On Mainstreamization
According to this article at The Escapist, Mainstreamization is a word.
At least, it's a made up word that you would use. Like, not one you would make up, and then avoid.
The advent of that unfortunate word came about because, you see, the mainstream causes video games to suck. So many people like video games, and spend money on them, that they get worse. Money makes everything worse. Wait, how does money make things worse?
When I was young, I had my first harrowing encounter with The Dread Pirate Mainstreamization. You see, I grew up in a small town. The only establishment that sold new video games in my small town was the (now defunct) Ames Department Store.
My brother and I enjoyed playing the video games. My brother even subscribed to Nintendo Power. And so we could read about cool video games in Nintendo Power, and then go out and buy them at Ames, right?
Wrong. I don't know whether it was the doings of Ames or Nintendo, but Ames only carried about Eight NES Titles at any particular moment. Eight Also-Ran NES Titles. So, while we were reading about The Adventures of Link and Mega Man, we could pop right on over to Ames to buy The Adventures of Bayou Billy and Sky Shark.
But Walmart carries bestsellers. It carries your Links and your Mega Men. And my hometown is finally getting a Walmart. Twenty years too late.
I guess that isn't really a harrowing encounter with mainstreamization, so much as a harrowing encounter with unmainstreamedization. And I suppose I should go on to say that this one particular moment of unhappiness as a child should shape your entire world view, but I lack the will.
Regardless, The Mainstream spends large amounts of money on video games, which benefits us all. Without The Mainstream there would be no Consoles. There would be no consumer video cards, sound cards, and the PC itself might not even exist. There would certainly be no indie games, no niche games, no hardcore games for Those Who Are Not The Mainstream For They are Hardcore to enjoy.
So, treat the video gaming The Mainstream much like you treat any other The Mainstream. It exists to draw attention to the medium, to attract money to the medium, and to attract more casual players that will turn into The Hardcore.
Be in The Mainstream, but not of The Mainstream
At least, it's a made up word that you would use. Like, not one you would make up, and then avoid.
The advent of that unfortunate word came about because, you see, the mainstream causes video games to suck. So many people like video games, and spend money on them, that they get worse. Money makes everything worse. Wait, how does money make things worse?
When I was young, I had my first harrowing encounter with The Dread Pirate Mainstreamization. You see, I grew up in a small town. The only establishment that sold new video games in my small town was the (now defunct) Ames Department Store.
My brother and I enjoyed playing the video games. My brother even subscribed to Nintendo Power. And so we could read about cool video games in Nintendo Power, and then go out and buy them at Ames, right?
Wrong. I don't know whether it was the doings of Ames or Nintendo, but Ames only carried about Eight NES Titles at any particular moment. Eight Also-Ran NES Titles. So, while we were reading about The Adventures of Link and Mega Man, we could pop right on over to Ames to buy The Adventures of Bayou Billy and Sky Shark.
But Walmart carries bestsellers. It carries your Links and your Mega Men. And my hometown is finally getting a Walmart. Twenty years too late.
I guess that isn't really a harrowing encounter with mainstreamization, so much as a harrowing encounter with unmainstreamedization. And I suppose I should go on to say that this one particular moment of unhappiness as a child should shape your entire world view, but I lack the will.
Regardless, The Mainstream spends large amounts of money on video games, which benefits us all. Without The Mainstream there would be no Consoles. There would be no consumer video cards, sound cards, and the PC itself might not even exist. There would certainly be no indie games, no niche games, no hardcore games for Those Who Are Not The Mainstream For They are Hardcore to enjoy.
So, treat the video gaming The Mainstream much like you treat any other The Mainstream. It exists to draw attention to the medium, to attract money to the medium, and to attract more casual players that will turn into The Hardcore.
Be in The Mainstream, but not of The Mainstream
posted by gnomicide at 8:54 PM
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