The internet is one hell of an interesting place, if I do say so myself. If there’s anything you want to read, listen to, watch, or talk about, it’s available within moments. This freedom is really what makes it great. A never-ending supply of information and conversation. With the good comes the bad, and with the bad -- well then you get these “true gamers”.

I don’t know about you but my upbringing with gaming wasn’t a pleasant one. I’m not sure what’s more embarrassing as an adolescent: walking out of the adult section of a video store (you know, the one with the beaded curtain), or walking out of a Funcoland with your socially awkward gaggle of friends carrying bags full of games as the hot girls from school watch you, then point and giggle. All in all, gaming wasn’t exactly the coolest thing to do, especially not in my day.

Back then we’d play anything and everything. The first system I played was Atari 2600 and the first one I owned was the original NES, a system that to this day was known for its classics. Along with those classics came titles that were so bad, they were good. Imagine if titles like Deadly Premonition defined a whole generation of gaming; that was the best way to describe a lot of the stuff released back then. But as bad as some games were... we played on.

There were no fancy graphics. No compelling voice acting. Barely any story. But you still enjoyed it because it was all just video games, and that alone was enough.

Gaming has come along leaps and bounds from where it came from. Humble beginnings would be an understatement. Just search “80’s and 90’s video game commercials” on youtube, but then come right back here. Yep, that totally happened. But that should help give you an idea of how laughable things were at one point. Now compare it to present day where games are getting teaser tv-spots during some of televisions biggest events.

We didn’t need all that. In that time it wasn’t about the glitz and glamour. Even launch events are nowhere near what they are now. If you liked video games you’d subscribe to a magazine or two, read said magazine cover to cover, and just enjoy gaming as a whole. There wasn’t this segregation that some people are facilitating lately.

I guess what I’m trying to get at is that people would play games just to play them, to be -- you know... entertained! Even when it was cheesy to do so. Now that it's in the mainstream all of a sudden we have this sect of “true gamers” policing and trolling the comments sections of gaming sites across the web and spreading their ignorant poison.

I guess as any medium gets bigger and bigger, it’s only natural that people start breaking off into different sub sections. It’s almost like the spread of religion, minus all the bloodshed of course. But as gaming broadens its reach you now have different gamers. Indie, retro, modern, classic, casual and now even dare I say artsy? Anyway I think you get the idea.

But now we have, Duh - Duh - DUUUUUUUUUH ,“TRUE GAMERS”.

Which for the most part I believe this group of wasted DNA consists of douche bag MLG wannabees who are as “pro” as their branded speaker tags on their Astro A-40’s. These deviants also think that video games were invented the same year as Xbox Live, and that their KDR (kill death ratio) adds inches to their privates.

You can spot these creatures from a good distance. They’re usually too busy bashing titles that either they don't understand or probably can’t understand if they wanted to. They think Super Meat Boy is a porno. They laugh at phone games because they aren't “hardcore” enough for them. Meanwhile these “20 minute experiences” as they would call them sell 10 times more to a much wider audience than their “true gamer” shooter of choice.

Some may argue that by writing this I make myself look as bad as those I’m trying to single out. Others though (those with common sense at least) will wholeheartedly agree with me.

Here’s a quick heads up to the “True Gamers” out there. Just stop. Stop defending the PlayStation Move. Stop thinking Halo Wars was “a good idea.” Don’t think for a second that because you’re really good at one game (one that was built to be accessible in the softest generation of gaming thus far, mind you) that it makes you a “true gamer”.

You’re the minority. You don’t speak for me or the industry and among the reasons why people still don’t take gaming seriously. Instead of “true”, why not try “blinded” or “jilted” gamers. I think it suits you all much better.