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[Whiteblade999]

No, why would I hide my hobby? I go out of my way to not wear anything related to my hobbies, but if it comes up in conversation you can be sure I'll comment. With that said, people tend to get the impression I'm a book worm more then a gamer because I spend more time on that these days.

 

[taizuke]

I certainly don't advertise it, but if someone wants to engage in a conversation with me about it, I'm more than willing to partake.

I'm practically the same.

 

[Adry9]

invite your "irl" friends over for some gang beasts, jackbox, nidhogg and keep talking and nobody explodes and before you know it they've become gamers too

also appreciate your online friends more, they sound like good people

This. The only thing I can play with my "irl" friends is FIFA/Madden, but one day I put Nidhogg on and after a initial moment of "WTF is shit?" they really enjoyed it.

 

[PhilipDoesMatter]

I am just like you OP.

 

[Palculator]

no

 

[flatearthpandas]

I don't bring it up because I actually don't like talking about it offline but I don't hide it either. A lot of people seem to only have one console or system family so there seems to be some real life fanboyism that goes with it. It's never aggressive but it's usually not a really interesting conversation

 

[RedToad64]

Not really, but I don't go around advertising it or anything just because I find that most of the people I meet who are openly "gamers" aren't really the kind of people I want to hang out / talk about games with. I know that sounds shitty, but that's just how it is. The risk of getting in some annoying conversation is just too high, so if I see someone with an Assassin's Creed hoodie or something, I usually don't want that guy knowing that I also like playing a lot of videogames. Usually I find real life video game conversations with people I don't know very well to be extremely shallow.

"Ay bro you play Dark Souls?"

"Yeah.... it's great. Played it for hundreds of hours."

"Ah that's cool man."

But I certainly would never deny being a big gamer, and I openly play games and look at NeoGAF around my friends, girlfriend, family, etc.

My thoughts are very similar to yours on this subject.

 

[Tyrant Rave]

I don't really hide it but I don't really go out of my way to talk about it. If someone asks me about games I'll bring it up but that's pretty much it.

 

[Atomski]

Not really but i dont go on about games around non gamers.. I have plenty of other hobbies that are easier to relate to.

 

[panthapanda]

Nah, I still play Pokemon every once in a while in public and it doesn't bother me.

 

[coy]

Nah, I don't hide what I enjoy from others. That doesn't mean I try to steer casual conversations towards gaming, but if something is brought up, I share my thoughts.

 

[Ceadeus]

I could talk video g ame all day and I don't fear showing I love it. But I've no purpose talking about it if the surrounding have no interest, just like every hobby isnt it?

But if someone start talking about video game he'll/she'll know fast I know a lot about it. I can just talk about it for hours literally I don't care, I breath this stuff.

 

[crimilde]

Nope, I never hid that.
I'm a girl and I watch anime, build and paint Gunplas, have a collection of manga and far too many books, games, and DVDs with Japanese rock bands. Though I tend to speak about those only with friends or colleagues I know are into a certain thing of those I mentioned, I get all my deliveries at work and sometimes people comment.
Heck if I care, it's who I am. I'm not going to change the things I love or actively hide them just to fit in better. There were at certain points nasty comments behind my back which I caught wind of, but you can't stop them either way. If people want to talk behind your back they always find a reason, so whatever. Life's too short to worry about what people I don't care about think or say.

Edit: I also cut my hair like Lightning and had it dyed pink at some point. Only one of my friends caught on but he was extatic when he figured it out. )

 

[DOT DASH DOT]

Not at all, times and attitudes have changed, games are bigger than the movie industry, and watching a film isn't embarrassing.

 

[KiraXD]

I'm a gamer and I don't know where that's from. It just look like a tribal tattoo.

lol hardly

 

[Weevilone]

Nope, was never a closet gamer. I remember a girlfriend in high school got embarrassed b/c I rented a game or two while we were looking for a movie or two for the weekend. That didn't last long.

The only time that I questioned this policy was when I was deep into MMO's (Warcraft specifically). I was out of town, traveling with the owner of my company in the Boston area. I decided to have dinner with a WoW friend that I'd played with for years but never met, and he brought his gf. The boss decided to tag along, but wasn't aware that the "friend" was an online friend only to date.

