I used to think I was a Sega fanboy because I liked Sega games and consoles more than any of the others but I still had most of the other consoles and enjoyed them just as much. It wasn't until I got online and found the true definition of fanboy.

Vixtro

ZOMG Tekken 6 is multiplatform. I hate you Sony!!! You can't keep exclusives waaaaaahhhhh!!!!! Now when I make my PS3 v X360 lists I won't be able to put Tekken 6 on that list, even though I'd never buy the game.

Ya sports fans are even crazier because you have more then 3 groups going at it.

Firemane

@Mister_Jack: Well usually it's probably about an 7th grade education. As far as consoles go, it's usually just a lack of perspective if you care if your console of choice is winning the internets. But yeah mostly they just come off as assholes.

Pornosaur

Makes sense. If you bought a console, you obviously thought it was a good idea back then. So, if you get shown something that would otherwise have changed your mind, you now have two choices:
1) Admit that you made a bad investment, and take the ego hit.
2) Ignore the evidence, and continue to believe it was a good investment, because Sony/Microsoft/Nintendo sucks at everything (obviously).

Bakkster_Man

So then being a fanboy isn't all that bad?

Kenny

So my theory was wrong. Apparently the Stupid Virus doesn't cause fanboyism. Huh.

Hamsfork

@Vecha: Confused assholes with a third-grade education.

Mister_Jack

@Mister_Jack:

Confused assholes.

Vecha

Or maybe it's that they're just assholes.

Mister_Jack

I kinda hope it doesn't go away..sure is fun to mess with people that have that problem!..lol

Vecha

its true. everybody wants to root for their team of choice. ESPN, CNN, Kotaku...different games, same mentality. a great deal of it comes off pathetic, but if it wasnt fun, we wouldnt really be playing, would we?

TheIrishNinja

It's rather self-explanatory, isn't it?
Paritsanship exists, and people try to justify it every time.
What's so complex about that?

Ad-hominem

More important than this article is if being a fanboy good. From my point of view is stupid, sad and useless

WDYC

You know, this idea is so horribly simple that it doesn't take all of those words to explain it. Why not look into, "Why the need for the big words: Cognitive Faculties"

You Are My Friend!

@Pornosaur: Interchangeable with douche bags.

Mister_Jack

Consoles are expensive. Even more so if you own more than one in a generation. Kids justify what they got by hatin' on what they don't have. I'd like to think adults grow out of this...

hagridore

@Firemane: Sports fans and game fans have NOTHING on music fans... I've never seen a "PS3 vs 360" fight end in bloodshed, maybe some Dodgers vs Angels ended in a fist fight, but band1 vs band2 has ended in murder more than a few times.. It is truly music that's the downfall of our society.

bobtheduck

How do you make a fanboy tick?

Tell him the other console is better and actually justify it with a genuine reason then watch them squirm because most fanboys can't justify why "their" console is better.

I was talkng about a 360 game on a forum and out of nowhere a PS3 fanboy posts saying the game sucked just because it was on the 360, I asked him why that was and all he said was that it just does, fanboys are blind internet hate machines that are unable to accept anything else other than "their" console.

It's pathetic.

DragonNinja

I guess I'm a true fanboy then.

I bought the PS1 as my first console (since going to friend's houses to play was my only option 'til I was, sadly, 17) and bought Battle Arena Toshenden (what a game!). A few years later, since, at the time, Microsoft wasn't even in the game console market yet, I bought a PS2. I fell in love.

Then, what do you know?! Microsoft comes out with the XBOX and I liked it for the simple fact that it came with a hard drive. After seeing and playing a friend's XBOX with Project Gotham Racing while he was playing a track from his play list, I was like, "That's so cool." I didn't have the money for one then, so I had no choice but to wait.

XBOX 360 comes out before the PS3 and despite it was the next-gen console, Sony was announcing their new console, which made me wait.

