It doesn't feel that way - it is that way. Gaming as a medium has not grown up the same way film and literature has. It's too young. But this fact, combined with the fact that the internet gives everyone a voice (even if they don't deserve to speak, lol) has created a massive shitstorm about things that don't matter, from people that don't matter. There's room for discussion about games as an artform, but it's been shoved down by man-babies that get defensive whenever the artform is so much as criticized. They want to be taken seriously, with none of the steps of being taken seriously. I get where Francopoli's coming from, especially because he's a part of the old guard. He was there when games were actually vilified. But I think there isn't much need for that "guard" anymore. EVERYONE plays videogames now, my sister, my parents, my cousins, black people, white people, hispanic people, old people, young people. Straight up, everyone. The only criticism about gaming isn't actually the playing of games, it's "gaming culture" - the one that exists on twitter and tries to ruin the fun for everyone. That said francopoli, I think with time, things are going to settle down. The people that make gaming terrible will either give up or join in on the inclusivness. And then I can finally tell people I like videogames again, haha.This entire conversation feels like a group of angry children grabbing onto a subject that's large enough to hold all of their undirected angst but inconsequential enough to draw the ire of people actually trying to change the world.
What are the steps to being taken seriously?There's room for discussion about games as an artform, but it's been shoved down by man-babies that get defensive whenever the artform is so much as criticized. They want to be taken seriously, with none of the steps of being taken seriously.
Don't make bomb threats against women who criticize the overt sexuality in games. Don't harass women in the games industry. Don't have a hissy fit when someone says they don't understand lets plays by flooding twitter with angry comments. Don't criticize games for "filling a quota" when characters of color/different sexualities are introduced to said games. Don't claim that criticism is "stifling the free speech" of developers. Embrace criticism. Realize that criticizing an aspect of a game doesn't mean it's under attack, or even that you can't still like the game (see: Quiet's design is shitty but I still love what I've played of MGSV).' That'd be a good start, imo.
I...can't tell if you're being sarcastic. So, yes, to a degree. Do you see that shit happen in film or with books? The key difference between the two mediums and video games, actually, is that rich people got to them first. As much as I have a general distaste for rich peolle, when you have an aristocracy that sets the rules, and then the medium goes down to the mid to lower class, yeah, bomb threats are generally filtered out. Every other medium has a balance between common denominator crap and art crap. Video games don't. In fact, we're seeing LESS art crap, because of a large subsection of immature angry people that don't want it, and an industry that doesn't get paid for making those types of art games.
Gaming has been mainstream for at least a decade now, if not more. All this butthurt from offended gamers is just so unnecessary. The gamers had already "won." No need to be so butthurt when someone vaguely criticizes their hobby.I get where Francopoli's coming from, especially because he's a part of the old guard. He was there when games were actually vilified. But I think there isn't much need for that "guard" anymore. EVERYONE plays videogames now, my sister, my parents, my cousins, black people, white people, hispanic people, old people, young people. Straight up, everyone. The only criticism about gaming isn't actually the playing of games, it's "gaming culture" - the one that exists on twitter and tries to ruin the fun for everyone.
I haven't seen too many of them, but this is the reason I like Extra Credits. I'm sure they have weighed in on the discussion, it's too big a topic that gets too much attention for any sane self promoter to ignore, but they tend to focus more on the industry and mechanics of games and what changes to each mean in the long run. Instead of talking about how the conversation should be elevated, they elevate the conversation.