Is it really wrong to cheer on a game company in the same manner as a sports team?

[BetaWolf47]

I see the term "fanboy" and "troll" thrown around so much. It's gotten to be similar to political debates and sports teams. Xbox 360 vs. PS3 can almost be compared to Sox vs. Yankees apples to apples.

But what do you guys think? Is it alright to do that, or is it stupid? I try to avoid doing that, because it really detracts from gaming overall.

[FayeC86]

I find it silly in most cases. Even more so when the argument is between to similar things like the 360 and the ps3. I dont think its as silly when based on bigger issues. Android vs iphone, for example. the heart of that is really free vs. closed. I don't really see the same issue with xbox and playstation. I really don't know enough about sports to comment about sox/yankees.

[TonyTheTiger]

I don't know. I don't think it's necessarily a rational thing given that most of the time the rooting for one company tends to translate into rooting against another. And hoping that games either turn out to be shit or consoles fail is counterproductive. Competition in the marketplace isn't the same as competition in sports. Just because you like Coke doesn't mean you have to hope Pepsi goes bankrupt.

It's not like sports where one team's success requires another's failure. Capcom doing well with Resident Evil doesn't mean that Konami's Silent Hill has to crash and burn. Same with consoles. It's not necessary that the 360 fail for the PS3 to succeed. They can coexist.

[Berserker]

To me it's a question of how far one takes it.

I don't see a problem with having a favorite game company and wanting to see them do well. But when it crosses over into the sort of blind, rabid zealotry, to the point where it almost makes you question whether or not they might be collecting a paycheck for it, simply because their level of fealty seems to defy all sense and reason... kind of hard to carry on a rational conversation with those ones.

[BHvrd]

http://eleniumcomputers.com/store/images/its%20a%20trap.jpg

[jb143]

It's silly. But so is doing the same thing in sports. People's vested interest in the team amounts to nothing more than them personally liking one over the other. Maybe if someone has money riding on it, or a friend or relative was on the team or something. Other than that though it makes little difference and can be even quite annoying at times to those who don't care much about sports when people go overboard with it.

So maybe if someone owned stock in the game company or something, but still...hating on the other system would still be counter productive.

I've never understood the fanboyism...especially on a site like this which is dedicated to game collectors...people who should appreciate all game systems.

[alec006]

In a sense it is,I mean your cheering for a piece of plastic that holds something made of sand. It is nice that people love to cheer for companys and wish for their well being cause their videogames make people happy and are memorable and they have fun with them with friends or family, but when you start the stupid immature flame wars about OH this console has this or it can do that,why the hell do you think other people care,its a GAME play games on it,thats what you bought it for in the first place! It's the same with Apple and Microsoft,its fucking ridiculous.

[Sonicwolf]

I dont really care as to how people root for the companies they like as long as they dont try and force these opinions down my throat.

[The 1 2 P]

I dont really care as to how people root for the companies they like as long as they dont try and force these opinions down my throat.

My thoughts exactly. I'm pretty open minded about everything in life and realize that there are fans for everything from politics and religion to video games and sports. And while I don't think being a fan/supporter of a particular video game company is necessarily a bad thing, it can get pretty ridiculous once you start wishing for that company's competitives to fail for the simple fact that they are competition.

And to your point Sonicwolf, trying to force other people to share your belief's or(even worse) telling them they are outright wrong/stupid for not sharing your beliefs is where that fanboy nonsense gets carried away. Common sense should tell you that not all people are suppose to have the same beliefs. Furthermore, views and beliefs that don't line up with your own are not automatically wrong.

[jonebone]

Have you ever seen someone with a Nintendo or Honda tattoo? Many people have company allegiences...

[Icarus Moonsight]

It's not wrong, just an idiotic waste. Both in sports and games... They're gonna do what they are going to do, whether you like it or not. "Team pride" only applies if you are actually on or directly involved with the team.

I do have a Vikings jersey, because I lived in Minnesota for ~20 years and I like purple. I have Nintendo boxers too, but those were a gift from the wife. They do not sell Sega or SNK underwear... I've looked. Besides, that's all just apparel.

