Are you embarrassed to play videogames in public?

[jackleapp81 456]

The other day, I found out that my friend Avery had been hiding the fact that she has owned a Nintendo 3DS for 6 months now.

 

When I asked her why she would hide that information from anybody, she said:

 

"Because I'm 20 years old and I'm playing with a f***ing children's toy. I don't want people to think that I'm a pedo or something."

 

"Why would they think you're a pedo for that?" I said. "If anything, you're the one perpetuating the belief that owning a handheld gaming console makes you some sort of social outcast. People play games on their iPhones all the time, and you don't see anybody calling them a pedo."

 

"It's not the same thing." she replied.

 

I didn't push it anymore after that, but I was seriously bothered by her views. Judging by her aversion to letting people know that she owned a 3DS, I'm guessing that she's probably also around a bunch of people who are extremely judgmental and close-minded. In my opinion, there's nothing wrong with owning a 3DS or any type of console or product that's marketed mainly towards kids. (I mean, duh, I like My Little Pony xD)

 

That said, I'm not completely comfortable with carrying my 3DS or PS Vita around school either. I can't get rid of that nagging feeling that a lot of people around me would make snap judgments about my personality from it. I could re-assure myself with the old saying, "Those who matter don't mind, and those who mind don't matter", but it's hard not to care what other people might think of you sometimes.

 

What about you? Are you comfortable with carrying your game consoles around with you? Have you ever been made fun of for it? Let me know in the comments.

Edited December 2, 2013 by jackleapp81

[repsol rave 2,963]

i always used to carry my PSP around school. and well, i never got judged for it. (well, maybe by some teachers for disliking it that i brought it to school) 

those things are not childrens toys. ther are legit gaming handheld consoles. making them entertainment systems, not toys.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

No way! I'm nearly 20 and I still play games. I play Pokemon X at my college and people don't care. As a matter of fact, there are quite a few people who bring their 3DSs to college and play/battle. 

[Moonlight 7,288]

I commonly play video games in public. I'm not a fan of social interaction so I need something fun to enjoy. If people want to judge over someone playing a video game in public, let them, I could care less what close-minded, idiotic, mindless nonsense they would have to say anyway. 

[Blacklight 118]

No I've even had people watch me before and I've never gotten a negative comment about it.

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,732]

Wait a minute, this is a thing now? Judging people for playing a 3DS? This is news to me. Honestly, I don't get why your friend is thinking that way. It literally makes no sense.

 

As for me, no, I am not embarrassed. Even if there was this weird taboo thing going on with games, I wouldn't care.

[Malinter 3,064]

The hell? 

 

thinking just owning just a handheld will get them labelled that? A bit much.

 

Then again, your friend fears being stigmatised. I let people saying stuff like that in comments really kill my enjoyment of anime. It really got to me till I realised it was bullshit but even now, I no longer watch as much of it as I used to.

 

In fact, I even vowed never to let such comments ruin my enjoyment of MLP as it did my love of anime.

 

Edit: I also hate how media as made it so people can throw that word around without understanding the shear vileness associated with it,

Edited December 2, 2013 by Malinter

[Smarts 1,623]

Not in the slightest. I play videogames to alleviate myself of boredom and to have fun. If other people have a problem with that, then I don't care. Their opinions are null and void in my mind. They honestly never had fun in their lives.

[galaxysquid 2,122]

Well, sometimes at school we have video game competitions or video game days. I sometimes get nervous but once I get started, I am perfectly fine. I have terrible stage fright which prevents me from singing or playing an instrument in front of people. ;_; It sucks.

 

I mean, I beat everyones score at Dj-Hero last week... XD Now on to the Guitar Hero competition in 2 weeks.

[Wayzer 1,418]

Well here they do judge people too for owning a 3DS. I think it's kinda lame and I tell them too. I mean, you have a phone with all the shitty phone games or a 3DS with some of the most amazing games I've played. I would definitely play a 3DS instead of a phone.

Well, sometimes at school we have video game competitions or video game days. I sometimes get nervous but once I get started, I am perfectly fine. I have terrible stage fright which prevents me from singing or playing an instrument in front of people. ;_; It sucks.

 

I mean, I beat everyones score at Dj-Hero last week... XD Now on to the Guitar Hero competition in 2 weeks.

Guitar hero is so awesome, I've got a friend who's completely addicted to it. What's your hardest song you've ever played on GH?

[galaxysquid 2,122]

Well here they do judge people too for owning a 3DS. I think it's kinda lame and I tell them too. I mean, you have a phone with all the shitty phone games or a 3DS with some of the most amazing games I've played. I would definitely play a 3DS instead of a phone.

Guitar hero is so awesome, I've got a friend who's completely addicted to it. What's your hardest song you've ever played on GH?