I say all this to say, I have always been satisfied with Sony's consoles. I'm a fanboy in that regard. But, when it comes to which game is better on which console, is not my main priority. All I want is something to satisfy my appetite for fun when the day is done. As technology continues to improve (and become more integrated with my living room), I want to make sure that it is compatible with my lifestyle. Sony does that for me.

twanski1977

I think the other aspect of fanboyism is that humans unfortunately have this need to be to a tribe, and society relegates them to taking sides in these ridiculous Console Wars, as no other 'tribe' will have them. The fanboys in turn reinforce their stigmatization through their behavior.

In the gaming context, there are some secondary factors as well, like children not being able to afford/being allowed to have more than one system, so the one they have they feel the need to rationalize as the best...AT ALL COSTS. This mentality, of course, does not subside with the onset of adulthood. Also, the Internet allows such maladjusted types with ridiculously skewed priorities to find a common voice, that 'tribe' that would never really congeal without it in most 'real world' (anti)social circles.

It's also funny how quick the tribes in gaming are to fragment. I was pretty amused to see the solidarity of Nintendo zealots to disintegrate over the utterly irrelevant Wii/GC "Twilight Princess" 'debate'.

jollydwarf

I'm seeing a lot of fanboy hate here. Personally, I'm proud to call myself a sony fanboy, yet some of the negative aspects about fanboyism dont apply to me (I dont have an irrational hatred for games that are exclusives to other consoles). I admit that I would like to have played Mass Effect or the upcoming Fable II, but I personally believe that PS3 has more games suited to my liking. That being said, if anyone ever told me the only reason they bought a 360 was to play Halo, I'd call them stupid. It also annoys me when people claim that 360's are cheaper than PS3s. Sure, the price you pay at the register on day one is less, but in the end both systems end up being more or less the same price.

dominonation

@Firemane: It's better being us sports fans, because EVERYONE is arguing. rivalries are amazing. and we get over ourselves for 3/4 of the year. (Speaking as a football fan) and we all rejoice laughing at pity during Browns vs Bengals games, because NOBODY roots for them. (ex browns fan)

Shockadin

@Bakkster_Man: "because Sony/Microsoft/Nintendo sucks at everything (obviously)" That's right. APPLE IS THE WAY TO GO! i've spent more time ipod touch gaming then 360 and Wii gaming. Plus how can you argue against the design of macbooks?

Shockadin

Oh my god!
I have those same bed sheets!

Captain_Canada

I think a better question is, why is that cat staring at the back of a laptop so eagerly?

hypermog

Fanaticism I don't mind, nor rooting for one's favourite item, game, or system.

It's the hate, the threats, the "kill them" mentality that I can not stand and wish were to go away. Not just for specific systems either, but entire ideas it seems.

Even made up genres are popping up with "hardcore" and "casual" with no room in the middle, it's one of the other for certain fanatics of that idea and it's terrible.

Simple things such as Wii Music or Let's Tap or Uno or Viva Pinita get hate just for existing or even accused at costing the game industry to crash and burn any day now.
Where are the fanatics for "games are toys, let's just have fun with them"? Hard to argue that when faced against the fanatics who believe Wii Music will kill them just because it exists, or that they must talk about it more then any other game mentioned on Kotoku or other sites.

This is a rant just to clear my frustration over it, of which nothing will change unfortunately. I just miss the gaming fan base in which we could be happy with games, leave behind those games we didn't like after a single post or two, and move into the future for what could be great in the next release.

Oh well, Retro gaming sites are still generally happy, even if the only thing to look forward to in the future are Virtual Console, collections, and improved ports.

Off to more LittleBigPlanet, remaking a Sonic Green Hill Zone Stage.

Kenofthedead

now we need a name for those lost souls who go wandering around the internet wilderness calling out "it`s about the games!" while no-one listens cause we are too busy arguing about machines.

the same kinda people watch sports, and they are missing out on something there when they can`t really suffer with THEIR team cause they don`t really have a team they support, they just watch the sport in general ... they miss out on half the fun.

but for games? maybe they have a point.

heh, when the next big depression hits will we be arguing about which discount brand of beans is the best? cool.

notyalcbackwards

"What makes Fanboys tick?"