[chrisbid]

human beings have the capacity for reasoning and logic, but emotions are what drive us. we use reasoning as a tool to focus our emotions. people rarely do or say anything without some emotional investment. when a person buys a console, there is some emotional investment built in. the choice was made based on facts. once the decision is made, they need to reassure themselves they made the smart choice. so when somebody else bashes their choice on the webternets, that is a direct insult to their choice and its go time.


going console agnostic requires buying one of every machine. that is just too expensive for a lot of people. and frankly, too geeky for the general population (im guilty of this, as are many on this board, but i understand we are the outliers)


so to answer your question, its not really right or wrong, but it should be expected. gamers emotionally invest in their given platform, and when their choice is validated it makes them happy.

[sixwayshot]

Eh, if you enjoy a certain company's games, I say cheer for 'em as much as you want. Not really, though. That'd be creepy.

For instance, I love Nintendo. Why? Not necessarily because of any of their particular consoles, but because of their games. Most Nintendo first-party titles are pretty damn good. Same with Capcom. Most of their stuff is good. Games like Dead Rising, Super Street Fighter IV, and Mega Man 10 keep me interested in the company's work. Harmonix constantly brings out gold, and thus, they have my respect. I REALLY want to work there later in life, if they're still around by the time I've got the resume to apply there.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

human beings have the capacity for reasoning and logic, but emotions are what drive us. we use reasoning as a tool to focus our emotions. people rarely do or say anything without some emotional investment. when a person buys a console, there is some emotional investment built in. the choice was made based on facts. once the decision is made, they need to reassure themselves they made the smart choice. so when somebody else bashes their choice on the webternets, that is a direct insult to their choice and its go time.


going console agnostic requires buying one of every machine. that is just too expensive for a lot of people. and frankly, too geeky for the general population (im guilty of this, as are many on this board, but i understand we are the outliers)


so to answer your question, its not really right or wrong, but it should be expected. gamers emotionally invest in their given platform, and when their choice is validated it makes them happy.

Nicely stated and agreed except for the statement "the choice was made based on facts".

There really aren't ever any "facts" which can be used to determine the "best" game console for purchase. Since the beginning of competing game consoles in the marketplace it's always been about personal taste.

You can typically present any pro-specific-company enthusiast with a laundry list of facts (size of software library, cost of product, high meta critic game score averages, etc.) about a competing console, and even if you're presenting what appears to be a better deal on paper, you'll likely not sway them to drop their allegiance and "switch teams". Sometimes the draw to whatever is their favorite is completely emotional and/or irrational (which comes full circle to your original point).

I'd say people usually make a game console purchase not based on fact, but on an aggregate of their own + close friends + expert opinions.

[chrisbid]

Nicely stated and agreed except for the statement "the choice was made based on facts".

There really aren't ever any "facts" which can be used to determine the "best" game console for purchase. Since the beginning of competing game consoles in the marketplace it's always been about personal taste.

You can typically present any pro-specific-company enthusiast with a laundry list of facts (size of software library, cost of product, high meta critic game score averages, etc.) about a competing console, and even if you're presenting what appears to be a better deal on paper, you'll likely not sway them to drop their allegiance and "switch teams". Sometimes the draw to whatever is their favorite is completely emotional and/or irrational (which comes full circle to your original point).

I'd say people usually make a game console purchase not based on fact, but on an aggregate of their own + close friends + expert opinions.




i see what you are saying. but within a persons own mind, the subjective is objective.


take the following statement

Super Mario Bros is a fun game

that is a subjective statement. not everyone agrees with that. but to the person who says it, it is indeed a fact.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

i see what you are saying. but within a persons own mind, the subjective is objective.


take the following statement

Super Mario Bros is a fun game

that is a subjective statement. not everyone agrees with that. but to the person who says it, it is indeed a fact.

Agreed. In the users mind (especially users prone to form these types of allegiances) it is a fact, even if it's subjective everywhere else.

[Zthun]

I dont really care as to how people root for the companies they like as long as they dont try and force these opinions down my throat.

This is the problem I have with most fanboys; video game, sports, phones, women, men, actors, movies, artwork, etc. - it's all the same thing. Some people just go way too overboard. It's fine to be really into something; I just wish people would realize that not everyone is going to be into everything they are.

