"Playstation Game Boy:" When genericized trademarks collide
by Blake Snow 
{ Dec 9th 2006 at 12:25AM }
"PlayStation" is synonymous with console gaming. Game Boy is synonymous with portable gaming. Both are synonymous with video games. So it's no surprise that the official police report from the sad story of one kid getting arrested after "stealing" a wrapped Game Boy has the stolen goods listed as a "PlayStation Game Boy." Not as ridiculous as the story itself, but enough cross-pollination of genericized trademarks already.
[Thanks, Lex Luther]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Daniel @ Dec 9th 2006 12:50AM
First Post!!
mountain_rage @ Dec 9th 2006 12:52AM
are you sure he was not referring to the psp
mietha CAG @ Dec 9th 2006 1:01AM
No, because it's a Gameboy SP, and, IMO, it is not a sad story. The little shit had it coming and I'm glad his mother had the guts to do what she did. He had a history of theft. Nothing is gained by repeatedly overlooking criminal behavior, regardless of the age of the offender.
silkylove @ Dec 9th 2006 1:22AM
@ #3.
Sure the mother had guts, but obviously no brains. I mean if you know your kid is a klepto then why are you putting his presents out like 20 before Christmas? Better yet, if you know you kid is a klepto then why are you letting his grandmother buy him a GBA, or anything else, for Xmas?
Max @ Dec 9th 2006 1:35AM
the kis grew up with no money and no dad, the original story says the mother was 15 when he was born and they live with her grandma, the kid steals things cause hes poor (think about it, a gameboy as his christmas present, thats like getting an N64 nowadays) and whenever theres a problem instead of a father fiqure mommy calls the cops. im surprised childrens aid hadnt intervined yet
Mike @ Dec 9th 2006 2:12AM
Would a playstation gameboy be a play boy? I could see his mom getting somewhat upset about that...
kelekod @ Dec 9th 2006 3:01AM
I don't know about the whole "playstation as console" is as correct as it seems. I'm sure my case is just one, but my mom calls ALL videogames "Nintendo". Before Mario DDR came out and I was talking about the possibility to get an Xbox or PS2, my mother would be like "you want this game to play on your Nintendo" when the box clearly showed Xbox. Or "your brother John just got the new Nintendo... what's that called, 'Nintendo' box 360" [it really was an original Xbox]
Although she still manages to call my DS a gameboy..
lachry @ Dec 9th 2006 5:15AM
Yeah back in the day (or before the playstation) everything was a Nintendo to baby-boomers and the like. I mean it makes sense, some people seem to latch onto the name of the first name of whatever type of thing they were exposed to; So those who's first exposure to video games was in the 80s or early 90s (because they had kids who lusted over one and asked for it) latched onto the name "Nintendo", and those in the in the 90s, "Playstation." It's highly forgiveable. You wouldn't really quibble about someone calling every soft-drink a coke, no matter however inaccurate it was, would you?
nugget @ Dec 9th 2006 5:29AM
When I was younger I thought Sony should make a handheld, and before I knew about it I said they should name it the playboy... I told my mom and found out that it would not have been a good name.
db @ Dec 9th 2006 7:43AM
just like every portable flash memory or hard drive-based digital music player is an 'iPod'
SowKnee @ Dec 9th 2006 7:38AM
Sad to say, but to my mom all video games are still called "Atari" - I guess it's a generational thing.
Reeve @ Dec 9th 2006 8:29AM
lachry said: "You wouldn't really quibble about someone calling every soft-drink a coke, no matter however inaccurate it was, would you?"
Actually I would, if they were giving me a Pepsi instead!
Anyway, you make a very good point about the generation gap. I myself come from the "Nintendo" generation, but witnessing the "PlayStation" generation while waiting in line for the Wii (of all things) gave me pause. Explaining to curious passers-by that we were waiting for the new Nintendo was good enough for some people, but others (mostly mothers in their 20s and early 30s) automatically assumed that we were waiting for the new PlayStation. It took me awhile to realize that they were associating "PlayStation" with *all* video game consoles, the same way people of my parents' generation do with "Nintendo". It was certainly an eye-opener into how ubiquitous the PlayStation brand really has become.
Diman @ Dec 9th 2006 5:14PM
only in America a mother would call the cops on her son for opening a present.....
John Hill @ Dec 9th 2006 1:11PM
The kid that got robbed lives in my neighborhood.
UvulaBob @ Dec 9th 2006 11:36AM
"You wouldn't really quibble about someone calling every soft-drink a coke, no matter however inaccurate it was, would you?" - lachry (#8)
You must be from the south.
http://www.popvssoda.com/countystats/total-county.html
RUSKULL @ Dec 9th 2006 11:37AM
for one, this goes to show that Nintendo's name isn't as strong as it used to be when it comes to videogames. The very reason they changed the name to Nintendo 64 from Ultra 64 was based on the familiarity of the Nintedo name with video games. The fact that someone could make the mistake of "Playstation Game Boy" is not good for the big N.
