Sigh...Console Wars Again

Sorry it's been so long; between homework and my new job, I haven't had much time. Since my last post, I've compiled a long list of topics I'd like to cover. But after reading some comments at QJ.net, my gaming news site of choice (despite its average user base), I felt the need to revisit an old topic first. It was originally a comment to an article on QJ about the creator of Folding@Home discussing the possibility of putting the project on the Xbox 360. The article ended with a claim that the noble cause of Folding@Home is "worthy enough to break even the toughest fanboyism." Here's what I had to say:

Regarding the last sentence of this article: sadly, NOTHING is "worthy enough to break even the toughest fanboyism." Want proof? Look at the other comments to this article.

Fanboyism and its brother, the console wars, are more destructive to gamers than Jack Thompson and Uwe Boll combined. They take the fun out of gaming, as we care more about competition than enjoying our games. We as gamers must stop this competitive nonsense before it gets as ridiculous and all-encompassing as the battle between Democrats and Republicans has become to the United States government.

I want to highlight that comparison, because I think it works well. Nowadays, politicians are solely focused on beating the other party. Republicans fire attourneys for disagreeing with the President while Hilary Clinton bullsh*ts to make herself look good and Nancy Polosi is the biggest bitch since...well, since Hilary Clinton. Meanwhile, kids too young to vote who don't even follow the news talk about how the President orchestrated 9/11 while at the same time saying he's too stupid to tie his shoes (apparently harder than orchestrating a massive conspiracy, eh?) and others have the nerve to say the military hospital issue was no big deal. Nobody is using common sense in politics anymore; it's just "us vs. them".

The same thing is happening in gaming, and it has to stop. Forget which system you own and which company you have been supporting for years. Even if you dislike company A for a reason you consider justifiable (i.e., something more reasonable than disliking company A just because you like company B), express it rationally and specifically. You can like and dislike whatever you want, but don't take it to the extremes or you'll just come out sounding stupid.

All the time we spend posting these comments could better be spend playing the very games about which we comment. It's not easy; we can't just make a choice to stop caring about competition unless we have unbelievable willpower. Everybody, especially people who write for gaming media, needs to stop. Because even though I know all the stuff I'm saying is true, I still get drawn in by the artificial prospect of any company failing that this sort of nonsense creates. I posted about this at my blog (unknownwarrior33.blogspot.com) and on MyQJ, and I got some comments from people who agree, so I know there are some of you out there. Please help me spread this message.

And in case any QJ writers are reading this, you guys can have a huge impact on this. Many of your articles mention the console wars and competition, specifically how certain events may affect them, and they also make or mention unnecessary comparisons between systems. For example, in this article, the paragraph asking about why they chose the PS3 was unnecessary. And when reporting on sales charts, you don't have to comment on them. Some of your articles keep neutrality excellently, but others are greatly lacking.

I'm not asking anyone to censor themselves; I'm just asking everyone to tone it down. I'll once again pose the question I posed in my blog entry: if you didn't know anything about the other systems, would you enjoy your system more? If the answer is yes, you know what I'm getting at. It's hard to enjoy system A when comments by writers and other gamers constantly make you second-guess your choice not to support system B. Writers (at QJ and elsewhere) and game company executives (executives at all three console manufacturers have furthered the console wars), if gamers really come first, please stop all the comparisons. Let us make our own choices and enjoy what we have.

That version of my comment was for the masses. This next session is for people like many of my fellow commentors, who go on and on about why one console sucks without even using evidence or, even more basic, proper grammar. Here's what I say to those people: SHUT UP ALREADY! We don't care which console you like. We don't care what genre you prefer. We don't care about your spin on the info we've already heard. We don't care about the tricks and deceptions you think a company uses. Unless you're going to be civil and/or back it up with solid facts or reasoning, we don't want to hear what you have to say. Your comments will not make Nintendo eliminate friend codes, Sony drop the price of the PS3, or Microsoft make online play free. You can state your opinion without turning it into an exercise in mindless bashing.