The friend and his girl got fairly drunk and the WoW talk got really thick. It turned out that our waiter and the bartender were also (newer) players, and had just gotten their epic mounts and wanted to talk about it, so they pulled up a chair. It was a pretty sad night for my boss.

 

[ArjanN]

Sort of.

In my age group gaming is still seen as a bit of an odd hobby that only basement dwellers and reprobates do.

Most people know I game, but I doubt any know how much!!

Bascially this for me. I generally have a good idea which people don't really 'get it', and I tend to play it down with them or rather just not bring it up.

lol hardly

Nah, 90% of GAF wouldn't even recognize that logo without the text, the general audience wouldn't recognize that as a gaming tattoo even if it had the text.

 

[Tangled Up in Blue]

No, I gave up caring what other people think about me a long time ago. I don't shove my hobbies in anybody's face, but I'll happily talk about gaming with anyone who asks. I go to gaming conventions and wear gaming T-shirts (but only ones that I think are clever and will probably fly over the head of non-gamers), but otherwise I'm not too obnoxious about it. Gaming is part of who I am and I refuse to hide that. If somebody has a problem with that, then it is exactly that: their problem.

Feel no shame for what you love. Life is too short.

 

[Big One]

Sort of. I don't talk about it openly unless someone asks me. Gotta hide that power level, son.

 

[valeo]

Some games are horribly embarrassing in front of certain company; no doubt.

I won't play Dead or Alive in front of my partner.

Anyway, gaming is just one of many things I like to do. I don't understand anyone who only self-identifies as a 'gamer' and doesn't have any other interests.

 

[Kieli]

most people i know dont play games

so i keep to meself

 

[Demise]

I won't deny it but I won't scream it on roofs either. Especially at work.

 

[ShadyJ]

Not a closet gamer, i just dont identify as a "gamer"

 

[Skellig Gra]

No point in talking about stuff no one gives a damn about. I keep it to myself unless someone is genuinely interested. I get more than enough gaming talk on here.

 

[Gnome Scat]

I certainly don't advertise it, but if someone wants to engage in a conversation with me about it, I'm more than willing to partake.

Yeah that's how I am, too.

 

[MODEYV3]

Nope, I pretty much flaunt it and the ladies love it. A good technique at getting a girl back to your house from a night out, is to ask them to come back to play Mario Kart. Its worked twice haha. They love it.

P.s I gave up caring about what other people thought once I passed the age of 18. Also its 2/2.

 

[jmelons]

Depends on which friends I'm talking to. Some circles, I talk games, others I talk film, then others I talk UFC/sports. The circles tend to overlap, though.

 

[Theanine3D]

I don't go out of my way to bring up videogames to people who I know don't care about them. But I would never be ashamed for doing something as harmless as playing videogames. I play them in public on my 3DS. I see everyone around me on the train playing casual phone games so it's not like they can criticize me without becoming hypocrites.

And OP, you don't even play that much. 2 hours a night is a responsible amount. There are gamers who probably play many times that amount a day. As long as you don't let them take over your life, videogames are nothing to be ashamed of.

Also, screw society's double standards. The same people who will make fun of you for playing videogames probably spend their afternoons rotting their brain watching TV. They probably also play games on their phones and refuse to admit it. Don't let other people control your life. Life is too short for that.

 

[KiraXD]

Bascially this for me. I generally have a good idea which people don't really 'get it', and I tend to play it down with them or rather just not bring it up.



Nah, 90% of GAF wouldn't even recognize that logo without the text, the general audience wouldn't recognize that as a gaming tattoo even if it had the text.

oh no, yeah i dont doubt that... i meant hardly tribal... runic more like. (i hate tribal... so that kinda stung lol)

but yeah its a little less obvious than my comic book arm...

 

[The Artisan]

Are any of you guys like me? A closet gamer? I don't know why but I'm embarrassed that I'm into video games. I know more so now, society pretty much accepted video games as just another form of entertainment, up there with movies and books. Just being a guy will do it actually. But non of my closest friends know I play roughly 2 hours a night. I'm not sure why that is. Why am I so embarrassed by it? I have online gaming friends that are not my real friends but maybe they are? I share things to them that I don't with my real life friends. They are caring and very thoughtful. Even invites me their place for beers, gaming events, gives me codes, games, etc. I don't know. If you are, why are you a closet gamer?

I can sort of relate. I'm 25 years old and I love playing, for example, Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth...kinda shamelessly. But sometimes I think to myself, if at my age, if I should be, you know?

