I'm not saying that one thing is more important than the other, but why is only one considered an elitist group when both defend what they are made to believe is right and see themselves as superior because of it?

I'd like to hear some thoughts on that.