Written on September 20th, 2006 (via 1UP.com)

With a new wave of consoles being released, it seems as though the "Console War" is heated to a point where there is no return. Gamers are "forced" to choose a sides, whether it's because of themselves or their peers. These peers can include a wide variety of people. Not only close friends, but the online community as we know it. Biases are everywhere, it's obvious.

Keeping this in mind, as each gamer tries to find the console that they must have, it is almost impossible to recieve an accurate portrayal without recieving some sort of subjective view. Millions of gamers across the world have pledged their loyalty to different brand names, who all have one thing in mind; money. Do they realize this? Not really. Should a company's decision on how to take the next step, or different step, for that matter, have any direct affect on the consumer? Nope.

But, then why do so many gamers pledge hate against companies like Sony? Why do they feel as though Sony has stabbed them in the back? Is there a reason for this?

Gaming as we know it is not a cheap hobby and most enthusiasts should know this. All games and console should be welcomed with open arms, because they are being produced for our own entertainment.

Then we get back into brand loyalty. Is there anything suspicious behind it? Is this where our next generation will end up? On some random forums debating whether we think Snake's beard looks better than Master Cheif's high poly ass cheek? Do graphics really play that big of a role? Is there something else behind the brand loyalty that we can't necessarily tap into?

Have we, as consumers, been tricked to like or dislike a certain brand name? Is this the company's fault, those who we interact with, or even our own fault?

I believe that the current type of brand loyalty is due to those we interact with every day. Not only at school or work, but in the online community.

Recently, as many of you heard, Microsoft announced upconversions to 1080p for the 360 through it's component cable set up. Before this, many in the online community were opposed to 1080p and pretty much felt no need. Though, as soon as Microsoft announces their support, all of the sudden "it's a great feature to have."

Even with the Wii, it's hype has been tremendous since E3, even though the price tag put a small damper on it, there are people who have been so caught up in this that they don't really care what else Nintendo does. It's still their lovable Wii. Hell, even I'm guilty of this. I was so into the console after E3, and even after a few hiccups from Nintendo, I'm still on the bandwagon.

Sony isn't any less guilty, but they have been taking the most flak from bystanders, by far.

I just think that there's something psychological about the whole "Console Wars" thing. By now, many people have made up their minds on what brand they will be sticking to. No matter what news is spat out, there just always seems to be the fanboys that form a spin on it that makes it better. Maybe we choose these brands as "safe zones." With the aid of a supporting community, this loyalty can get worse. As demonstrated on digg.com, there is a huge movement of anything pro-Nintendo/Microsoft and anti-Sony. No matter what you do, there, if it isn't what the general community agrees upon, then your opinion is rejected.

I have been on digg for a few months, and the patterns are obvious. But I just can't understand why there is such a backlash against Sony, there. It's as if Sony snuck into each of their homes and killed their parents or something. It's just that bad. Why do gamers have to act this way? Why has the relationship between company and consumer become so personal?

Even when I state a simple fact, as such:

"The PS3 upconverts all your DVDs as well. It also upconverts all of the PS1 and PS2 games (all are compatible), too."

I get "dugg down" simply because these people do not want to read facts.

Is there a reason why the "Wii60" and "This Is Waiting" sites have become so popular? Are people just buying into these things because they feel as though it is their duty?

This kind of message severly troubles me. Being only 15 years of age, I haven't experienced a whole lot in the online world, but I feel as though I've experienced enough to form an opinion.

It's almost as if I've become an unofficial spokesperson for the Wii and PS3. I combat tons of rumors each week with fact, but then am met with the illogical users of the internet. Their opinions are facts to them, and this just should not be. Probably because they are involved in a community that share the same ideas, and use evil laughs together...

If all this may have come out a little biased, then forgive me. I may have taken a bit of my own medicine, but that pretty much proves my point.

Is there a way to change minds? Maybe. Is it likely? Not so much...

If I have the money, I'll definitely consider the subscription. I don't really use the sites as much as I should, but this would easily be a good incentive to stay active. Most of all, I really support the Giant Bomb staff and the personality that they bring to the field.