The Top 5 Things Gaming Could Live Without

While I'm the first to admit its a good time to be a gamer (I even wrote an article on it), there are plenty of things in the gaming world that could either be improved or just eliminated completely. So today I rid myself of my normal sunshine and roses gaming outlook and share my Top 5 things gaming could live without.

1. Sports Game Price Gouging - Every year our favorites sports titles come out with a new version of last years model, with updated rosters seemingly the only difference. I feed into this machine by making sure I get my copy of Madden the first day its released - but that doesn't mean I'm happy about it. Gaming companies (this means you EA) should sell their sports games for about $10-$15 less than other new releases.

2. Subscription Fees - If I buy a game, why should I have to pay anything else to play the complete version of it. Star Wars Galaxies is a great example of this. A $15 monthly fee to play a game I already bought? That's nuts.

3. Console Exclusivity - Any game thats made should be available on every system. When I only owned a PS2, I missed out on Halo. When I bought an Xbox, I had to wait a year to own GTA: San Andreas. It was only available on the PS2 at the time. Its torture.

4. Rude Online Gamers - There are way too many online gamers who feel free to curse up a storm or spew homophobic and racist diatribes. I guess the anonymity of playing online is just too great of a temptation for some people. I can't stand these guys.

5. Gamer Bashing - Gamers, despite the fact that the vast majority of us are intelligent, good looking folk, have a bad rep. For some reason we're sterotyped as nerds obsessed with only one thing - games. While there is certainly some truth to this, I hate the fact that identifying myself as a gamer automatically stereotypes me as someone with no other interests but to hold a controller for 12 hours a day. People who adore TV and Music as much as the typical gamer cares for video games don't get this much grief.

Its time to embrace and love the gamer! There are many more of us out there than you think, we just keep our dirty little secret to ourselves...in shame. I have news for you, gamers don't have a typical look, we could be anybody. Sure, there are nerdy gamers out there who wear Bungie shirts and don't wash their hair (I'm referring to myself on weekends). But there are also gamers who are accountants, lawyers, teachers and professional athletes. So be careful what you say about us, you just might be talking to a gamer.

Dishonorable Mention - Most movie based games, condescending video game store employees, Grand Theft Auto bashing (people who've never played this game take it way too seriously), Halo bashing, the incomparable Roger Ebert (for saying gaming is not an art form).