Editor's Note: Why I Still Call Myself a Gamer

[Fappy]

-Snip-

I totally get where you are coming from but I think you're focusing too much on the negative characteristics of the so-called "gamer". As you pointed out, the crux of the issue lies in what being a gamer means to the individual. When it becomes too central to your identity, and you need to validate your choices/opinions in regards to it, you've clearly taken it too far. However, I don't think identifying yourself as a gamer means you've taken it beyond a hobby.

Personally, I have a lot of hobbies, but I still consider myself a gamer (in both the video game and tabletop sense of the word).

EDIT: I am frustrated about the whole thing too and have been struggling with my perception of the community as a whole, but I don't want a few anonymous assholes to dictate how I should define myself. I don't blame you for consciously distancing yourself from all this shit, however.

 

[ACman]

And yet there is a lively discussion thread on how "feminists" need to "step off" the hobby of gaming.

Freedom of speech is something the US government is Constitutionly bound to afford the media and individuals. It is not a thing that media or individuals are bound to afford each other.

There is no reason that the Escapist need to provide safe harbor for the misogynistic, homophobic or transphobic mumurings (undercover of ethics scandals, whataboutism regarding regarding percieved "racism" against whites or men being sexually assaulted sometimes) disussions that spill out of 4chan or neogaf or /r/gaming. The fact that Escapist comments policy allows such comments as long as they are couched in "civilised" language is a disgrace.

Moderate. Please. Towards positivity and inclusivity.

I don't need to see another thread on how Anita Saarkessian is "ruining the games industry". She's not. She doesn't have the power to even if she wanted to. Which she doesn't. Unless you think pointing out potentially problematic gaming cliches and asking for slightly more inclusivity is "ruining the games industry". And if you think that, you are an asshole and should be shown the door.

 

[irishda]

-Snip-

I totally get where you are coming from but I think you're focusing too much on the negative characteristics of the so-called "gamer". As you pointed out, the crux of the issue lies in what being a gamer means to the individual. When it becomes too central to your identity, and you need to validate your choices/opinions in regards to it, you've clearly taken it too far. However, I don't think identifying yourself as a gamer means you've taken it beyond a hobby.

Personally, I have a lot of hobbies, but I still consider myself a gamer (in both the video game and tabletop sense of the word).

EDIT: I am frustrated about the whole thing too and have been struggling with my perception of the community as a whole, but I don't want a few anonymous assholes to dictate how I should define myself. I don't blame you for consciously distancing yourself from all this shit, however.

I'd like to believe it's a few, but there's a reason I usually mute everyone for online games. There's a reason I'm not friends with people on Steam or Blizzard. And there's a reason I don't frequent a lot of forums. Hell, I only signed up here because of that forum trivia game they had a long time ago (and another one would be very welcome!). I used to just come here to watch Yahtzee and read the latest Critical Miss (maybe MovieBob if it wasn't a Marvel movie). It's more the internet than anything else I think. I'm willing to bet half the people that threaten journalists or Anita or Zoe or whoever wouldn't do or say jack if they were looking right at them. It's tiring for me to see, so I just put it away and enjoy games.

 

[Fappy]

-Snip-

I totally get where you are coming from but I think you're focusing too much on the negative characteristics of the so-called "gamer". As you pointed out, the crux of the issue lies in what being a gamer means to the individual. When it becomes too central to your identity, and you need to validate your choices/opinions in regards to it, you've clearly taken it too far. However, I don't think identifying yourself as a gamer means you've taken it beyond a hobby.

Personally, I have a lot of hobbies, but I still consider myself a gamer (in both the video game and tabletop sense of the word).

EDIT: I am frustrated about the whole thing too and have been struggling with my perception of the community as a whole, but I don't want a few anonymous assholes to dictate how I should define myself. I don't blame you for consciously distancing yourself from all this shit, however.

I'd like to believe it's a few, but there's a reason I usually mute everyone for online games. There's a reason I'm not friends with people on Steam or Blizzard. And there's a reason I don't frequent a lot of forums. Hell, I only signed up here because of that forum trivia game they had a long time ago (and another one would be very welcome!). I used to just come here to watch Yahtzee and read the latest Critical Miss (maybe MovieBob if it wasn't a Marvel movie). It's more the internet than anything else I think. I'm willing to bet half the people that threaten journalists or Anita or Zoe or whoever wouldn't do or say jack if they were looking right at them. It's tiring for me to see, so I just put it away and enjoy games.

