‘Video Games’

By Raoul Suarez

“Mga games games nga ina kag mga computer computer daw wala gid na ‘ya sang pulos. Ano gid na da ‘ya makuha mo abi?”

It has been a line I have heard from my parents when I was growing up. I hear it from time to time even after I’ve become an adult. People who do not play games do not understand what it means to do those who do. It’s an outlet and an avenue for players to do things outside of the usual routine.  Different people play video games for different reasons. The concept of fun is different for every gamer. Games serve different purposes for different people. There are also different types of gamers that comprise the video gaming scene.

For most people, games serve as an escape from reality. It’s a form of stress relief. A place to be with friends without having to be physically present. It’s a tool to communicate and socialize even if one is in the comforts of his or her own home. People who play games casually are the most common type of gamers. The casual mindset is always a part of the gaming scene. Casual gamers are those who will hop from one game to another and just enjoy the moment. They are not big on achievements or technicalities. They do not care about statistics or the status quo. Most of them are the F2P (free-to-play) types too. They will not spend money on the game because it is just a game after all, and that is quite reasonable. They are the types of players who will just mash buttons and be amazed at the moves. They comprise a big portion of the pie. It’s the old lady who plays Solitaire during her free time. It’s the student who logs into his account once in a while just so he can play a few games with his friends. It’s the office girl who likes to play dress-up, kitchen and restaurant dashes, and the interior design types. It’s the security guard who plays a 5-man team game and likes to go solo because he doesn’t have time to be with a team.  They are a very friendly bunch to play with and they like making friends in the game. The friends they make in the game usually become long-time friends in real life. The games happen to be one of the ways that they can expand their social networks.

For others, it is a platform to earn achievements, to showcase skills, to soar to higher levels and make a name for themselves. There are people who are very competitive and would take the game seriously. Every minute detail is being attended to and there is a specific amount of time spent allotted for practice or for grinding. The objective is to win. There is no fun in not winning. They are very technical most of the time because they do not believe in luck.

Competitive players try to ensure that they are always up to speed with the updates. They have to know the latest patch notes. They would know if something in the game was buffed or nerfed. They are ones who would use exploits to gain a tactical advantage. They would spend countless hours playing the game and would always read up on the internet for better strategies or existent ones that are useful so they can either apply it or create a counter if the strategy is used against them. They like going to tournaments to pit their skills against other players and they covet prizes. You can’t lump the casual players with the competitive ones. Not most of the time. Their goals and purpose for playing the game are different. They walk different paths but converge once in a while.

There are also moneymakers. These are people who believe that games can be monetized. These gamers are people who understand that games will always have their own economy. These people understand how to milk the game and earn a living from it. There are different categories for each of them.

In this time and age, the streamer is the most notable of all those gamers who monetize the game. This sort of gamer would create game content and they would thrive on the viewership from social media networks. They have fans who support them by sending them cash in the form of stars, tickets, or a subscription. They would broadcast their games or pre-record them and bask in the views that is being given to them by their loyal fans. They are celebrities in their own little way and they rake in tons of cash through different mediums provided by social media networks.

There are also merchants. They don’t usually play the game much but they are apt when it comes to learning about the economy of the game and they find ways to earn money by selling items and other necessities to players who are willing to spend. They understand that game credits will always be the norm in any sort of platform. They find ways to source it. Some people are willing to pay to win and maintain a status quo; and that is where game credits merchants thrive and are able to earn extras for their needs. There is always that one guy or gal who sells credits and merchandise. There are actually a lot of them in every game and they have their own “suki.” The rise of social media platforms has also enabled them to create pages so their buyers can easily contact them to buy game credits. They usually sell discounted items compared to the in-game stores in most of the gaming apps. Some of them specialize in one game only. Some others have different offerings for different games. They are the evolution of the guy who used to sell the game CDs and the DVDs. Online purchases are now available and these people have found ways to use that sort of platform in order to earn a living. There will people who will spend on a game because they have the money and they can gain an advantage if they do; the merchants usually take care of that for them.

For some others, watching the games are fun. There are people who enjoy being onlookers. Fanboys. Fangirls. They don’t play much but they understand how the game works in theory by watching the games, being updated with guides, or just plain reading up. It’s that friend of yours who doesn’t know how to play basketball in real life but perfectly understands how it’s played. It’s that friend of yours who knows the technical plays but cannot execute them. They bask in the knowledge and they have great skills when it comes to commentating. They support the competitive players and they talk about the games a lot but they would seldom spend time playing it. They would buy merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, toys, etc.) just to be part of the IN crowd. They can number crunch better than others and can analyze lines of play better than the casual player can and the analysis is closer to what a competitive player can do. They’re a pretty wild bunch and the game always needs fanboys and fangirls for it to thrive.

For others, it’s an avenue to troll people. It’s an avenue to become toxic. It’s an avenue to vent out frustrations by taking it out on people and preying on those who are weaker than them. There will always be gamers like those. They are usually called cancer players. People who just suck at it, and would just whine and complain all the time instead of finding ways to improve. They are people who are stressful to play with. They hop from one game to another hoping they can do better in the next game because they suck at the game they are currently playing. Jacks of all trades, masters of none. They want all that recognition without working for it. They are the types who will blame their teammates for their own incompetence. They want whatever is purchasable in-game without wanting to spend and would beg other players like they are entitled to it. They believe in luck more than they believe in skills and honing them to their maximum potential. They are hard to teach and they don’t really learn much. They will never change. They are pretty much losers in real life and their gaming selves are an extension of it. They like to talk trash most of the time rather than let their game speak. They are a nightmare to play with. They are also a nightmare to play against. They will never be better but they will always be a part of each and every game.

Whatever it is that floats someone’s boat, leave it as is. If you don’t play games, you don’t have to tell others that it is useless. There are other things to do during your free time and there are better things that can be said if you can’t shut your mouth. Video games will always be here to stay. It might not mean anything to you, but it means a lot to others. Deal with it.