ETP and I were discussing online gaming last night. Our "discussions" of online gaming usually entail someone saying "This is bullshit" and the other saying "I'm not fucking paying for that shit."

I suppose I can see where online gaming would be kind of fun. Except for the fact that I'm not really a hard-core gamer, but being a good nerd I do enjoy video games. As such, I do alright, but I'm not stellar. Furthermore, I can't get motivated to go play against a bunch of guys (yes, I'm sure there are one or two women out there into games) who fucking LIVE for games and will beat the living hell out of me. I enjoy challenge, but no point in kicking it Kobayashi Maru school.

In addition to not wanting to have my ass handed to me all the time, I really just cannot fathom paying $50 for a new game, and then fucking paying a monthly fee or something like that just to be able to play the goddamn game. The gaming industry has already gotten us to readily accept that $50 mark for a new game, and forcing to pay more is just a bullshit scam. Well, maybe scam is harsh. I understand that they need to cover costs of servers, support, etc. As such, I'm just not going to buy into the bullshit.

You know what the fees remind me of? Anyone remember Divix, the alternative to regular DVDs? Paying a small fee for the disc itself, and then paying a fee each time you actually view the disc. Again, I suppose I can see the idea behind that, but my entrenched affection for private property just made the idea seem fucking retarded. I bought this goddamn thing, and I'm still gonna have to pay more to actually use it? Fuck that.

Is anyone out there into online gaming? Do you feel it's really worth the extra cost?

I guess it just comes down to what you're willing to spend your money on. I'd just feel stupid paying monthly for a game I already bought, but at the same time lots of 24-year-old guys would feel gay buying plush Care Bears. For himself.