Without further ado, here are some of the things that I believe lead to the bastardisation of gamer and gaming culture.

THE SEX

I am talking, of course, about the oversexualisation of everything that has to do with games. New character reveal for ‘Super Smash Bros.’? It won’t take long for thousands of gamers on Twitter or other forms of social media to describe in graphic detail how much they want to have sex with that character. Two male characters in a game? Better get ready for the horde of people drawing homosexual art and forming their own love stories for those characters. Bonus points if the characters involved are from game franchises geared towards children. A lot of these things are the result of social media trends. People weren’t so quick to write “F*** me daddy” about a children’s video game character in a public forum 15 years ago.

THE DEPRESSION

I follow a lot of gamers and journalists of gaming and entertainment websites. A common theme amongst all of them? Depression and mental health issues. The fact of the matter is, being on Twitter 12-14 hours a day can take its toll. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but people online are not the kindest bunch. This will either cause some form of alteration to your mental health or worsen anything you’re currently going through. Having your livelihood depend on social media is a terrible thing. Surrounding yourself with negativity and a culture rooted deep in depression doesn’t help. Gaming culture in recent years is sailing towards depression. Being a fan is good, but when the only thing that gives your day meaning is a new game announcement from a mega-corporation on Twitter, it’s time to break out of the gaming echo chamber and find help or someone to make you happy again.

THE ADULTING

I’ve always taken pride in the fact that I can be a functioning adult and enjoy games at the same time. I’ve taken pride in that, silently. The same cannot be said for gaming culture nowadays. Gamers today can’t wait to tweet about how they ate a decent meal, cooked dinner, went on a date with their partner, cleaned their apartment or paid their bills. More and more people seem to follow the trend of ‘adulting’. This holds true especially on Twitter. What’s the common interest of these people? Gaming. In my opinion, gaming should not be associated with being childish. Just like an adult can enjoy ‘Toy Story’ with their kids without acting like one, a gamer should be able to do the same. ‘Adulting’, as much as I hate saying that word, is a product of the modern gamer overusing social media and losing themselves in a sea of people that can’t seem to grow up. You’re supposed to be an adult that can have fun, switch off at times. Not the other way around.

THE WOKE GAME DEVELOPERS

We’ve all seen this. The game developers that didn’t mind putting large-breasted semi-nude women in their games in 1998 but act like they’re better than each and every one of their fans for giving their characters a breast reduction and functional clothing. We can do less with the ‘holier than thou’ attitude from game developers that try to pull a complete 180 and try to convince us that deep down they were always progressive. J.K Rowling is not an example you should follow, Ed Boon. Subtlety is the key and finding middle ground is always best.

THE DRAMA

This one is self-explanatory. The drama surrounding popular gaming YouTube channels or websites can be extremely tiring and at times unavoidable. Especially if your job depends on Twitter. Thousands of people wasting their time on minute events that will be forgotten about in a day. It’s unhealthy and unfortunate that so many people waste their time on such small “controversies”, degrading their mental health when the world around them has much more serious issues that should be dealt with. Who cares about YouTuber rivalries and arguments. Avoid that and you will be happier, healthier and with a hell of a lot more time in your hands.

Do you agree with me? Is social media creating a bubble of gamer culture that sucks people in, wastes their time and hurts their wellbeing? Let me know in the comments below.

The post The bastardisation of gamer culture appeared first on BadFive.

The gaming industry is growing each year, and this growth brings about new games, accessories, and consoles. Let’s say that you have all the basics covered, such as a quality gaming monitor, a kickass mouse, and a dope gaming headset. However, if you feel that you’re missing something, you probably are.

Here are some gaming guide tips to help you have the best gaming experience and have a cool-looking gaming rig this New Year.

Gaming Monitor

Your monitors are an essential part of PC accessories. Without it, you can never even dare to play your game even if you have the best other computer hardware. Games are better played on a flat screen, preferably 22 inches or larger, as it allows for a clearer image of the game program. The main thing you should look for about monitors when you upgrade them is their response time.