Hot Pockets

Vault69

"What Makes Fanboys Tick?"

Halo?

moe84

@twanski1977: No you are not a fanboy, you are a fan of Sony, which is diferent.

Fanboys are ignorant, stupid, sad people. Like religious fanatics, I mean I know a lot of christians which are very faithful and the like but they do not cross the line as to being a fanatic, which just ignores everything and tries to impose their point of view on others because theirs is the only truth.

WDYC

I own all 3 (5 if you include DS/PSP). I guess that makes me 'Tri-Console-ual'.

Jouten

fanboys provide great sources of laughter though. who here doesnt laugh at fanboys who hate on square because they are going multiplatform? the funniest arguments are those that bag on square's loyalty. guess wut kids, sony/nintendo/microsoft arent loyal to u. they are loyal to ur money as is every other corporation. take a step back and relax before u argue.

maraxusofk

@Vault69:

"Hoooottt Pooocketsss!"

+ Watch video

jollydwarf

@Mister_Jack:

no because douche bags can get chicks, but fanboys are too obsessed over how a console to actually learn how to do anything else.

maraxusofk

@notyalcbackwards: I'd be one of those poor lost souls.

We have a name, it's called being a true gamer. I don't care where the fun comes from, so long as it can be had by me and mine. I don't hate any console specifically, nor any publisher, developer, or business in the gaming world. I occasionally hate something specific one of them does, or I might think a certain game sucks, but it's all for the greater good of gaming everywhere.

Jayl3w

This is what I don't get. Why would someone get this fanatical over a corporation? Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, all corporations. Do you get this fanatical about laundry detergent or cereal? Do you go on the breakfast forums and argue about which cereal you prefer? Do you run down the nutrition facts? "Haha bitch! We gotz 200% DV of Vitamin A!"

Take a step back and realize that they are all corporations whose bottom line is to make money. The only reason that they care about your devotion is because they want your money. All of it. When I buy a new game, it's not devotion to a console that drives my purchase, it's my entertainment.

Once you take those fanboy blinders off, you will realize that all the consoles have some awesome games.

Amsterdaam

@bobtheduck: Over in the U.S, there isn't that much danger with sports fans. But in Europe, some soccer rivalries end in riots.

Avonej

Intolerance. Politics, sex preferences, religion, each person has his belief and preference, that's cool but certain people go from defending his belief to ATTACK the beliefs of others, saying that it's a buch of stupid stuff: that's where fanboys are born.

I'm a Nintendo fan, I have a Wii and a DS. Doesn't mean I support everything Nintendo does, or always bash what Microsoft and Sony do.

You don't agree with something? Fine, make it clear keeping a calm mind, just don't trample over what's loved by someone else for no reason.

Axass

@Shockadin: ... no, no it's just to easy, I'm not even taking this one. Anyone else care to?

Jayl3w

@dominonation: You aren't what I'd call a fanboy though, and you're not what that title is usually applied to. You are a Sony fan, which is perfectly fine and dandy. You prefer their products and don't like when uninformed comparisons are made, this is still fine. You'd be a fanboy if you started the irrational hatred of all things not Sony while feeling the need to justify your preference by using baseless insults and derogatory comments about all other gaming platforms.

You're a fan, not a fanboy, and I'm happy about that.

Jayl3w

For me it's an issue of time and money. I only have enough of either for a little bit of gaming in my life, and Nintendo has always been my tried-and-true brand. I don't love the mascots (they're really targeted to a younger demo nowadays) and Nintendo certainly doesn't do everything I want them to do, but I don't have the resources to invest in another system.

So, I stick by my N, and cry every time I watch a "Dead Space" or "Mirror's Edge" trailer.

scrapeape

@dominonation: I too, am a sony fanboy. Although i need not announce that as you can easily tell from the majority of my comments.

But yeah, i am so for a reason. I believe in the direction sony is going with video games. I believe having free online functions, using the best technology available to future proof these things like the blu ray drive and easy to expand HDD's, having connectivity with my PSP, publishing some of the best indie titles available like the Pixel junk series and everyday shooter.

