The first is to reject the new blood. But let's be honest, folks. The gaming community could stand a refreshing dip in the gene pool. We've got some pretty gnarly stereotypes to live down, ranging from the mostly harmless otaku/fanboy, to the disturbing basement-dwelling 40-year-old virgin who plays EverQuest into the night, to the cop-killing sociopath who uses computer games to hone his kitten-flaying skills. But we're not that, and this is our time to show the world what we are.
Our second - and really our only - option is to embrace the influx of newbies. Make your message boards homey, make them want to stay. Be nice to them on Xbox Live. Own them, but do it gracefully. The more people we invite into what we do, the better our chances of shedding predetermined stereotypes. And who knows, the flood of converts might bring the ratio of male to female gamers closer to 1:1, which will give us all the chance to create newbies of our own.
Abandoning the "gamer" nomenclature is all it takes to enter gaming nirvana. Thrice deny your history, and you're in. Spike your hair like Cloud and wear your pants like CJ. Then, you'll be one of the movers and shakers within pop culture's hive mind, dictating cool on any number of must-have gadgets that followed you from the esoteric realm of gamer to a mainstream dominated by people like you. People who knew what cool was long before it was cool. The question is, is that what you want?
Can you give up the culture? Or, more appropriately, can you give it over? Sure, it's a great concept. Being at the forefront of an entire nation's entertainment pulse is an experience most American gamers haven't experienced, unless they've spent time in Japan. But can you stomach Cloud and Tifa sharing wall space with the Backstreet Boys?
What happens the first time you see a 13-year-old girl proclaim the new Zelda to be "ohmigod, the best ever!" when everyone knows Ocarina of Time is the pinnacle of the series, and forever will be? Or, God forbid, she'll find Vin Deisel's Agent 47 to be truly representative of the character, and "like, totally hot!" Heed my warning and prepare yourselves, you futureheads, because the vapidity of the teenybopper will soon be upon us. But look on the bright side: When that girl is 18, she'll probably want to sleep with you, because you-plus-five-years will be even cooler.
However, she's still part of the problem. She'll probably say Final Fantasy XX is better than Final Fantasy VII. She's representative of the Middle, those who subscribe to pop culture, but don't truly know it. Pop culture tends to be fickle, and people like our 13-year-old are the reason why. How many things are "the best ever" for six months, until the next iteration of the "best ever" comes along and blows the original out of the water?
Coffee House LAN Parties
But there is a light at the end of the pop culture tunnel. Since the status-quo's inception, countercultures have thrived, mashing a thumb into the mainstream's eye. That's where those of us unable to cope with "best evers!" can go to hide. We'll get to play our indie games, but they'll be even better. But how, in this time when the mainstream is threatening to strip us of the culture we've spawned, can independently developed games really thrive? As much as everyone likes to snipe the mainstream for its homogenous, money-chasing agenda, it can help people on the fringe.
