No One at Westerberg is Going to Let You Play their Reindeer Games.

The Girl here to talk about falling into the gamer hierarchy trap. We’re all guilty. Don’t try to deny it.

I’ve heard/read miniatures game players making fun of MTG players – the most popular term I’ve come across is “dirty card flipper.” I’ve also heard MTG players make fun of the miniatures game players because they think they’re all socially backward losers that play with dolls. I’ve heard comments from both of those groups that pick fun at the RPG folks because they think they have horrible hygiene. Mix an insult with another player base however you want… we’ve all heard and/or participated in the mud slinging.

I’ve seen – and smelled – the stereotypes in every gamer. Those socially awkward traits cross all categories. But there are also those that don’t have any of them at all.

I’ve had an MTG customer that smelled like he smoked a bunch of weed and then took a 24 hour nap in a giant Doritos bag. At one point I tried to convince my boss to sell Speed Stick and bars of Irish Spring to stave off the stink created by a room full of sweaty 40k players. I’ve seen several of the neatest, most OCD D&D players ever tote in their own chairs, and special pens because the ones in the store weren’t good enough. I’ve seen more hairy, disgusting gamer butt crack – from all groups – than I care to mention.

I’ve also known a lot of gamers that have successful careers, wives/husbands, kids, and shower. A lot of them, actually.

We, as gamers and as humans, all have our faults. No gamer subset is better or worse than another – we’re just different. It’s like we’ve reverted to high school – the jocks, the preps, the headbangers, the nerds. The Heathers. Can we all get over this already?

We’re gamers. We get enough crap from the general public that seems to think we never leave our mom’s basement… do we really need it from each other? I think not. I’m not asking you to pick up another game or make new best friend… just shut the heck up about people you don’t know because you falsely think you’re better than they are because you play a different game than they do. You aren’t. You just play a different game. Get over it.

Are you ready to break out of your clique? How many of you out there play RPGs, CCGs, and board games along with wargaming?


PS – Buy a belt.