If you’re a retro Nintendo fan you can of course carry a NES and a Game Boy around with you, but the former isn’t very portable. Never fear though, because …read more

Meg Cherry Member Oct 25, 2017 7,847 Seattle, WA So, Panic - a studio out of Portland that mostly does Mac software - is going to release a custom handheld with a 'premium' black-and-white screen - with 12 games that will be kept a secret until they unlock after release (one a week). Also, one of the inputs is a hand crank. One of those games is the game you saw above: Crankin's Time Travel Adventure from Katamari Damacy designer Keita Takahashi. The crank is used to manipulate time forwards and backwards. Despite the presence of buttons, the only way to interact with Crankin' is with said crank. Not all games will work that way, obviously, but it's reasonable to expect many will make use of it. There are other games coming from Bennett Foddy (Getting Over It), Zach Gage (SpellTower), and Shaun Inman (The Last Rocket), among others. What exactly they're making for Playdate, however, remains unannounced, with more details later this year. Click to expand... Click to shrink... $150, pre-orders out this year. This thing looks absurd, but maybe in a way worth supporting.  Last edited: May 22, 2019 KoolAid Member Oct 25, 2017 7,055 Keita Takahashi? Bennett Foddy? I'm interested.   atomsk Member Oct 28, 2017 1,762 Panic worked with Keita on those Katamari t-shirts forever ago, so that's not too surprising. Still, I wish Wattam would get a release date already.  BocoDragon Banned Oct 26, 2017 5,207 I love the hardware design.   Deleted member 42 user requested account closure Banned Oct 24, 2017 16,939 CRANKIN' IT   marrec Banned Oct 26, 2017 6,775 I'm sooo in for wild shit like this with limited but specific use cases.   kikuchiyo Member Nov 9, 2017 1,103 atomsk said: Panic worked with Keita on those Katamari t-shirts forever ago, so that's not too surprising. Still, I wish Wattam would get a release date already. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Didn't get those shirts when they came out and I've been kicking myself for it ever since :(  JamboGT Vehicle Handling Designer Verified Oct 25, 2017 1,537 The most hipster of hipster gaming stuff I have ever seen.   Tiktaalik Member Oct 25, 2017 3,749 Looks like a lot of fun. There's an opportunity for these small little devices now that 3DS is going away. Come on Nintendo, make Game Boy Classic happen.  Deleted member 54469 User requested account closure Member Mar 4, 2019 320 design is cool but what exactly is the point? for it's niche community i'm not going to ask. forever everyone else kinda feel like this is one of those things (like everything else now) cashing in on nostalgia and basically gentrifying by giving it a new instagram worthy paint coat and new name. $150 for a black and white game boy with some weird gimmick? i'm cool lol. that's nice they found some great (also niche) developers to make great (also niche) games for it. just not sure why this exists though? especially for that absurd price? i mean you can get a 2ds bundle with a game and another free nintendo select for like $80 now.  eyeball_kid Member Oct 25, 2017 12,138 Panic, Takahashi (please why are you distracting him from finishing Wattam!), and Teenage Engineering (makers of the awesome OP-1 synth). This is like a videogame hipster dream come true. Not sure how well that crank is going to feel for left-handed users though.  Colloco Self-Requested Ban Banned Oct 27, 2017 403 florida 150 kind of hurts for a black and white screen device in 2019, but DAT CRANK THO   Ghos Member Oct 25, 2017 3,986 cute design Keita tho? 👀  Weltall Zero Game Developer Banned Oct 26, 2017 19,343 Madrid Kind of weird there's only going to be 12 games for it; visually simple B/W games should be relatively easy to crank out.   Lego Killer Moth Avenger Oct 25, 2017 1,292 This is the coolest thing I've ever seen   Toumari Member Oct 27, 2017 8,811 England Cute and bizarre. Never expected Panic to ever dabble in hardware like this.   Deleted member 41931 User requested account closure Member Apr 10, 2018 3,744 I'm in for Keita Takahashi. No idea if this is going to be good, but it'll certainly be different.   marrec Banned Oct 26, 2017 6,775 JamboGT said: The most hipster of hipster gaming stuff I have ever seen. Click to expand... Click to shrink... It's like they made it specifically for me  CloseTalker Sister in the Craft Member Oct 25, 2017 38,131 Yeah, I'll buy one of those   Colloco Self-Requested Ban Banned Oct 27, 2017 403 florida Is this secretly Soulja Bois new console?   corn_fest Member Oct 27, 2017 323 I can't help but compare this with the 32blit which recently sprung up on Kickstarter. Spec-wise, the console seems a little disappointing in comparison, but Panic, Teenage Engineering, and the developers they've partnered with all create great stuff so I feel like this will be cool regardless. Ugh I'm gonna end up getting both aren't I.  