Category: Video Games

Chris Kluwe on What it Meant to be a Gamer

When people think of “gamers,” I want them to think of Child’s Play, and athletes who play competitive League of Legends, and all the normalization we’ve accomplished over the years. I want them to think of feminism, and games as an art form — something more than mass entertainment. I want them to think of all the amazing things that video games have done, and can do, because that means we get to keep playing more games.

Former Minnesota Viking Chris Kluwe, a 8 year NFL player and 26 year video game enthusiast lays down some blunt, but well articulated, advice for those who think video game culture is being threatened by women and the resulting ruin of journalism. Or something like that. What are these guys even angry about again?

 

Minecraft Over My Little Pony

“The idea that sitting and watching Spongebob should be tossed into the same bucket as playing ABC Mouse is absolutely insane. …[My] Nine year old wants to lay on the couch and watch Ninjago all afternoon. Not happening. Want to play Minecraft with your friends all afternoon? Yes!”

Gabe over at Penny Arcade shares his thoughts around limiting ‘screen time’ with children. I’m in the same boat – if Kari wants to be creative and build a village/cat hotel in Minecraft, by all means do so. If you want to watch The Today Show and/or a 30 minute cartoon with 10 minutes of crappy commercials? Nope.

I’m never going to make a living or save a life because of the skills I’ve developed playing video games, but they have enabled me to express creativity, learn how to solve problems, and work within the constraints of design (not to mention some pretty slick hand/eye coordination) that passive media such as TV can never present. Heck, they (THEY!) have recently done research into the benefits of letting children play video games.

Related, I also think kids should go romping in the woods/creek/neighborhood more often. Check out this  NPR story titled, “Where the Wild Things Play“.