Fetal
Shared on Thu, 11/30/2006 - 07:10Everyone on this site has played Halo 2. For over two years now it has remained the most popular game played on XBOX Live only recently losing out to Gears of War. I think MLG has a lot to do with Halo 2 remaining number 1 for so long. But I also feel MLG is in some way ruining the gaming experience.
Most people, especially on this site, are aware the average age of gamers is 33. When I join matchmaking in most any game, I usually discover about half of those gaming are able to legally imbibe alcohol. This is different in Halo 2. Generally speaking, I find the Timmy ratio to be much higher. It has always been high to be sure, but you'd think with the game losing its popularity, and the well documented inability of most kids to stay fixated on anything for more than a few seconds, they would eventually move on to other games. Some have. Most haven't. MLG has kept Timmies everywhere fixated on this game.
Before I continue this rant, I'd like everyone to know I believe MLG has done some very good things. It estalished universal rules and starting options for competition. It has given die hard fans a forum to share information, and it has also given us the ability to watch actual gameplay footage of pros which we can use to better our playstyles or use for our amusement.
But it has done one thing that burns me. It has become too big for its boots. MLG decided to go and give itself to the masses on the USA network. Nevermind that I believe the show will eventually fail because no one except people with little imagination can sit through an entire episode and not be bored to tears with the vapid commentary and blatant statements of the obvious. Watching VoD on their site is infinitely more enjoyable. Anyone can see the show is merely a vehicle for advertisement, and a not too subtle one at that. Red Bull is everywhere. From customized headsets to blatant photo ops in jet planes you can't help but see that damn bull everywhere. I'm surprised they just don't start advocating the use of crystal meth instead. We get it. These guys need to stay wired in order to play video games for 10 hours straight. This is only a small thing that irks me though.
The thing that really makes me boil is the horrible way these kids (and the majority of the pros playing are kids) are being represented . The television show makes me hate the majority of the people playing. I find the guys who keep their mouths shut, like ShockWav3, to be the smartest ones in the room. Ghandi, a member of the championship team, Carbon is probably the most visible example. His smack talking is uninspired to say the least. "You suck!" can only be said so many times before it loses its punch. I'm surprised they let this guy write his own profile up. Here's his blog entry. Don't bother trying to read it, you'll kill your eyes.
He's not even the worst in my opinion though. At least he can spell....kind of. I'm sure if i met and knew the guy he'd be ok, but MLG has to crack down on allowing himself to look like an idiot. I'm sure the smack talking thing sells. Even the NFL encourages a little smack talking before games for the hype factor, but the NFL also has PR people who try to help guys not make total asses of themselves.
Here's another guy who looks like a moron on MLG, Legit. On his pro report on the site his likes are simple enough; gaming, women and relaxing. His one dislike sounds like a beauty pageant contestant...fake people. I'm sure he's a cool guy, but don't ask him any hard questions.
I find most of the profiles and player reports on MLG to be much the same. Generally immature, and hopelessly unreadable. The Ogres, Saiyan, ShockWav3 and Karma seem to be the most intelligent of the bunch.
Profiles on MLG aside, some of these guys are portrayed negatively on TV. Walshy is probably the worst of the lot. I'm sure if I knew him I'd have a different opinion, but MLG makes him out to be a primadonna, a role he seems to relish. I can't help but feel he's a new Zyos in the making. He is one of MLG's posterboys, and the fact they're protraying him all squeaky clean is sure to bring a backlash at some point in time, especially since he seems to believe his own hype on camera. Tsquared is made to look like a petulant loser, and maybe he is. His team has the talent to win, but i think they just fall apart in the end because they expect to lose.
All of this helps to prove my point...and i do have a point. MLG has forsaken us, the average gamer, the older gamer, the female gamer. They are catering to the lowest common denominator, Timmies. Why? Same reason tobacco companies used Joe Camel, the Marlboro Man and the Kool Penguin, Kids are the future market. Hook'em while they're young. The show is simplistic with quick cuts, and idiotic comments and excessive trash talking because that is what provokes an interest and response in kids, immature teens, and dare I say it, some adults.
I enjoy my video games. I am super competitive. I love it when a plan comes together. But please, please! MLG. Stop watering down your content.
disclaimer: I don't know any of the people I spoke about personally. I'm only commenting on impressions I get while using MLG's content.
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Comments
Submitted by eksessiv on Thu, 11/30/2006 - 07:26
Submitted by eksessiv on Thu, 11/30/2006 - 07:26
Submitted by Fetal on Thu, 11/30/2006 - 07:43
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Submitted by Fetal on Thu, 11/30/2006 - 08:47
Submitted by Fetal on Thu, 11/30/2006 - 08:47
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