By Phil Day
Just this week Patrick Scott Patterson (video gamer, former pro-wrestler, and Twin Galaxies referee) announced the ‘relaunching’ of PatrickScottPatterson.com. A web site dedicated to video gaming. Among many positives statements about creating greater awareness of video games he wrote the following paragraph:
‘I'm sure there will be critics. I'm sure some folks reading this right now will think that this is all about me or political gain. Always seems to be, and anyone who would think that is part of the reason gaming isn't what it could be.’
Three things caught my attention: ‘critics’, ‘political gain’, and ‘anyone who would think [the site is all about ‘me’ or ‘political gain’] is part of the reason gaming isn't what it could be.’
In regard to the use of the word ‘critics’ I’m hoping Patterson is using it in regard to negative-prejudices that the video game community has so often received. If so I agree. These stereotypes are wrong in every sense of the word. But I do think we need critics. I say this because I think critics are valuable. We need critics. The world needs critics. We need people to critique most human behaviors: Japanese waling, home schooling, smoking marijuana, the Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld think-tank. We, as thinking and informed humans who share a planet that is more interconnected with other cultures than ever before need to make an effort to evaluate the worth of our practices and the affect they might have on others and the planet we share. If we simply accept on prejudice – “I like it, it must be good” – would be irresponsible. We need critics of all sorts, particularly political critics – political journalism couldn’t be unhealthier than it is right now. It’s as if the ideas of Walter Lippmann regarding objective reasoning in journalism is too honest for today. I say this because big video games titles are now more popular than big Hollywood films. We know films cannot go unchecked. They need to be classified, and so are games as Patterson points out. But if video games with all their popularity, and arguably pervasive culture, are important enough to have serious discussion and the desire to build a historical museum in Ottumwa, then it is important enough to try, I say try, to get it right. This requires criticism. Unfortunately it will also require money.
Powerful individuals who hold the proverbial carrot for the social-persuasion also hold the same carrot for video gaming: Microsoft, Facebook, and the iPhone – to name a few. True, there are many independent video games being made that have proven to popular and a financial successful, but the individuals who created these games would hardly compare to the wealth of the video game platforms they operate on. It is important for any museum not to be entangled with corporate involvement. Fine if they are willing to offer money with a disinterested position, but too often this is not the case with museums and corporate sponsorship. They too soon can become more involved than simply offering financial support; all of a sudden they are calling the shots. (With the Superbowl just over, sometimes it was hard to tell if the event was more about the game with commercials between the breaks, or more of a lead up to the much talked about Doritos and Volkswagen advertisements). Of course these companies would have their own political gain, it would be naïve to think otherwise; it’s hard to think of anything that’s not political today. The air we breathe is political with arguments being fought over the burning of fossil fuels. Open a yogurt and it’s full of politics: the treatment of cattle in the dairy industry; fruit exposed to pesticides; the minimum wages for the packers of the yogurt. Of course Patterson’s website is no different (nor is the one you’re reading this article from), and this is a healthy, provided we – Patterson and I and others – offer varying arguments with critical thinking free of subjective truths and pre-conceived ideas. But this can’t happen if: ‘anyone who would think [the site is all about ‘me’ or ‘political gain’] is part of the reason gaming isn't what it could be.’
Aspects of the video game world are divided on many things: PC vs. Consoles; Wiebe fans vs. Mitchell fans; Haters-of-Twin Galaxies vs. those-who-believe Twin Galaxies can’t-do-wrong. Personally, I don’t have any games on my PC and I don’t own a consol. I’m hoping Dean Saglio takes the Donkey Kong World Record, and I know nothing about him other than he is reportedly very skilled at Donkey Kong. I’ve learnt this fro talking to Steve Sanders, Steve Wibe, Hank Chien, and Jon McAllister. Each knows something of Saglio’s game. As for Twin Galaxies, they do an excellent job. Nevertheless, I think some of the tracks they are recording scores on are a glut in the system and only confuse people as to what is truly the Donkey Kong World Record. It is with the hammer or without? I don’t believe things like this can be ignored if the posterity of video gaming is of any value. We need critics, video games are political, and if you don’t agree with me … that’s healthy, it’s important you exercise your freedom of thought, but it’s also important to give your own thoughts some thought too.
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