I write a weekly column for the paper I work at, wanted to post it here and get some imput. I'm sure I screwed some stuff up.
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War of a different kind
War is hell. At least that’s what they say, right? Seems like we have all kinds of wars going on. We have wars for territory, wars for political beliefs, war on drugs, war on poverty and war on disease. It seems there are all kinds of things that mankind deems war worthy. While these previous things may be worth while causes and most of them are, there is another war going on as we speak and it is definitely the most pathetic and pointless war of them all, the console war.
Yes, a verbal war that is waged daily by both manufacturers and fans of video game consoles. I told you it was pointless, but regardless, it keeps happening.
The console war was born in the early 80s with the fight between Atari and Mattel. Both companies wanted gamer money and even more importantly, a piece of growing arcade revenue. While both systems may be seen as crude technologically, to say the least, at the time both companies launched PR campaigns and advertising to label their product as “must have.” But it wasn’t enough to simply praise their own product to a consuming public, oh no, they had to begin attacking each other in commercial form. Immediately Atari launched commercials claiming a “superior library of games” and Mattel, launched its own commercials showing side-by-side comparisons of how the Intellivision had better graphics. The stage was set for the upcoming decades of console warring.
Eventually the older systems gave way to the newer systems but the tactics remained the same. Nintendo had launched the incredibly successful Nintendo Entertainment System (N.E.S.) and Sega had not had as much success with their Sega Master System. Civility seemed the case in the first round but in round two the gloves would come off. While Sega’s Genesis was slow to pick up steam against the still popular N.E.S., Sega finally scored a hit with their lightening fast mascot Sonic the Hedgehog. To accompany their new character the company launched a series of ads attacking Nintendo, and Mario by proximity, as slow and un-cool, where as Sonic was portrayed as fast and hip. It worked for the most part and Genesis sales improved to challenge Nintendo. Sega’s campaign was so successful they even continued to challenge Nintendo well through the 16-bit era and the release of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (S.N.E.S.). No attack could stoop too low and as Sega put it in their commercials, “Sega does what Nintendon’t.”
Of course these kinds of tactics would prevail up until now where they are still seen. There is plenty more between then and now but the main difference is that these days the attacks come in the form of press releases and forum posts online. No longer just a product of scheming PR firms, console wars wage constantly in the countless message boards online, fought, tooth and nail, by the legions of rabid fans. Sure, back in the day you might have a friend tell you their system was better than yours but now these same pointless squabbles are aimed at the entire ownership of any given system and the Internet allows for anyone and everyone to speak up about it. Not that the Internet could be used to a greater purpose, heavens no, as long as everyone can fight about something so truly stupid and childish.
Right now the source of fighting is between Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft fans. It is unusual for there to be three active systems selling well at any given time and fans are even more divided because of that. Nintendo fans point to insanely high sales numbers and proclaim that because the majority of people own their system, it is the best. Sony fans are especially loyal to their brand name and proclaim the Playstation 3 the best system because it is the most technologically advanced. Microsoft fans point to an increasing number of must have games and the quality of their superior online service as reasons the Xbox is the best. The truth is, everyone is slightly right. But because one system has a reason to praise it doesn’t mean every other system must then suck by comparison.
At the end of the day it seems to be a very human mentality though. Car commercials show how you should own a better car than your neighbor and phone commercials do the exact same thing. Candidates attack each other viciously and football fans go ravenous against fans of any other team but their own. Parents brag about how much better their children are and children brag about how much better their parents are. I suppose it’s just natural for some part of us to be in constant competition with everyone around us. I suppose it’s just the way we are. I’m just taking my time this week to say it’s childish and pointless and maybe if we weren’t in an ever-going race with each other to be the best and to own the best things, we could focus on coming together and conquering some of the real problems in this world.
Sure, I’ve got my preference as to what game system I think is the best. I’ve got opinions to back up my statements and occasionally even I am drawn into these sophomoric fights online. But I always feel cheapened and lessened as a person after participating and in general stay far away from even bothering to read these things. As I said before, it’s just pathetic and pointless; we have real problems in the world today. If you like a system and you buy it and enjoy it, who cares what other people say or think? Do you really need complete validation from other consumers that you in fact made the right purchase? Do you really need to attack every single person who has a different preference than you? Of course you do not. Enjoy what you have and be thankful you are blessed enough to have it in the first place. If you have to compare yourself with other people then try comparing yourself to the people who have nothing at all, maybe then you can appreciate how lucky you are, no matter what system you own.
