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[HoodWinked]

Anyone else feel self conscious when it comes to busting out a gaming handheld in public?

Just the other day i was at taco bell and saw this guy waiting for his food playing with a 3DS XL he was an older bearded guy probably 30+ yrs old with one of those hipster hats so he obviously didnt give a shit what others think. Personally i'm never going to be that way so the whole idea of 'you shouldnt give a shit' of what others think aint gonna happen. Plus silly advice like that is easier said than done.

But heres the double standard while people tend to make impressions on others playing on handhelds whether negative or positive when it comes to shovelware on idevices and phones society finds normal and acceptable to play in public. I just hate how public perception is so totally fucked when it comes to gaming.

Nintendo were one to recognize this sorta thing especially with the way they marketed the DS lite, rather than advertising games specifically they tried to change the public perception and make handhelds seem the norm by having celebs playing in a casual setting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L_BuzqN8jw (Liv Tyler)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wr-Gi8nvgo (America Ferrera)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWz9H1Kbi04 (Beyonce)

I dont know where im going with this just wanted to see if anyone else felt the same and have anything to share or experiences they've had. thanks.

 

[Electivirus]

Nope. Life's too short to be embarrassed about playing video games in public. I can understand the embarrassment, though.

 

[benny_a]

This dude could kick everyone's ass and he plays the Vita

I don't play in public, because I rather use that time to read my books I always have with me.
I would feel self-conscious playing it in such a setting and I don't know why. I'm bothered that I'm bothered.

 

[ElRenoRaven]

Nope. I have never had any issue doing that. If people don't like it and think I'm childish for playing a game in public then fuck them. That's their problem.

 

[jay]

I am much too busy being embarrassed by how I look and speak to care how handhelds look.

 

[Folstern]

I whip out my portable gaming systems wherever I go. I'll probably still be doing it when I'm 40 and bald. Chances are if someone's judging you because you're playing a video game, they'd be judging you without it, so who cares?

 

[PixyJunket]

Nope.

I could see being embarrassed by something if I was still thirteen or fourteen, I guess, but as an adult, why would I care?

 

[Labombadog]

Nope I am never embarrassed. I pull out my handhelds all the time on my break. I don't care what others think. And like the poster above me said: Life is too short to care about such nonsense.

 

[Levyne]

I don't know. I hardly ever take my 3DS or vita outside of my apartment. But that's not usually because I don't want to be seen with them, just that if I'm out and about, I'm usually too occupied to sit down and play something. I don't even play much of anything on my smart phone.

 

[kittens]

I feel a little embarassed sometimes, but less and less as I've grown older and more self confident.

 

[VanWinkle]

It's just a matter of: are you embarrassed for people to know you play video games? Are you self-conscious of playing video games? Everybody does something to keep them preoccupied while waiting or something while in public. I don't really take my Vita out TOO often, but I wouldn't have any problem doing it if I felt like it.

 

[entremet]

No, in fact I was playing my GB micro on the subway this morning. YOLO.

 

[jufonuk]

will bust out my 3dsxl with cpp any chance i get. fuck the haters. i am a 35 father of one.

 

[Bojanglez]

I play my Vita and 3DS in public all the time (mostly on the train), I have never really thought of it as embarrassing. It kind of defeats the point of having these devices if you just sit in the house and play.

 

[AZ Greg]

Anyone else feel self conscious when it comes to busting out a gaming handheld in public?

Vita? No. 3DS? Yeah. I don't even let me friends know I have one.

 

[one_kill]

For a period of time, I remember being embarassed as I only had a Wii and DS and everyone else was playing COD. I didn't even know what 'COD' was. I thought the person who I was talking to was talking about the fish.

Anyway, it flew by. I knew about the games, just didn't have them. Got a PS3 eventually so I can further join in the conversations.

As with other people, I don't really care. I don't care about what they do so long as it's not anything bad to me, so they shouldn't care about what I do.

 

[Riposte]

Not on campus, but I don't really care about anywhere else.

 

[Holy Order Sol]

Anyone else feel self conscious when it comes to busting out a gaming handheld in public?

No, because I've basically been doing it forever.

 

[Newton Crosby]

I don't really care what some judgmental piece of shit thinks about me playing video games.
Fuck them, they're the ones with the problem.

 

[Laughlin]

I'm in the "I shouldn't care but I do" camp. Though I guess it doesn't matter since I don't even really play my handhelds anymore

 

[entremet]

Vita? No. 3DS? Yeah. I don't even let me friends know I have one.

They need some non baby colors for the XL.

 

[FStop7]

No, but then again I rarely have a dedicated handheld with me in public. Usually I will read, browse the web, or play a game on my phone.

 

[Visualante2]

She was probably looking at me that way because I looked really, really depressed and I was dressed like an eskimo vagrant.

Normally, I would have felt an instant, crushing sense of self-consciousness, but instead, I felt nothing.

 

[Bsigg12]

I don't think it's as much as a stigma as it used to be. With all the modern phones and tablets available now, seeing someone staring into a screen

Spoiler

s

is just accepted anymore. I honestly feel more awkward whipping out a 10 inch tablet rather than a smaller, folding handheld like the 3DS.

