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Wii Warm Up: The nature of the fanboy

Fanboy to the rescueeee

Time for a bit of self-reflection. We are, by definition, Fanboys. We're huge followers of Nintendo; we eagerly await every drop of news that springs forth from those locked doors in Kyoto, we have an effigy of Reggie in our bedrooms, and we attempt to feed mushrooms to every Italian we cross in the street.

The word "fanboy" has a negative connotation these days. With the possible exception of the PC vs. Mac battle, it's quite rare to see people galvanize and root for multi-billion dollar companies as we do in the land of gaming. People do not "root" for Paramount Pictures, nor do they "cheer" for Exxon-Mobil. One could make the case that we want Nintendo to succeed because their success will breed more of the same: as in, more of the franchises we know and love. But why are we so passionate, so stalwart in our fandom? Is it truly a "bad" thing to be a fanboy, or do you bleed phazon and red potion? Let's hear it!