I support them because i like to see gaming heading in that direction, not having awful things like restrictive friend codes or hardware that doesn't allow for new gameplay mechanics or hardware that is very unreliable, a subscription system for a network that uses peer to peer and places restrictions on there developers and software that don't allow for things like PC mods for unreal tournament or import your own song features like Rock Band.

ryivanV2

Fanboy
-noun
1. Common word used to hide our ignorance.

shade-black

All fanboys can't accept that some of their games are getting the better treatment for the other console. Just because its lost its exclusivity, doesn't mean you have to cry about it. At least you can still play the damn game if its on multiplatform. Fanboys should get a grip on reality and just play games, its sucks how it turned out to be a flame war over the internet rather than talking about games. Its all you see nowadays, my console has games, your buns out. Blah, blah, blah its always the same fricking arguments.

I hate fanboys so much, Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft. Seriously all you fanboys should get a grip, a life, and just be a good little boy/girl and PLAY YOUR DAMN GAMES!!!! Nobody cares about your opinion, its just the console the people want to buy.

shrek187

Sorry if this seems like a summary of the article, I just felt like getting a bit of my thoughts out there.

The thing is, fanboy style fanaticism is human. You can look at history for examples, with the rise of nationalism and jingoism, and even with smaller things like towns (Springfield v. Shelbyville is the perfect snapshot of this). We fight over sports teams, publications, and even relative geographical locations within established communities. To disagree slightly with someone else, we do fight over cereals, or at least some of us did when we were younger (Yogurt Total 4-eva, by the way, screw Lucky Charms). Any way we can feel accepted by a group, conflict with others on the opinion, and be backed up by people who share your viewpoint, we will JUMP on it. God damn, we just love being right, and fuck you if you think differently.

On the occasion that our side falls to another, as in sports, we simply say "next time, fellas" and keep it up. Even if we're flat out proven 100% WRONG somehow we'll stick by our guns. Take the classic case of Dorothy Martin, and her followers. She predicted that on December 21, natural cataclysmic events were going to rock the world and most of the population was going to die. She, and any followers she could find, would luckily be whisked away to "Clarion," home planet of the aliens that gave her this information. Unfortunately, this was in 1954, and we're still fine. When the hour predicted came and went, what happened? Did they finally realize their mistake? No spaceship, so what now? Oh, of course, their devout belief in the prophesy diverted the disaster, and thus they saved the world. Yeah, cognitive dissonance is a bitch that way.

The problem is that it's a belief, not a truth, and beliefs we will stand by for a LONG time. Fuck, look at the Dreamcast fanboys. It's OVER, but they don't care. Thank god it's something small like games, and not politics. And in case you were wondering, my candidate is better than yours. Fuck you, you fascist/socialist, liberal/conservative moron/asshole.

Erwin

For a fanboy discussion article this sure has very little on Nintendo fanboys. Apparently they're the most defensive and loyal ones of all.

I'm a Nintendo [i]fan[/i] (not 'fanboy') myself, always loved Nintendo since the NES, but as well as a Wii and DS I own an Xbox 360. I'm also a huge fan of Sega (have been since the Genesis), but they no longer make consoles, just games. I'm just as happy playing those on Nintendo platforms, though.

MeleeKirby

That's why I stick to the PC: no stupid console fanboys. By the way, ATI sucks! NVidia is so much better!

Hamsfork

What about us that have all 3(or 5), but have a favorite. I prefer one of them over the others and play that one the majority of the time. Am I a fanboy because I like one console over the others, should I like all of them equally so I'm not a Fanboy?

Monte2

@Kenofthedead: You took the words right off my keyboard.

EmeraldDragon

I always figured fanboyism was a result of kids not being able to afford more than one console at any given moment, so they feel an emotional and ego-driven investment in that they "picked the right one". Obviously I didn't pick the shitty one, so ZOMG UR CONSOEL SUX.

Calhoun

I have a simpler answer: Ignorance.

