I'm proud to be a gamer myself and if people want to stereotype me for it, then that's their option since we live in a free world where you can do that. I have numerous nerdy and gaming shirts I wear so I'm certainly not trying to hide the fact that I'm a gamer. I think things are getting better and gaming is becoming more mainstream as it is now outselling other media. Many studies have been done that show gamers have better problem solving skills than non-gamers so if anything we have an advantage over our un-enlightened brethren.

As far as the ass hats in games like Halo 3, I either mute them or just use private chat with my friends so they can't ruin my gaming experience.

I'm not a fan of most stereotypes I could be associated with. Just more reason to rise above, if you ask me.

I am, actually ashamed to be associated with the stereotype.

I am an urban professional, married, have two kids, and I actually do silly crap like exercise. I used to date, a lot, before I met my wife.

The stereotype is an overweight (ok, got me there) social misfit of a manchild who would rather live in their parent's basement and fantasize about women while they play Gears of War instead of living their own life. While I admit videogames are a huge escape for me I still welcome the reality that is my life, because it's a pretty good one overall.

I do know people who fit that stereotype to a "T", but none of them work in my office. Pretty much all of the gamers are just like me. We do have our social misfits, being a largely IT office, but oddly most of our socially maladjusted residents are non-gamers.

I refuse to be stereotyped as one of those narrow-minded gamers. I liked both the big breasted, round eyed version of faith and the original one with the B-cups.

When I dated, I didn't mention I played video games. Now that I'm married, I don't mention it to my wife.

I don't generally play the sorts of games the stereotypical gamers are known for. The ones on my list of frequent plays are Combat Mission, Civ, and Total War. TW is probably the most "gamer" of them. The other two are almost academic in comparison.

I would probably never wear a gaming tee shirt or purchase a gaming chair.

I guess that makes me a closet gamer.

Hmm... I don't fit the stereotype of the typical gamer. Or maybe I do and the only games I can play are in pink boxes.

"I'll show the boys what the girls can do!"

*gag*

Silly rabbit, everyone *knows* girls don't play videogames!

That's not true. Girls play games like Cooking Mama. At least all the girls I've seen.

I'm proud to be a gamer and anyone that knows me knows I'm a gamer. Fortunately, no one knows about the people that play games online. They have no interaction with people in WoW, or Steam, Battle.net, etc. They don't see the stereotype of racists, anarchists, hypocrites, know-it-alls, or just the worst of people. They know of the stereotype of the fat loser in the basement with poor social skills. That's not enough to make me feel ashamed at all.
Now if they spent a few minutes in WoW or any online game with chat, I would feel ashamed.

One of the first things I bring up when people want to know me socially. If you can't handle that I read games like I read poetry, then we're not going to be much more than casual acquaintances.

It bothers me, and I wonder if the discomfort is more pronounced for people in my generation (30 something) than for you whipper snappers. For example I have owned various gameboys in the past, and don't rule out owning a DS or PSP in the future, but I would never play one in public. My sense is that you younger folk don't have that particular hangup and are more willing to "out" yourselves as gamers.

What you said minus the two kids (although we do have a bun in the oven!).

That's a display stand, not a gamer...

Ah, the joys of selective quoting!

Anyway: At first i thought this thread said, "Are you embarrassed to be associated with the stereotypical goodjer".... which prompted me to think about Oogaba and bacon and thus resulted in a resounding, "YES!".

Upon reading the title once inside the thread i still have to ask.... what is the stereotypical gamer? Is it defined by the marketing companies? Is it defined by non-gamers? Is it defined by hardcore gamers or casual players?

Unlike the D&D stereotype of nerds in a basement i don't think gaming has any one stereotype due to its much broader appeal. I have to say that i don't care who i'm associated with because i'm a gamer.... i'm just a gamer.

Wait, you never told me you were a gay nerd... who reads games rather than plays them. You're a charlatan! :/

It honestly doesn't bother me in the least.
It's just a stupid little stereotype. Life is filled with them.
Gamers are just another target for people to attack. Along with every gender, race, religion, hobby, etc.
It's always nice to prove people wrong when their image of a gamer is some fat, aging man still living in his parent's basement, fantasizing about ladies in the games.

All the more reason to keep fighting the good fight, as we all do.

The sad fact is gaming is probably one of the least geeky things I do. If they get that far they're already over the shock.

But yes, it does annoy me when I have to point out to someone for the bunchteenth time that over a thousand games other than GTA were shipped last year, and 90% of them weren't M rated just because they've taken a couple sips of Dr. Dobson's Kool-aid and they decide to collar me on it. As much as pubtards annoy me, in fact.