The Bottom Line

Issue date: 2/7/07 Section: The AT Wire

In the second episode of Pure Pwnage, an Internet show that parodies the life of a gamer, the main character, Jeremy, went to local bars and hang-outs and interacted with the girls there.  He asked them questions like, “Would you ever date a gamer?” and “Would you rather date a rich guy or a guy with ‘uber micro’?”  Of course, the episode was hilarious since most of the girls’ responses amounted to nothing more than blank stares.  Despite its ridiculousness, the episode brings up a fairly complicated question:  What do a majority of girls think about guys who play video games?

Now, I’m speaking mostly to the female audience here, but you guys still have something to benefit from this, even if it’s just the satisfaction of knowing someone else out there understands. 

Have you ever watched your boyfriend play video games?  Today, even the most hardcore of athletes find time to play games like Madden 07’ and Halo 2.  So, unfortunately for you ladies, even the guys you thought you wouldn’t have to worry about are no longer 100% game-free.  So you’re watching your boyfriend play video games; what do you do?  Do you sit in the corner on the opposite side of the room and roll your eyes until your contact lenses dry up and fall out?  Should you complain and make annoying comments in the hopes that he will get agitated and stop playing?  Perhaps you’ve even considered walking up to the console and unplugging it?  Don’t feel bad if you’ve ever thought or done any of these things because they are all perfectly normal reactions.  However, there are other, less painful ways to accomplish your ultimate goal to have fun.

There is no doubt in my mind that a girl who is forced to watch someone play video games is the most bored she has ever been in her entire life.  Trust me; I can’t stand it when I’m with my high school buddies because all they want to play is NCAA Football.  I tried playing too, but they made me watch after I tried running the Hail Mary play from my own end-zone every down.  But this brings me to my first suggestion:  Try playing the game with him!  You’re tired, you’re bored and you want to do something.  You’re ultimate goal is to be entertained, right?  Well, don’t let all the spite ruin your time.  Make an honest attempt to sit down and play the game with your boyfriend.  You might end up being surprised at how much you like a certain game and, who knows, maybe he’ll end up being the one in the corner.

Just because your boyfriend likes to play video games doesn’t mean you have to be hardcore about video games.  It doesn’t even mean you have to like them at all!  If there is one thing a gamer hates more than poor translations in his Korean MMOs, it’s a girl who pretends to love the fact that he plays video games.  If you’re a gamer you can just tell who is a casual gamer, who is a hardcore gamer, and who isn’t a gamer at all.  No amount of fake behavior or enthusiasm is going to deceive us, so don’t try. 

My girlfriend is about as much of a hardcore gamer as my old Mac Classic is a high-end gaming machine.  Nevertheless, there were a bunch of times over the winter break where she played the Nintendo Wii. She enjoyed crushing me in the baseball part of Wii Sports, too.  This is where we can start placing the blame on ourselves.  It’s a lot easier for the girl to get involved if she is genuinely asked to play.  On the other hand, some guys don’t bother asking because they assume she will say no.  But don’t be so quick to jump to conclusions because you never know when she might surprise you with a “Yes, I’d love to slay those demons with you.”

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