Poll: Is The "PC Elitist" As Common As The Escapist Would Like To Think?

[El Presidente]

Please don't vote in the poll if you do not consider yourself a PC gamer

Edit: Title changed as it seemed to be misleading for a couple of people.

So, this is inspired by another thread that's been getting a fair bit of attention today: Dark Souls For PC: Petition [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.337295-Dark-Souls-for-PC-Petition]

Frankly, the replies to that thread were painful to read. I saw so many people bashing the PC as a gaming platform due to the supposed elitism, snobbishness and contempt of console gamers in it's community. Evidently the hypocrisy in making such generalisations went over their head.

What interested me though, is I never noticed any cases of this elitism. There were plenty of PC gamers, but all they really wanted was a game they thought looked fun coming to their platform so they could enjoy it. I didn't see anyone talking down to console gamers, or saying they didn't want any console games coming and polluting their pristine platform. It seems that people who whine and complain about PC elitism being everywhere are actually much more common than PC elitists.

As someone who plays exclusively on PC but has respect for other people and their choices about what they do in their own free time, this stereotype is starting to, for lack of a better phrase, get on my tits, so I did what any reasonable person would do. Rant about it on the Internet and make a poll.

 

[Jandau]

Well, yeah, they do exist. But they are a minority. At times, a vocal one, but still just a minority. And they aren't that different from Console Elitists and should be treated the same way - ignored, so the rest of us can get back to gaming.

What is annoying (at least to me) are people who use that minority as a justification for constant bashing of the PC and treating every PC gamer as if they were a part of that minority, like a few idiots give them free reign to talk trash about other people...

As for the "Dark Souls for the PC" thread, I initially wanted to post in it because Dark/Demon Souls are games I'd love to play, but can't since I don't own a console. However, once I saw the level of baseless poopflinging that was going on in there, I decided to just skip it. Especially when I saw people getting worked up about Totalbiscuit's video, which mostly just tried to point out that the game would be well recieved on the PC and highlight the positive sides of the platform. But somehow, it was an elitist video and to many people it proved that all PC gamers are "evil"...

But hey, it IS the Internet, such things don't really suprise me anymore. They just disappoint me...

 

[Antitonic]

What interested me though, is I never noticed any cases of this elitism. There were plenty of PC gamers, but all they really wanted was a game they thought looked fun coming to their platform so they could enjoy it. I didn't see anyone talking down to console gamers, or saying they didn't want any console games coming and polluting their pristine platform.

Really? Because this [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/9.337295.13627214], even if it was sarcasm, or a joke or whatever, isn't exactly friendly.

Of course PC elitists exist. It's human nature. There are also console elitists. Hell, I'm sure there's someone out there who believes the VirtualBoy is the best thing since sliced bread. And don't even get me started on those "solid loaf" fanatics; I mean, you can't even make toast with it!

What I'm trying to say is, there's arseholes in every walk of life. Any time there's a "team" mentality, someone always takes it too far. It's just how we are. Just because you can't see or hear them this time, doesn't mean they're not there.

Personally, I don't see a problem with having every game on every platform. It means everyone can enjoy this marvelous hobby of gaming!

Now, if you'll excuse me, my VirtualBoy needs its hourly dusting.

 

[Hazy992]

Yes of course it exists. Any sub culture is always going to have elitists. You can't really avoid it. That being said it is a small minority though

 

[Popadoo]

Yes, the PC is the superior platform. Does this make console gamers inferior? No. They just either can't afford an up-to-date PC setup or choose to play consoles anyway.
I love my PC, I wouldn't go back to consoles for the world, but the majority of people such as myself don't 'look down upon' console gamers and PC elitists are few and far between.

 

[DazZ.]

What interested me though, is I never noticed any cases of this elitism. There were plenty of PC gamers, but all they really wanted was a game they thought looked fun coming to their platform so they could enjoy it. I didn't see anyone talking down to console gamers, or saying they didn't want any console games coming and polluting their pristine platform.

Really? Because this [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/9.337295.13627214], even if it was sarcasm, or a joke or whatever, isn't exactly friendly.

That was written by a console player pretending to be PC elitist.

 

[Antitonic]

Spoiler: Snip

What interested me though, is I never noticed any cases of this elitism. There were plenty of PC gamers, but all they really wanted was a game they thought looked fun coming to their platform so they could enjoy it. I didn't see anyone talking down to console gamers, or saying they didn't want any console games coming and polluting their pristine platform.

