I think it was Gamesradar.com that stated that gamers are the only group of people that hate their own hobby. If you are a frequenter of forums and blogs, you have probably groaned more than once. Maybe you are one of the contributors/trolls.

There is a war going on, and it has baffled me for years. Long ago, when I was a kid and the internet was still new-ish thing, I would frequently go to forums to express my latest excitement for a new and upcoming game/ console. The conversations weren't PhD level, but they were nice:

Person1: "Hey, did you hear the new Final Fantasy is coming out?!"
Person2: "I KNOW! I AM SO EXCITED!!"
Person3: "That trailer was so cool!! What do you guys think is going to happen?"

And, it would continue as myself and my humble group of nerds would theorize many possibilities, from characters, to systems, to items, to plots, etc .

Fast forward 10-15 years:

Person1: "Hey, did you hear the new Final Fantasy is coming out?!"
Person2: "I KNOW! IT'S SO STUPID!!"
Person3:" "That trailer was so retarded! How much do you guys think this is going to suck?"

And then, the posters would continue to complain about how they hate everything, from the design, to the characters, to the system, to the world.

What happened? Certainly not the quality. I just finished Final Fantasy XIII, and found myself just as moved as I was with, say, VI. I felt excitement. I felt sadness. I HAD FUN. Isn't that the most important thing? It's gotten generally positive reviews, so I know I'm not the only one who had fun playing it...

I believe the Gods of Wisdom, the Simpsons, best summed it up in their episode "The Itchy and Scratchy and Poochie Show"

"Um, excuse me sir. The thing is, there's not really anything wrong with the Itchy & Scratchy show, it's as good as ever. But after so many years, the characters just can't have the same impact they once had. "

It's very true, and interesting to contemplate. Has this series gotten to a point that it can no longer please fans, no matter what they do?

And it is absolutely NOT isolated with Final Fantasy.

The big three consoles are notorious for waging fan wars against each other. I, for one, cannot fathom what one might gain from being a butt monkey for Sony/Microsoft/Nintendo/Apple. They ALL have their goods and their faults. They are ALL very good systems. One might be more right for you then the other, but that doesn't mean your scenario is the same for me. There is NEVER a one-product-fits-all.
(Yes, and the "Wii is less graphically capable" complaints are getting rather tedious.Also, the Xbox 360 and PS3's games all look graphically similar. The one pixel differences isn't going to make or break anything.)

Grand Theft Auto. Metal Gear Solid. The Elder Scrolls. Fallout. MONKEY ISLAND FOR CHRIST'S SAKE.
This hatred exists with all franchises as well. Why? Is there an intrinsic human need to piss each other off? Is it jealousy?

A forum poster once said the following:

"It is basically how human culture works. This is the way people give themselves identity: by what clothing you wear, the way you knot your tie, what you eat and drink, what computer you use, what social and sexual morals or religion you follow (or do not follow). Part of that is also denouncing those who do not adhere to your culture. The whole (Nintendo/Xbox/Sony) thing is a form of digital xenophobia, really."

I love video games. ALL kinds of video games. Shooters, RPGs, sports, platformers, EVERYTHING. It's a hobby that makes me incredibly satisfied to live in this era of the 21st century.

Gaming however, has become less fun. I can't discuss it with the world anymore. I can't visit forums, and be a total nerd. Despite the overwhelming quality of recent games, I believe this medium has entered its Dark Ages.

May developers avoid forums for the sake of the mediums survival!