Lego Killer Moth Avenger Oct 25, 2017 1,292 Weltall Zero said: Kind of weird there's only going to be 12 games for it; visually simple B/W games should be relatively easy to crank out. Click to expand... Click to shrink... There's gonna be more if it's a success. It's 12 so far. One a month for the first year.   KoolAid Member Oct 25, 2017 7,055 Weltall Zero said: Kind of weird there's only going to be 12 games for it; visually simple B/W games should be relatively easy to crank out. Click to expand... Click to shrink... ...i see what you did there also they say there's potential for more games, unsure if they'll charge for them though  Deleted member 33571 User requested account closure Banned Nov 17, 2017 907 very very cool, the lil bit of the Keita Takahashi game they showed looked really neat I immediately got teenage engineering vibes between the price (eek) and the concept so it makes sense they worked on some of the hardware  Kirksplosion Member Aug 21, 2018 2,682 Eh, can't say I'm interested at all-- Keita Takahashi Click to expand... Click to shrink... So I make this check out to Panic in Portland, OR?  Ginger Hail One Winged Slayer Avenger Oct 25, 2017 3,358 It's a cute little thing. Definitely gonna keep my eye on it.   jml Member Mar 9, 2018 4,849 Seems ridiculous and I do not understand the appeal at that price at all   Conan Member Oct 25, 2017 707 It's like having a bad analog stick. Cool?   Jonnykong Member Oct 27, 2017 8,992 It looks pretty nifty when you see the game in action by spinning that delightful crank.   marrec Banned Oct 26, 2017 6,775 jml said: Seems ridiculous and I do not understand the appeal at that price at all Click to expand... Click to shrink... The appeal is in the design and the games.  makonero Member Oct 27, 2017 11,177 If it was $50 I could see myself grabbing it for novelty purposes But I can't justify $150 for a black and white handheld with no backlight. I had an original GBA for five years, not going back now  Vivian-Pogo Member Jan 9, 2018 2,142 It's neat but about 3x the price of what I would want to pay for it.   wideface ▲ Legend ▲ Avenger Oct 25, 2017 7,184 Hidamari Apartments Keita Takahashi? Okay, I'll buy it.   NickatNite Member Oct 27, 2017 6,217 California An interesting concept, but may or may not be worth the price point. I definitely will keep my eye on it.   Deleted member 23046 Account closed at user request Banned Oct 28, 2017 6,876 Panic is also the first publisher of Campo Santo's Firewatch.   Dancrane212 Member Oct 25, 2017 14,110 Edge cover gets it a good amount of cred with me. Consider me curious.  JamesQuall Member Oct 27, 2017 752 I'm in. I already love Panic for publishing Firewatch and the Goose Game, and for putting a cool sign on their building that I can change the colors on during my lunch break!   RyougaSaotome Member Oct 25, 2017 5,365 It seems absurd so I'm in.   eyeball_kid Member Oct 25, 2017 12,138 Here's a peek at Keita Takahashi's game:   ryushe Member Oct 27, 2017 5,063 If this were black and white WITH backlight, then I'd be on board. But as it stands, I can't justify $150 for this no matter how hard I'd like to try.   Anno Member Oct 25, 2017 7,889 Columbus, Ohio That's weird enough that I'm at least interested.   the_wart Member Oct 25, 2017 2,346 That's so dumb. ...I want it.  KilgoreTrout696 Member Oct 25, 2017 667 ryushe said: If this were black and white WITH backlight, then I'd be on board. But as it stands, I can't justify $150 for this no matter how hard I'd like to try. Click to expand... Click to shrink... 100% with you on the backlight. I'm looking into getting older gameboys modded with backlights not getting something new without them. Just flashing back to trying to play pokemon at night while in the car driving home, would have to wait to pass a streetlight in order to see the screen for a second.   boontobias Avenger Apr 14, 2018 10,144 Dancrane212 said: Edge cover gets it a good amount of cred with me. Consider me curious. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Rebels huh? There goes my interest  8bit Member Oct 27, 2017 5,390 Oh fuck yes, I want one.   pronk Member Oct 26, 2017 2,034 Swery retweeted this, then retweeted a tweet about the Ouya store closing lol Also pretty sure EDGE had an Ouya cover.  Deleted member 2791 User requested account closure Banned Oct 25, 2017 19,054 I like the idea and the hardware execution, but 150 bucks for twelve short games just doesn't cut it.   Brian_FETO The Million Post Man Member Oct 25, 2017 19,825 I think I love this? idk $150 is an investment but like......it's also not that bad? hmm The curious thing is whether future seasons would be downloadable (it does have wifi) or if the intent is to have limited run systems with preset seasons  RoboitoAM Member Oct 25, 2017 3,271 This thing looks stupid.   El Pescado Member Oct 26, 2017 2,042 That thing looks right up my alley. I'm 100% in.  