Two, that kid was probably going to end up in prison at some point anyhow, might as well just dip him in boiling oil and eat him :P
-Russ
lordroba @ Dec 9th 2006 11:40AM
"Sad to say, but to my mom all video games are still called "Atari" - I guess it's a generational thing."
Ya, kind of sounds like my dad. Every console to him is a Nintendo. It's funny because when he used to ground me for something, he would say "No Nintendo for you," and I would be like "Alright, I'll just play some PlayStation then." :P
jwasko @ Dec 9th 2006 11:49AM
While I was waiting in line at Toys R' US to preorder the Wii, a guy who had come for tickle me elmos (they were being released that same day) decided he'd get a "Playstation Wii" for his daughter, too.
My response after the 3rd or 4th time he said it?
"ITS NOT A PLAYSTATION!!!"
Baconbitz @ Dec 9th 2006 1:20PM
My Mom thought my Ipod was a video game system. My Mom doesnt know who makes what system and could care less
milkmanjb @ Dec 9th 2006 11:58PM
I should submit a picture of this place throwing a Grand Opening drawing for a Sony Xbox 360.
Zachary Hinchliffe @ Dec 9th 2006 5:13PM
@14: Not true. The changed it from "Ultra 64" due to copyright issues.
Grant @ Dec 9th 2006 4:42PM
some people arn't just that brand oriented, and just to show how brand concious the younger generations are, no one under 30 would get a PS3 and a nintendo wii confused, knows what an ipod specifically is, and so on and so forth. Older generations just don't get bombarded with the marketing and advertising like the younger ones have since birth, so it's not really hard wired into them. The 50s, 60s, and some of the 70s had catchy little jingles, but NOTHING comparative to the marketing today. The marketing just focused on children alone is insane, unfortunatly the US hasn't set up any regulations like other countries have.
and as for that fun chart from #13, uvulabob, don't you find it funny that the areas with the highest proven political awareness and overall intelligence(HS grad levels, SAT scores, College Grad levels) all call it "soda"? hmmm? makes you think huh?
lachry @ Dec 9th 2006 4:40PM
(You must be from the south. #13)
Actually I'm from the Northeast.
Jonah Falcon @ Dec 9th 2006 5:07PM
I want a Playstation GameBoy. I already own a Wii60. :p
tiny meteor @ Dec 9th 2006 5:28PM
Working in retail, you'll see this all the time. Just when you've thought I've heard every combination of things, a new one will pop up. From brand new games still being called "cartridges" to not knowing what system they're buying a particular game for to cross system name calling (like the xcube 2 or the new nintendo thingy, you know the super playstation).
Like all the comments before have stated, there's alot of people who don't research what they're buying (especially for their kids). While customer service is number one, you smile and help them, but I always wonder if they ever thought "Wow, I look like an idiot...". I know I have when I've done a similar thing.
Justin @ Dec 9th 2006 7:41PM
it could have been a worse Xmas present. . . It could have been a Game Gear
Capt. Castellanos @ Dec 9th 2006 11:38PM
hey, i loved my gamegear, until it ate all my batteries, then i was like, bad gamegear, baaaad...
Superdotman @ Dec 10th 2006 2:36PM
I'm guessing they were using "Playstation" as a brand name and "Game Boy" as a common noun.
adam @ Dec 10th 2006 7:52AM
reminds me of the sign on my local shopko's door on wii launch day that announced they only had 13 "Microsoft Nintendo Wiis." I wish I had my camera. :(
Mr. Khan @ Dec 10th 2006 3:16PM
@ lordroba
dude, i did the same thing back in the day with Sega Game Gear
Mom: "No more Nintendo for you today"
Comes up to my room, sees me playing Sonic Triple Trouble
Mom:" I said no more Nintendo"
Me: "Yes, i'm playing SEGA"
But me being the stickler for correctness that i am, i make sure my parents know, the Nintendo DS, and Nintendo Wii
(although i heard my dad refer to the GC as the X-Cube a few times)
Siraris @ Dec 10th 2006 9:53PM
Some Woman came in and asked my friend who works at Gamestop for the "Gameboy Nintendo Doughboy" (no joke).
martin @ Dec 11th 2006 8:15AM
Seriously, I grew up calling it soda, then I moved to Mississippi for a few years, and those inbred retards would cry and throw a fit because they had no idea what that meant... and swore you could only call it coke.... sucked if you drank pepsi..... I had to point out that even the bottle of coke called the crap inside soda!!!!