Gamers. By itself, it’s a word that innocently names people who play games. But who would you call a gamer? Somebody who plays fantasy football? Poker? Pokemon? Chess? More than likely, if you call someone a gamer it’s probably because they play tabletop, computer, or video games on a regular basis.

Do you want to be called a “gamer?”

If you’ve avoided the label, you’re not alone. While I don’t have the stats to say for sure, it’s not uncommon for me to meet so-called “closet gamers,” which are people who enjoy the occasional game ( or play the Nintendo Wii which some don’t consider to be true gaming ) but don’t really want to be lumped in with the stereotypes.

Gamers often get bad reputations because really gaming is about having fun and escaping the real world. That’s scary to a lot of people, because we’re trained to work and be productive. Games, cartoons, comics, and anime are supposed to be for kids, right? Never mind the success of Sin City, Resident Evil IV the video game, or Blood: the Last Vampire anime. Even though there are dozens of examples of adult-themed media that are out on the market, I often get the impression that society infers individual examples are okay as long as they are popular. A well-loved comic book like the Dark Tower series by Stephen King is then “socially acceptable” because it’s an exception—not the rule.
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