Λntonio Member Jun 25, 2024 1,102 That is title says it all. I already preordered the Switch 2 because I think it will be a good choice to take advantage of short sessions. I am already aware I wont be able to sit in front of the PC or the TV for the foreseeable future thats also why I bought the Switch 2. Any other advice from parents, also recent ones?  Slackerchan Member Oct 25, 2017 1,755 Austin, TX I have friends who went through similar gaming crises. Portables like a Switch or Steam Deck are the way to go, something you can hold while cradling the kid. Focus on shorter games or ones that can be played in spurts without significant session commitment requirements (deck builders, etc.).   Var Avenger Oct 25, 2017 1,701 I got more gaming done during the first year of my son's life than I did the year before. portables are the way to go and anything offline because you are going to need to take frequent breaks and be able to stop immediately at any time. Toddler stage is when my gaming really ground to a halt. You need to have eyes on them pretty much all the time because they are mobile and extremely curious with zero sense of self preservation.  thetrin Member Oct 26, 2017 10,740 Grand Junction, CO My friends who have kids have told me "seize every small moment you have, focus on gamea you can play in short spurts". Seems like pretty good advice.   Taco_Human Member Jan 6, 2018 4,925 MA you are already dead (time to go portable)   Audiblee Member Mar 14, 2025 1,659 Handhelds were a godsend when my girl was born.   Mephissto Member Mar 8, 2024 1,218 Mobile consoles when they are small and sleep a lot Early bedtime later for the kiddo Less sleeping for you These are methods at least :D Still get a good amount of hours into gaming.  OhhEldenRing Member Aug 14, 2024 2,884 Seriously don't even think about games. Just enjoy the next few months getting to know him because he's going to be watching you all the time. My son is 5 months and his sister three years old. I'm making up the time now for all the Elden Ring sessions I spent when she was several months old. Play with your kiddo and get an hour in after everyone goes to bed.   Veelk Member Oct 25, 2017 15,530 Offer your son up for adoption   topplehat Member Oct 27, 2017 1,083 Austin, TX Portables and anything that can quickly be paused and resumed. When you have time to game do it (don't get distracted by your phone). Can also get some gaming in while the little one is doing a contact nap. Honestly sometimes you may just not want to play because you're tired - that's fine too! I have a two month old and I don't really play my desktop PC anymore (sometimes I stream from it). Mostly Steam Deck, Switch, and PS5.  Bishop89 What Are Ya' Selling? Member Oct 25, 2017 42,785 Melbourne, Australia Λntonio said: I am already aware I wont be able to sit in front of the PC or the TV Click to expand... Click to shrink... Says who?   TheRuralJuror Member Oct 25, 2017 6,972 Handhelds are always nice when they're young, anything you can put to sleep quickly if needed. Personally, my son never stopped me from playing games nor giving him a ton of love and attention. Lol, was smooching him on his big head last night (he's 17 now, can't believe it still). Before you know it, he'll be your gaming partner in crime.   CJohn Member Oct 30, 2017 1,436 I play after everyone goes to bed. Portal and Switch have also helped.   Steve McQueen Member Nov 1, 2017 2,192 Netherlands Go portable. That's what I did in 2000 when my daughter was born. Playing games in short sessions will do.  DeanMuffin Member Oct 22, 2020 11 The change in how much you play after a child can be different for everyone because i don't know how your current gaming habits are but in my case it hasn't changed much and I still get to game. My son is almost two now and I play a few evenings a week when he's in bed, prior to my son being born I wouldn't play earlier than that anyway as I still had to make dinner and do chores around the apartment. So it hasn't changed too much, apart from some nights your too tired to bother of course. Up until 6 months was a totally different story though, I actually found myself gaming way more. He was a terrible sleeper unless laying on my chest so I'd find myself on the sofa with him asleep on me at ridiculous hours and just passing the time playing games. I completed both Spiderman 2 and Sea of Stars (both 100%) during that period. So yeah, as long as you love games enough you'll make it work! Just make sure to keep strong communication with your partner when it comes to what helps you get by the tough times, for example, making some time to game.  Izanagi89 "This guy are sick" and Corrupted by Vengeance Member Oct 27, 2017 18,856 You play more games when they're babies. Even with my first born who was colic I remember pumping 130+ hours into DQ11 that first month lol Just enjoy it. You'll find your rhythm with baby, work, life and games.   LowParry Member Oct 26, 2017 6,178 The first like 6 months you'll be so focused on your family, gaming is kind of an after thought. That doesn't mean you'll have down time but most times you'll probably be exhausted and will want to nap instead. Gaming doesn't just go away when you have kids. It'll slowly come back.   superNESjoe Developer at Limited Run Games Verified Oct 26, 2017 1,183 I've got a 7 and 9 year old. The first few years was a lot of 3DS and Switch. Handhelds and forfeiting sleep are how you squeeze games in.   