On the PC Master Race and the Language Police

[Yahtzee Croshaw]

On the PC Master Race and the Language Police

Yahtzee tackles a topic of the "PC Master Race," but refuses to get roped into a debate. It's about pushing boundaries and not letting the thought police win.

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[THM]

Very well said.

 

[micuu]

I've only ever used the term in self-deprecation. Are there people who actually take "PC master race" completely seriously? Because I've never met them.

 

[fieryshadowcard]

I've only ever used the term in self-deprecation. Are there people who actually take "PC master race" completely seriously? Because I've never met them.

Stick around in this thread for about 30 posts. I'm sure you'll find two or three getting the party started.

OT: "Suck it, Dolfy" needs to be put on a T-shirt like right now. Get on that merchandising, Escapist.

 

[Evonisia]

I've only ever used the term in self-deprecation. Are there people who actually take "PC master race" completely seriously? Because I've never met them.

Perhaps (no, definitely) on the internet, maybe not in real life. Look for old threads after the Xbox One was announced and try to breathe through reading all the smugness emitted from PC gamers (and would-be PS4 gamers, but very less so).

Now to go back to being a member of the glorious multi-platform master race.

 

[Ralancian]

I've only used it in a self-deprecating way simply because I'm a PC gamer by personal circumstance not because it's the better 'medium'.

 

[Thorn14]

But even that, in it's own way, could be a positive thing. Because the Nazis were dicks, and they don't deserve to have power over our language anymore. If some millennial can honestly use the term 'PC Master Race' for years without even knowing that it's a Nazi reference, then I'd chalk that up as a win. That's how badly you lost, Mr. Hitler - your armies were destroyed, your nasty ideals have been condemned, and now we've taken all your favorite words away. Suck it, Dolfy.

Bingo, which is why I support the phrase. It takes all the bite out of the phrase, which is the best thing you can do to horrible ideas like that.

 

[ZiggyE]

I've only ever used the term in self-deprecation. Are there people who actually take "PC master race" completely seriously? Because I've never met them.

I came here to post this. The term "PC Master Race" has always been used self-mockingly by the community, using inflated hubris for a giggle, in much the same way Yahtzee first used the term. I don't doubt they believe themselves to be playing on a superior platform, but they take that to the extreme as a community so people don't take them too seriously and they can have a bit of fun with the whole thing. I don't believe there's anyone out there who seriously considers them to be a part of some master race because they predominantly play on PC.

 

[Thanatos2k]

But....a PC does every single thing better than a console. It's completely closed the gap on things that consoles used to do better, and even exceed them in many areas: for example, the time it takes from inserting a disk to starting to play a game has vastly increased on consoles to the point where it's faster on PC - they have lost the "plug and play" benefit completely. You can easily play PC games on a couch with a controller now.

That's why people can argue that PCs are a better medium unironically at this point. PC Master Race is used ironically and unironically at the same time, to inflame the ire of console fanboys.

Attacking the language used has become a pathetic tactic growing all the more popular over the last few years, and you know the kind of people using it. When you can't argue with facts, just attack the language used and say the people using it are wrong! Then you don't even have to attack their actual argument because they're meanie heads.

 

[Elijah Newton]

Please pardon me while I slip into my sycophancy pants...

And let me be frank: while this is a very important conversation to have, it seems to be futile to attempt to have it on the internet, where it will inevitably turn into a dual siege between two heavily-entrenched echo chambers of vocal minorities, separated by a vast landscape of howler monkeys flinging shit.

I don't know what Yahtzee's day-to-day outlook but for the sheer joy that sentence brought me I hope he feels great about himself all the time.

That old altar, upon which the language police would sacrifice so much.

*gasp* Garcon?! There's a sentence fragment in my (otherwise delicious) soup.

 

[Aiddon_v1legacy]

I think about it this way: it started off as an insult to elitist PC snobs and it REMAINS an insult. The only people who use it "ironically" as some badge of honor are those who are obviously horrendously insecure about gaming on PC despite touting as the greatest thing evar.

 

[Jorpho]

And let me be frank: while this is a very important conversation to have, it seems to be futile to attempt to have it on the internet, where it will inevitably turn into a dual siege between two heavily-entrenched echo chambers of vocal minorities, separated by a vast landscape of howler monkeys flinging shit.

I don't know what Yahtzee's day-to-day outlook but for the sheer joy that sentence brought me I hope he feels great about himself all the time.

Oh my yes. If not quite sig-worthy, I'm at least going to keep that one handy.

*gasp* Garcon?! There's a sentence fragment in my (otherwise delicious) soup.

Oh, can I point out his comma splice? I twitched when I saw that comma splice.

Spoiler

Only large, immeasurable, unpredictable trends will decide what will and will not enter common parlance, very rarely can it be done as a conscious decision on the part of individual linguists.

 

[CaitSeith]

Wait a second... PC Master Race is a Nazi reference!?

 

[warmachine]

I support the language police but 'master race' is not a problem in this case. First, no one's ever going to think they're going to have the lives crushed by entertainment hardware. Second, the Nazis were destroyed over a generation ago. So, yes, the Nazis can now be pillaged as a source of cheap amusement.

 

[The_Darkness]

But....a PC does every single thing better than a console. It's completely closed the gap on things that consoles used to do better, and even exceed them in many areas: for example, the time it takes from inserting a disk to starting to play a game has vastly increased on consoles to the point where it's faster on PC - they have lost the "plug and play" benefit completely. You can easily play PC games on a couch with a controller now.

