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The games industry has been around for a couple of decades now.
During that time there have been many changes, most notably (obviously) is the technology. Has the image of the nerdy gamer changed as well?
It’s not just the games industry that has noticed this rise in technology.
People seem more willing to embrace new technology, when they see the part that things like mobile phones, dvd players, MP3s etc, play in their lives.
Consoles have recently had lots of coverage in trendy lifestyle, film and technology magazines, making video games even more accepted.
BUT...are gamers still seen as nerds?
Years ago, gamers were seen as either:
Lonely 30 or 40 year olds, living with their parents, programming games on their Spectrums, whilst wearing a tank top and nylon slacks.
OR,
Spotty geeks, who lived in their dark bedrooms, playing controversial games like Doom, GTA or Carmageddon.
Over recent years however, games have gone from entertainment for loners and social outcasts, to so called ‘post pub entertainment’, and a multi player social experience on games like GoldenEye, Pro Evolution Soccer, WWF Smackdown etc.
So when did games become more accepted?
I didn’t notice any sudden change overnight.
I think it was the Sony Playstation that brought games to the mass market, and in the process made gaming a more accepted hobby.
The Playstation had cool, albeit sometimes odd, advertising campaigns that got their console into the public consciousness and made it ‘cool’ to be a gamer.
Sony sponsored events like skateboarding and break-dancing competitions, thus increasing the ‘street-cred’ of their console.
Because of the cd capabilities of their machine, games like Wipeout could have cool and trend soundtracks, encouraging more music lovers to play.
Eventually, consoles like the Psone, PS2 and GBA became lifestyle accessories or even fashion items, appearing regularly on t.v and in newspapers (though sometimes for the wrong reasons!)
Games grew up, GTA3 for example, would have been a mindless action game had it been made a few years ago, but it is in fact a highly acclaimed, skilfully made adventure.
Games like Metal Gear Solid 2 have sophisticated, movie like stories and action.
Video games have come out of the bedroom, and into the living room.
So, to answer the initial question, I’d say no.
Of course, there are still the real hardcore gamers, who may be considered a nerdier breed of human being, but mostly now, I think gamers aren’t seen as technology loving geeks anymore.
Look at how game shops have changed over the years, gone are the dark, dingy hovels of yesteryear to the bright, bustling, family-orientated shops (like Special Reserve ;)) because todays games have a more broad and universal appeal.
Although games still aren’t seen in the same light as the movie or music industries, in a few years who knows??
Are we ashamed to play our GBAs in public without being labelled geeks like we would have been a few years ago?...No, we are proud to be gamers.
During that time there have been many changes, most notably (obviously) is the technology. Has the image of the nerdy gamer changed as well?
It’s not just the games industry that has noticed this rise in technology.
People seem more willing to embrace new technology, when they see the part that things like mobile phones, dvd players, MP3s etc, play in their lives.
Consoles have recently had lots of coverage in trendy lifestyle, film and technology magazines, making video games even more accepted.
BUT...are gamers still seen as nerds?
Years ago, gamers were seen as either:
Lonely 30 or 40 year olds, living with their parents, programming games on their Spectrums, whilst wearing a tank top and nylon slacks.
OR,
Spotty geeks, who lived in their dark bedrooms, playing controversial games like Doom, GTA or Carmageddon.
Over recent years however, games have gone from entertainment for loners and social outcasts, to so called ‘post pub entertainment’, and a multi player social experience on games like GoldenEye, Pro Evolution Soccer, WWF Smackdown etc.
So when did games become more accepted?
I didn’t notice any sudden change overnight.
I think it was the Sony Playstation that brought games to the mass market, and in the process made gaming a more accepted hobby.
The Playstation had cool, albeit sometimes odd, advertising campaigns that got their console into the public consciousness and made it ‘cool’ to be a gamer.
Sony sponsored events like skateboarding and break-dancing competitions, thus increasing the ‘street-cred’ of their console.
Because of the cd capabilities of their machine, games like Wipeout could have cool and trend soundtracks, encouraging more music lovers to play.
Eventually, consoles like the Psone, PS2 and GBA became lifestyle accessories or even fashion items, appearing regularly on t.v and in newspapers (though sometimes for the wrong reasons!)
Games grew up, GTA3 for example, would have been a mindless action game had it been made a few years ago, but it is in fact a highly acclaimed, skilfully made adventure.
Games like Metal Gear Solid 2 have sophisticated, movie like stories and action.
Video games have come out of the bedroom, and into the living room.
So, to answer the initial question, I’d say no.
Of course, there are still the real hardcore gamers, who may be considered a nerdier breed of human being, but mostly now, I think gamers aren’t seen as technology loving geeks anymore.
Look at how game shops have changed over the years, gone are the dark, dingy hovels of yesteryear to the bright, bustling, family-orientated shops (like Special Reserve ;)) because todays games have a more broad and universal appeal.
Although games still aren’t seen in the same light as the movie or music industries, in a few years who knows??
Are we ashamed to play our GBAs in public without being labelled geeks like we would have been a few years ago?...No, we are proud to be gamers.
cookie monster wrote:
>I know that years ago when i
> said i liked computer games people would say "sad" where as now they
> say "cool, what games you got".
Same here, a few years ago at school the only people who talked about video games were nerds (all except me of course ;-)
>I know that years ago when i
> said i liked computer games people would say "sad" where as now they
> say "cool, what games you got".