Red Hunter Member May 28, 2024 1,527 I'd argue you have it easier than anyone with the Switch 2 lol   Universal Acclaim Member Oct 5, 2024 2,338 Λntonio said: I am already aware I wont be able to sit in front of the PC or the TV for the foreseeable future Click to expand... Click to shrink... Never know until you try   Red UFO Member Oct 25, 2017 1,467 You don't need to give up games, but you do need to accept that the amount of games, and the way you play them, will be forever changed.   Geeker Member May 11, 2019 746 You will come to absolutely hate any time wasting bullshit in any game   kxs Member Jul 25, 2022 1,198 Don't over think it. It's just video games. My tip - play games that you can pause at anytime! I know some folks swear on portable devices. But even after becoming a father I prefer a home console or PC set up rather than portable device. Steam Deck, Switch, Portal etc isn't for everyone. Also stick to just one or two games at a time. Don't juggle a bunch of stuff.  CommodoreKong Member Oct 25, 2017 8,577 Get a PC handheld like a Steam Deck or ROG Ally X.   Zekes Member Oct 25, 2017 7,961 The first few months at least you might be doing a lot of couch sitting which leads to lots of gaming time, don't sweat it   Nesther Member Oct 27, 2017 2,318 Switzerland Idunno but I bought and finished Dragon's Dogma 2 after my kid was born. He slept on my chest or in the living room crib and wasn't bothered by my playing. Just play non-online games and you won't have to give up gaming.   Rocketz Prophet of Truth Member Oct 25, 2017 8,610 Metro Detroit You'll still plenty of time when they are first born. As they get older times will change. Most of my time now is after everyone is in bed.   Vanguard Member Jan 15, 2025 610 Babies take a lot of naps. You can do a lot of gaming.   BasilZero Member Oct 25, 2017 39,994 Omni Name your child - Switch 3 so it wont be giving up games.   Neoxon Spotlighting Black Excellence - Diversity Analyst Member Oct 25, 2017 93,540 Houston, TX Just grab a Switch 2 or a Steam Deck, & it sounds like you did the former.   Last edited: 53 minutes ago Nekyrrev Member Oct 28, 2017 1,191 My advice is: stop playing 80h games and sleep less. Enjoy. Real talk tho, it is possible to keep playing even with kids. Gaming time will become more special. You have to make the most of nap time during the the day and sleep time in the evening.  Ombala Member Oct 30, 2017 2,502 Spend all the time you can with your son as he grows up, you will regret it later if you don't.   Noctis Winters Member Sep 23, 2018 1,852 Like most people have pointed out - handhelds can come in clutch. But don't forget about mobile games, especially ones that can be played one handed and dipped in and out of fairly easily. I can't suggest much in the way of mobile games but I did play a lot of Infinity Nikki and it was super casual to pick up and put down, on both mobile and console w/ cross progression. Plenty on mobile basically designed to be approached this way so there's bound to be something to your liking on the platform. Something like a PS Portal or a laptop to stream / remote play your console / other games library could be handy too. Especially if+when the main TV starts getting taken over.  Spenny Member Oct 25, 2017 5,907 east depends on the temperament of the baby. i had my infant brother who was a good sleeper. i'd make the room dark, put him on my chest, and rock until he fell asleep. then i'd play gears multiplayer with my friends   Zekes Member Oct 25, 2017 7,961 Nesther said: Idunno but I bought and finished Dragon's Dogma 2 after my kid was born. He slept on my chest or in the living room crib and wasn't bothered by my playing. Just play non-online games and you won't have to give up gaming. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Yup, when my son was born I played through all of Elden Ring while he napped on me for a couple hours at a time. I just used headphones   KanjoBazooie ▲ Legend ▲ Avenger Oct 26, 2017 32,740 Chicago It's really not that bad. I still get to game. It's less time for sure but that's not really a bad thing. Spending time with my kid and seeing them grow and experience new things has been infinitely more valuable than playing a game then coming to Era to talk about it. My little one picked up on games because of me and now likes playing them with me. Although we limit his screen time I still enjoy every second with him. Now we have another on the way. Just enjoy it OP, babies are different; when ours fall asleep he rarely ever woke up in the middle of the night so we just got to do whatever lol. Here's to hoping the universe's RNG blesses you. Also Switch is godtier for gaming while on mommy or daddy duty. It's also the first game console we introduced our son to.  Grakchawwaa Member Mar 10, 2022 660 I just had a baby two months ago and gaming time is going to depend on how you handle their awful sleeping patterns the first few months. I have one hour or so a night when the wife takes him upstairs that I can game or watch a show but to be honest I'm usually exhausted and kinda just go to sleep. I bought a used steam deck and that has been nice. You'll find the time when you can but just be ready to pop up and tend to the baby so any game will have to be built around pausing often.  