The battle to determine what’s the best game/franchise/console has always been intense. This battle includes the famous console wars between the big-three video game companies Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony. There has always been a healthy competition between the big three and other gaming companies that get their products to the public. Occasionally, some gamers will take the competition a bit too far and publicly shame other players for their interests in different games.

The most recent example of game shaming comes from Esports player and famous Fortnite gamer Nick “Nickmercs” Kolcheff. Nickmercs not only publicly shamed Call of Duty: Warzone, but he went even further to shame those playing it by saying, “Warzone is in F****** shambles. Fortnite is on fire; Apex is immaculate. If you’re playing Warzone right now, you need to get a f****** grip.”

So @NICKMERCS had some SERIOUS words for Warzone…

W or L take? 👀 pic.twitter.com/hWWi0r0fau

— Full Squad Gaming (@fullsquadgaming) May 18, 2022

Warzone has seen its gamer count rise due to the new game mode, Monarch which was recently added. This mode is set within the regular battle royale mode with Godzilla and King Kong added as titans, which can kill players or give players a chance to gain more EXP. The game has been buggy and often has players being kicked, but it was a thrilling new mode for players still playing COD.

Nickmerc’s public shaming of the game and the players themselves is another example of how gamers take their opinions too far when dealing with something that doesn’t fit their personality. Casual gamers are looking to avoid the drama of everyday life and play games they shouldn’t be shamed on playing what enjoy.

Shame on Nickmercs for Game Shaming

Game Shaming the Gamer

One of the biggest uses of game shaming is the shaming of the player itself. There are three main targets that game shaming hits on, children, female gamers, and overweight gamers.

With children, the concept of their identity of gaming is that they should be playing what games are approved by their parents. They are publicly shamed for even playing games, as many will claim they need to be outside or doing homework. Some studies show it is actually healthy for most children to have other activities such as gaming in their free time.

The concept that males dominate gaming is vastly incorrect. While males take the majority of sales and online gaming, it is not a wide number. Female gamers have a disadvantage in the gaming industry because they are led to believe they have to follow a set of rules and play certain games. This type of game shaming is usually more affiliated with the shamers being misogynists than actual gamers themselves. They will attack a female gamer based on their looks, interests, and even their voice.

Overweight gamers are players who enjoy the process of video games just the same as any other casual gamer. Not only are they shamed for their interests, but they are also shamed for their appearance. People will often use being overweight as an insult or in a demeaning manner by indicating that people who like the things they don’t are just overweight.

These people shouldn’t have to prove anything to be respected in the gaming industry. They shouldn’t have to change their appearance, personality, or what games they play to be respected by others in the community. The problem with most of these shamers is that when they go too far; there is little-to-no punishment for their actions. While there isn’t exactly punishment for people who make fun of other gamers, there is a victim. Often times, these gamers that are made fun feel completely embarrassed that they stop enjoying a hobby they love.

Game Shaming the Games Played

What Nickmerc did was another example of gamers putting too much of their ideals and personality into believing other gamers should be exactly like them. The noted game shamers will force their beliefs onto others enough to make them dislike the game themselves. One of the biggest cases of game shaming recently was players going against each other on social media about the Last of Us 2. Occasionally, political talk came from it, but there were countless accounts of abuse on both sides. One side is that TLOU 2 is garbage and that players who play it were dumb. Another side was that TLOU 2 was something that should be played exclusively, and no other game matters. Neither party is in the right here. Gamers should be allowed to have opinions of their own without being forced to have one based on the opinions of others who attempt to use bullying.

Game shaming goes beyond just debating. It is often more one-sided as players will go after someone or a group of people based solely on the game or franchise they play. Those who hate Fortnite feel that the game is only for children and that those who play it are immature. People who play Call of Duty are often mocked for being cliché due to the franchise’s popularity. There are those in the gaming community that refer to titles like Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing as not “real games”.

The notion that gamers have the freedom to say whatever they want or shame whoever they want is immature and disgusting. What makes the gaming industry unique is how different gaming companies, their products, and the gamers themselves are. It is okay for gamers to have different interests and games they play. They don’t need to be scrutinized based on their interests and philosophy on gaming in general.

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