Bokusatsu_Tenshi

"involved in protecting one's prior decisions against disconfirming evidence"

soo... DENIAL!!! HAHA

That article is saying Sony fanboys were taking major risks in buying the PS3 to begin with. Suites Sony right for adapting the "These games WILL come out... eventually..." Stance.

Still, isn't Sony's history worse than Microsoft? They bought exclusives rights AGAINST the Dreamcast! And i recall more was going on at the time too, especially when it lead to them creating PS2 games... !@#CHES

At least if you got a PS3 your still playing the games...

Ultrasinc

@fearing:

Everyone knows
Windows > Suckintosh!!!

Indypunk

@Hamsfork: OMG, Mouse and keyboard > controller! :(

fearing

Bah.
That's a completely superficial essay. And half-wrong.

somarix

Man what a jerk, this article is obviously biased to the 360.

fearing

@Jouten: It makes you a rich-ass maniac with way too much money AND free time!

bakana

@Avonej: Um....when the Steelers won the superbowl some areas of Pittsburgh were completely TRASHED, cars inverted, etc. Not that European football hooligans aren't far more violent, but in America sports can still lead to insane and dangerous levels of group insanity...

bakana

I read the last article you posted about one of his essays.
Chris Bateman is a fucking idiot. He's a shame to the name Bateman. He mixes up facts and I don't like half of his interpretations.

kakihara

@ryivanV2: Fanboy.

Campion of Drymouth

@You Are My Friend!: Give me a single word you can use in place of "cognitive faculties".

Campion of Drymouth

It would seem unnatural for someone to purchase a console and then be indifferent to its performance...

Nightshift Nurse: Mile High Colonic

@bakana: When the Montreal Canadiens won 1 round of the playoffs last year, there were cop cars torched n stuff, and then they were eliminated in the 2nd round. hehe

Firemane

@Bokusatsu_Tenshi: I like to go all fancy: Doublethink.

Erwin

@Avonej: You have clearly never been to a Phillies/Mets game. They get ugly, every time.

EvilMetsFan

@Vixtro: Don't worry, you can still be a fanboy of, say, one of the current hardware developers, even if you were to buy every console and game on it twice over. All you have to do is follow one of the following beliefs:

1. The lack of quality PS3 games is tolerable, and there's nothing wrong with having a PS3 just for LBP.
2. Rare has consistently put out games you enjoy since being bought out by Microsoft.
3. Anything Nintendo has done in the past 2 years or so is likeable or appealing to you.

Commit to any one of those and your fanboy status can once again be assured. The more unique opinions you have, the better.

StarStabbedMoon

To have a favorite console is ok, but to want said console to beat out the other one is just plain dumb in my opinion. You really think MS would have offered that extended 3yr. warranty if Sony had already lost the console war? You think Sony would have released the PS3 at the $600 price tag if MS was out of the picture? "Hell-to-the-no" should be your answer.

In a one-console world, you'd have already sent in your bad xbox 360 four times (at least), costing you 400 or more each time.

In a one-console world, Sony would have debuted the PS3 for $1000 and there would be no price cut planned.

Shit, if fanboys had it their way, we'd still be on cartridges from Nintendo. I'm sorry, but fuck that. I love all my consoles and anyone who says one is better over the other, is plain ignorant. They all have their strengths/weaknesses and all, are equally awesome. Nintendo needs to step it up though =)

Pistolaero

Nothing new, moving on.

Foxstar Sixtail

@Hamsfork: wtf are you talking about. a PC was the original console war.

and stop the BS with nvidia v ati. they are completely different!
Nvidia focuses on superior software, whereas ATI focuses on superior hardware. there is no comparison and it's completely opinion as to what people prefer between the two. they are BOTH top of their game!

shade-black

@shade-black: He is probably being sarcastic...

lucasreis

@Calhoun: I always thought it was a budget related thing too. I know some people who have consoles from different brands just because they can afford them and they just don't badmouth the others. One of these friends is a Sega nostalgic fan but he enjoys PS, Wii, 360, Nintendo 64 and everything. I admit I was a Sega fanboy back in the day just because I could afford to have one console but I played SNES on my friend's houses and I loved it...