This thread will eventually go down the path of religion. Mark my words.

[nhm]

It's not wrong, just an idiotic waste. Both in sports and games... They're gonna do what they are going to do, whether you like it or not. "Team pride" only applies if you are actually on or directly involved with the team.

I do have a Vikings jersey, because I lived in Minnesota for ~20 years and I like purple. I have Nintendo boxers too, but those were a gift from the wife. They do not sell Sega or SNK underwear... I've looked. Besides, that's all just apparel.

Just think...SNK Last Resort art on a pair of boxers. Oh yeah!

[BetaWolf47]

I don't know. I don't think it's necessarily a rational thing given that most of the time the rooting for one company tends to translate into rooting against another. And hoping that games either turn out to be shit or consoles fail is counterproductive. Competition in the marketplace isn't the same as competition in sports. Just because you like Coke doesn't mean you have to hope Pepsi goes bankrupt.

It's not like sports where one team's success requires another's failure. Capcom doing well with Resident Evil doesn't mean that Konami's Silent Hill has to crash and burn. Same with consoles. It's not necessary that the 360 fail for the PS3 to succeed. They can coexist.

You have a good point about people hoping that other companies fail. It's ridiculous how people hope that certain consoles will flop, just because they have an affinity towards its competitor.

But I don't agree with your last point. They do not coexist. In the end, they are competitors. They may exist simultaneously, but in the end, they're all trying to overthrow each other, like rival lions try to take another's pride.

[TonyTheTiger]

It's not the same kind of competition, though. In football a Giants fan has to hope that the Eagles lose because any Eagles success is a threat to the Giants survival. There's only one Vince Lombardi trophy. Not so with the marketplace. They're all competing for the same dollar but there are plenty of dollars and plenty of people who will purchase more than one console.

In the marketplace the competitors are all trying to one up each other but it's a gradual ebb and flow. And in some markets there's even friendly rivalries. DC and Marvel are competitors but they both share talent and sometimes combine efforts.

Compare the kind of competition sports teams have on the field vs. the kind of competition sports teams have as business organizations. It's different. A Giants fan wants the Giants to beat the Cowboys and end their season. But that same fan would probably not want the Cowboys to go bankrupt as an organization because that would be bad for the NFL.

You'd be right if there were some government mandate or market quirk that allowed only one console to exist at any given time. Then the idea of "I want MY favorite console to win" would make more sense. But the market has consistently proven that it can sustain two or three mainstream machines with one or two niche ones. So Sony can find its place and Nintendo can find its own. If Sony loses this battle they can win that other one and vice versa. It's more like a drawn out war that just stops when one generation ends and starts anew when the next generation begins. It's not like a duel where you get one shot to survive and that's it.

Not to mention, a sole survivor in sports is what the game is all about. A sole survivor in the marketplace is bad for consumers. So, yeah, it's different kind of competition.

[Hep038]

I have no problem with people wanting "their" system to do well. But when people seek out threads to defend their system or attack people for not liking a system or company it is pretty childish. But the way these people present their reasons for liking a system as undeniable "facts" to me just shows they cannot have a true conversation. Yes I do see trap threads and I read them, but really it is to see if
1. We have matured enough to have a regular conversation on the subject
2. If someone has a unique point of view I have not seen yet.

The last thing I am looking for is someone to agree 100% with what I have to say, and it seems to me Fanboy's and troll's are looking for just that. Someone to validate their point. Because when you disagree in just the slightest bit that is when they start to show their ass.

[Icarus Moonsight]

Just think...SNK Last Resort art on a pair of boxers. Oh yeah!

Is it wrong to cheer for phallic unit shooting spaceship undergarments? That's the real issue here.

[chrisbid]

It's not the same kind of competition, though. In football a Giants fan has to hope that the Eagles lose because any Eagles success is a threat to the Giants survival. There's only one Vince Lombardi trophy. Not so with the marketplace. They're all competing for the same dollar but there are plenty of dollars and plenty of people who will purchase more than one console.

In the marketplace the competitors are all trying to one up each other but it's a gradual ebb and flow. And in some markets there's even friendly rivalries. DC and Marvel are competitors but they both share talent and sometimes combine efforts.