If you are using an inferior monitor, then not only will your gaming experience be far less enjoyable, but you expose yourself to serious eye-related health risks. If your monitor isn’t sharp enough and easy enough on the eyes then you will constantly be straining your eyes to see the contents of the screen. However, the colors and resolution of a larger and more technologically advanced monitor will be noticeably better than those produced by a cheap older model. An upgraded monitor can also have countless benefits for more specialized uses of personal computers.

Many people today love to play computer games on their expensive systems, but often can be accused of skimping on the quality of their monitor. If someone is spending so much on the system itself to ensure that their game runs properly then it would be foolish not to equip their system with an appropriately high-quality monitor to truly enhance their computing experience. There are often games that are so intricate and complex that every aspect of the screen needs to be seen with the utmost clarity and picture quality. In these games, it is a severe disadvantage to be playing with a lesser monitor as you are likely to miss small but important aspects of the game.

Gaming Keyboards

Being a pro-gamer or gaming enthusiast, you surely know why using a gaming keyboard is essential to your in-game performance. There are numerous reasons to switch from using a standard keyboard to a gaming keyboard.

When it comes to choosing the best gaming keyboard there are several options to choose from. Extreme gaming enthusiasts are likely to have their own favorite model along with a list of reasons why it is the best. The first thing you need to know when choosing keyboards for gaming for yourself is what kind of features you require and want. Responsive keys, good backlighting and good ergonomics are just some basic features that any good gaming keyboard should have. Having the right features will help you to be more comfortable as you play, and help you be more responsive. Fast reflexes and responses can mean the difference between winning or losing your game.

Gaming Mouse

More and more people are now buying a gaming mouse to replace the conventional mouse. When you decide to take gaming more seriously you will find that one of these mice would be a very good investment.

If you play games such as first-person shooters or real-time strategy, and especially if you are playing against a human player, then a good mouse is very important. It offers a lot more control where sensitivity, precision, and reliability is very important.

The best gaming mouse is created in a way that is different to a conventional mouse. They are strengthened against regular abuse and are designed to be used more frequently without failing, or subjecting the user under repetitive stress.

Gaming Headset

If you don’t have a gaming headset you are seriously missing out on some experiences you could only get while wearing a headset. Imagine the surround sound of battle in your ears as you progress through your game world. You can hear everything up close and personal while your roommate is working on his homework and you can also control the volume. It can happen when you own the best gaming headphone set. USB headphones take you to a whole new level of gaming experience.

Gaming with the right headphone set can make the experience much better with quality surround sound. They are lightweight and normally come with a cord adjuster and volume control. The cord is very light and comes with extra earbud covers that are easily exchanged at any time. Some even come with a small carrying pouch so you can take them everywhere you go.

Graphics Card

Graphics cards, additionally alluded to as graphics processors or 3D cards are the devices that can take films and gaming and numerous other PCs to the following dimension of clarity and quality when it comes to visuals. Although there are standard video cards that are included with computers, many motherboards now include some form of the built-in graphics processor, many times an upgrade is necessary to get the best performance as well as visual appeal. Video cards are available in a wide variety of types and are chosen based on the particular needs of the user. Someone wanting to get true to life games will need more powerful models compared to someone who only needs a computer for doing presentations and word processing.

Gamers know that the right graphic cards can make the difference between a true to the live gaming experience and something that simply lacks luster. This is because many of the video cards available on the market enable the computer to produce a visual experience for the gamer that is just like actually being in the game. This is partially why there are now graphics cards that are significantly larger and require more power to ensure they are up to the job and their cooling systems are running at full speed.

Conclusion

Gaming peripherals are increasingly becoming popular not just to gamers but to casual users as well. The reason is their durability and functionality. Whether you’re looking for a gift for a friend or for yourself, you can never go wrong with the items listed above. Transform your gaming setup into a powerful beast this 2019.

About Author

Greg is a long time enthusiastic gamer. Initially he started his career as a blogger reviewing games and gaming consoles and later joined the team at TheGamingSetup as a writer. He spends most of the time with the team at work, getting inspiration & content for his articles as they review various products for gamers.

The post Enhancing Your Gaming Experience: Gamer Gadgets appeared first on BadFive.