The Fanboy Mystique

Fanboys. An umbrella term that refers to a collective of people that align themselves with many brands that take the forms of various media, such as films, comic books, video games, and TV shows. There are many different types of Fanboys, usually labeled with a preceding brand name, like 'DC Fanboy' or 'Nintendo Fanboy'. Some of the more elite groups of Fanboys have shed the moniker altogether, like Trekkies. Other devoted groups have managed to elude comparisons with Fanboys by adopting more masculine euphemisms, like the terms 'Chevy Guy' or 'Ford Man' in auto enthusiast circles.

Despite the name 'Fanboys', many wield the age of a man, and there are girls/women in their ranks. These females, scarce and elusive, endure many unwanted socially awkward mating rituals. Despite their protest, these girls' statuses are still elevated to stratospheric heights For the sake of this article, I will dwell on the Fanboys of the video game world.

To video game companies, these Fanboys are a blessing and a curse. Over the cycle of a game console, the exchange between the company and these avid consumers is a very dangerous courtship. When the company behaves and caters to these Fanboys, they in turn will respond with money and praise, and actively campaign against rival companies. When the company begins to stray or stumble, the Fanboys will become vicious and threaten mutiny. To further complicate this ritual, the praise incites rival Fanboys to attack, and the mutiny is also amplified by said rivals.

 As with any ecosystem, the Fanboys are dependant on certain resources to thrive and flourish. The key resource being validation. This comes in many forms: 1. The sales number of game consoles, which indicates how many others have been enlisted, and offers a huge measure of bragging rights. 2. The success of platform exclusives compared to other exclusives.3. The seduction and entrapment of what was once a rival's exclusive title.  

Some Fanboys adopt many or all game consoles, and are usually outright dismissed. Forever shunned, these bipartisan gamers retreat to their dwellings to indulge in the full spectrum of entertainment.

 The current conflict between Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo is an oddity that can only be compared to Australia's indigenous species. Where Sony and Microsoft are comparable to the aggressive Great White Shark and Crocodile respectively, the relatively harmless Kangaroo-- Nintendo, outnumbers them. And so the Fanboy focus remains on the two powerful predators, while the marsupial is often overlooked in a fashion similar to being relegated to the small kid's table during thanksgiving. And so the bloody battle for second place in the market captivates the Fanboys.  

Provoking Fanboys is a pastime enjoyed by media outlets to garner attention. It is an impressive balancing act that involves much precision to appear unbiased, yet incite much furor. The resulting swarm of anger is relieving and soothing to media sites. So much in fact that an unhealthy dependency on rumors will occur.   

The majority of Fanboy behavior, abrasive or positive, exists almost entirely in the interweb. Away from the computer or outside their habitats, Fanboys are quite docile and harmless. They may exchange cursory glances at a Gamestop or Best Buy, but that is the extent of their interaction. In gaming conventions, they scale back their allegiance in order to view rival company offerings, earn more swag, and not risk (further) alienation from booth babes. 

Despite their commonplace existence, Fanboys will take much grievance of being called a Fanboy, though will not hesitate to accuse many others of holding the title. In rare occurrences, one will actually admit to being a Fanboy, if only as a precursor to a claim, argument, or statement of compromise.

What does the future hold for video game Fanboys? The prognosis doesn't look good. They are increasingly threatened by the prolonged life of game consoles. Being able to sustain the banter for 10+ years is extremely exhaustive, and often met with counter-arguments like "that is so seven years ago!" which often deflates them. Their ideology is diluted by a younger generation that has never heard of a Super Nintendo or Sega Genesis, making nostalgic arguments an endangered species. The cross pollination of game exclusives reduces Fanboys to arguing over mundane and subjective topics, like demo release dates. The next topic: recognizing, capturing, and reprogramming Fanboys.