 

[JCV]

Nope. People should enjoy their hobbies and stop worrying about what others think.

 

[CambriaRising]

Not at all. Sat in the waiting room at my wife's doctor the other day for 3 hours and played my Vita with headphones.

 

[BibiMaghoo]

No, unless I think there is a possiblity of me being mugged.

So dependant on where I am really.

I don't advise walking down city alleys playing one lol.

 

[Like the hat?]

I play my gbmicro or my 3ds whenever I am out alone waiting for something.

 

[Count Snackula]

The only people that are not embarrassed by playing handhelds in public have given up on life and embraced virginity.

 

[Foffy]

I don't see the big deal. While I don't think life is too short personally, it really isn't worth your time to be so concerned about such minor things.

 

[PixyJunket]

The only people that are not embarrassed by playing handhelds in public have given up on life and embraced virginity.

In my experiences, not caring what other people think of me got me play way more than trying to put on a facade for people that mean nothing to me.

 

[PapaJustify]

You should be confident about yourself and comfortable with yourself FIRST, because its not about playing video games in public - this is widely accepted nowadays - but sending out the vibe of being an insecure loner is what turns other people off.

 

[Sweet Baby Roy]

Once in a while I'll bring my 3DS XL to work to play on my break, but not often. Usually I just listen to music if I'm by myself on break. I'm don't have any reason to feel embarrassed about playing a 3DS.

 

[Bsigg12]

The only people that are not embarrassed by playing handhelds in public have given up on life and embraced virginity.

C'mon man....grow up.

 

[Valnen]

They need some non baby colors for the XL.

Red is my favorite color, how dare you call it a baby color.

 

[Newton Crosby]

The only people that are not embarrassed by playing handhelds in public have given up on life and embraced virginity.

Interesting.

 

[Tellaerin]

Personally i'm never going to be that way so the whole idea of 'you shouldnt give a shit' of what others think aint gonna happen. Plus silly advice like that is easier said than done.

Not what way? You're never going to be self-confident enough to do what you want and not give a shit about what others think? There's nothing silly about that advice.

Someone who'd look down on me for playing handheld games isn't worth bothering with in the first place, so it's easy for me not to care. I mean, if they're that shallow and prejudgmental, who gives a shit about their opinion?

 

[Valnen]

The only people that are not embarrassed by playing handhelds in public have given up on life and embraced virginity.

This kind of viewpoint is pathetic to have, especially on a website like this. Girls aren't going to care if you play a 3DS. I promise.

 

[daripad]

Where I live all the people think that gaming is childish and they criticise every people of my age (+18) claiming we are being childish. It's very annoying and unfortunately they don't seem to change in the future

 

[VanWinkle]

The only people that are not embarrassed by playing handhelds in public have given up on life and embraced virginity.

I hope you aren't actually this stupid, although I fear you are.

 

[Orayn]

Depends on my company and what I'm doing at the time. Short waits or just hanging out among the general public? Yeah, I'm apprehensive about it in a way that I'm not with my smartphone or Nook. That doesn't mean I won't do it, I just hesitate.

Among friends or when I'm stuck somewhere for an extended period of time? I don't care, gimme my Mario Kart 7.

 

[Alex]

I've owned handhelds all my life, but just for the games, never felt the need to take gaming out of the house outside of a couple of some quick mobile titles since smart phones kind of changed everything.

They need some non baby colors for the XL.

I think the blue looks pretty OK, but the system in general is not attractive, it's a good revision but the aesthetics are such a step down from the original 3DS IMO. I would kill to have something like the DSi XL and it's colors. Oh man, bronze or burgundy would be amazing.

 

[Xpite]

I saw a ~12 year old kid playing God of war for psp on the bus a couple of years ago. I would feel uncomfortable playing a violent game like that in public, especially if I was so young.

 

[kpjolee]

Used to be really self conscious when I was a teenager, but as I grew older (I am 30), I simply started caring less and less about what others will think of me doing certain things.
I carry around my Vita and 3DSXL all the time and just take out and play whenever I am out and have a spare time to do so.
People do not care as much as what one think as they would, as long as it does not bother them.

 

[thehypocrite]

You're insecure OP, so are all those other people that judge others for the hobby they have and what they use to pass the time. It's ok.

 

[JCV]

The only people that are not embarrassed by playing handhelds in public have given up on life and embraced virginity.

Joke post...

Right?

 

[WhyMe6]

I've always played handhelds in public for as long as I've had them. Public transport, waiting in lines, waiting for food, while eating food (the DS has helped immensely with the last one - stylus only gaming means no greasy buttons).

I'll still be doing it when I'm 60, bald, with bionic body parts.

 

[angelfly]

I've never cared about playing my handhelds in public.

 

[TheMink]

The only people that are not embarrassed by playing handhelds in public have given up on life and embraced virginity.

Jesus, whats your problem breh?

 

[EdgeXL]

Anyone else feel self conscious when it comes to busting out a gaming handheld in public?

Actually, I don't. But then I really do not care what complete strangers think of me.