Define a fanboy
- Thread starter The Wooster
- Start date
Recommended Videos
- Anyone who was pissed off when Final Fantasy 13 was announced for the 360, and started throwing around the words "loyalty" "Betrayal" Petition" "It's DMC4 all over again!" "I'm going to die without ever so much as touching a girl" and the like.
- Anyone who legitimately gives a fuck who is playing what or what anyone else thinks about what games they're playing.
- Anyone who legitimately gives a fuck who is playing what or what anyone else thinks about what games they're playing.
I think first and foremost a person is a "fan" not a "fanboy" my definition is:
Fan:
1. A device with propellor blades that spins around to produce wind
2. A person with a devoted mindset of a certain object or thing.
A fanBOY is:
Fanboy/Fangirl:
1. A person with an extremely devoted mindset of something and very enthusiastic about what he or she loves, most often than not resulting in negative feedback from people.
So a fanBOY/GIRL to me is someone who is really crazy about something, but a regular fan is just someone who adores something.
Fan:
1. A device with propellor blades that spins around to produce wind
2. A person with a devoted mindset of a certain object or thing.
A fanBOY is:
Fanboy/Fangirl:
1. A person with an extremely devoted mindset of something and very enthusiastic about what he or she loves, most often than not resulting in negative feedback from people.
So a fanBOY/GIRL to me is someone who is really crazy about something, but a regular fan is just someone who adores something.
[HEADING=1]The 10 Golden Rules of Fanboyism[/HEADING]
According to this place:http://www.destructoid.com/ten-golden-rules-of-videogame-fanboyism-83502.phtml
"1: Any criticism of your chosen love is a result of bias:
Once you've chosen the object of your fanboyism, be it a console, game or corporation, you are bound by honor to defend it to the last and refuse to entertain the opinions of any would-be detractors. The easiest way to deal with any critique of your passion is to brush it off as bias on the part of the critic. If you feel like a hypocrite for accusing someone of personal bias to champion your own personal preferences, just ignore it. Soon that feeling will pass, right around the time the foam starts forming around your lips.
Besides which, you are totally in the right. After all, your chosen Holy Grail is so absolutely perfect that the person bashing it HAS to have some sort of sinister agenda. Nobody would ever, in a million years, want to criticize your favorite console unless they were pursuing a shady vendetta, right? Accusing any detractors of unfair bias will undermine their position completely, and prove that the cause you are championing is utterly free of negative points.
2: The only defense is attack:
Most of the fanboy's chief tactics revolve around refusing to engage in intellectual debate. This ensures you can never be proven wrong, as no logical person is able to argue with those to whom logic makes no sense. With that in mind, never, EVER defend your stance with a well-reasoned response. Just attack, attack, attack, and you will ultimately triumph in a war of attrition.
Anything is fair game, from insulting the writer of any criticism, to mocking other consoles or games companies, even if they have nothing to do with the debate -- in fact, bringing in such strawmen is encouraged, since it makes your argument even less coherent, thus less possible to counter. If somebody asks you a question or calls you out on one of your comments, just ignore them. Don't attempt to answer any queries, because that may betray the fact that you have no idea what you're talking about.
3: You are an unpaid salesman:
With great fanboyism comes great responsibility. Not only are you fighting for your cause, you are also looking for new recruits. While psychotically attacking everything in the vicinity, try to also convince other people that what you're championing is a good purchase. Tell people to play your favorite game, or convince them that your chosen console is worth its high price tag. Remember, the more people who own that which you love, the more validated as a person you become. Even though the makers of your love object aren't paying you, nor would even piss on you if you were on fire, try and make them some cash. It's the least you could do.
4: Ignore any positive comments, focus only on the negative:
This goes hand in hand with our first rule, especially if you embark on a campaign against someone you believe has "bias" against your lord and master. Make sure to never engage any positive comments that critics have to say about that which you adore, because otherwise it becomes so much harder to accuse them of shitting on it 100% of the time. If you simply pretend they have never said good things about your favorite company, then you have carte blanche to make such hyperbolic claims as "every single post you write is an anti-Sony post" or "you put the words "**** Tekken" in between every paragraph."
Inevitably, because fanboys are liars, your target will eventually provide examples that contradict your hyperbole. Remember our second rule though -- ignore what they say and just keep making your unfounded statements. All's fair in love and flame war.
5: Call everyone else a "fanboy" before they call you one:
Part of the reason why the word fanboy is so overused is because fanboys themselves use it constantly. This is actually an ingenious ploy put into place to ensure that true fanboys can just slip harmlessly into the crowd, like a stealthy ninja. Their own rampant obsession with a particular videogame or machine then becomes craftily hidden, and it won't become blatantly obvious that they have a hard-on for Jack Tretton.
