Do you play games because other people play them?

Yeah, I tend to either read a lot about most games or buy whatever game is all the rage at the moment just because it allows you to keep up with gaming culture, which is pretty important to me because it's my main hobby. Also when people are talking about a game back and forth, chances are you know what they're talking about and you have a knowledge of it already. Makes discussing games and looking smart seem a whole lot easier.

Well yeah, if I hear a lot of people raging on about how awesome a game is, I do feel the need to have to try it myself.

well not intentionally, but if everyone's talking about how great a game is then i want to see what all the cafuffle is about.

Since I don't have a specific taste in games, I tend to get games that are pretty popular, like Borderlands, Bayonetta, Mass Effect  2, and other titles like those three. But I don't buy games to "keep up" with the game culture, though more and more I find myself buying games the other like. If it weren't for a friend talking about Armored Core all of the time, I wouldn't have gotten into the series (starting with AC4 for the 360).

With the variety of gaming that comes with a Gamefly subscription brings, I've been making my game choices based on
1) Whether or not I'd need to experience the game to keep up with gaming culture (because I like talking about games as much as playing them!)
2) Whether I can spare the time to add the game into my playing queue.
3) Am I even interested in it?
 
It's led me to go out and try certain games I wouldn't normally have played. I got Halo 3 just because I knew it'd be hearing about it all the time, I actually liked it even though I didn't like Halo 1 and didn't even bother playing Halo 2. 
 
It got me to hunt down a copy of System Shock 2 even though the game was already considered ancient (still pretty awesome!). 
 
I regret it, but I've never finished Planescape: Torment even though I've heard so much about it. Fixed texture resolutions make it difficult to play this old game. The claustrophobic view just bothers me too much. 
 
What about you guys?

No. I only get games that catch my eye. I'm not that big on trying to keep up with the almighty "gaming culture". Only if the game catches my eye I may end up getting a "famous" game. 
Hell, I have yet to play Bayonetta, Killzone 2, etc.

I do all my own research and all games purchased are based on that research, my tastes, money and the price.  Other people pay no part in it at all.  Unless you include my kids, because I do consider what they like (as I do the purchasing) and what we will likely have fun together with - Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros and any JRPG that is even a pleasure to watch each other play.

Yes, I play games because other play them. Do I like games because others like them? No.
I don't necessarily buy the most popular games thinking I'll like them too, but I think there has to be at least a little bit of buzz about a certain game before I'll be inclined to give it a shot.

 Yes, because if others like the game, then I'll probably like it too.  
 
My friends talk up a storm about how awesome Gears 1 was to them. I ended up buying the game, and while i can see how people like it, it ultimately wasn't my style of shooter. I feel like an idiot for blowing $60 cus my friends are practically fanboys and i'm just easily convinced into buying stuff - yet i let myself get talked into buying Gears 2 and probably will end up letting myself think that buying Gears 3 will somehow be a different experience. Other than that I mostly buy games to my tastes but the Gears series is something i've gotten into because my friends seemed to enjoy it.

I voted for the second option, I try my best to keep up, however at times I might not care to and rather choose not to.

I usually don't buy a game exclusively to play with friends, but if I know many of my friends are going to be playing a game online it gives me an added incentive to play. I guarantee that I would not have played MW2 as much as I had if my friends weren't playing it. Hell, even Lost Planet 2 looks fun with friends but would I buy it to play solo? Not on your life.

People actually do that? You're kidding, right?

Peer pressure