Ars argues against “give it time” attitude

Ars Technica wrote a great piece recently not about games, but gamers. Being a Better Gamer has nothing to do with upping your hand-eye skills. It’s about one of my favorite themes: not sitting around and letting the “give it time” attitude take hold when it comes to changing perceptions about the medium and the players. It’s a well-written and passionate piece about changing demographics, the importance of ratings and consumer advocay groups, and several great gaming-centric charity organization.

Writer Michael Thompson sets up the current crossroads early on:

“I think [this attitude is] due in part to the misperception that video games are primarily intended for kids,” said Patricia Vance of the ESRB. “When you juxtapose that mis-perception with the presence of mature content in a video game, it causes concern. The more games are thought of in the same way as movies and TV shows, the more acceptance they’ll gain, and that’s been happening more and more in recent years.”

These two ideas about games are at odds: one group sees them as toys with inappropriate content, and the other sees an emerging art form that is giving movies and music a run for their money, quite literally. Now that games have managed to infiltrate the popular culture at large, the politicians are becoming even more alarmed, and the expensive campaign to pass laws controlling the content of games and their sales may find new allies.

There are a LOT of great resources in this article. I whole-hearted agree with the bottom line that being proactive is best thing players can do to move the needle in the right direction. “Give it time” is a cop out.

Whether it’s getting politically involved, giving to those in need, or simply helping uninformed parents make the right decisions about what are good games for their kids, there’s a way for gamers to make a difference. Despite the fact that many people still perceive our hobby as little more than a youthful distraction that should be discarded and forgotten by the time we’re old enough to vote, that belief is slowly being eroded and replaced with one that’s much more positive. But the only way to continue this ongoing shift of perception is to keep doing what’s already being done: being responsible human beings who enjoy a fun hobby. With so much great work being done by so many passionate people, it’s only a matter of time before gamers are seen for the people they truly are.

Full article: Being A Better Gamer