I would say that game consoles, like most things, are more than the sum of their physical parts. Is water "just hydrogen and oxygen atoms," no its the most essential substance in the universe.

Now of course I am not saying game consoles are as essential as water, just drawing a parallel.

And all game companies don't care only about your money. There are many who care about the artistic integrity of the games they make. Is the sisteen chappel just paint on a ceiling? Is the Jupiter Symphony just air vibrations? Any one who understands the artistic veracity of games would understand that they are more than just silicon and plastic.

However, your point is not lost that people hold franchises and manufacturers to an oddly "creepy stalker guy across the street" level, and there is subsequant insanity that stems from that...

You really don't have to accept it, just see it as it is.  You're probably holding back each time people talks garbage about your preferred console too, thinking that the seasoned regulars would just write you off as a run-the-mill newbie.  Just kick their asses and show them who's boss and you're good to go.  At least that's what I do, I find people more reasonable when I'm pummeling them with their own stupidity.  They can't seem to fight back, some of them do but really they just embarass themselves.

Well, there are crazy people here.

But even the crazy ones are sane by normal internet standards. If you look at any news story, sports board, or game forum, most posters don't know what they are talking about and have a very radical reason for being on-line. (Radical here means one-issue or position to flaunt -- and it can be anywhere on the political spectrum).

Here, there are a few people like that -- but most are amusing and when you get out of line too much the Mods hand out bans. That even-handed heavy-handedness keeps things sane in here. And that is rare on the net.

To get back to the OP -- they are machines. They are not life. But they can be fun and entertaining. And maybe it is just a different form of the affection many men a generation ago showed for their muscle cars.

Mike from Morgantown

Real bad analogy. If your girlfriend start getting on your nerves, you dump her and move on. You don't stay with her while ignoring the advances of the hot chick that works at the local coffee shop.

grumbles.  He's actually saying his girlfriend is more than just meat, blood and bones.  Just like your console.  I can't believe I'm being nice here, must be that great porn I got from torrent yesterday.

Would you take a bullet for Nintendo?

I agree with Requiem, it has been rather crazy and my post per day stats should show that I post less frequently as well these days.
For me it seems impossible to become so attached to a console, especially this gen when all three have been, basically, a tad too boring for me to buy.
This craziness seems to stem from relatively new users though and many of the good old boys aren't posting much because of it.
JL, Madskillz and some of the other veterans are mostly keeping to themselves and aren't frequenting these boards as much as before.

Like previous years, I expect many of these deranged semi-pyschos to go away or at least fall back once the mad holiday season is past and numbers return to their usual, somewhat tedious, state.

I'm glad some folks still get it and your second post (OP) made me smile for some reason! Well then, off to finish L4D!

Still a bad analogy. If a console doesn't provide the games I want. I get one that does. If I'm dating a girl and we can't get along. We part ways.

Are you kidding me? I love my Ps2 and my SNES more than anything. Once a girl told me I had to choose between her and the Ps2. Guess where she is now?

Thats because football IS a way of life.