Same here, a few years ago at school the only people who talked about video games were nerds (all except me of course ;-)
I think that gaming has become more socially acceptable now, and i agree that it was probobly the PS that gave it the new image. I know that years ago when i said i liked computer games people would say "sad" where as now they say "cool, what games you got".
In a word, yes.
The games industry has been around for a couple of decades now.
During that time there have been many changes, most notably (obviously) is the technology. Has the image of the nerdy gamer changed as well?
It’s not just the games industry that has noticed this rise in technology.
People seem more willing to embrace new technology, when they see the part that things like mobile phones, dvd players, MP3s etc, play in their lives.
Consoles have recently had lots of coverage in trendy lifestyle, film and technology magazines, making video games even more accepted.
BUT...are gamers still seen as nerds?
Years ago, gamers were seen as either:
Lonely 30 or 40 year olds, living with their parents, programming games on their Spectrums, whilst wearing a tank top and nylon slacks.
OR,
Spotty geeks, who lived in their dark bedrooms, playing controversial games like Doom, GTA or Carmageddon.
Over recent years however, games have gone from entertainment for loners and social outcasts, to so called ‘post pub entertainment’, and a multi player social experience on games like GoldenEye, Pro Evolution Soccer, WWF Smackdown etc.
So when did games become more accepted?
I didn’t notice any sudden change overnight.
I think it was the Sony Playstation that brought games to the mass market, and in the process made gaming a more accepted hobby.
The Playstation had cool, albeit sometimes odd, advertising campaigns that got their console into the public consciousness and made it ‘cool’ to be a gamer.
Sony sponsored events like skateboarding and break-dancing competitions, thus increasing the ‘street-cred’ of their console.
Because of the cd capabilities of their machine, games like Wipeout could have cool and trend soundtracks, encouraging more music lovers to play.
Eventually, consoles like the Psone, PS2 and GBA became lifestyle accessories or even fashion items, appearing regularly on t.v and in newspapers (though sometimes for the wrong reasons!)
Games grew up, GTA3 for example, would have been a mindless action game had it been made a few years ago, but it is in fact a highly acclaimed, skilfully made adventure.
Games like Metal Gear Solid 2 have sophisticated, movie like stories and action.
Video games have come out of the bedroom, and into the living room.
So, to answer the initial question, I’d say no.
Of course, there are still the real hardcore gamers, who may be considered a nerdier breed of human being, but mostly now, I think gamers aren’t seen as technology loving geeks anymore.
Look at how game shops have changed over the years, gone are the dark, dingy hovels of yesteryear to the bright, bustling, family-orientated shops (like Special Reserve ;)) because todays games have a more broad and universal appeal.
Although games still aren’t seen in the same light as the movie or music industries, in a few years who knows??
Are we ashamed to play our GBAs in public without being labelled geeks like we would have been a few years ago?...No, we are proud to be gamers.
During that time there have been many changes, most notably (obviously) is the technology. Has the image of the nerdy gamer changed as well?
It’s not just the games industry that has noticed this rise in technology.
People seem more willing to embrace new technology, when they see the part that things like mobile phones, dvd players, MP3s etc, play in their lives.
Consoles have recently had lots of coverage in trendy lifestyle, film and technology magazines, making video games even more accepted.
BUT...are gamers still seen as nerds?
Years ago, gamers were seen as either:
Lonely 30 or 40 year olds, living with their parents, programming games on their Spectrums, whilst wearing a tank top and nylon slacks.
OR,
Spotty geeks, who lived in their dark bedrooms, playing controversial games like Doom, GTA or Carmageddon.
Over recent years however, games have gone from entertainment for loners and social outcasts, to so called ‘post pub entertainment’, and a multi player social experience on games like GoldenEye, Pro Evolution Soccer, WWF Smackdown etc.
So when did games become more accepted?
I didn’t notice any sudden change overnight.
I think it was the Sony Playstation that brought games to the mass market, and in the process made gaming a more accepted hobby.
The Playstation had cool, albeit sometimes odd, advertising campaigns that got their console into the public consciousness and made it ‘cool’ to be a gamer.
Sony sponsored events like skateboarding and break-dancing competitions, thus increasing the ‘street-cred’ of their console.
Because of the cd capabilities of their machine, games like Wipeout could have cool and trend soundtracks, encouraging more music lovers to play.
Eventually, consoles like the Psone, PS2 and GBA became lifestyle accessories or even fashion items, appearing regularly on t.v and in newspapers (though sometimes for the wrong reasons!)
Games grew up, GTA3 for example, would have been a mindless action game had it been made a few years ago, but it is in fact a highly acclaimed, skilfully made adventure.
Games like Metal Gear Solid 2 have sophisticated, movie like stories and action.
Video games have come out of the bedroom, and into the living room.
So, to answer the initial question, I’d say no.
Of course, there are still the real hardcore gamers, who may be considered a nerdier breed of human being, but mostly now, I think gamers aren’t seen as technology loving geeks anymore.
Look at how game shops have changed over the years, gone are the dark, dingy hovels of yesteryear to the bright, bustling, family-orientated shops (like Special Reserve ;)) because todays games have a more broad and universal appeal.
Although games still aren’t seen in the same light as the movie or music industries, in a few years who knows??
Are we ashamed to play our GBAs in public without being labelled geeks like we would have been a few years ago?...No, we are proud to be gamers.