Vgorilla3774 Member Sep 21, 2020 716 Rocketz said: You'll still plenty of time when they are first born. As they get older times will change. Most of my time now is after everyone is in bed. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Pretty much this. Peak "I have no time at all" years (at least IMO) are from like 2-5/6. Before that they spend a lot of time sleeping and/or being immobile. Once they start walking and talking, then you're on duty through bedtime until they start to gain some independence. Then you'll eventually hit a point where you want them to have less independence, lol  Babba Member Nov 2, 2017 41 Portables and shorter games. Games where ypu can make progress in short sessions. Forget about the 100hr long games, unless you want to spend half year to a whole year playing it.   ElephantShell 10,000,000 Member Oct 25, 2017 12,042 Steam Deck was huge for me. One of my best friends just had a kid and it's been huge for him too. Switch 2 will probably serve the same purpose so no need to go out and buy a Steam Deck. But the convenience of being able to pull out a handled is no nice. That plus changing the types of games you're playing. Anything multiplayer probably isn't going to happen since you need to be able to put the game down at a moments notice. Try to get into some nice, slow paced games you can pick up and put down. Roguelikes work well since you can just bang out a couple runs when you have time. JRPGs as well because of the pace and the ability to just pause or put the system into sleep mode and pick it back up later. This is for the newborn stage when they don't really have routines. Once their sleep/nap/bedtime actually starts to settle into a pattern it's not that hard to get back into gaming on a TV or at a desk, and playing whatever you want.  Skies Member Oct 25, 2017 3,448 First year newborn sleep. A LOT. As long as you play around their sleep schedule, you should have plenty of opportunities to play on PC and/or console. It gets more difficult when they get older, but even then you have nap time and after they go to sleep to get some time in. You really only need a portable if you are trying to play when they are awake. I have played Switch from time to time with them awake, but only games they are interested in and can either watch me play and/or try it out themselves. Otherwise I would rather have my attention/time spent with them, and just play whatever I am currently playing at night when they go to bed. Sometimes I even wake up early to get some time in. Edit: the biggest sacrifice is playing with friends online. It's almost impossible to set up a good time and even then plans can change at the drop of a hat. I've pretty much given up setting sessions up with others I know, and if I want to play online it's mostly with randoms.  geehepea Member Aug 5, 2024 359 My kid was born at the end of last year, still find time to game as a way to relax almost every day. Steam deck is preferred as I can stop at any time easily but still found time to play Clair obscur on the Xbox and doom dark ages on pc. You'll find time to yourself, just a lot less than you used to  Jubilant Duck Member Oct 21, 2022 9,251 Fathers are only allowed to play one of three games, which they keep installed on the family computer: SimCity Microsoft Flight Simulator Doom, the 1993 original, which they didn't buy but instead were given an illegally copied floppy by a coworker. Your gaming life outside of these three titles is over until your child grows old enough to want a gameboy at which point you can pinch it to fuel a Tetris addiction. You chose this life.  OrakioRob Member Oct 25, 2017 3,828 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Getting a Switch 2 surely was a great start. I'm not really into portables, but when my son was born I not only learned to love portable gaming, but also some genres I never really cared about. For instance, PINBALL! Sessions are short, you can play in tate mode (vertical) on Switch and all you need is the touch screen. I went from "pinball looks very boring" to absolutely loving pinball. So, that's my advice: try genres you're not interested in. You might be surprised by how much the changes in your house might affect your gaming tastes.  WillyGubbins Member Oct 27, 2017 1,650 Glasgow I played through most of one of the Souls games with my daughter asleep on my lap. When she was a baby she'd nap for a couple of hours so I took the chance whenever I could to play. Headphones help a lot, found that out the hard way.   kimbo99 Member Feb 21, 2021 5,132 OhhEldenRing said: Seriously don't even think about games. Just enjoy the next few months getting to know him because he's going to be watching you all the time. My son is 5 months and his sister three years old. I'm making up the time now for all the Elden Ring sessions I spent when she was several months old. Play with your kiddo and get an hour in after everyone goes to bed. Click to expand... Click to shrink... The only right answer. Enjoy the time when they are like this before it's "bye guys, I'm going off to college". With that being said if you must game, go handheld.  jon bones Member Oct 25, 2017 27,659 NYC 1 small baby probably has a positive impact on your gaming time - they sleep a lot for a while later you'll need to enjoy mobile & handheld gaming more, and bump that time up against sleep, other hobbies, etc if you want to be an attentive partner & dad  Garrison Member Oct 27, 2017 3,370 It's over homie.   ¡Hip Hop! Member Nov 9, 2017 1,861 You're already thinking ahead with the Switch 2 pre-order. They sleep a lot for a while, that will help. But if you plan to be a good dad, forget about gaming during the first few months. I was more exhausted than I've ever been, although my son was born at the height of lockdowns and we had no help.   ArchStanton Member Oct 29, 2017 1,378 Mephissto said: Mobile consoles when they are small and sleep a lot Early bedtime later for the kiddo Less sleeping for you These are methods at least :D Still get a good amount of hours into gaming. Click to expand... Click to shrink... This is good advice, OP. When my kiddo was born, I played Steam Deck while I was on overnight duty while my wife rested. Once they reach an age where they can nap and sleep (nighttime) on a more routine schedule, you'll have openings to play games on consoles or PCs. Your time (and your life!) won't be the same, but embrace it. Some advice from parents who are a little further ahead of me -- so I've yet to live this part -- but I'm told that you've only got about 10-12 years where your kiddo thinks you're the best before they start being pulled away by their friends and their own interests, so I would highly consider sacrificing gaming time whenever possible. And since your sleep will be impacted, especially at the newborn stage, I would DEFINITELY put your sleep needs way above any gaming itch you may have. Congratulations, OP! Parenthood is tough, but rewarding in ways that words cannot articulate. 

Vex Member Oct 25, 2017 25,591 Were you ever bullied or made fun of for liking video games growing up (by Relatives/Friends/Enemies)? It was kind of in the same category as liking paper back comic books back in the day (i.e. "nerd culture"). Just curious. I know things are kind of different now (mostly), but I am wondering if you were made fun of by the "uninitiated" as they say. Back during a time where video games were kind of "niche" to enjoy in the capacity we do now on a much broader scale. Personally my parents thought it was odd that I enjoyed video games and would often ridicule me for enjoying a quiet game during the summer months. They'd say "why don't you go outside" and take my console away sometimes. They'd also say very hurtful things but I won't get into that. I figured as long as I wasn't doped up and doing drugs like all the other "cool kids", or getting an early pregnancy, I was good wtf MOM 🤣  Last edited: 48 minutes ago Baphomet Member Dec 8, 2018 21,845 Nope.   Mephissto Member Mar 8, 2024 1,145 No, video games were always hot shit in my school etc. I remember in elementary school almost everyone was playing Pokemon during breaks.  Dan Thunder Member Nov 2, 2017 16,965 Occasionally made fun of but I grew up in the 80's and there was a much bigger stigma in the 80's and early 90's around playing computer/videogames.   Jus Do It ▲ Legend ▲ Member Oct 25, 2017 43,755 South Central I'm a millennial, so I act like I was an outsider because of video games even though everybody else my age was also into video games. Gen Xers were the last true nerds.  Jubilant Duck Member Oct 21, 2022 9,214 The only people who made negative comments about how many videogames I played were my parents.   Dal Uncle Works at Nintendo Member Aug 18, 2024 2,197 No, video games were huge in my school (and bullying was uncommon fortunately since everyone knew everyone and hitting another kid or making fun of them was a good enough way to get you in trouble with the rest of the school)   Okada Member Nov 8, 2017 749 I'm a millennial and everyone around me was playing video games. It wasn't weird even then. Not liking football would have been seen as much weirder and more likely to lead to bullying.  THANKS Prophet of Regret Member Oct 22, 2018 1,587 Yes because I played JRPGs.   ConflictResolver Member Jan 1, 2024 4,856 Midgar I don't think this was ever a thing in the UK. But American pop culture made it look like a thing there (nerds vs jocks) but maybe that's just a made up thing from TV and movies and was never true? Vex said: Personally my parents thought it was odd that I enjoyed video games and would often ridicule me for enjoying a quiet game during the summer months. They'd say "why don't you go outside" and take my console away sometimes. They'd also say very hurtful things but I won't get into that. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Ah yes I can relate. I'm married in my 30s, have my own house, my own kid and my parents still sometimes scrutinise my lifelong videogame hobby. It's weird. My Dad is more about scrutinising the finances of it, but my Mum sometimes says throwaway comments like "wow you are a big man now and still play game?". It's actually really hurtful considering how big a part of my identity videogames and videogame culture is (and she knows it too). As if I am going to give up the thing you have seen me passionately into since I was a toddler lol.  Last edited: 37 minutes ago Ravelle Member Oct 31, 2017 20,328 No, never. Everyone played video games, that's the thing you spent your lunch break talking about with classmates.   Dead Man Typing Member Oct 27, 2017 7,601 Kinda but not really. I was definitely known as the video game guy all through school. Most people played games so it wasn't like they bullied me for it. There were definitely jokes about how much I loved my Dreamcast.  