Opinion: Rated M for Mature

(TW/CW: mention of homophobia, transphobia, racism, misogyny, etc.)

I always hated the Gamestop guy. 

“Just so you’re aware, Ma’am, this game is rated M for Mature for blood, violence, and such”

It was usually in front of that counter where I’d have to once again convince my mom that that iteration of Call of Duty or Halo wouldn’t be the one to turn me into a sociopath with murder on my mind. But hey, that’s childhood.

I played a lot of video-games throughout my life. Like a lot a lot. Back in the day, I was what one would call a “squeaker” (for the uninitiated, these were the pre-pubescent gamers whose high-pitched voices became their namesake). The summers were always great because that meant the only times that I had to take a break were mealtimes and bedtimes. 

Don’t worry, I turned out just fine. I made it to UCLA didn’t I?

Truth be told, there was and still is something particularly enthralling about it to me. I would find myself lost daily in the ill-fated attempts of asserting dominance upon other players in Call of Duty, the exploration of the blocky, subterranean vistas of Minecraft, and the sheer marveling of the explosion-filled chaos pervading Grand Theft Auto.

But what I haven’t talked about yet was the culture. It’s something to see, that’s for sure. It amazes me how much gaming has become such a fixture in people’s lives, including my own, from casual weekend playing to full-blown esports tournaments. 

All of that to say, I think I’m making it all sound a little more romantic than it actually was. After all, I myself was obsessed with the various obnoxious Internet personalities, kill/death ratios, expensive gaming-chairs, and the day-to-day melodrama that comes with the package. But there’s a darker side to all of it too.

I didn’t realize it at the time, and I probably should’ve, but there’s something distressing about this culture that has enveloped gaming. It seems as if the volatile cocktail of prejudice and online anonymity that so dominates social media “discourse” finds itself amplified in gaming chat-rooms, servers, and the like. I didn’t have the words for it then, but it didn’t take me long as a kid to learn that homophobia, misogyny, blatant racism, and bullying weren’t merely features of “gamer-culture”, rather they functioned together as an insidious rite-of-passage. Ironically enough, it was precisely this environment that created a “safe-space” for mostly young men to mire over the growing influence of “social justice warriors” and “third-wave feminism” on society.

I find it extremely disheartening to see the ongoing resistance to change in this regard. Unfortunately, for many, one less white male protagonist equates to a slippery slope towards “white genocide”, the freedom of choice to make gender-neutral character becomes “liberal politicization”, I could go on. 

It’s not just that, either. I’ve realized that many of these games, games I loved growing up had failures of their own. Rampant are myth-like stories of American nationalism winning the day, the blatant objectification of women in design, the employment of disturbing themes that merely fetishize rather than sober. 

There’s a lot of work to do.

Even still, I’d rather focus on what gaming could be as opposed to what it is. Game developers of all backgrounds have truly made inspiring work, showing the capacity for games to be a form of artistic expression, diversity, and well-thought-out social critique. Different interactive stories are being told, ones that challenge convention and biases. The presence and rising popularity of gaming streamers and influencers who come from a myriad of backgrounds is certainly something to smile about. And even on a personal level, the platform has given me much joy and laughter and kept me connected with friends, no matter the distance.

Slowly but surely, gaming and gamer-culture is getting used to a new normal. Some would call it entropy, others would call it growth, it really depends on who you ask. But as for me, I’m here for it.