lucasreis

I would also like to point out. I don't believe fanboyism is natural, I think it's ridiculous. Why? It's not like religion, it's not like a football team. They are just corporations who want our money. This is why I don't commit to anyone. As much as the corporation wants my money I want they to give me the best experience. Whoever does that, I'll be in line first. Blind loyalty, especially on the games market, to brands is something that I simply can't understand that much. Although I think it's very interesting since I studied marketing and I plan to research more about it. But the golden question is, if games are supposed to be fun why do people fight over brands and systems instead of just having the fun? I guess I'll never understand...

lucasreis

I'm not a fanboy. Each generation I'll go wherever I think the best deal is in. I'm very unloyal when it comes to brands and I kinda like them all, really, I'll play anything from Sony to Nintendo to MS to the old Neo Geos. I have even played Jaguar and 3DO's in the past (but I didn't own any of them).

I had Atari, Sega, Nintendo, MS and Sony consoles. I was a type of Sega fanboy back in the day but when I saw that the Saturn didn't offer me everything I wanted I chose the PS1. I got the PS2 later cause I thought it would be the best choice based on what I wanted (again) in terms of titles and everything.

Now I have a Wii and a 360 cause I had the opportunity to buy them outside my stupid country (they were cheap to me, I never had two of the current generations consoles at the same time) and I like what they have to offer, the PS3 is cool, if I was rich I would have one too. But to me it wasn't the first console of choice because I felt like the 360 filled this void better this generation, it's not like the PS1 and PS2 dominance back in the day where they were the best deal for me because of all the titles and stuff. So, if a new player comes out in the market and make a very good console, count me in! It's just not worthy to be a fanboy, my opinion...

lucasreis

I'm not a fanboy of these hardware generation. That makes me sad though.

K_K

What make Fanboy's Tick?

how about COMPETITION.

that's why we like seeing the months NPD numbers, and why we compare line wait times of various games for various systems. All about competition. If the gaming industry were to have only one system, then fanboys would shift back to support of developers.. but when there is two of anything video game releated fanboys are going to procliam that their made decision is the "Winning" side. Not just to defend their position but because they love to win... hell we all love to win. A fanboy is just someone who is enthralled with the competition status of his/her console.

Thomaticus

"unseen aspect of cognitive dissonance that we are all subject to but can rarely catch a glimpse of without exceptional circumstances.""

So it's something that everybody can do, but it's rarely seen. Got it.

Jonn

kataku

Xtreme_Hindu_Cow

@WDYC:

I 100 percent agree with you...one of the douchebags I know humps his 360 every night, and his main argument is "So whats it like to play games without achievements" that is his only argument for the 360. He's an elitist who works for gamestop part-time as well (which i never quite understood why the guys that work there think they are gaming gods)

Who cares about achievements, all i want to do IS PLAY GAMES ON THEM......PS3 or 360, i have them both, I don't care about achievements or blu-ray or whatever other crap they can do..i just want them to play games.

jrisner1

I'm an agnostic in religious shit, I'm an independent/libertarian politically, and I fall inbetween the gaps of fanboyism. I own all the major systems, play them all quite a bit, and enjoy seeing each flourish and grow.

I do lean towards Sony though. I've always admired their stuff... from my first cd player in the early/mid 90's (which was $133) to the PS3 and HDTV now. It's just hard to not like a company that makes solid stuff all the time. Even if it is expensive as hell.

themizarkshow

@DragonNinja: well, think about it, your image is of the ps3 exclusive, little big planet's sackboy/kratos. do you see anything as epic as that coming out for the 360 any time soon? the 360 is good for halo and gears but other than those, it doesnt really seem like much of a console with only 2 good games. ps3 is expanding it's horizons with killer apps that arent always M rated shooters.sometimes they are good, but, i want some variety y'know? not just the same old games over and over again. the graphyics, blu ray and whatnot are just extras in my eyes.

lllusionx

Go Linux!

*precedes to get beaten by everyone*

Pezdispenser