Lamptramp Member Oct 27, 2017 2,871 Germany I grew up in the UK in the late 80s early 90's Games weren't really a thing that got you marked for bullying that I recall. That's not why I was bullied all the time I was at school.  Greywaren Member Jul 16, 2019 13,079 Spain Oh yes. Quite often, actually. It stopped when video games became more mainstream, though.   onibirdo Member Dec 9, 2020 3,566 No, if anything it was a lot easier to out yourself as a gamer as a kid than it is as an adult.   julia crawford Took the red AND the blue pills Member Oct 27, 2017 40,539 No memory of it, but it might have happened. I really don't discuss games with pretty much anyone IRL. I have however used the words "magic circle" at one point.   ConflictResolver Member Jan 1, 2024 4,856 Midgar Lamptramp said: I grew up in the UK in the late 80s early 90's Games weren't really a thing that got you marked for bullying that I recall. That's not why I was bullied all the time I was at school. Click to expand... Click to shrink... UK bullying from my recollection was mainly mainly about outward appearance. If you looked the part you can be into whatever you want.   AerialAir Member Oct 25, 2017 2,326 Portugal Nah, but I was born in the 90s. By the 2000s, gaming was already a dominant form of mainstream media.   Dunfish Member Oct 29, 2017 1,577 Was it ever actually a thing? I know it was portrayed in every teen movie in the 80s and 90s but never experienced it or saw it growing up. There was a lot of tribalism around brands though, so weird how people carried that into adulthood.   Fudgepuppy Member Oct 27, 2017 5,841 Yes, specifically because I had a Gamecube.   DaveB Member Oct 25, 2017 5,134 New Hampshire, USA Oh god, yeah. Me and my friends at the time were called nerds and bullied incessantly over it. Kids around school called it "No-friendo". It wasn't until we were in high school - around the first PlayStation - that they started to become mainstream.   Derbel McDillet ▲ Legend ▲ Member Nov 23, 2022 24,298 I can't really relate to the whole "they made fun of us for playing video game or watching anime" thing. I can think of single instance where I was made fun of for playing Pokémon in elementary school, but just about everyone else was playing Pokémon. But outside of that, to my knowledge, no one cared. Elementary school everyone had Gameboys. Middle school everyone had GBAs and then DSs. High school, we'd play our DSs together for lunch and a lot of kids had 360s at home. There was also video games club where we played PC games during lunch or after school. In college, only a handful of people I knew played games, but people were up for any game nights I hosted. I just wish I had a bigger TV. At least one of my friends today has this weirdly negative perception of video games to the point where she was weirdly stubborn about not watching a trailer I wanted to show her that literally two minutes. It was like giving a 6 year old broccoli. Dunfish said: Was it ever actually a thing? I know it was portrayed in every teen movie in the 80s and 90s but never experienced it or saw it growing up. There was a lot of tribalism around brands though, so weird how people carried that into adulthood. Click to expand... Click to shrink... School felt like it was a melting pot of all types. Some of the band kids were jocks. People were getting into Naruto. 90% of the manga readers I knew were girls. Like no one really gave a shit what other people liked, and if they did, that was a bonding experience. We had the Halo PC demo on some of the better computers and played at every opportunity, sometimes during computer lab. I remember in chemistry if the teacher finished the lesson early he'd just give us the last 20 minutes to do whatever and like 8 of us would just play Mario Kart via DS download. That's not to say I never had a rough time in school, it just had nothing to do with my hobbies. Or maybe I was just super oblivious.  Mass Effect One Winged Slayer Member Oct 31, 2017 19,186 No. Video games were widely played when I was in school.   Shopolic Avenger Oct 27, 2017 8,089 Bullied? No. Made fun of? Yes. Not a serious thing though and it was mostly friendly.  Hrodulf Member Oct 25, 2017 5,761 Might be one of the few things people didn't try to bully me about in school, honestly.   Nameless Member Oct 25, 2017 17,247 Nope. It wasn't a secret I loved games, but I also had enough social awareness not to pull an EGM out of my bag or start extolling the virtues of Chrono Cross while sitting at the "cool kids" table.   Giga Man One Winged Slayer Member Oct 27, 2017 23,162 No. Everyone was into some form of video game adjacent pop culture, whether was Pokemon/Pokemon cards in elementary school or sports games in middle/high school. I was bullied for other reasons. If we're talking parents, I was blessed with a loving, albeit passive, pair who, while not into games themselves, would play with me if I asked. They let me keep to myself more often than not, which was too my detriment in development if I'm being honest. They didn't really challenge me, and if they tried, I'd reject it and go to my room where it was safe.  Eidan AVALANCHE Avenger Oct 30, 2017 9,840 No.   Kemono ▲ Legend ▲ Member Oct 27, 2017 8,621 No. Most kids around me played or liked games in some kind of way.  