Bringing new gamers into the fold: Is our culture inclusive?

by Blake Snow { Sep 5th 2006 at 11:00PM }

We love when tipsters write in to shoot the breeze, tell of summer flings, and of course send in rocking tips. Just today via email, Joystiq reader Angie Jernejcic shares her new found love for games: "I'm just getting into gaming, and I'm loving it [cue annoying McDonald's theme here]. Games like Brain Age, Tomb Raider, and Shadow of the Colossus are changing my preconceived notions about games. Before: A waste of time... Now: Completely enraptured."

In addition, the email's subject line read: "New gamer, be gentle." That got this oh-so-deep thinking blogger to ponder: Just how inclusive are gamers to newbies? Do we like to share the mass gore and evil fun that are video games, or do we want to keep the digital, thug lifestyle only with those that "get it?" I personally jump at the chance to have the wife excited about a game (it's rare, but happens). Why is that?

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

icemorebutts @ Sep 5th 2006 11:10PM

You like sharing the games you love with the people you like.

elite @ Sep 5th 2006 11:15PM

All n00bs need to be pwned. Only the ones with skillz make it out to l337ness.

Ferior @ Sep 5th 2006 11:18PM

There are certainly a lot of us who are elitist about "n00bs" getting into our gaming, though I imagine a lot of them are mostly irritated at the concept of a relative newcomer to any genre getting uppity about how skilled they are, or claim to be, at any game.

Also they should l2p.

Eggman @ Sep 5th 2006 11:26PM

I love getting the non gamers i know involved in gaming. About 2 weeks ago we were hanging out in the lounge at my college and not sure how but started talking about video games (3 guys (gamers), 3 girls (non gamers)) about how the girls didn't "get the thing" behind them. Luckly i had the DS i borrowed off my friend and let one of them try out the mini games in mario 64 for it. She was INSTANTLY hooked, and after passing it around to the other 2 with similar effects, they proceeded to play/argue about turns for a good half an hour. Me and the other guys got a good laugh out of it. One of thems actually gonna buy a DS now after playing some other games for it aswell. Always nice to have new converts.

Also 2 days ago i was playing blazing angels for the x360 and my dad wants to try it out. Was shocked to say the least, my parents hate video games. It was amusing to watch him get used to the controller but he actually loved flying around and just looking at the scenery lol. The controls kept confusing him tho, which made me start thinking about the wii and that little flight game for it. Although i thought it was pretty bare, i bet my dad would love just flying around in there with the simplicity of the wii-mote.

Anyway, so yea i always love getting non-gamer friends/family involved with gaming. I'm actually very interested at this point in getting my parents to try out some wii games.

Kyou @ Sep 5th 2006 11:55PM

I try to teach people about the wonders of gaming but... I just don't have the patience. People who've never played videogames are incredibly bad. It's frustrating. I can't bare watching.

But yeah, other than that -- the world needs more gamers. Seriously, the only FUN parties are LAN parties. As long as we let the newbs in and the noobs out, our gaming community shall not be corrupted!

Zachary Hinchliffe @ Sep 5th 2006 11:57PM

My parents hate video games, but my dad, a huge football (the american kind, not what the US calls soccer) fan, heard me explain about hypothetical controls for Madden 07 and got interested. My mom saw the Wii video and said that she'd like to try "that sports thing". Nintendo's strategy seems to be something that'll really kick off with the non-gamers.

StigmataDiaboli @ Sep 6th 2006 4:58PM

I think icemorebutts said it best.

"You like sharing the games you love with the people you like."

And i'm with Blake aswell, I love getting my girl into a game.

Petrie @ Sep 6th 2006 12:03AM

In theory the idea of bringing someone new into our ranks always sounds great. Someone new to enjoy games with, to discuss them with, and even to trade with once you become bored with some of your titles.

In practice though, I find for many, myself included, that the process can be just plain frustrating. Those of us who have been playing games for years, even decades, find it easy to master the controls of even the most complex games. This can make for many a frustrating moment when *insert non gamer stereotype here* can't seem to grasp that L2 and R2 rotate the camera, or some other control aspect which is common sense to we, the hardcore.

This is one of the reasons I feel the DS has had such a massive amount of appeal to gamers and non-gamers alike. There is a certain something to be said for the "equal footing" this new control method gives us for many types of games. No longer are we dealing with the same basic controller we've all had decades to adjust to. Now we have something where everyone is learning at the same time, and a "newb" can best a hardcore gamer on occasion because they are learning the control scheme at the same time.

It seems to me that the best way to bring more gamers in requires a collaborative effort between game companies and gamers alike. the companies need to produce games that help place non-gamers on a more equal level to the hardcore crowd, but without something as cut-and-dry as a simple handicap. Make games like Mario Party, Super Monkey Ball, and Guitar Hero that even a newbie can feel accomplishment while playing. On the part of gamers, we need to embrace and show some patience with our new brethren, and in turn watch the market flourish with even more, better, and unique titles.

makesevenupyours @ Sep 6th 2006 12:05AM

ya...when i got my ds lite(i had already barrowed my friends original ds for 3 months cuz he never played it) with a free copy of brain age at best buy, its the ones my parents were interested in.

i bought metroid prime on that day too, and they instantly dismissed it as every other fighting game.

but they were very interested in brain age, and wanted to try it themselves.

i would LOVE for more people to start playing video games, but i would hope that wouldnt cause a decrease in 1337 games and gamers.

Tom @ Sep 6th 2006 12:32AM

It depends, its a double edged blade. Getting new nice gamers is great, as a cad comic recently labeled them the newbs. The ones who are nice people.

