This is so retarded. MSNBC wrote up about a panel at the Penny Arcade gaming convention in Seattle, titled “How to Get Your Girlfriend Into Gaming.” I think the original name for the panel was “A Giant Waste of Time” or “We Made This Panel Up Because We Needed to Fill This Time Slot” because seriously, people need to stop approaching the video game world in this boy vs. girl attitude. Sure, certain games appeal to certain genders and of course there’s an overwhelming percentage of boy gamers compared to the opposite sex (and a bias, as well) but I feel like it just perpetuates the idea that whatever boys like to do, girls don’t and won’t.
Seeing as how the only blatantly sexist attitude exists when you allow online gamers to diss each other over their lame headsets, I don’t think pushing girls into playing games is a serious issue. Of course, how female characters are portrayed is a whole separate issue (skimpy costumes, etc), but I highly doubt that keeps girlfriends from playing.
Anyway, it’s especially annoying when other females give the worst advice for boys:
Your wife may not want to score headshots in “Gears of War,” but she might dig playing “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.” Licensed properties such as “Harry Potter” or “Spider-Man” may earn an eye-roll from the hard-core gaming crowd, but “name recognition can hook people,” said panelist Jane Pinckard, editor of GameGirlAdvance.
WHAT THE FUCK. What are these women going on and on about? Are you kidding me? Like a lame Spider-Man game is really going to motivate a chick to pick up a controller (and no, it doesn’t have to be a pink one.) Why not show your girlfriend how mentally stimulating games can be, and how much stress relief you get from chainsawing a giant alien in half while the blood splatters on your screen? Why not put a competitive edge to gaming, where being better at Halo also proves your point that sitting on your ass all day playing the Xbox is really stupid?
And boys, is your relationship really worth sitting through the entire Harry Potter game while your girl tries to figure out how to use the Patronus spell? No.
Geezus. If I had a girlfriend who would only listen to me every time I name-dropped Harry Potter, I’d dump her in an instant. Unless we were talking about the books, or the movies. Then I’m all for it.
They do provide one good point:
Here’s another idea: Play co-op. Many games have a cooperative mode, where you and a buddy can tackle missions as a duo… “Chicks like flattery. If she feels like she’s helping, then you’re making it a positive experience.”
I agree. I like co-op because you’re not playing alone (especially when things get scary), and you always have a back-up when you suck (which is all the time). Here’s where the difference is though: Chicks do like flattery but instead of waiting for your stupid boyfriend to say something like “Hey, good job, sweetie, awww I love you so much,” you should go ahead and say “I DID THAT!” after every kill. That way you make a point to your significant other that you don’t suck at the game, and that they need to get their act together. It’s true. I do this all the time. I DID THAT.
So really. Boyfriends who want their girls to start playing? Go ahead and force them to play your favorite game. If they don’t like it, then tell them to grow some balls.
Thank you. I’m out. Back to work.
Recent Comments