That's why people can argue that PCs are a better medium unironically at this point. PC Master Race is used ironically and unironically at the same time, to inflame the ire of console fanboys.

Attacking the language used has become a pathetic tactic growing all the more popular over the last few years, and you know the kind of people using it. When you can't argue with facts, just attack the language used and say the people using it are wrong! Then you don't even have to attack their actual argument because they're meanie heads.

I disagree. Consoles still have one major advantage:

If I buy a game for a specific game-console, that console will play it.

If I buy a game for PC, my PC might not. And then I'll have to figure out what of my specific build of PC is interfering with the game's software, figure out how to fix it, and possibly have to buy some new hardware.

There's no guarantee, upon purchasing a game, that it'll run on your PC. Yes, PCs are getting a heck of a lot better about it than they used to be, but with a console you can be sure that it'll run. Eventually. Once you've finished installing, downloading any updates, and informed your gaming console that no, you don't want to search Bing or watch Netflix, you actually want to use a gaming console to game, please-thank-you...

 

[danielcofour]

I've only ever used the term in self-deprecation. Are there people who actually take "PC master race" completely seriously? Because I've never met them.

Perhaps (no, definitely) on the internet, maybe not in real life. Look for old threads after the Xbox One was announced and try to breathe through reading all the smugness emitted from PC gamers (and would-be PS4 gamers, but very less so).

Now to go back to being a member of the glorious multi-platform master race.

Yeah, smugness does not mean that they actually take the PC Master Race thing seriously.

 

[aegix drakan_v1legacy]

Let the busybodies scream that neutrality is a tacit endorsement of the enemy; as long as both sides are saying that then I couldn't give a toss.

*stands up and applauds*

I wholeheartedly agree with that. I hate when I see some nebulous conflict, conclude both sides are too nasty to support either one, then get yelled at by both sides for condoning the other side and being evil for it when I really dislike both of them. It's madness!

And let me be frank: while this is a very important conversation to have, it seems to be futile to attempt to have it on the internet, where it will inevitably turn into a dual siege between two heavily-entrenched echo chambers of vocal minorities, separated by a vast landscape of howler monkeys flinging shit.

Best description of an internet argument I've ever seen. Well said.

In any case, I realized that the "PC MASTER RACE" thing was essentially a fascist germany reference when it was made, but I also realized it was meant in a way to poke fun at overly committed PC gamers. Honestly, I see no problem with it. It's a silly, dumb term and life should just go on as usual.

In any case, I'm off to go play a PC space sim and maybe download the Long War Mod for XCOM, right after adding more content to skyrim via mods and working on an RPGmaker game, and enjoying the far superior mouse controls in Unreal Tournament 2004 which I got for super cheap from Steam, none of which can be done on consoles! LONG LIVE THE PC MASTER RA-

What's that? Metroid Prime Trilogy is gonna be downloadable on the WiiU?! BRB, purchasing a WiiU!

 

[Silence]

I especially like the last paragraph. <3

Never called my platform PC Master Race, but I couldn't care less if someone uses it. Sometimes it gets a good chuckle if used in the right context.

Thank God for Yahtzee.

 

[Thanatos2k]

But....a PC does every single thing better than a console. It's completely closed the gap on things that consoles used to do better, and even exceed them in many areas: for example, the time it takes from inserting a disk to starting to play a game has vastly increased on consoles to the point where it's faster on PC - they have lost the "plug and play" benefit completely. You can easily play PC games on a couch with a controller now.

That's why people can argue that PCs are a better medium unironically at this point. PC Master Race is used ironically and unironically at the same time, to inflame the ire of console fanboys.

Attacking the language used has become a pathetic tactic growing all the more popular over the last few years, and you know the kind of people using it. When you can't argue with facts, just attack the language used and say the people using it are wrong! Then you don't even have to attack their actual argument because they're meanie heads.

I disagree. Consoles still have one major advantage:

If I buy a game for a specific game-console, that console will play it.

Assassin's Creed Unity, lol.

I know what you're getting at, and it's "Console games have much higher QA than PC games" and that's probably true. That software lockdown comes at a cost however, when the vast majority of console games are unable to be modded or worse, the community is unable to fix problems the devs are incapable of or refuse to fix. Also, if I buy a new console, it's not uncommon for it to not play the games I already own. If I buy a new PC, the majority of my games will work with no issues, and there's workarounds (somewhere, somehow) to get the others to work. If I buy a PS3 game it won't "just work" on my PS4. If I buy a ten year old PC game it'll almost assuredly work on my current PC. So that's arguably not even an advantage for consoles.

If I buy a game for PC, my PC might not. And then I'll have to figure out what of my specific build of PC is interfering with the game's software, figure out how to fix it, and possibly have to buy some new hardware.

It's been a LONG time since I've tried to play a game that my system simply wouldn't run, and I make new computers every 5 or 6 years (console generation length?). Run poorly? Maybe. But not run at all? Rare.

Unless you use a Mac, of course, but what self respecting PC gamer would?

 

[C.S.Strowbridge]

So let me get this straight... A gamer website said that people should stop using Nazi terminology to describe themselves and in response these people double-down on the Nazi imagery. (Google PC Master Race Flag if you don't believe me.)

And in response... Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw is siding with the fucking Nazis.

What the fuck happened to Yahtzee? Or was he always like this and I only recently noticed this?