Understanding the Video Game Console Fanboys

Pledging loyalty to a particular video game console while spreading your dislike of other brands may very well be a sign that youÂ’ve been bitten by the fanboy bug. If you suddenly flare up upon hearing less than positive ramblings about your most revered game console, and you start bashing other consoles in defense of your sacred gaming platform, then itÂ’s time to admit – to yourself and others – that you’ve really got it bad.

The ‘fanboy’ badge seems to be one worn by an extremely devoted individual who is ready to get into a fistfight to protect the reputation of his beloved console, without expecting much in return. Do you think Nintendo or Sony would really focus on just one part of the demographics? I don’t.

If we are to point out one glaring effect of the video game console wars, it’s the proliferation of fanboys, up to the point where it pushes hardcore gamers to the sidelines. As opposed to a fanboy, a hardcore gamer owns more than one console and the best part, he enjoys them all. He may have grown to like one more than the other, but he acknowledges that strengths and weaknesses of the other consoles.

But you see, fanboys were not born, they were molded. Ordinary gamers were molded into fanboys for reasons that seem to elude us at first. But looking beyond a fanboy’s abrasive behavior, there are valid reasons for the emotional attachment to the console of choice.

Pledging loyalty to a particular video game console while spreading your dislike of other brands may very well be a sign that youÂ’ve been bitten by the fanboy bug. If you suddenly flare up upon hearing less than positive ramblings about your most revered game console, and you start bashing other consoles in defense of your sacred gaming platform, then itÂ’s time to admit – to yourself and others – that you’ve really got it bad.

The ‘fanboy’ badge seems to be one worn by an extremely devoted individual who is ready to get into a fistfight to protect the reputation of his beloved console, without expecting much in return. Do you think Nintendo or Sony would really focus on just one part of the demographics? I don’t.

If we are to point out one glaring effect of the video game console wars, it’s the proliferation of fanboys, up to the point where it pushes hardcore gamers to the sidelines. As opposed to a fanboy, a hardcore gamer owns more than one console and the best part, he enjoys them all. He may have grown to like one more than the other, but he acknowledges that strengths and weaknesses of the other consoles.

But you see, fanboys were not born, they were molded. Ordinary gamers were molded into fanboys for reasons that seem to elude us at first. But looking beyond a fanboy’s abrasive behavior, there are valid reasons for the emotional attachment to the console of choice. 

Previously-owned consoles/Other Consoles
Attachment to current Nintendo consoles may be traced back from the time you first got hold of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). If the NES gave you the best gaming experience, no one and nothing can take that away from you. That being the case, you treat subsequent Nintendo consoles with the same level of reverence, and your willingness to overlook their shortcomings becomes understandable. Nintendo fanboys will embrace the Revolution even if it will not be as powerful as the Xbox 360 or the PS3. That’s taking brand loyalty to the extreme.

Inversely, if your experience with Nintendo is something that you’d like to forget, then it’s not unusual to develop a deep feeling of hatred towards the company. Revenge takes place by forming an alliance with Microsoft or Sony, but made no mistake of believing that it would put a significant dent to Nintendo’s sales figures.

Of course, there’s the simple reason that other consoles just don’t meet gamers’ expectations. If that’s the case, then a switch is deemed necessary.

Price
If funds are low and gaming urge is high, the usual route is to go for what’s currently the cheapest console in the market. Sounds logical enough. Let’s face it, a $400 Xbox 360 is less appealing in the presence of a $130 PS2. Using the same logic, the $400 Xbox 360 would be “cheap” if you are offered a $500 PS3. Of course, this may not be the strongest reason why a fanboy became a fanboy, but it’s a good start-off point. After all, you can only play with what you can afford.

Games
Halo, being exclusive to the Xbox, plays a significant role in molding ordinary Xbox fans into full-fledged Xbox fanboys. Starting a love affair with a game involves the console as well. If you’re happy with the relationship, why fool around?

If you are the type of gamer who wants games to be visually appealing, then it’s just right to invest on a console that gives you what you want.  It boils down to what games you want to play, really. In this case, a game determines which console you’re ready to die for.
 
Fear of Failure
There’s nothing worse than ending up with a console that has been considered a failure. If a console doesn’t sell, no developers will create games for it. You don’t want to be stuck with an overpriced console with no games to play. So, there’s the tendency for fanboys to stick with the console that has the lowest chance of failing. It may not be the number 1 console now, but it’s not the cellar-dweller either. Think of it as a fanboy’s version of the stock market.

There are more reasons that drive gamers to embrace the concept of fanboyism, and one or a combination of the abovementioned reasons may help us start to understand the annoying and sometimes disruptive behavior of fanboys. So, the next time you lock heads with a fanboy, remember that he was once like you.