Do I always have to come up with an original title? That could get old quick . . .
So I know I haven’t been putting up much game review, but seeing as Brad recently purchased Resident Evil 5 I guarantee I will be posting my review of that soon. Possibly next week if he doesn’t get sick of it before I get a chance to play co-op.
While browsing through titles of different areas that I might be interested in posting I ran across this. Yes this is quite an old post, dated November 2, 2008. Still, I felt some part of me cringe at this whole article.
First off, I do not distinguish between “gamer girls” and “female gamers”, I think the whole idea is simply preposterous. You either game and you are female, or you don’t. If you play games occasionally such as Guitar Hero or Mario Kart you are a social gamer. There are guys that are strictly “social gamers”. These types simply play with groups of people, they aren’t likely to play Metroid or Devil May Cry. They would probably fall more in the Halo or Super Smash Brothers category, strictly. Is that bad? No, it’s not. It’s the difference between a guy that would prefer to play tennis one on one and a guy that would prefer to play doubles. It’s a PREFERENCE.
I think what bothered me most about this whole article is the categorization. Does this mean that if a guy acts a certain way about gaming that makes him a different “type” of gamer? No, he’s still just a male gamer. Are we females so separated that we have to categorize which females do what?
I call myself a gamer girl, does that mean that I seek social acceptance from the guys around me? Ummm no, not really. It’s a great conversational piece yeah, but I don’t just bring up gaming for the attention or approval. About this whole anger or jealousy thing, yeah one of my biggest pet peeves is when a girl calls Link “Zelda”. Does that mean that I’m not really a true gamer outside of social acceptance from men? No, I get just as upset when I hear a guy call Link “Zelda”. You want to know why gamer girls get upset when a potential better gamer girl shows up? It’s competition. Not for the guys’ attention but for the game.
I mean, my gosh, that whole article explains why girls have such a problem breaking into that kind of stuff. It makes me want to slap myself. The fact that this person feels she can separate all gamer girls into two groups proves how “above us” she feels. It’s completely hypocritical.
I mean, come on guys, let’s all be completely honest here. Girls game and they want to be recognized as GIRLS, not just like boys that game. Why? Uh, less sponsorship opportunities. They basically ADVERTISE their gender along with their gaming ability. Not a bad thing but can we at least admit it?
So here is my question to you out there. If you had to categorize gamers, how would you categorize them? Would you specify them by gender or by playing habits?
Here is my take:
Category 1: Hardcore Gamer
Category 2: Social Gamer
Category 3: Lone Gamer
Category 4: Casual Gamer
or if you want to be more generalized
Category 1: Online Gamer
Category 2: PC Gamer
Category 3: Console Gamer
It’s been awhile since I commented, but this caught my interest.
I don’t entirely disagree with the article. Shoot me if you want, call me sexist if you want, I don’t care, because this goes for just about anything.
I do think there are people out there that do things for acceptance; in this case, I do think girls will play games to be “one of the guys.” I’m not saying all girls/women who play games do. Hell, I’m not even saying most do. However, I’m absolutely positive that it happens. Gaming is no different from any other hobby, it’s just riddled with a plethora of stupid taboos and preconceived notions.
So you believe that there are only TWO types of gamer girls? Or that its only girls that do those kind of things?
Are guys immune to these stereotypes in gaming?
I don’t think there are two seperate types of girl gamers. Well I do but I think it stands the same with guys. My friend (girl) never plays two player games she plays one player games like pheonic wright. However I intruduced her to halo and such and she likes thouse just as much. My other freind (male) likes games like fire emblem but still likes multyplayer games as well. For two other friends one boy one girl they both only play multyplayer games.
It stands to reason that there is no group’s based of of gender. The question remains why are girls grouped diffrently then boys? Why are more girls in theatrical preforminces then boys (I am in a bunch). Peronaly I think it has to do with peer presure. Boys wont risk being being in theatre as to not be called feminine by there friends. And girls wont play video games and be called unfeminine.
Now this does not stand true for everyone. There are people who are smart enough to find friends who wont call them names but will respect there opinions and allow them to do what they wish. I think that you and me are two of thouse people.
Err. sorry about the spelling mistakes, it’s hard to type with this lag.
First of all, it´s nice to see an update from Fairly´s Corner. It´d been a while since the last one, and it´s one of the few websites I visit regularly. Kinda missed your thoughts. That said, I was kinda expecting a longer topic. Personally, I loved the one about WiiFit
Love to see and update on that one.
Now, getting to the point… I, as well, disagree with the article. I don´t think girls who game should be categorized. It is true (as Gazzo) said, that females who get into gaming just to be popular DO exist. I know (or knew, not really friends anymore) one who bought the Wii just so that we´d hang out more. But that happens with guys too. Friend of mine has a PS3 and he´s not really a “gamer”; another guy bought a Wii to have his friends play Brawl; this guy bought a PS2 to play Winning Eleven with all his friends.*
*I´m from Argentina. That should explain why we give such importance to a “soccer” game (it´s football!!), and why we´re still buying PS2s. What can I say? Our currency´s not the same, and time´s have been tough
That goes to prove that categorizing girls for WHY THEY PLAY is just plain stupid. Actually, I don´t agree with dividing people in general for their tastes: and that´s where I disagree with you as well
You wrote down a bunch of categories for gamers in general. Why? I don´t see why you´d do that? I mean, in the end, we´re all GAMERS, and that´s why we stick together, right? I thought that was the point, having a good time, no matter what games you´re playing.