If you accuse your opponents of being fanboys first, then you have instantly won the argument and you will be heralded as the King of Arguing About Things On The Internet. You rob them of their ability to call you one, while making sure nobody suspects you, and if you're really good, those who would dare become your enemies might actually believe they have turned into fanboys and promptly kill themselves. You're just that awesome at arguing about things on the Internet.
6: Criticisms are old news, who cares?:
A great way to deal with criticism is to state that all negative points are "old news" and that nobody cares anymore. If you're really witty, you might like to also post a .jpg of an old hat, which will make everyone realize that the news is old hat. When a particular negative point has been going around for a while, that means it becomes less true. For instance, Xbox 360s no longer red ring anymore, because that was controversial in 2007 and nothing lasts longer than a year.
Anybody pointing out valid reasons why your beloved is not entirely perfect can be instantly invalidated by screaming "OLD" at them. They will then surrender unconditionally and march under your fanboy banner, a loyal and lowly subordinate to your iron will.
7: Hit and run:
Remember, as a fanboy, you cannot afford to become engaged in a protracted argument, because your carefully constructed lack of sense may be torn apart under a spotlight. Specialize in hit and run tactics. Attack with force, but make sure not to stick around too long in the aftermath. Spread your attacks over multiple threads rather than a single ongoing debate, as it spreads your opposition thin and means you can safely ignore their counterpoints while continuing to spout obscenities at them. Remember, nothing exists outside of the current thread you're in, so if you get proven wrong in one debate, you can make the exact same point in another. Just make sure to ignore any reply you get and continue your single-minded assault.
You are the Hydra. For every head that gets cut down, you can grow two in its place. Especially if it's the head with a **** growing out the top of it.
8: Justify even the stupidest decisions/games:
Even though your paragon of perfection is completely flawless, sometimes a corporation might make a bad decision, or your favorite videogame may have some flaws -- stick up for them, and act like they are in the fact the best things ever. Sony wants to make arrogant PR statements when its trailing in sales? Claim they have a right to be arrogant, because Blu-ray is the future. Nintendo wants to focus on casual gamers now? That's awesome. You never much liked being a hardcore gamer anyway. It's simple.
This is doubly important if you're a console fanboy and an exclusive videogame has come out. Even if the game is pure ****, you must champion it to the last man, because it is exclusive, thus anybody who insults the game is insulting your chosen system, thus insulting YOU by-proxy. So, if someone says they think Mass Effect is rubbish, you need to deride them as Sony fanboys who just hate Microsoft because of BIAS. A friend of yours not keen on Heavenly Sword? Call them something really witty like an "XBot" and tell them to "Go back to GAYLO!"
Nobody talks about YOUR man, girlfriend!
9: Resort to melodrama to make your point:
Faint heart ne'er won fair maid, and a sensible person never got the attention he desperately craved. If you want to really make a stand, and also impress everyone who might be looking, you need to explode in a mass of drama and hysteria to make your point. If someone points out a flaw in the Wii, for example, launch into conspiracy theory and paranoia, and tell them you wish they were dead. Saying a bad thing about a videogame console definitely deserves a tragic and painful death in some sort of twisted accident, so you are right to wish it.
Make sure to just triplicate the intensity and rage that your opponent uses, and it will become clear to any spectators that you are in charge. The caps lock is your friend in this situation, as people will associate it with shouting, and find you as commanding a presence as they would if Brian Blessed himself were explaining why the Xbox 360 is better than the PS3, or vice versa.
You will invariably come out on top if you refuse to quantify and blow things completely out of proportion. After all, moderation is for those XBot fags, right?
10: Be a complete and total mother******* IDIOT!:
Above all else, my friend."
(P.S. I'm guilty of the SixaxiS thing but mainly because I'm trying to prove the point that with most controllers it's all preference. Never argued about it for hours though...)
According to this place:http://www.destructoid.com/ten-golden-rules-of-videogame-fanboyism-83502.phtml
"1: Any criticism of your chosen love is a result of bias:
Once you've chosen the object of your fanboyism, be it a console, game or corporation, you are bound by honor to defend it to the last and refuse to entertain the opinions of any would-be detractors. The easiest way to deal with any critique of your passion is to brush it off as bias on the part of the critic. If you feel like a hypocrite for accusing someone of personal bias to champion your own personal preferences, just ignore it. Soon that feeling will pass, right around the time the foam starts forming around your lips.
Besides which, you are totally in the right. After all, your chosen Holy Grail is so absolutely perfect that the person bashing it HAS to have some sort of sinister agenda. Nobody would ever, in a million years, want to criticize your favorite console unless they were pursuing a shady vendetta, right? Accusing any detractors of unfair bias will undermine their position completely, and prove that the cause you are championing is utterly free of negative points.