 

[torontoml]

I don't advertise it but it won't be one of the first things I tell someone. And I'll kinda hold off telling women as well depending on the individual.

 

[DarkKyo]

Not really. It's a pretty common hobby. Plus I'm not ashamed of who I am or what I like. That said I'm not loud about it.. but I'm not afraid to tell anyone if they want to know.

 

[mikefrails]

It'd be difficult to be. My influences are pretty apparent.

 

[z1ggy]

No im not OP. Im pretty open about it. I listen to some game music at the office. Hell i even show up with a robotech or a dota t shirt. i just dont give a fuck about what others might think about me.

 

[Data West]

I mean, I don't wear shirts with a mushroom or heart on it that says 'GAME OVER' or '1UP' if that's what you mean

 

[megarockexe]

I definitely am. It's something I'd rather not talk about in public if possible. Just makes me nervous to even think about.

 

[zoodoo]

Nah. I'm out in the open. It was hard enough to be a closetted gay, I was not going to double the experience.

 

[cropduster]

I never bring it up unless someone else does first. Does that count?

Nothing annoys/bores me more than someone talking to me about something I don't care about, so I try to not do that myself. Don't talk to me about sports and politics, and I won't talk to you about videogames and indie music. Simple as that.

Bingo

 

[Brofist]

I don't hide the fact that I game, but I don't feel the need to let it be known either.

 

[iosefe]

it's a very common thing for me, but ironically there was a point in time where my brothers had a small TV and their NES all hooked up and stationed inside the closet

had myself a giggle as i saw this thread

 

[Harusame]

Not at all. Everyone one at work knows that I am an avid gamer. I occasionally bring my 3DS and/or Vita to work, so that I play during my breaks. I also don't mind playing on my handhelds while out in public such as when I'm using public transit or at malls. However, I am not really one to sport wearing any gaming/anime apparel while outside...maybe if am attending any conventions or any other related events.

 

[BIG_V-G-V]

Like others have said, if someone brings it up i'll talk about it of course. To go out of my way and bring it up w/ people I know who have no interest in it whatsoever is not something I'm going to do.

 

[KdylanR92]

Not really, but unless someone brings it up I won't talk about.

 

[Alo0oy]

I know someone that refuses to tell any woman that he's into video games, and someone else that refuses to play video games at all for the same reason, funnily enough, the first one has never been with a non-prostitute, and the second one only started going out with women after high school.

It's absurd, I have never ever met a woman in my life that would never go out with someone just because he's into video games. Maybe I'm hanging out with the wrong women as a lot of them are into video games, but I can't imagine this insecurity and nerd-phobia helps at all.

 

[Jim_Cacher]

No. My best friends are also into gaming too, and most of my friends know I like to play video games. In fact, I have many so-called "nerdy" hobbies like watching anime, reading manga, building plastic models etc. This does not prevent me from having a happy social life. This really depends on how you view your own life. Others' opinion does not necessarily affect your life, and if there are people who don't respect you and your hobbies, you can always walk away.

 

[J_Viper]

I'll certainly talk about them in public if the topic is brought up, but I'd never initiate the conversation.

It's absurd, I have never ever met a woman in my life that would never go out with someone just because he's into video games.

I, unfortunately, live in Miami, where many girls consider that a huge turn off. Perhaps I've just been unlucky and never met one that doesn't mind them.

 

[cj_iwakura]

I always have my Vita at work, so, nope.

I, unfortunately, live in Miami, where many girls consider that a huge turn off. Perhaps I've just been unlucky and never met one that doesn't mind them.

Miami girls are not worth your time. I say this as a South Floridian.

 

[Anth0ny]

i don't know what that means

if someone asks about games, I'll talk about them. but i'm not going to bring the topic up in regular conversation, because 99% of the time no one really gives a fuck.

 

[texhnolyze]

I put playing video games as my only hobby on my CV.

 

[iosefe]

I'll certainly talk about them in public if the topic is brought up, but I'd never initiate the conversation.


I, unfortunately, live in Miami, where many girls consider that a huge turn off. Perhaps I've just been unlucky and never met one that doesn't mind them.

Miami girls are not worth your time. I say this as a South Floridian.

I know several Miami girls that are worth my time. I think it really depends on where you are in Miami

And maybe on what type of Miami girl we are talking