Jul 19, 2:56 pm
Recently I ran a little experiment. I asked the Gamespot and Frag Dolls UK communities a question. The question was – “At what gamerscore are you no longer considered a ‘noob’?” The results were quite surprising.
I find gamerscores an incredibly interesting phenomenon. They are a relatively new concept, and yet they have succeeded in overhauling the way I approach games in general. Although Frag Doll Kitt and I have debated the pros and cons of gamerscores on many occasions, I’m still undecided about whether or not I approve of them.
I’m no fool. I realise the gamerscore concept is to drive consumers towards buying and playing more games. I also find they make playing more enjoyable. Depending on the title, not only am I rewarded for completing a game, but I’m also rewarded every step of the way – whether it’s getting so-many sniper kills in GRAW 2 multiplayer, or cuddling up with my girlfriend in The Darkness. It’s also a great way to nosey around and check out what your friends are playing. Everybody enjoys a bit of friendly competition, and everybody likes to see how he or she compares to others.
But what happens when people take gamerscores too seriously? What happens when gamerscores exert such an influence upon the general gaming public that they begin to define who you are?
Several responders to my question stated you weren’t a ‘hardcore’ gamer unless you had a high gamerscore. What constituted ‘high’ varied dramatically. For some it was nothing less than 20,000 points; for others it was anything over 1,000. Some said anything above 0 was acceptable. Others argued it was the percentage of gamerscore per game that mattered. One poster stated it was all subject to what kind of game you played – for example, any points earned from movie-licensed titles were deemed ‘noobish’ and thus shouldn’t count. Should reputation (or number of stars) be taken into account? What about the amount of titles you own?
Then there was the group who argued that gamerscores had no direct link to a gamer’s abilities, but even then, opinion was divided. Some said it was how long you’d been gaming – overall, or on each individual game. Others argued you needed to concentrate on each individual’s skill. There were even those who fell into both camps – who didn’t necessarily agree that gamerscore determined experience, but they score-whored competitively all the same.
I think I fall into this last category. Whilst I try not to take gamerscores too seriously, I do admit to getting competitive, especially with my close friends and Frag sisters.
Personally I had to raise a chuckle for one poster’s minimum ‘un-noob’ gamerscore requirement – 1337.
The debate rages on. What do YOU think? Do you find yourself logging into xbox.com and cackling with glee because your Live buddy is still 800 points behind you? Or do you moan and shake your head at all the gamerscoring hysteria?