2: The only defense is attack:
Most of the fanboy's chief tactics revolve around refusing to engage in intellectual debate. This ensures you can never be proven wrong, as no logical person is able to argue with those to whom logic makes no sense. With that in mind, never, EVER defend your stance with a well-reasoned response. Just attack, attack, attack, and you will ultimately triumph in a war of attrition.
Anything is fair game, from insulting the writer of any criticism, to mocking other consoles or games companies, even if they have nothing to do with the debate -- in fact, bringing in such strawmen is encouraged, since it makes your argument even less coherent, thus less possible to counter. If somebody asks you a question or calls you out on one of your comments, just ignore them. Don't attempt to answer any queries, because that may betray the fact that you have no idea what you're talking about.
3: You are an unpaid salesman:
With great fanboyism comes great responsibility. Not only are you fighting for your cause, you are also looking for new recruits. While psychotically attacking everything in the vicinity, try to also convince other people that what you're championing is a good purchase. Tell people to play your favorite game, or convince them that your chosen console is worth its high price tag. Remember, the more people who own that which you love, the more validated as a person you become. Even though the makers of your love object aren't paying you, nor would even piss on you if you were on fire, try and make them some cash. It's the least you could do.
4: Ignore any positive comments, focus only on the negative:
This goes hand in hand with our first rule, especially if you embark on a campaign against someone you believe has "bias" against your lord and master. Make sure to never engage any positive comments that critics have to say about that which you adore, because otherwise it becomes so much harder to accuse them of shitting on it 100% of the time. If you simply pretend they have never said good things about your favorite company, then you have carte blanche to make such hyperbolic claims as "every single post you write is an anti-Sony post" or "you put the words "**** Tekken" in between every paragraph."
Inevitably, because fanboys are liars, your target will eventually provide examples that contradict your hyperbole. Remember our second rule though -- ignore what they say and just keep making your unfounded statements. All's fair in love and flame war.
5: Call everyone else a "fanboy" before they call you one:
Part of the reason why the word fanboy is so overused is because fanboys themselves use it constantly. This is actually an ingenious ploy put into place to ensure that true fanboys can just slip harmlessly into the crowd, like a stealthy ninja. Their own rampant obsession with a particular videogame or machine then becomes craftily hidden, and it won't become blatantly obvious that they have a hard-on for Jack Tretton.
If you accuse your opponents of being fanboys first, then you have instantly won the argument and you will be heralded as the King of Arguing About Things On The Internet. You rob them of their ability to call you one, while making sure nobody suspects you, and if you're really good, those who would dare become your enemies might actually believe they have turned into fanboys and promptly kill themselves. You're just that awesome at arguing about things on the Internet.
6: Criticisms are old news, who cares?:
A great way to deal with criticism is to state that all negative points are "old news" and that nobody cares anymore. If you're really witty, you might like to also post a .jpg of an old hat, which will make everyone realize that the news is old hat. When a particular negative point has been going around for a while, that means it becomes less true. For instance, Xbox 360s no longer red ring anymore, because that was controversial in 2007 and nothing lasts longer than a year.
Anybody pointing out valid reasons why your beloved is not entirely perfect can be instantly invalidated by screaming "OLD" at them. They will then surrender unconditionally and march under your fanboy banner, a loyal and lowly subordinate to your iron will.
7: Hit and run:
Remember, as a fanboy, you cannot afford to become engaged in a protracted argument, because your carefully constructed lack of sense may be torn apart under a spotlight. Specialize in hit and run tactics. Attack with force, but make sure not to stick around too long in the aftermath. Spread your attacks over multiple threads rather than a single ongoing debate, as it spreads your opposition thin and means you can safely ignore their counterpoints while continuing to spout obscenities at them. Remember, nothing exists outside of the current thread you're in, so if you get proven wrong in one debate, you can make the exact same point in another. Just make sure to ignore any reply you get and continue your single-minded assault.
You are the Hydra. For every head that gets cut down, you can grow two in its place. Especially if it's the head with a **** growing out the top of it.
8: Justify even the stupidest decisions/games:
Even though your paragon of perfection is completely flawless, sometimes a corporation might make a bad decision, or your favorite videogame may have some flaws -- stick up for them, and act like they are in the fact the best things ever. Sony wants to make arrogant PR statements when its trailing in sales? Claim they have a right to be arrogant, because Blu-ray is the future. Nintendo wants to focus on casual gamers now? That's awesome. You never much liked being a hardcore gamer anyway. It's simple.
This is doubly important if you're a console fanboy and an exclusive videogame has come out. Even if the game is pure ****, you must champion it to the last man, because it is exclusive, thus anybody who insults the game is insulting your chosen system, thus insulting YOU by-proxy. So, if someone says they think Mass Effect is rubbish, you need to deride them as Sony fanboys who just hate Microsoft because of BIAS. A friend of yours not keen on Heavenly Sword? Call them something really witty like an "XBot" and tell them to "Go back to GAYLO!"