That's where I ended in my QJ comment, but I'm going to go a step further here and address the people to whom I directed the previous section but who still do not get the point: NOBODY CARES WHAT YOU THINK, YOU MORONS. PLAY THE GAMES YOU WANT TO PLAY, LET US PLAY THE GAMES WE WANT TO PLAY, AND SHUT THE F*** UP ALREADY. You're not going to change anyone's opinion with the b.s. you're spouting, so don't waste your time.

We all have a responsibility. That's why I will never make comparisons between consoles in this blog. Someone might claim I'm a hypocrite because I noted that "Sonic and the Secret Rings" for Wii got higher reviews than "SONIC the Hedgehog" for PS3/360, but those are two completely different games that just happen to be in the same series.

I will make one exception, but for the sake of balance: Wii tends to be bashed the most, but it continues to outsell its competition even despite a shortage of units, so it can't be that bad. I'm not even saying it's a better system; I'm just saying the bashing is disproportionate to the sales. Also note that I gave reasoning, and if anyone wants me to, I can cite specific evidence that it is outselling the competition. Just ask in a comment and I'll give it.

And just in case that's not enough for everyone, I'll say something in defense of the other two systems as well. The PS3 may be expensive, but that hasn't stopped a heck of a lot of people from buying it. And the Xbox Live may not be as interactive or creative as Playstation Home, but its core service is tried-and-true and already has a huge user base.

See? Balance. To all the console bashers out there, try it some time; it's not that hard.

How to End the Console Wars

I'm a blogging machine today; this is my third post in a row. I have a lot to say, so I'm saying it.

Previously I wrote about why the console wars are harmful and pointless. Now you know, and knowing is half the battle. The other half is actually fighting it, and that is more difficult. We as gamers need to put an end to the console wars as they exist today, but we are not alone in our responsibility.

The first people I wish to address are the console manufacturers themselves. Competition is necessary for a business to thrive, but the big 3 console makers have been perpetuating fan competition, and that needs to stop. I don't mean to sound biased, but other than a couple low blows from Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo has been pretty good about this. That doesn't mean I'm excusing them; I'm just saying they don't do it nearly as much as Sony and Microsoft. Guys, if people want your consoles, they'll buy them. Stop attacking each other, and understand that there's no point in someone from your company saying your company's product is the best. If you really care about your customers, stop giving us reasons to get into heated arguments so we can spend more time enjoying your products.

Next, I wish to address gaming journalists. That includes both my fellow bloggers and big-name media outlets. Stop pitting systems against each other. Every time a new set of consoles comes out, gaming media outlets pick a winner. That just gets people angry, even though they usually tell people not to take their winners too seriously. Review, praise, and criticize systems all you want, but don't pit them against each other. We can make our own choices. Declaring a winner means declaring a loser, and that's what gets people angry and defensive.

Now I will address the group of gamers that lives for the console wars, intelligently declaring "PSWii suxors", "Nintendo Weenie is for babies", "Xbox 180 is for l00sers", etc. What in the world is the point of all that? Comments like those will definitely not change any minds, so quit being annoying.

And finally, to the rest of us gamers: if you're going to discuss your preferences, do it rationally and civilly. Don't bash other people's views. And more importantly, don't blindly follow one company. Keep an open mind when making your choices. If your preferences are objective, you won't drift to one side of the console wars. Now, if you happen to select one company's systems every time, that's fine. But don't be a blind follower. Remember all the things I said in my first post about the console wars, and you won't fall into the trap of fighting for a company that won't know about it anyway.

I heard a story from a friend recently, and it told me just how important this advice is. He told me that another friend of his is going to buy a Playstation 3 just to spite Nintendo. Barring medical disorders, I think anyone smart enough to read is smart enough to realize that this guy's plan is stupid. Not only will buying a Playstation 3 not hurt Nintendo, Nintendo won't even know about it. This story is an example of what people will do when the console wars get out of hand.

I don't mean to sound arrogant here; I'm just as responsible for the console wars as any other gamer. We all need to respect each other's choices and be civil. Are you with me? Awesome.