There are those times in life when you feel embarrassed or ashamed because of something. It could be an old song coming on the radio like Foreigner's Jukebox Hero, where you are digging it and suddenly become self conscious and look around to see if anyone hears you listening to it. Or maybe watching a hokey movie that you wouldn't want anyone to know you enjoy. But what about game shame?
For me, the most shame I ever felt for being a gamer was the midnight launch for Halo 2. I was at the South County Mall in St. Louis, MO because that was the closet gaming store to where I live at that time....sixty miles from home. Everything was pretty cool, there was this long, long line all the way down to the Sears at the end of the mall. I was pretty close to the front, probably about the 20th guy in line at EB Games. The game went on sale. The first guy in the line walks out of the store. Well, I should say shambles. He was this huge, grotesque looking person with a neckbeard wearing some black t-shirt that was several sizes too small. His pimply, hairy belly hung low as his shirt could not contain it and his sweat pants couldn't rise high enough. His hair was matted, greasy and he had a significant amount of acne. He smelled of BO and dirty laundry. You know, that wet, nasty mop smell? And as he exited the store, he looked around, pulled Halo 2 from the bag, held it high in both hands like He-Man raising his sword and bellowed "WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" And at that moment, I felt great shame.
It's not that the guy was big or that he was enthusiastic about his new game. We were all there at midnight because we were enthusiastic. It's because this guy is the poster child for every bad stereotype of gamers.
So what do you all think?