Compare the kind of competition sports teams have on the field vs. the kind of competition sports teams have as business organizations. It's different. A Giants fan wants the Giants to beat the Cowboys and end their season. But that same fan would probably not want the Cowboys to go bankrupt as an organization because that would be bad for the NFL.

You'd be right if there were some government mandate or market quirk that allowed only one console to exist at any given time. Then the idea of "I want MY favorite console to win" would make more sense. But the market has consistently proven that it can sustain two or three mainstream machines with one or two niche ones. So Sony can find its place and Nintendo can find its own. If Sony loses this battle they can win that other one and vice versa. It's more like a drawn out war that just stops when one generation ends and starts anew when the next generation begins. It's not like a duel where you get one shot to survive and that's it.

Not to mention, a sole survivor in sports is what the game is all about. A sole survivor in the marketplace is bad for consumers. So, yeah, it's different kind of competition.




the term you are looking for is zero-sum.

[Eduardo]

I don't like sports at all. Never understood why people cared about what a couple of millionares were doing in a far away stadium.

[TonyTheTiger]

the term you are looking for is zero-sum.

Thank you. That's exactly what I mean.

[The 1 2 P]

The last thing I am looking for is someone to agree 100% with what I have to say, and it seems to me Fanboy's and troll's are looking for just that. Someone to validate their point. Because when you disagree in just the slightest bit that is when they start to show their ass.

So true, so true indeed.

[duffmanth]

I don't think it's wrong if someone what's to root for their favorite console/company to do well. Cheer for whoever you want! I guess I would be considered a Sony fan boy because I've always loved Playstation and Sony as a whole. They've made some really dumb ass moves in the past, but they've always had the games and products that appeal to me. I'll admit that I bad mouth Nintendo and Microsoft, but I'm also critical of Sony when they make stupid decisions. I gave up on Nintendo over 15 years ago, but they're still a great company and the gaming industry world is lucky to have them around. The same thing with Microsoft, I've never liked their products, but again the gaming world is lucky they're around as well. It's always more exciting when there's competition.

[Ed Oscuro]

If cheering "like sports teams" means getting into brawls like certain Association Football fans...then yes, very bad.

Other than that, I don't see any reason for hoping to see more successful games from the same developer. Nothing controversial about cheering for continued goodness, or for getting better (the people behind Timeshift qualify for me)! (What's the point of this thread?)

[kupomogli]

I'm a Sony fanboy but I do like Microsoft. I like Nintendo systems but I dislike the company for their douchebag sales tactics.

My favorite developers/publishers will change from time to time depending on their consistency of pushing out good releases. Square and Atlus have been my favorites for awhile, but the quality has been lower as of late. Sega is one I like, though a new favorite of mine pushing out great game after great game in the past few years, with XSeed being another new favorite.

My favorite developers are Media.Vision and FromSoftware.

[Smashed Brother]

I've been rumored to engage in random fist-pumping when I hear good news about a company that I like...

[grolt]

I think we as older gamers put more stock in fanboyism and competition than any of the younger users we often associate the terms with. We came of age during times where different consoles were indeed pitted as different teams, and whether it was Nintendo vs. Sega or Sony vs. Sega, there could only really be one winner in the eys of the press and the public. It hasn't really been that way since Sega bowed out of the console wars and let the big companies successfully share the pot. Tough to believe, but we haven't had a major console failure for almost 10 years, and the Dreamcast certainly doesn't have a library to scoff at.

Ever since the Genesis, the average age of gamers has been on the rise - or at least the target audience has expanded to include older players. What does that mean? More disposable income to put towards games, and thus the ability to be, as another poster put it, platform agnostic. You don't have to pick one system now, you just pick different systems for different needs. The Wii has the best family games, the 360 has the best online network, the PS3 has the best hardware. Whatever your logic, the fact is that all three systems are coexisting pretty peacefully. The companies are big enough now that they can withstand lulls or losses that companies like Sega, Coleco or Atari couldn't, and because our wallets are bigger, those valleys aren't nearly as steep.

But to answer the question, yeah, root for someone to succeed. As long as competition is thriving we'll always continue to see gaming grow and evolve. Pick your horses, but hope that everyone finishes the race.