 

I'm not sure... I don't really keep track of the songs honestly. I just play it for fun. XD 

[FoxyCryptid 4,330]

Dude, I still carry a GBC around from time to time and play Pokemon Blue and I haven't gotten any weird looks. Let's not even forget the fact that the Nintendo handhelds seem to be MORE popular with hardcore gamers and older audiences in general than the PSP(look how many college kids play Pokemon and talk about it online)

 

I think you're friend is just paranoid. 

[Wayzer 1,418]

I'm not sure... I don't really keep track of the songs honestly. I just play it for fun. XD 

Yeah what he does just doesn't sound like fun anymore . But it's a pretty nice game though!

[long gone 8,929]

No, of course not. People shouldn't be ashamed of their hobbies. It's your life, not theirs.

[jackleapp81 456]

Dude, I still carry a GBC around from time to time and play Pokemon Blue and I haven't gotten any weird looks. Let's not even forget the fact that the Nintendo handhelds seem to be MORE popular with hardcore gamers and older audiences in general than the PSP(look how many college kids play Pokemon and talk about it online)

 

I think you're friend is just paranoid. 

I've actually been kind of surprised when reading through these comments that most people don't seem to deal with the whole "If you play videogames, you're a loser" stigma that I've faced throughout grade school, middle school, high school, and even college. I personally don't think that way of course, but a lot of people around here certainly do. Maybe it's just because I live in a relatively small area in midwestern Kansas.

Edited December 2, 2013 by jackleapp81

[Mutemutt 773]

Honestly, I do get a bit embarrassed playing videogames in public. It's just an uncomfortable feeling, constantly wondering whether someone's watching you and what they're thinking about you. I know it doesn't really matter but it really bugs me. It might have to do with my family constantly poking fun at me for playing videogames; it makes me want to avoid the situation entirely. 

 

It's not just games I feel this way about either.

Edited December 2, 2013 by Mutemutt

[jackleapp81 456]

Honestly, I do get a bit embarrassed playing videogames in public. It's just an uncomfortable feeling, constantly wondering whether someone's watching you and what they're thinking about you. I know it doesn't really matter but it really bugs me. It might have to do with my family constantly poking fun at me for playing videogames; it makes me want to avoid the situation entirely. 

 

It's not just games I feel this way about either.

I can totally relate. My family has never been supportive of gaming at all, and my parents even make fun of me for getting Pokemon or Mario games, games that I should've "outgrown" long ago, as they would put it. It's difficult to be completely secure in what you like when everyone around you isn't. 

[Enemy Stand 446]

I know this seems ridiculous to some but...

Very much so. I almost never play my 3DS in public, not because people will think I'm a pedo or anything, but because people are jerks and would tease me for being a "nerd" (which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it is to people at my school). Hell, I don't even like playing a lot of video games at home. My brother sometimes teases me if he catches me playing any sort of Nintendo game.

Edited December 2, 2013 by Shalashaska

[Mars Caramel 319]

I wouldn't say in public, but I do get embarrassed around my parents. My dad has quite a strong bias against Nintendo, which I am a fan of. As for my mother, she once tried to get me into the Xbox 360, which did not end well for either of us. I really don't fancy giving her the idea of trying again.

Edited December 2, 2013 by Mars Brownie

[jackleapp81 456]

As for my mother, she once tried to get me into the Xbox 360, which did not end well for either of us. I really don't fancy giving her the idea of trying again.

If my mom was trying to introduce me to a new gaming console, I would look around for the hidden cameras. I'm about to be Punk'd, right? xD

 

It's cool that your mom is kind of into it. My parents probably will never be. They watch too much Fox News, so they think that videogames are the sole cause of school shootings and stuff like that.

Edited December 2, 2013 by jackleapp81

[ShadowFoxz 342]

Not at the slightest bit because i don't care what people think of me when i play my 3DS because they don't know the entertainment they are missing out on.

[Iron Shield 88]

Haven't played in public since public school because I haven't had anything hand held since then, I just play console at home. But I can imagine not being embarrassed.

[verycreativeusername 1,800]

I don't have any portable device to play games (yet), and even if I did, I wouldn't be embarrassed to anyway. If someone wants to pick on me for that, I don't give a damn. Let them be a closed-minded, intolerant, idiotic, hypocrite. They don't know what they're missing out on.

[idonotreallycare 94]

Nope. I've played games in public for a long time, and I've never been judged for it. I'm still pretty young though, so that might make a difference.

[Princess Periwinkle 3,775]

Sometimes when I'm playing Minecraft and my roommate walks in the room I switch away from it.

 

Not really sure why. Might be to create the false impression that I actually do work sometimes.