Comments on: Why do people become fanboys?

By: al

al — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 21:00:30 +0000

I’m thinking that we’re going to get more and more posts like this in the up and coming months towards LBP, Home and Killzone 2.

Will we ever see ‘THE PROBLEM WITH MICROSOFT’ post, i really do not think so, not here at least.

Are you a fan of Apple products at all Bruce?

By: Hunnter

Hunnter — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:41:47 +0000

Just browsing through here, yet again you demonstrate some strange hatred towards Sony by referring to Sony so many times. Sony.
Oh, and did i mention Sony? Okay Sony.

Sony fanboys are the worst? Are you serious?!
Guessing you have never heard of the word “nintendie”?
Nintendo fanboys have always been known to be the worst, they are almost as bad as the rabid 13-16 year old Christians who go absolutely CRAZY over someone insulting their religion, to the point where they want to kill the “unbelievers”, Ori anyone? (Stargate).

I wonder if you even have half a clue what happens in gaming communities.

You are certainly not balanced by friend.

By: Callum Godfrey

Callum Godfrey — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 15:34:47 +0000

All consoles are rubbish anyway. PC FTW!

By: Scott

Scott — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:00:09 +0000

Here’s the “why do people become fanboys” from a different perspective- someone who has been a Spectrum, Amiga, N64, PC, DS and Wii fanboy, and might become a PS3 one in the near future (since I bought one recently.)

When I was at school, I wanted my friends to have the same games machine as me, so that we could swap games. So I evangelised about the Spectrum over the C64/Amstrad to “prove” it’s superiority. If I won the argument, then I won a wider library of games that I could borrow/copy/play, and people I could play against. I personally benefitted from this behaviour.

Now I’m 30, most of my friends don’t spend much time and/or money on games, so the “extended library” doesn’t work anymore. (Now my “extended library” consists of all the games that Lovefilm stock.)

But the principle is the same. As you know, games platforms have always been in competition with one another. Some games are exclusive to one platform, while some appear across different platforms- with differing quality on different platforms. (Especially when next-gen platforms arrive.) So the more people have the same platform as me, the more chance that platform has of having games developed for it, and for the games that are developed for it being the “flagship” version. (Particularly pertinent as the PS3/Xbox console war rages.)

In other words, I see a potential personal gain from fanboyism. Or at least, I would do if it wasn’t for the fact that I work in the marketing industry, and I know what I do about how word of mouth works, and how online evangelisers do more to put people off what they are evangelising about than they do to promote what they are trying to promote.

Still, who said that we’re rational creatures anyway? Nintendo rule!

By: Mustafa Unal

Mustafa Unal — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 04:57:23 +0000

There will always be fanboys, as many people just want an excuse to argue with anonymous strangers over the internet. I don’t see why you’ve only mentioned Sony fanboys though, that’s just asking for people to assume you have something against them in particular.

By: ano

ano — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:37:27 +0000

If the number comments on this article is telling, it seems the majority here is pro Sony. Sony fanboys anyone? I don’t hear anyone here screaming, Xbox 360 for the win!

Bruce’s article is just saying characteristics of Playstation Fanboys. Who knows, he might come up with another counter article against the 360. I own all 3 consoles and not particular to one or the others.

By: dcbronco

dcbronco — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 15:45:16 +0000

While I agree with some of the things you are saying, it goes well beyond the PS3. It applies to seemingly everything these days. People don’t seem to think anymore. They develop a stance and stick to it no matter what the facts are or what changes. Unfortunately I believe people are being raised this way. Whether it’s religion, school, city, team or just family. Or sometimes within a family. Kids your DAD is an ass. Your party is full of sheep. They hate us cause we’re free. Nobody really tries to understand anything, they just know something was applied to a certain group or company or area a long time ago and now they plan to keep the idea going. And now add the level of marketing going on and we’re in trouble. Think about the number of lies you’ve been told by companies. That is exactly what Killzone 2 looks like. The 360 fails slightly more than most electronics. Or politicians. He voted against my healthcare for needy children bill, I won’t mention that the bill also had an amendment that gives 1 billion in tax credits to my cousins company and that’s actually why he didn’t vote for it. If people would just be more honest, fanboys would be a thing of the past.

By: The Anti-Fanboy

The Anti-Fanboy — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 15:44:25 +0000

Wow, this article is a work of hypocrisy. Why just mention PS3 and Apple fanboys? I mean the entire article is just a anti-Sony rant and doesn’t even really have anything to about the fanboys themselves. Bruce you obviously are a Microsoft fanboy, trying to sound fair and balanced. Both companies are full of BS, and taking their side is rediculous. I think Sony fanboys have been fighting back the anti-Sony atomosphere they has been generated by the likes of you; that maybe the reason why Sony fanboys come off a little more harsh, they are having to defend their choices against a steady stream of lies and pro-Microsoft propaganda.

I digress, fanboys suck. Sony and Microsoft are imperfect souless money hungry machines, that I couldnt give a rats ass about, but you sir are the worst of the worst… the fanboy that calls out others for being fanboys because they don’t agree with you.

By: Rodders

Rodders — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 14:56:44 +0000

I think the number of responses to this article is quite telling. I’m also surprised at the suggestion that the Sony focus of the article is the result of anti-Sony sentiment or having been ‘wronged’ by Sony in the past. It seems quite reactionary logic. I think it’s possible to have an opinion on something without necessary having been personally scarred by it.

Of course, I could be wrong and Bruce could be some rabid anti-Sony fanboy. I’d like to think that the singular focus of the article is very deliberate and that we’re all responding in precisely the way he predicted.

I’m not a fanboy though. I hate all consoles equally!

Yours,

Anne Diamond

By: Thom Dinsdale

Thom Dinsdale — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 13:56:36 +0000

If this article has something to do with the rough response your story got on N4G yesterday then I think you should rise above it. While N4G is a great way to network videogame news it is very sensational and people will snap up flamebait whether it was intentional or not.

I think Fanboyism is a result of 2 things. Firstly, like you said, disposable income is limited, and consoles are big investments. Therefor alot of people will only have one. From that point, like you said, an emotional relationship can easily develop between that individual and their choice of brand, whether it be Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo.

When someone then attacks that choice they then attack that relation and thus the person behind it. If people read somethign they think hurts Sony, they will feel hurt too. Which is a pretty predictable symptom of the strong branding used by the different consoles in what is a very competative market.

If people miss the point of your stories in future then please dont take it to heart. Because this kind of thing will just be fuel on the fire.