Take me, for example. I´ll shoot you a small description of myself, and you tell me what category you think I´d fit in:
, but it´ll happen soon). As a kid, for my 4th bday (or 5th?), I got a NES. Had NEVER heard of it, but loved it. Loved mostly everything about it. Spent a whole lot of time in the arcades. I think I was 7 when I bought myself a Genesis. Loved it as well, but was torn between the both of them. I also played lots on my parents´ computer (I remember the Prince of Persia, Aladdin, Cool Spot, Lion King, Cold Shadow). At 10, got a Gameboy Pocket. I insist, I´m from Argentina, things aren´t particularly the same 
We didn´t get stuff at the time they were out in the States, but a few years later. Still, I knew I was getting an old portable, but I simply wanted a Gameboy.
However, I have finished all of the PoP games, Halo 1, the Monkey Island Series, most of the Tomb Raider games, Half-Life 2 (and Episode 1 and Portal), as well as the Jedi Knight games. These are all “old” games now, and I rarely play nowadays (as I said, PC couldn´t handle it). I know a few guys who own Wiis, and we´ve got a PS3 at work, so I´m not completely out of the loop, and I visit Screwattack, Noobtoob and (now) Bornegames to keep up on what´s new, but I can´t get hooked with games, because I don´t have them 24/7 anymore. “I don´t game anymore”, if you will. I went to a friends´ house and spent the whole night up just to finish his copy of Tomb Raider Underworld on the Wii. He went to bed, and I was still playing; got up, still playing, until I finished it.
My name is Alejandro Pro, 18 years old (don´t wanna turn 19
Fast Forward to NOW: I have NO CONSOLES, my desktop computer can´t run any of todays games. I think the last PC game I played fully was Tomb Raider Anniversary
So, just to review: I´ve finished Metroid on an emulator, I love Tomb Raider, and I´m familiar with the Monkey Island jokes. And, still, keep reading about games.
I still consider myself a “gamer”, even if I can´t, really, play games anymore. Do you consider me a gamer? I used to be in a clan on Star Wars, JKII; am I an online gamer? I can´t aim with a stick; am I a PC gamer? Can´t afford games, new or otherwise (not really an excuse, I know); am I a pirate gamer?
But, above all, in my opinion: Does it really matter what kind of gamer I am? Is it really necessary to separate ourselves? It only alienates us, bringing forward people who divide into “casual” or “serious”. “Silly me, I thought I was having a good time”.
I think the only thing that matters is that I enjoy writing in other people´s blogs. Other people I think I have things in common with
That said, I TRULY apologize for imposing in your blog, Fairly. I turned this into a rant without realizing. I think it might actually be longer that your post
Trust me, I´m really sorry, and feel free to delete it, if it takes too much space. Just think of it this way: your point made me want to register and write for a wee bit 
I really enjoy reading your topics. It´s one of the blogs I usually check (I´m sure I said that before), and I´d love to see you update it more often
Once again, sorry for the length of this thing. And I´m sorry for any spelling or grammar mistakes. English is a second language for me, and I´m really far from being good at it
Cheers for the space, and congrats on getting engaged, guys, you make me so happy 
Lots of kisses, all the way south, from Argentina
Alejandropro
Haha you kind of hit on my point that Alejandropo. I don’t like the dividing of gamers in general. It was more of a play off of the article’s whole theme.
Besides, like I told Brad after I posted the article, even my categories wouldn’t work. Why? Because so MANY of those groups can just be combined to fit a particular gamer. You managed to hit on that point pretty solidly. You just really drove it home. Haha
By the way, your English is very good. I’m impressed.
Oh, and long posts are okay? I’m always afraid that if I make them too long they just go on and on . . . don’t want to annoy anyone.
You won’t annoy anyone, I’m sure of that
Also, why Resident Evil? Come on, Killzone is awsome! Think about the online…although Resi is still good…;)
I’m getting killzone soon, maybe you two should buy it aswell, I would really like a review…from you.
Man, I just beat Killzone 2 a little while ago, the controls are terrible (specially for someone who likes to swap the sticks). Some dude sat there with a high speed camera a calculated the input lag, it’s about as bad as a really laggy cheapo HDTV. I’m talking about the ‘hit the stick and wait for your aimer to start moving’ lag, not anything to do with online. On top of that, they try to mash a Call of Duty quick over the barrel aim with Halo’s click to zoom in toggle aim, and the results are… counterintuitive, to say the least. Not to mention the game doesn’t even hit it’s stride until maybe an hour before it ends during the ‘beginning of Halo 1′ spaceship scene, and the Mech scene.
I played online once, it was a noob fest. I should probably try it again, though. Doesn’t help that there’s only one gun in the entire game with anything close to accuracy, and no sort of battle rifle / Halo 1 piston / m 16 / carbine gun with high accuracy and decent range. I think I heard that the high point of KZ2′s multiplayer is the clans, but seriously, I’m an online loner, I hate the idea of buddying up with people that I don’t know. I have way too many games to form any sort of commitment online.
And ‘Killzone’? Seriously, what kind of name is that?? Why not ‘Deatharea’? or ‘Painplace’? At least Madworld doesn’t make the slightest attempt at taking itself seriously, save from the pretty good story line.
On topic: I love the critique of this article. Why even point out that there’s ‘casual’ girl gamers and ‘hardcore’ girl gamers? Seriously, stop making the distinction between dude and chick gamers. Well, besides the inherent fact that guys like to watch girls play games (when they don’t suck) more than they like watching guys play games…