Why do we Western gamers always seem to like such "big, bad, and edgy" characters?

[SuperMillionaire]

I wouldn't say that E-rated games would have "big, bad, and edgy" characters, but I do think that a number of T-rated games have them too.

And here's another reason why I think games are not mainstream in American popular culture: we don't get that many game-related merchandise here. For example, while only the first Kingdom Hearts soundtrack was released here in the United States, the soundtracks to all the other games were released in Japan only. In addition, they also tend to have many other merchandise and memorabilia such as action figures and posters, and they even have soft drinks and fragrances with video game characters on them! You do see that anywhere in America, now. do you?

[NorthernChaosGod]

No, because that's ridiculous.

[Hollycat]

Yeah you do. If you go into any borders

[ljkkjlcm9]

I wouldn't say that E-rated games would have "big, bad, and edgy" characters, but I do think that a number of T-rated games have them too.

And here's another reason why I think games are not mainstream in American popular culture: we don't get that many game-related merchandise here. For example, while only the first Kingdom Hearts soundtrack was released here in the United States, the soundtracks to all the other games were released in Japan only. In addition, they also tend to have many other merchandise and memorabilia such as action figures and posters, and they even have soft drinks and fragrances with video game characters on them! You do see that anywhere in America, now. do you?

I also don't see panty vending machines in America either, or frozen meats, hard liquor, or live lobsters... all available in japan.

Cultural differences.

And on that note, while certain ridiculous products such as a Final Fantasy "Potion" aren't released here... I can walk into a number of stores and find numerous video game posters, t-shirts, and other products.

THE JACKEL

[VeloZer0]

You don't have live lobsters in America? How primitive

[ljkkjlcm9]

You don't have live lobsters in America? How primitive

Live lobsters in vending machines silly

THE JACKEL

[VeloZer0]

Sounded kind of fishy.

[SuperMillionaire]

Well, while I generally don't care about the soft drinks, I would like to see more posters, action figures, and soundtracks available for retail here in America. I generally don't see that too often here (it's much more common in Japan only), but I think they should start releasing that merchandise to the masses here as well.

[*Laurelindo*]

Depends on exactly how they are "big, bad and edgy" - characters who try to be cool and unfeeling are quite ridiculous, tbqh.

Solid Snake and Chris Redfield are good examples of truly badass guys - they don't go overboard or anything, they just "are" cool, and can care a lot for others as well.

[GhandiOwnsYou]

Because prog-rock is prog-rock, and Muse has far stronger influences than prog-rock.

Actually, I think that was the one I had the LEAST problem with. I would side with the "shoulda been neo-prog" side of the argument though.

Really though. Nickelback is edgy and heavy? Paramore gets tagged as punk? My god, they really need to make music education a mandatory class in public schools.

[*Laurelindo*]

I have some related thoughts:
why do so many guys feel the need to act unsympathetic, cold and even aggressive?
For some reason this is particularly common on heavy metal forums; it's always the same crap: "u suck", "RU a retard?", "f*** you" etc etc etc - heck, I even remember one member posting a pic of himself playing electric guitar at a supermarket (WHY?) and he just had to point out that he was kicked out, apparently he was proud of that or something.
Why all this aggressive and moronic behaviour?
Do they think it makes them strong and cool?
They act like spoiled five-year-old brats.
And if someone were to tell them to be kinder they would just mistake that for being over-emotional crybabies instead.

Oh well, at least the members on this forum seem fairly mature.

[Flying Arrow]

I have some related thoughts:
why do so many guys feel the need to act unsympathetic, cold and even aggressive?
For some reason this is particularly common on heavy metal forums; it's always the same crap: "u suck", "RU a retard?", "f*** you" etc etc etc - heck, I even remember one member posting a pic of himself playing electric guitar at a supermarket (WHY?) and he just had to point out that he was kicked out, apparently he was proud of that or something.
Why all this aggressive and moronic behaviour?
Do they think it makes them strong and cool?
They act like spoiled five-year-old brats.
And if someone were to tell them to be kinder they would just mistake that for being over-emotional crybabies instead.

Oh well, at least the members on this forum seem fairly mature.

I used to spend a lot of time (and still occasionally do) in the metal community. While there are quite a number of morons, I generally find that it's the younger members who still resort to rebelling for its own sake and generally moronic behaviour. Although I still know a couple of grown men who still think it's completely not stupid to perform in jackboots and red armbands. Image is disgustingly important to metal fans, even when they adamantly say it isn't.

Still, I generally find a metal community far more tolerable than a community of, say, sports fans or *shudder* gamers.

[*Laurelindo*]

I have some related thoughts:
why do so many guys feel the need to act unsympathetic, cold and even aggressive?
For some reason this is particularly common on heavy metal forums; it's always the same crap: "u suck", "RU a retard?", "f*** you" etc etc etc - heck, I even remember one member posting a pic of himself playing electric guitar at a supermarket (WHY?) and he just had to point out that he was kicked out, apparently he was proud of that or something.
Why all this aggressive and moronic behaviour?
Do they think it makes them strong and cool?
They act like spoiled five-year-old brats.
And if someone were to tell them to be kinder they would just mistake that for being over-emotional crybabies instead.

Oh well, at least the members on this forum seem fairly mature.

I used to spend a lot of time (and still occasionally do) in the metal community. While there are quite a number of morons, I generally find that it's the younger members who still resort to rebelling for its own sake and generally moronic behaviour. Although I still know a couple of grown men who still think it's completely not stupid to perform in jackboots and red armbands. Image is disgustingly important to metal fans, even when they adamantly say it isn't.

Still, I generally find a metal community far more tolerable than a community of, say, sports fans or *shudder* gamers.

Yeah, I don't mean to talk bad about metal in general (I love metal myself), but it just seems like many metal forums (or forums in general, I would assume) are quite crowded with the aggressive bunch;
still, like you said, there are a lot of nice persons there as well, and I hope the rude ones better themselves, both for their own and everyone else's sake.

[Goldenboko]

You're really not helping your case by citing an article in which all the quoted sources are female. Try harder.

Also, please stop referring to bands like Linkin Park as edgy or heavy. It's embarrassing.

How could you not think of them as edgy and heavy? The really loud guitars and Chester Bennington's screaming sure sounds edgy to me! If not, then perhaps Limp Bizkit, Killswitch Engage, and Breaking Benjamin, along with many other heavy metal bands?

Yelling =/= Metal
Them Japs sure do like it cute.

I wouldn't say that E-rated games would have "big, bad, and edgy" characters, but I do think that a number of T-rated games have them too.

And here's another reason why I think games are not mainstream in American popular culture: we don't get that many game-related merchandise here. For example, while only the first Kingdom Hearts soundtrack was released here in the United States, the soundtracks to all the other games were released in Japan only. In addition, they also tend to have many other merchandise and memorabilia such as action figures and posters, and they even have soft drinks and fragrances with video game characters on them! You do see that anywhere in America, now. do you?

Merchandise for games produced in a western culture environment are going to sell better in the West, just as Eastern Merchandise will sell better in the east, we see a lot of Halo action figures, because Halo was made by Westerners. The big difference is that games made for younger audiences tend to be primarily for younger audiences in the West. Such as Toy Story Three.

Also I do I do see that in Americas: