Gaming is a hobby, a passion, a lifestyle. Since the days of Pong, the video game industry has evolved into a multi-billion dollar global industry that encompasses everyone from casual players to eSports professionals. But the one thing that unites gamers regardless of their skill level or personal background is this: we play games because they’re fun.
Traditionally, being a gamer came with certain cultural connotations. The geeky, basement-dwelling stereotype was frequently portrayed as uncool on many a television series, but fast forward to 2017, and societal perceptions are shifting; the Dungeons & Dragons and arcade obsessed gang from Stranger Things aren’t background characters, they’re the main attraction. It’s a refreshing role reversal that shows us cool comes in many different forms.
So should you feel ashamed about having racked up 5,000 hours on Team Fortress 2? Hell no. At the most basic level, it’s an expression of passion. And sometimes it’s not always the amount of time you’ve played, but how many games you own that’s impressive.
We’ve all got that one friend who keeps a generous collection of physical games, whether it’s PC, console or handheld. Some go one step further, like Joel Hopkins, who has made it into the Guinness World Records with a staggering collection of 17,446 video games. Can you imagine having a house that looks like a video game museum?
Some of us might play games exclusively on mobile, and while there seems to be a prevailing attitude that ‘mobile gamers aren’t real gamers’, there are a ton of great mobile titles, including ports of massively successful games like Limbo, or more recently, The Talos Principle. No, it isn’t the same as playing on console or PC, but mobile gamers are still our gaming brethren and sistren.
So be proud of your collection, celebrate your achievements, and game on.