That's a perfectly valid response. And of course, as I am sure you are aware, there are other means in which to explore your hobby outside of online forums and multiplayer communities. I don't think you need to be contributing to the collective voice of the community (as muddied as that can be sometimes) to be considered a gamer. I guess I'm just a masochist XD

 

[Fox12]

One website seems to have its finger on the pulse of game culture. This is why I support The Escapist, even when I don't support other sites. It's rational, calm, and modest, and hopefully it will always stay that way. Not just with the editors, but with the whole community. My accolades, sir.

 

[Dreiko_v1legacy]

Before those articles declaring all gamers to be manchildren who live in basements and need to die off came out I was apathetic about this whole issue. Those articles were what outraged me and made me get involved. I read more, talked more, tweeted more. The works. I believe this move on their part was the most suicidal act I've ever witnessed.


I am pleased to see that not only small people like me but even someone like the editor in chief of this website shared my feelings. I am happy that I am validated in my outrage. I also appreciate that a small explanation of why these articles were written was provided. It does not excuse them but it at least makes the writers into hurt people rather than the comic book villains they had been emulating up to this point. I can honestly feel bad for them for having been driven to write these articles, though I still thoroughly condemn the choice to do so and still see it as unbelievably dumb.



All in all, thanks for this. Keep it up. We're all gamers and we all love games.

 

[Ishal]

You know what, good for you Greg.

I'm glad you felt the same way I did when those articles came out shaming gamers. This is what we need. I'm happy to have read this.

Thanks.

 

[V da Mighty Taco]

Fuck, Greg just became a lot more sexy, and I'm not even into men.

The fact that both sides have been flinging genuine harassment (not just people calling criticism harassment either) is one of those things that have pissed me off about this debate since the beginning. Kudos to Greg for actually pointing out the screw-ups from both sides here and requesting all of the bullying to stop.

 

[Tsun Tzu]

Greatly appreciate the tone and message, sir.

Thank you for the last bit too. I was worried for a little while that it would just be slanted toward gamers like most other takes on the subject.

 

[Callate]

I think you've handled an untenable situation well, Mr. Tito. And if "well" sounds like faint praise, please don't take it as such; I can't even conceive of what an "ideal" response to this whole firestorm would look like. Getting as far as "well" meant taking some chances in places, holding firm in others, exercising and trusting your judgement and having some faith in the basic decency of your readers.

So thank you, most particularly for that faith, and I hope you've seen it rewarded. At this point, I'm honestly just hoping we can get the most irrationally furious parts of the issue behind us.

 

[VanQ]

A great piece.
One that for once, admits and acknowledges that the harassment has been a two way street. That's really all I wanted to see out of this as well as an improvement in ethical standards. About the only thing keeping me second-guessing this site now is this Critical Distance writer who is quite clearly trying to push the gamers are dead thing.

It would be really nice to know if the Escapist must run those pieces due to some contractual obligations. Though I suppose it might not be wise to disclose such a thing from a legal standpoint.

 

[Eri]

It's not what I wanted, but it's a start. So thanks for this at least.

 

[Sleepy Sol]

A great piece.
One that for once, admits and acknowledges that the harassment has been a two way street. That's really all I wanted to see out of this as well as an improvement in ethical standards. About the only thing keeping me second-guessing this site now is this Critical Distance writer who is quite clearly trying to push the gamers are dead thing.

It would be really nice to know if the Escapist must run those pieces due to some contractual obligations. Though I suppose it might not be wise to disclose such a thing from a legal standpoint.

It's due to a content partnership with them. The Escapist can't do much about it at the moment since it's syndicated content, but they're not hard to ignore at all.

I'm just glad that we've finally had a bigger voice acknowledge that both sides have engaged in some pretty horrible shit.

The Escapist didn't always hold my faith as well as a number of other sites, but they definitely got bumped up on the ladder today.

 

[2xDouble]

Labels like "gamer" feel good, like a rallying cry, a way to feel special and instantly accepted... but really they're just exclusionary; a big makeshift clubhouse with "members only" scribbled on the door. For example, If you are a "gamer", then there must be something that is not a "gamer" to differentiate yourself. Those who don't identify with you or disagree with you in some way then get left out or left behind because they aren't what you are; they aren't you. And why should they be? Nobody should be you but you.

So I implore you, friends, enemies, lurkers, random passers-by, cast off these useless groupings and labels and simply be. I don't stand for gamers. I don't stand for Zoe or GamerGate or Gannondorf or Standing or any one else... I stand alone.

