Gamers are dead... Really?

Now, there's been lot of buzz around some specific topic lately, namely Zoe Quinn, Phil Fish, Anita Sarkeesian, 4chan's /v/, Reddit and a few others.

To name a few;

http://kotaku.com/we-might-be-witnessing-the-death-of-an-identity-1628203079

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/224400/Gamers_dont_have_to_be_your_audience_Gamers_are_over.php

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/192107/Opinion_Lets_retire_the_word_gamer.php

http://dangolding.tumblr.com/

And most likely hundred others, who conveniently took this specific time to "ride the wave" and express their negative feelings towards others.

Let it me very clear, I will never condone people who harass other, such as what some horrible individuals did to Quinn, Fish or Sarkeesian. However, I cannot accept that people are just linking "gamers" to this minority.

How would people react if I was to claim that since some black people are criminal, that all black people must be one to some extent. Or that every Islamism are obviously terrorists, because some are, and that I would claim Islam to be dead because of that.

What kind of horrible generalization is that? Because when you think of "gamers" your first mental image is "15-20 years old white boy in his mama's basement with major social problem", does it mean it's even a fraction of reality? Sure, I don't doubt there's some socially broken people, no need to be labeled a gamer for that. There's some without decency in every demographic.

"On the evidence of the last few weeks, what we are seeing is the end of gamers, and the viciousness that accompanies the death of an identity." - Dan Golding

"Gamer" as a label can stretch, can evolve. It's not something you are born with, or even forced upon you. It's a choice. You label yourself a gamer because of a passion for games. Don't want to be label one? Good, you are not! This is a label you choose for yourself, not one applied to you by others. Claiming "gamers are dead" is simply having no idea what this label is about in the first place.

The viciousness of the death of an identity? I disagree, gamers are as healthy as ever, with bigger number than ever in all genders and ages. Please, do not tag "gamers" as that old and long gone stereotype of the young white boy who is still learning to properly formulate sentences. We are now in a world where boys watch My Little Pony and girls want to be in the army. Trying to push people back into old worn-out stereotype is sure not helping.

Death of gamers? Maybe one day one would say it's the resurrection of gamers, from which people will use that world for what it really means; "someone passionate about video games".

"These obtuse shitslingers, these wailing hyper-consumers, these childish internet-arguers" - Leigh Alexander

Wow, because shitslinging is obviously something unique to a single side. Like over-generalization, I would guess. To prevent Poe's law from taking effect, let me be clear that it was sarcasm, and don't make me bring the Internet Fuckwad Theory into this.

If you want to blast a specific group of people that you feel did terrible things, I would advice creating a new word to describe them specifically, instead of using an existing one to which so many others associate themselves with. To me, people who harass people already have a pretty good name for them; assholes. Is there some in gamers? Yes. In feminists? Yes. In journalists? Sure. In Congress? Of course. In Canada? Definitely. In people in general? Absolutely!

"Note they're not talking about everyone who plays games, or who self-identifies as a "gamer", as being the worst. It's being used in these cases as short-hand, a catch-all term for the type of reactionary holdouts that feel so threatened by gaming's widening horizons." - Luke Plunkett

What is that even supposed to mean? Is "gamer" here being used as wide definition for everything that some people hate, for a general demographic? That because a few people did terrible things, that it's alright to write papers on how "gamers" as a whole are dead and horrible? That because a few did terrible, that everybody should pay for it?

I'm a gamer, and I'm a proud one. I've also been making video games for almost a decade now, and hopefully will do for many more. When I'm being told that I'm not relevant anymore, that "gamers are dead", because some people decided so, I hope you can understand my growing frustration.

Because most gamers are silent on those matters doesn't mean they agree with one statement or another, they simply see this as an internet argument. Do you know what they say about internet arguments? There's never ever any winner in those.

Then there's the other side of the coin. When people defend Quinn or Fish, claiming they are just the victims and have done nothing, I have the feeling some people are just way too naive. Let it me be clear, there's enough proofs and facts out there to show that they are anything but angels. Does that excuse the harassments they've been receiving? Absolutely not! Nothing excuse that! However, it's like some kind of ranged fight, where there is no middle ground and both sides can't admit they have been wrong all along. The bad one is always the others.

"Ether you're with us or against us." - George W. Bush

Shut up George. Yes, there is such a thing as shades of gray. As many shades as there's people actually. Because someone disagree with your opinion doesn't make them bad or the enemy.