What is a fanboy?

[James Cassidy]

Many of you claim many others to be fanboys: Xbox fanboy, PS3 fanboy, Halo fanboy, Valve fanboy and so on and so forth.

I come to wonder what truly constitutes to a "fanboy?" What is the definition to "fanboy?" So educate me because I seem to get this definition wrong by the gaming world.

Here is my definition of a Fanboy

Fanboy N. (phan-boi) also look at "Fan-girl"
1. Someone who goes above and beyond a normal fan of a series because of their enjoyment.

(Of course, this is not necessarily a bad thing in my opinion as there are many people who are fans of something not just in video games. They like music, movies, celebrities, and so on.)

However, this next definition might constitute why fanboyism is bad

2. A person who is so infatuated with something they deny any and all imperfection said thing may possess and will fight to prove that their said item is above anything else.

Thing that gets me is if I say I am fan of something...I am automatically a "fanboy." Now, the way this term is thrown around is disturbing because if one person even enjoys something they are considered a fanboy.

Can I just enjoy something without the "name-calling?" If I say "Well I enjoyed playing this game" does that make me a fanboy? Also, why is used as a negative term, why not a positive terms?

So educate me fellow posters...what do I get wrong?

 

[DrDeath3191]

A fanboy is someone who refuses to listen to logic that undermines his own opinion on a game/console. Unless of course the person in question provides logic to debate the undermining retort.

 

[More Fun To Compute]

Somebody who enjoys something childish then follows and defends it like a mindless fanatic.

 

[Lord Mountbatten Reborn]

A fanboy is also usually unable to fight back with a coherent and believeable argument, and will ignore any inconsistencies or problems the thing they love possesses.

If you can at least admit to the problems what you love has, then you are not a fanboy, which is nowadays negative in its connotations.

 

[More Fun To Compute]

If you can at least admit to the problems what you love has, then you are not a fanboy, which is nowadays negative in its connotations.

Meh. By that definition anybody who steps out of line from the latest marketing message or groupthink consensus is a fanboy. The fundamental step in fanboydom is treating some frivolous form of entertainment like it is something more important than a fart in a bath tub.

 

[TPiddy]

Hmm, I've been calling myself a fanboy, but based on point #2 I don't think I am. I have readily admitted several of the 360's flaws.... I suppose I'll go with superfan then?

 

[Tireseas_v1legacy]

Fanboy: A person who prefers a console or game to the extent of being unwilling to accept reasonable criticism of said console/game and will defend said console/game to their dying breath.

Looks like you hit it on the head.

 

[ohgodalex]

I really see no reason to elaborate on any of your definitions. You pretty much have it down.

 

[Kiutu]

A fanboy is a huge fan of something, and everyone here is a fanboy or girl of something.
Its the crazed ones that are bad. But the difference is the same as loving someone and obsessing.

 

[cyber_andyy]

Your right. Theres nothing much more to it really...Apart from punching said fans in various places to shut them up.

 

[dalek sec]

A fanboy is also usually unable to fight back with a coherent and believeable argument, and will ignore any inconsistencies or problems the thing they love possesses.

If you can at least admit to the problems what you love has, then you are not a fanboy, which is nowadays negative in its connotations.

This pretty much sums it all up, good job.

 

[NeutralDrow]

Hmm, I've been calling myself a fanboy, but based on point #2 I don't think I am.

Pretty much this. Someone went and changed the definitions on us, those bastards.

 

[James Cassidy]

A fanboy is someone who refuses to listen to logic that undermines his own opinion on a game/console. Unless of course the person in question provides logic to debate the undermining retort.

There are people who refuse to listen to a logical, factual, back with sources, statement and yes I do see these are complete fanboys, but what do you call someone who knows about the problems and the imperfections and still remains a fan to it?

Hmm, I've been calling myself a fanboy, but based on point #2 I don't think I am. I have readily admitted several of the 360's flaws.... I suppose I'll go with superfan then?

Same here. 360 and all, but it doesn't mean I think it is perfect and it is the best thing humanity ever created.

I am glad to be a fanboy of Halo. Yes I said it. I DO think Halo is imperfect. I DID think Halo 2 bombed. I also believe that it is NOT the greatest game of all time, but I still think it is a great game and I still enjoy playing it every now and then. So I guess I am a super fan too. I love the story, I love the characters, and I love to have fun with my friends playing Firefight and such.

Meh. By that definition anybody who steps out of line from the latest marketing message or groupthink consensus is a fanboy. The fundamental step in fanboydom is treating some frivolous form of entertainment like it is something more important than a fart in a bath tub.

Don't we all do that to some point? Would that also include someone who goes to conventions and dresses as their favorite characters to meet and greet the authors and the geniuses behind the idea?

I really see no reason to elaborate on any of your definitions. You pretty much have it down.

