Why does everybody still play competitive online FPS games?

" @sexy_nipples said:

" Most console kiddies started gaming online when? Like I think COD4 was probably their first online competitive FPS.  They aren't nearly as good as they were before. Like compare Bad Company 2 to Battlefield 2 or Battlefield 1942.  Compare MW2 to COD1 w/ United Offensive  Compare UT3 to UT2004  They've been dumbed down for a wider audience sadly. I mean look at the first Operation Flashpoint. Look at the one released in 2009.   Hell, people call COD4's multiplayer innovative LOL.   "

I play console games so I don't have to listen to elitist PC assholes like this. "

" @SeriouslyNow said:

" @ArchScabby said:

" @sexy_nipples said:

" Most console kiddies started gaming online when? Like I think COD4 was probably their first online competitive FPS.  They aren't nearly as good as they were before. Like compare Bad Company 2 to Battlefield 2 or Battlefield 1942.  Compare MW2 to COD1 w/ United Offensive  Compare UT3 to UT2004  They've been dumbed down for a wider audience sadly. I mean look at the first Operation Flashpoint. Look at the one released in 2009.   Hell, people call COD4's multiplayer innovative LOL.   "

I play console games so I don't have to listen to elitist PC assholes like this. "

Yeah he comes across like that, it's true. Except that he's mostly right.  Console games are pretty much always streamlined experiences due to the limits of the control interface.  "

Well I didn't necessarily mean just this post.  I've seen his other posts, and he's totally like that. "

The reason FPS games are so popular online is because they are among the easiest genres to get into, and even if you aren't the best, you can still have a lot of fun.
 
People feel intimidated by RTS and Fighting games, because those games require you to learn a lot more to be competitive.  People aren't willing to take the time to learn build orders or how to micro correctly.  They don't want to memorize combos and counter-picks.  Even MMOs require a certain degree of learning and a huge time investment.
 
On top of that, it's a lot easier to have "badass" moments in shooters than in other genres.  Even bad players occasionally feel that they did something awesome, and that gets the endorphins pumping.

It's due to the general public being more interested in gun violence than meaningful narrative experiences.

"

  This is a competitive game, and I have yet to play anything close to what duels in UT2k4 were like...say what you want, but watching duels were one thing but playing them was a different world.  It was pure skill and no luck, most intense moment ever in cometitive shooter.  EDIT:  I dare any Halo gamer to play me in UT3 or UT2k4 with them using their crappy controllers in a duel.  I'll show them what a true FPS game is. "

A number of reasons why I play: 
 
It's intense: you don't know where the enemy is so you have to look around. They could be flanking you, ahead of you, etc. 
 
It's somewhat realistic: you have a first-person angle, not like a camera far behind you like WoW, or a side one like fighting games. 
 
It's simple: aim, shoot, reload. You don't need a guide book for this game. 
 
It's fast: people die quite swiftly on CoD4. When people are around you, you need to be quick to trace them with your gun. Also, matches are fast, so you can play a bit and leave, unlike long RPGs where you need to commit hours if you do a raid or a mission.

" @nintendoeats said:

" @Osaladin said:

" Because it's fun, the only reason anyone should be playing video games. "
 

...Or because of the artistic potential...? That seems like a good reason to play games. Not online shooters maybe, but games for sure. "

Maybe if you're a pretentious twat "

Why do people play sports games? Why do people play RPGs? Why do people play MMOs?

" @crunchUK said:

" @nintendoeats said:

" @Osaladin said:

" Because it's fun, the only reason anyone should be playing video games. "
 

...Or because of the artistic potential...? That seems like a good reason to play games. Not online shooters maybe, but games for sure. "

Maybe if you're a pretentious twat "

...  **** you?  ...   I'm trying to think of a civilised response to this, but its just too absurd to really argue with. There are pretentious gits out there...but are you seriously suggesting that any attempt to take games seriously is bad? Can you actually make a case for that, because from where I'm sitting it sounds ridiculous and a hell of alot more pretentious than saying that video games are art. "

" It's due to the general public being more interested in gun violence than meaningful narrative experiences. "

" @crunchUK: That...doesn't prove anything...and isn't actually true. If people didn't care about narrative experiences, they wouldn't watch movies without guns in them. Or read books at all (ok, alto of people don't read books, but reading is hardly pretentious). Sure, there is a SEGMENT of the population that just wants to shoot stuff, but that isn't everybody. ANyway, if You were the only person in the world who liked a band, would that make you pretentious? Not by default. If you only liked the badn BECAUSE other people didn't like the, then it would be pretentious. "

You guys should solve this argument with a round of competitive online FPS gaming!!

 @ProfessorEss:  Ahem, funny you should mention that, I have a little flowchart representing just such a scenario:

" @crunchUK: Please don't tell me to make your argument for you. I don't see anywhere that I have said anything unreasonable or conflicting. "

Because it's damn addictive...

...seriously? You actually don't know the answer to that question?

It's competitive and fun. A lot of people can play it too. The simple concept makes it more accessible; just shoot the red people!

" ...seriously? You actually don't know the answer to that question? "

Cause TF2.

"

Cause TF2.

"

i miss playing CS 1.6 and before in CAL tourneys, also Quake 3

" It's competitive and fun. A lot of people can play it too. The simple concept makes it more accessible; just shoot the red people! "

" @Myrmidon said:

" ...seriously? You actually don't know the answer to that question? "

There is no "the" answer. There are more than just one. This thread and my article were created to provoke discussion. "