Derbel McDillet ▲ Legend ▲ Member Nov 23, 2022 24,298 I guess there's also the factor of what you put out there. Like, I openly carried my DS with me and could be seen playing in the library and some classes, but the average person wouldn't know or care what systems I had at home. Nor would they know or care what I watched at home unless we specifically talked about it at school. I wasn't hiding it, it just had no reason to come up. You had your cliques, but everyone knew each other from like middle school, so it was easy to just group hop. My friends got super into Magic the Gathering, I didn't care for it as much, I bought a $10 starter deck and borrowed a few cards to give it a try a few times and then I just pulled back from that group just bit (because I wanted to do things I found fun for lunch) to chill with another (theater kids, burnouts, student government, national honor society), they didn't play video games at all, so it was mostly something I just did at home or at the end of Chemistry. Like, no one was made fun of for liking Naruto, but there was the kid that could be seen doing the Naruto run to lunch everyday. And it was more laughing from a distance (the fact that they got the reference was telling).  Lamptramp Member Oct 27, 2017 2,871 Germany ConflictResolver said: UK bullying from my recollection was mainly mainly about outward appearance. If you looked the part you can be into whatever you want. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Yeah, pretty much or if you were LGTBQIA+ not that we knew what that was or would dare to say so. Hell even if someone just said you were "gay" on a whim. Everyone else had school had a c64 or spectrum when I grew up and aside from "warring" over which was better there wasn't any bullying.  Chainshada Member Oct 25, 2017 3,010 My parents were fine with it, after like 8-10 years old my brother and I were pretty much left to play on our own, I have a few memories of them playing games with us when we were little. I don't want to say there was no bullying in school, as I have no clue what other kids went through around me as a straight white kid, but I always bounced between 2 friend groups, 1 more for nerdy stuff (D&D, Warhammer, etc) and the other for sports..but both groups played games, both watched anime, occasionally the groups merged without issue, never heard either side shit talk the other behind their backs.  TheEchosOfTheCyborg Member Feb 24, 2018 7,684 Not bullied for playing games but playing the "wrong" and "kiddie" games like loving Pokémon, Halo, Minecraft and Tekken rather than "mature" stuff like COD, FIFA, the Saw franchise, Max and Paddy, Little Britain etc  

In context: Google researcher and reverse engineer "LaurieWired" recently posed a thought-provoking thread on X: What would happen after a CPU manufacturing apocalypse? How would the tech world respond to a future without newer, faster processors? Programming and optimization legend John Carmack offered an equally compelling answer. LaurieWired proposes the idea of a "Zero Tape-out Day" (Z-Day), an event causing manufacturers to stop producing new silicon designs. Considering the existing supply, the researcher predicts skyrocketing computer prices, stalled cloud capacity, and a ticking clock on electromigration slowly degrading the most advanced chips built on smaller nodes – all within the first year after Z-Day. Conditions would deteriorate even further in the following years, with a booming black market for processors and Xeon CPUs valued more than gold. Computing technology could regress by decades as older systems built on larger nodes prove far more resilient to electromigration. People would mod classic processors like the Motorola 68000 to operate for thousands of years without significant gate wear. More advanced systems – such as the iMac G3s sold between 1998 and 2003 – would become workstations for the elite, while the proles use repurpose hardware from Gameboys, Macintosh SEs, and Commodore 64s. LaurieWired suggests that 30 years after Z-Day, the world would become a dystopia where computing resembles the 1970s or 1980s. The modern internet would vanish, replaced by sneakernet data exchanges on SSDs and efforts to safeguard valuable desktop hardware from confiscation. Former id Software developer John Carmack decided to weigh in on the thought experiment. Having created the Doom graphics engine in just 28 hours on "vintage hardware," his expertise provided some perspective. Carmack said that a significant part of the modern world could run on outdated hardware if software optimization were a priority for developers. // Related Stories The god-tier coder suggests that developers could transition all interpreted, microservice-based products to monolithic, native codebases. Programmers would abandon modern development patterns and seek more efficient approaches, such as those used during earlier computing eras when there was no internet to push patches. Such a paradigm reset would force post-apocalyptic coders to make ancient hardware hum through software optimization. Carmack also acknowledges that innovative new products would become much rarer without ultra-cheap and scalable computing. While framed within the context of LaurieWired's thought experiment, Carmack's ideas hold practical relevance in today's computing landscape. For example, would Microsoft still impose strict hardware requirements if it prioritized optimizing Windows 11? It's a question worth considering. Similarly, how much could the gaming industry benefit from better optimization?