There are a ton of misconceptions that we've formed about video games over the years that could use a little correcting.   Let's try to set the record straight on a few of them, shall we?  I'll toss out a few:

-Video games are for kids.  We all know this is bullshit.  Even when I was a kid in the 80's, all of the arcades were filled with grown ups playing Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Ikari Warriors, and such.  We've grown from kids to adults and gaming has grown with us.  The average age for a game buyer is 41 and the average game for a game player is 35.  Hardly kids (this is mostly for my girlfriend who thinks I'm too old for games) at all, are they?  Hopefully, when I'm 80 years old, there will still be some form of video gaming for my old, stinky ass to play.

-Nintendo only produces underpowered hardware.  Those that know their history know that this isn't true at all.  The Nes, Snes, N64, and Gamecube were all state of the art in terms of raw power.  Even the DS blew away everything that came before it in terms of power and functionality.  The only "underpowered" console Nintendo has released is the Wii--which apparently turned out to be a smart move when you look at its sales. 

-The PSP is a failure:  Failure is a relative term.  Yes, the PSP failed to outsell the DS but, with 70million+ consoles sold at a profit can hardly be considered a failure, can it?

-The Playstation 3 has terrible online:  I have to say, I took Call of Duty:  Black Ops online with my PS3 quite a bit in the last few months, and for the most part, the experience was pretty close to identical to the Xbox 360 version.  Aside from Cross Game Chat, the PSN matches Xbox Live pretty much feature for feature in its current form.  I'm sure both services will, for lack of a better phrase, "step their game up" in the future but, if it's so hard to imagine what new features they can add, maybe those features are more luxury than neccessity.....Bottom line, when it comes to getting a group of friends online and playing a game, the PS3 does it quickly and easily for free.

-Xbox 360 fans only buy shooters:  Look at this thread for the argument: http://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/thread.php?id=133341&page=4  (it does seem to go "full retard" near the end, though.)  The general conclusion is that, while 360 gamers do favor FPS' a bit more than PS3 gamers, they are almost identical in their gaming diversity. 

-Nintendo does everything first and Sony/Microsoft copy:  This is actually true.   Okay.  Maybe Nintendo doesn't do everything first.  A lot of Nintendo's breakthroughs can be traced as the evolution of something from the past.  That doesn't mean that Nintendo isn't an innovative company.  At the same time, Sony and Microsoft have brought products to store shelves that have made an impact, too.  Everybody copies.  Everybody innovates.  Perhaps it can be said that Nintendo takes more risks than the competition but the popular belief that Nintendo is the smart kid in class and everybody else just copies from their paper is wrong.

-The 3DS has weak hardware:  The 3DS is already being perceived as "underpowered" and "slightly more powerful than a PSP" by many.  As a PSP and a 3DS owner, I've seen first hand that games like Dead or Alive, Super Street Fighter and Resident Evil are a generation ahead of anything the PSP could dream of AND in 3D!  Seeing video of Super Mario Bros., Beyeond the Labyrinth, and even Starfox 64 convince me that the 3DS is a graphical beast.  Already boasting better graphics and effects than the Wii, it may not be the most powerful handheld on the market (actually, for the remainder of the year, it is) but it's no slouch, either.  It's not DS it's 3DS.

Anybody else have a misconception that they feel needs to be clarified?  Any disputes with what's already been posted?  Think Spider-Man can beat up Batman (you dumbass!)?  Let's hear 'em!

--Examples:  360 3rd party games always outsell their PS3 counterparts, Wii can't sell 3rd party games, Xbox 360's are unreliable, 3DS needs a 2D Mario game, etc.

*disclaimer*  The preivious post is the opinion of d21lewis and not the opinion of VGChartz.  VGChartz is not responsible for any factual inaccuracies presented in the above post.  By entering this thread, you agree that d21lewis is not to be held accountable for any name calling, trolling, hair loss, erectile dysfunction, shortness of breath, loss of sleep, or bad breath.  Also, the opinon of d21ewis is not the opinion of d21lewis.

I swear this is the biggest most annoying out there...one of my co-workers said, in a conversation regarding all things meda/entertainment, 'but video games aren' real'....I mean bitch, twilight ain't real either >_> I'm too nice while working so I let it pass with a more politically correct answer...but people look down on gamers for no good friggin reason

on a positive note, my gf understands that gaming is my thing...it's pretty much the only hobby I strongly persue...she encourages me to buy games, buy me games and even wants me to get the PSV...I also helped her realize that she herself is a gamer, given the right type of games. SHe was/is hooked on critter crunch, peggle, Layton etc. everyone's a gamer, they just don't know it yet since they haven't got the chance to experience games that appeal to them..so they rant on and judge others due to their own ignorance

and also as mentioned above, the hd owners care about graphics mainly crap is annoying and hypocritical....clearly shown when a good looking game comes to their company of preference, especially the 'next gen' ones. then we see oohs and aahs about graphics..or the comments on man i can't wait to see xxx in hd or upped visuals. double standards at its finest. great graphics are friggin awesome, it really adds to the experience..it never was nor it will be be all end all for gamers, doesn't matter what console you own

beside the nintendo inventing before part I agree 100% you'll have to tell me what you feel like MS copied from them??? even PS3... beside motion control and even that you know that it's not true.... it's like saying a DVD and a SSD card are both memory device so the inventor of SSD copied the one of DVD....

anyway I didn't quote you for that it's more for your GF, tell her that there is more women over the age of 18 playing video games than guys under the age of 18.... you can't beat that argument... she is the marginal... you are the one living in your century..... but be careful what you wish for.... I have to get mine of the XB now to be able to play lol.... she packs up more hours of game time a week than I do now lol .....

then I remembered some graphical debates from the past where someone would post comparsons of multi-plats and show that "if you look under the table in the bar on the back left corner of Super Puffball Adventure, there is a texture that isn't in the 360 version so the PS3 version is tons better!"

-The Playstation 3 has terrible online:  I have to say, I took Call of Duty:  Black Ops online with my PS3 quite a bit in the last few months, and for the most part, the experience was pretty close to identical to the Xbox 360 version.  Aside from Cross Game Chat, the PSN matches Xbox Live pretty much feature for feature in its current form.  I'm sure both services will, for lack of a better phrase, "step their game up" in the future but, if it's so hard to imagine what new features they can add, maybe those features are more luxury than neccessity.....Bottom line, when it comes to getting a group of friends online and playing a game, the PS3 does it quickly and easily for free.

You are correct that most HD gamers believe gameplay is more important than graphics.  However, it is constantly the PS3/360 crowd that gets in "graphic wars" over certain games.  They love to compare this game to that game.  While most gamers try to avoid such arguments it doesn't help the HD crowd when almost half of their user base are in constant "graphic war" battles.  Basically, the entire HD crowd needs to stop giving others ammo before that false image fades.

You are correct that most HD gamers believe gameplay is more important than graphics.  However, it is constantly the PS3/360 crowd that gets in "graphic wars" over certain games.  They love to compare this game to that game.  While most gamers try to avoid such arguments it doesn't help the HD crowd when almost half of their user base are in constant "graphic war" battles.  Basically, the entire HD crowd needs to stop giving others ammo before that false image fades.