I stand for me, myself, my thoughts and beliefs (...and occasionally the square root of -1, but that's hardly relevant). When you talk to me, you are addressing me and me alone. When I speak, I speak for myself, to you. I stand alone.

And to those who would stand with me: You're welcome to join me, but do not stand with me. Stand beside me as yourself. I stand for me, you stand for you, and together we stand; we stand alone.

#Istandalone

 

[deshorty]

I feel like saying this again is a bit redundant, but *clapclapclap*. Good show Tito old boy!

 

[RedDeadFred]

Good article, makes me glad I joined this forum.

Given the amount of insanity that has been going on, I wonder if you were given the "official" welcome. Allow me to extend it to you if you have not yet received it.

Welcome to the Escapist. Enjoy your time here and stay out of the basement.

OT: That was an excellent article Greg. Before, to me, you were just the guy who ran this place. After this, and what you said in the gigantic thread of horrors, I have much greater respect for you. Well done!

 

[Kameburger]

I don't want this to sound as awkward as it will, but I needed to hear this from you (Greg Tito) specifically. I love the Escapist for some reason even sometimes despite disagree with a lot of the criticism and the tendency to get carried away with a single issue, I have still come back here consistently as my home base for Gaming news and entertainment news in general.

Lately in the wake of all of this, I've been reflecting a lot on what it means to be a gamer, and what being a gamer means to me. Does being a gamer and caring about games implicate me in many of the terrible things that get carried out by others? Does having a disagreement with someone like Anita Sarkeesian make me a sexist? Can I question the journalistic ethical standards of game journalism without being lumped in with those that attack and threaten others? Those are important questions for me. Not just as a gamer but as someone who dedicates his life and work to making sure this hobby can be enjoyed by others. It helps to know that the escapist didn't just throw out the baby with the bath water and denounce gamers as a whole population.

I think in my heart I knew the answers to these questions, but I need to know that we can be capable of discussion and capable of disagreeing and that the escapist is an environment where health debate is encouraged.

So for taking the time to clarify this and to have this discussion despite all the bullshit that has happened as a result of this, I extend my thanks to you.

Thank you to the staff at the Escapist for trying to rise above the pettiness we've seen and maintain a higher standard. .

I sincerely appreciate it.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

Thank you for this piece sir. I cannot agree more with your reasons for refusing to shove aside the title of gamer.

I am a gamer and I know we can be better, that we will be better.

Thank Jim for Greg!

 

[Scorpid]

Thats exactly what I tell people on league of legends when they start raging at people (Not even me). I keep saying "Be nice" and usually they'll say "Fuck you/suck it" then I spend the entire game asking them apologize and be nice. Sometimes they actually do but every other time they block me because they can't stand someone telling them to be nice.
I know (because i've fallen for it before) that if you respond to anger with anger they'll talk to you forever because you are feeding the rage/trolling they came to do but telling them to be nice and apologize over and over again melts them and all their bullshit defenses. It tells them that its not okay to act the way they are by you acting how they should.

 

[Dreiko_v1legacy]

Labels like "gamer" feel good, like a rallying cry, a way to feel special and instantly accepted... but really they're just exclusionary; a big makeshift clubhouse with "members only" scribbled on the door. For example, If you are a "gamer", then there must be something that is not a "gamer" to differentiate yourself. Those who don't identify with you or disagree with you in some way then get left out or left behind because they aren't what you are; they aren't you. And why should they be? Nobody should be you but you.

So I implore you, friends, enemies, lurkers, random passers-by, cast off these useless groupings and labels and simply be. I don't stand for gamers. I don't stand for Zoe or GamerGate or Gannondorf or Standing or any one else... I stand alone.

I stand for me, myself, my thoughts and beliefs (...and occasionally the square root of -1, but that's hardly relevant). When you talk to me, you are addressing me and me alone. When I speak, I speak for myself, to you. I stand alone.

And to those who would stand with me: You're welcome to join me, but do not stand with me. Stand beside me as yourself. I stand for me, you stand for you, and together we stand; we stand alone.

#Istandalone

Everyone is something that someone isn't. Everyone is into something that most of us aren't. I'd be sad to hear someone doesn't have anything he's invested in on an "enthusiast level" like we are with games. It's not a bad thing to have people be "super into stuff". It's not a move aimed at excluding people, it's a move aimed at bringing together people who share interests. If some people are left out, they can become gamers themselves and join up if they so wish. That'd be awesome, in fact. There's no "do not enter" sign. There's just a door and some people inherently don't want to enter. Nobody who has the devotion to games equal to that of a gamer would be excluded and people who don't care about games much don't care about it anyhow.