Then theres the noobs, the people who come in screaming they can ownz you. I blame these people for the fact 50% of all games nowadays are trying to be gangsta. In this genre also falls the sports who get into gaming because of madden and yet still think they are somehow better than other gamers because they only play sports games and fps.

My experience trying to get people involved in gaming (mainly girls as i think almost all guys i know play games) has only ever resulted in frustration. I have already said on joystiq about how one of flatmates said she hated games and then a conversation turned over the fact she had only ever played spryo and crash bandicoot. Oh and she LOVED them both and got very defensive when i said they weren't the best games around. So yea only games she ever played she loved yet hates gaming.

Many other experiences have been just as frustrating such as while playing ultimate spider-man a friend walks in. This is during a cutscene btw, and she states that she hates this type of game. When I ask what type she says where all you have to do is bash buttons. So i gave her the controller and told her to try and the chase scene didn't go so well. She then said the game was bad and too hard. Contradiction pff whats that?

So yea new nice gamers = great just please don't make me try and get people into gaming.

clee @ Sep 6th 2006 1:24AM

Well, if you go on Battle.net, you will see how sheltered and protectionist the culture there can be.
Playing DOTA for example, if you are starting out for the first time there is no way you will get a game. If you are downloading the game then you are kicked. If, for some reason you do download the game from a site and try and play, you will be labeled a newb and will be banned. There is absolutely no tolerance for newbies on DOTA games. That is one thing i really don't like. Sure, having newbies can be frustrating, but in the long run if a percentage of them become fans then DOTA base will grow and that can only be good. Alas, this culture of making it very difficult for new players to get into it has stuck.

supersocialist @ Sep 6th 2006 2:07AM

As with practically any subculture, there's people on both sides. Some people love to be 'leet and some people are naturally more social. That's why we have categories like "hard core gamer" and "social gamer," duh!

Insomnia Bob @ Sep 6th 2006 1:55AM

This raises an interesting question... when was it decided that video games SHOULDN'T be for everyone? Games, like many entertainment mediums before, have long been stigmatized as a 'geek' or 'boy' or 'gamer' thing. The fact it, just about anyone can pick up a control and smash away at super mario bros, or even Halo, with a few minutes of instruction. No, they won't be winning any prizes, but who cares?

Everyone, young and old, can find a video game they can enjoy. From new, highly involved action games with deep stories and amazing graphical effects to old board games, there really is something for everyone, and it's good to see the walls finally breaking down, and people actually giving games a shot.

ALH @ Sep 6th 2006 4:05AM

I can usually get my sisters to try a game, most of the time something unusual like katamari, or simple as hell like any music game, but they have no intrest either way in buying their own, or at least havent for a long long time. When I offered my sister a go on merc mode in Resi 4 she snubbed it, wasnt intrested one bit. My other sister had a go but really sucked, which in turn put her off it.

Its kind of frustrating because the both of them go crazy when ever the megadrive is gotten out, they LOVE that damn megadrive, but dont really care either way about anything else. The one who had a go on Resi4 has a GBA, for example, but only ever played the game that came with it and didnt bother to look elsewhere- even though she had quite a collection of Game Boy games beforehand.

This seems to happen to a lot of girls I've known- they play as kids, but when a next generation comes along they stop caring. Had we still been in the SNES/Gens era they would probably still be playing now.

As much as I'd hope that the wii would be relevant to their intrests to the point where they bought one for the household, theres still a big stigma on games in my family, and I havent got a clue where it came from.

dolemite @ Sep 6th 2006 5:10PM

I find thayt the problem is the games themselves, not just the controller. A soccer game is still a soccer game, regardless if you are using a regular game controler or Wiimote.The controller can though make it easier to learn a game. The game also has to be interesting to the user. My wife does not play games, but when she say the Singstar game she now wants it. I am sure the same thing happened with the DDr games for a lot of folks. Another thing is the attitude of experienced gamers. Many have no sportsmanship, and have forgotten that once upon a time they too were new gamers. Try playing any FPS online for the 1st time. Or playing Madden online. You will be crushed instantly by a trash talking idiot. There a few new user rooms, but then they get invaded by some arsehole and the experience is ruined. Next time you see or play with a new gamer, show'em the ropes before you crush them.

Moogle @ Sep 6th 2006 11:46AM

Jack, send it as a story tip, I'm sure joystiq would be fine with reporting it as news. Spamming comments with your legal love letters is really unnecessary.

Anyway, back on topic, I'm really heartened by people's comments along the lines of "(non-gamer) really enjoyed this game but was confused by the controls, and I thought about the Wii". I think Nintendo's found a ripe market here, it really seems like a lot of people don't play games simply because they don't feel like the target audience. Just by saying that the games will be for everyone, including older adults, it will probably make those groups a lot more interested.

I can't wait for this holiday season, there's going to be a lot of fun to be had.

Judd @ Sep 6th 2006 3:53PM

Do you think that really was Jack Thompson? Or just some guy who either copied and pasted a statement he made or a guy who just made up something for him? If a guy really did make that up then bravo! That was the best fake impersonation since that "crumpled letter" Reggie-nator is supposed to read announcing the Wii price and launch date. Or that lonelygirl15 posing as a real person. Anyway Jack, if that was you and your still reading the comments, the reason people like you are really afraid of new gamers is that you know the more gamers the more people will disagree with you, once non-gamers actually know for themselves what games are about. Because video game hatred isn't based on the sex or violence, it's based on ignorance.