Really? Because this [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/9.337295.13627214], even if it was sarcasm, or a joke or whatever, isn't exactly friendly.

That was written by a console player pretending to be PC elitist.

As I said: even if it was a joke. I know PC gamers who are like that.

 

[DazZ.]

Spoiler: Snip

What interested me though, is I never noticed any cases of this elitism. There were plenty of PC gamers, but all they really wanted was a game they thought looked fun coming to their platform so they could enjoy it. I didn't see anyone talking down to console gamers, or saying they didn't want any console games coming and polluting their pristine platform.

Really? Because this [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/9.337295.13627214], even if it was sarcasm, or a joke or whatever, isn't exactly friendly.

That was written by a console player pretending to be PC elitist.

As I said: even if it was a joke. I know PC gamers who are like that.

Should probably link to one of them instead of satire then.

 

[Zhukov]

Clearly you are new here.

A few weeks on the Escapist will answer your question.

 

[Antitonic]

Should probably link to one of them instead of satire then.

And linking to an actual example instead of a exageration of a console idiot would be actually helpful.

This is fair. Let's see what we've got. One [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/9.131067.2888221], two [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/9.322840.13220732][footnote]Though to be fair, this feels a little provoked[/footnote], three [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/9.271280.10438847], four [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/7.319817.13059668], five [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/7.291534.11583055], six [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/9.130569.2861987][footnote]Again, to be fair, this one's a little knife-edge[/footnote].

That's out of one search term: "PC Master Race". Like I said, every group has arseholes. It'd be as easy to find examples of console elitists.

[sub][sub]Hopefully, people don't take this the wrong way. I'm not trying to start trouble or anything, just offering some discussion...[/sub][/sub]

 

[joe-h2o]

I see them all the time, but it does not mean everyone thinks that way. It's an issue that arises because gaming intersects with with an immature audience in a Venn Diagram, so you're always going to get a few.

I tend to experience it from the other side of the divide, since I use OS X (with occasional bootcamp).

I still remember fondly the day I got my OS X white earbuds in TF2 for logging in on my Mac during the steam launch event for OS X. The wailing from the PC crowd was epic, about we were all going to suck because we were "mactards", but mainly because they saw it as grossly unfair that we had access to a special item they they couldn't get.

For a time after the launch, there were servers that instakicked anyone who had the earbuds equipped. I thought it was very amusing that they later turned into one of the most sought after items in the market after the game went FTP. Quite a turn around when logging in then - no longer getting abuse or being kicked off the server, no they all say "please! please!" and try to trade you for them.

Sorry, on topic - sure, there are elitists for every platform (if you think console vs PC is bad, check out PC vs Mac sometime, Coke or Pepsi, Organic vs Inorganic chemists...

Edit: I also answered the poll based on the question in the title, not the one below it which is a different question entirely. I answered "yes" to elitists existing, but I would answer "no" to whether I thought console gamers were lesser people.

 

[The Lunatic]

Yes, but, it's a lot more minor than people might think.

On my encounters with people, I can probably say I've met one who was purely against consoles.

Myself? I view consoles are technically inferior, and can't enjoy them as an experience as much as I can a PC. I'm simply used to using a PC and able to get more immersed in it.

Not for everyone, but, it's what I like.

In terms of the gamers themselves.

I have to view them as being less into gaming than myself.

I find it hard to believe that anyone can be so "Into" gaming and not have sought out the PC format.

 

[omega 616]

I view the console as the inferiour platform.

Yes, the PC is the superior platform.

I think this is why console guys get butt hurt, you need to slip a word in ... technically. It's technically better, not better in every conceivable way! It's tech is weaker 'cos it isn't 7 years old, it's not morally weaker!

Any non pc elitist would admit that the PC has some flaws the console doesn't.

It's the "why have a console when PC is better in every way?" sound or tone, you might not mean it to sound like that but that's what we read.

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

Clearly you are new here.

A few weeks on the Escapist will answer your question.

Ninja'd. This site has a majority of PC gamers (in terms of userbase). So the elitism does crop up around here frequently.

 

[kyogen]

Yes, anyone can be a snotty jerk about anything. Such behavior is rude and tedious and unfortunately common on the internet.

I love both my pc and my consoles, and I'm thrilled that I get a much greater variety of games and gameplay styles because the tech is so different.