Nobody talks about YOUR man, girlfriend!
9: Resort to melodrama to make your point:
Faint heart ne'er won fair maid, and a sensible person never got the attention he desperately craved. If you want to really make a stand, and also impress everyone who might be looking, you need to explode in a mass of drama and hysteria to make your point. If someone points out a flaw in the Wii, for example, launch into conspiracy theory and paranoia, and tell them you wish they were dead. Saying a bad thing about a videogame console definitely deserves a tragic and painful death in some sort of twisted accident, so you are right to wish it.
Make sure to just triplicate the intensity and rage that your opponent uses, and it will become clear to any spectators that you are in charge. The caps lock is your friend in this situation, as people will associate it with shouting, and find you as commanding a presence as they would if Brian Blessed himself were explaining why the Xbox 360 is better than the PS3, or vice versa.
You will invariably come out on top if you refuse to quantify and blow things completely out of proportion. After all, moderation is for those XBot fags, right?
10: Be a complete and total mother******* IDIOT!:
Above all else, my friend."
(P.S. I'm guilty of the SixaxiS thing but mainly because I'm trying to prove the point that with most controllers it's all preference. Never argued about it for hours though...)
I recall Yahtzee pointing out once that no one likes a positive review.Unknower said:
There's lots of games I used to hate out of pure malice I suppose. Final fantasy 10 is a good example. I went on and on about how shit it was when it first came out (hadn't played it) but when i finally got round to actually playing the damn thing (about 3 years after it's release) I really enjoyed it, probably more than most people did.
I put it down to me being a teenager at the time and being (unforutnately) very into sites like Maddox and Something Awful which are funny, but astoundingly negative and increasingly stale these days.
I just think fanboyism is when you cannot see flaws, and think that the people that can see those flaws are in denial about their love for the game/system/truck.
i thought it was a derogative term from the comic scene that hit the mainstream lexicon when Kevin Smith used it in either Clerks or Chasing Amy??Codgo said:
fanboy-one who's so devoted to their system/game/music/whatever, they get blind-sighted when someone so much as says, "I don't like it". They get up in arms over a harmless comment and end up saying or doing something immoral. Also, they wear their fanboyism proudly and people just want to stay away from them.
Me personally, my favorite company is Nintendo, I grew up with them, but I don't really care if someone doesn't like it, it's your opinion.
Me personally, my favorite company is Nintendo, I grew up with them, but I don't really care if someone doesn't like it, it's your opinion.
wasn't really an explanation, just a question. and those movies had mass appeal so videogame players wouldn't be excluded from exposureCodgo said:
anyone who actually buys those Halo 3 and MGS4 model figures is a fanboy of those respective games, not to mention anyone who can't see that nintendo's releases from now until 2099 will be metroid pokemon zelda mario zelda again sonic mario metroid pokemon etc etc...
A fanboy is someone who has a preference and sticks to that preference for subjective reasons.
Example: I grew up with Nintendo. I'm a Nintendo fan to the extent that even though every single game in any given Nintendo franchise has the exact same premise as every other game in that franchise (Pokemon is "Catch 'em All", Zelda is "Rescue the Princess", Metroid is "wander around shooting anything that moves until you've won"), I'll still buy the next Zelda, Metroid or whatever, and I'm damn well going to like it, which I do. Even if it's pretty much the same old thing, I still find myself enjoying it.
I'm a mild fanboy. I stick with Nintendo more out of familiarity with them than anything else. The other kind of fanboy is the one who takes it to extremes. Such as this guy I know (before I broke off all contact, disgusted) who hates Half-Life because, and I quote: "It's not Nintendo"
He also tried to tell me that the Wii had the best graphics out of the three 7th-gen consoles.
Example: I grew up with Nintendo. I'm a Nintendo fan to the extent that even though every single game in any given Nintendo franchise has the exact same premise as every other game in that franchise (Pokemon is "Catch 'em All", Zelda is "Rescue the Princess", Metroid is "wander around shooting anything that moves until you've won"), I'll still buy the next Zelda, Metroid or whatever, and I'm damn well going to like it, which I do. Even if it's pretty much the same old thing, I still find myself enjoying it.
I'm a mild fanboy. I stick with Nintendo more out of familiarity with them than anything else. The other kind of fanboy is the one who takes it to extremes. Such as this guy I know (before I broke off all contact, disgusted) who hates Half-Life because, and I quote: "It's not Nintendo"
He also tried to tell me that the Wii had the best graphics out of the three 7th-gen consoles.
I love those fanboys who defend their favourite game by saying "you just didn't understand it" when you tell them how much you disliked their favourite game. It's useless to tell them that you actually understood it very well, but just didn't like it, because they'll just tell you that "because you didn't like it, that's a 100% proof you didn't get it at all".