I want to elaborate a little, because it feels like I am using this term incorrectly. Also does a fanboy also claim others to be fanboys by no logical reason to back it?

I want to look at "Fanboyism" as a positive term, not a negative one. Being a fan is not a crime and we shouldn't treat it like it is. In fact, the only people that make being a fan a crime are the ones who criticize those who are fans to the point that if they defend their game using intellectual findings they are considered a fanboy in a negative term.

 

[Axeli]

Fanboy, in console wars and general, is someone who refuses to objectively see the faults in his choice console/game/etc., and that there might be a lot good in the competing product too.

In other words if you love it, you must love everything about it. Fanatism, that's what it's about.

 

[ohgodalex]

I want to elaborate a little, because it feels like I am using this term incorrectly. Also does a fanboy also claim others to be fanboys by no logical reason to back it?

I want to look at "Fanboyism" as a positive term, not a negative one. Being a fan is not a crime and we shouldn't treat it like it is. In fact, the only people that make being a fan a crime are the ones who criticize those who are fans to the point that if they defend their game using intellectual findings they are considered a fanboy in a negative term.

I think that fanboy is inherently negative, when other people are using the term to refer to you. They say it because they want a reason to discount whatever argument you've made in favor of the game/band/movie/book in question, and so it will always be negative in this context. I often refer to myself as a Halo fanboy so people will note where I'm coming from and what biases I may have formed, not because I'm necessarily proud of my love for the game and its developer. This way, when I say something like "Call me a Halo fanboy, but I love the recharging shields gameplay mechanic," it'll be clear that I enjoy Halo, and so I don't agree with their complaints that it is growing tiresome and ubiquitous.

 

[More Fun To Compute]

Meh. By that definition anybody who steps out of line from the latest marketing message or groupthink consensus is a fanboy. The fundamental step in fanboydom is treating some frivolous form of entertainment like it is something more important than a fart in a bath tub.

Don't we all do that to some point? Would that also include someone who goes to conventions and dresses as their favorite characters to meet and greet the authors and the geniuses behind the idea?

Someone who dresses up as a character and stalks the author is a stereotypical hopeless fanboy. Mocked by normal people, admired by lesser fanboys. It's only in the context of pointless arguments about details that only fanboys would care about that some fanboys turn on other fanboys and try to use the derision of the outside world for their own ends in using the term fanboy.

 

[Kiutu]

I want to elaborate a little, because it feels like I am using this term incorrectly. Also does a fanboy also claim others to be fanboys by no logical reason to back it?

I want to look at "Fanboyism" as a positive term, not a negative one. Being a fan is not a crime and we shouldn't treat it like it is. In fact, the only people that make being a fan a crime are the ones who criticize those who are fans to the point that if they defend their game using intellectual findings they are considered a fanboy in a negative term.

I think that fanboy is inherently negative, when other people are using the term to refer to you. They say it because they want a reason to discount whatever argument you've made in favor of the game/band/movie/book in question, and so it will always be negative in this context. I often refer to myself as a Halo fanboy so people will note where I'm coming from and what biases I may have formed, not because I'm necessarily proud of my love for the game and its developer. This way, when I say something like "Call me a Halo fanboy, but I love the recharging shields gameplay mechanic," it'll be clear that I enjoy Halo, and so I don't agree with their complaints that it is growing tiresome and ubiquitous.

As I said, everyone is a fanboy of something. You can be a fanboy without being senseless. Its not a negative term, people just use it wrong, but people are stupid and like to mis-use words. (Gay, nerd, e.t.c) ((Though nerd is lesser so now))

 

[James Cassidy]

Someone who dresses up as a character and stalks the author is a stereotypical hopeless fanboy. Mocked by normal people, admired by lesser fanboys. It's only in the context of pointless arguments about details that only fanboys would care about that some fanboys turn on other fanboys and try to use the derision of the outside world for their own ends in using the term fanboy.

Hmmmm.....I see what you mean. Although "stalk" is a too strong a word to use. It is not like they follow them to their house and steal things from their home crazy fanboyism, but I think you would be the same way and would want an autograph from your favorite band if they were signing autographs at the time.

I see what you mean. Good points all around.

 

[BUG.exe]

here's how i define it and somebody can comment on this. a fanboy or fangirl is somebody who is absolutely obsessed with something, be it a movie like twilight or a game like halo, to the point where they defend it in every aspect. they defend it and assume that there isn't anything wrong with it at all no matter how much evidence is thrown at them that it isn't perfect and for every flaw it does genuinely have, a fanboy/girl makes excuses saying that it was meant to be there to either tie things together, make another part of the movie look better or seem more important that it is, or that it's "open to your interpretation." thats what i say anyway. twilight and halo are perfect examples of how fanboyism can ruin something.