History FandomRivalry / VideoGames

* ''DungeonsAndDragonsOnline'' deserves a mention for its fanbase's inter-medium rivalry with that of pen-and-paper DungeonsAndDragons. The reasons for the dispute are varied and the disdain is not universal (some people [[FriendlyFandoms enjoy both]]), but common criticisms include the game not emulating the experience of a D&D campaign well enough, being too derivative of WorldOfWarcraft/other MMO's in general, having too much pay-to-unlock content[[hottip:*:most of which can be unlocked in-game on a per server basis free of charge, but that rarely factors in.]], and so on.

* ''SilentHill'' fans vs. ''ResidentEvil'' fans.

* The "classic" ''VideoGame/SpyroTheDragon'' fans vs. ''[[TheLegendOfSpyroTrilogy Legend of Spyro]]'' fans. Classic fans will rub off making the ''Legend'' fans look like idiots who'll buy anything while the other side says the Classic fans are immature losers who are afraid of trying something new. It can get rather ridiculous watching the fights go on, especially [[FanDumb when people start assuming things about how video games get developed and get sold]]. As of 2011 though, both sides are willing to make an EnemyMine against ''VideoGame/{{Skylanders}}'' just for its Spyro character design ''alone''. (Kotick's reputation among gamers doesn't help.)

** Any ''VideoGame/MarioKart'' game vs. ''[[SegaSuperstars Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing]]'' vs. ''[[CrashBandicoot Crash Team Racing]]'' vs. ''DiddyKongRacing'' vs. ''ModNationRacers'' for domination of the kart racer genre.

* Much like the ''VideoGame/SpyroTheDragon'' example above, ''CrashBandicoot'' has rivalries between people who accept all of the games, people who like everything up until the Radical Entertainment games, people who ''hate'' anything post-Naughty Dog, and people who like the Radical games but don't like the rest. It isn't pretty

* The "classic" ''SpyroTheDragon'' fans vs. ''[[TheLegendOfSpyroTrilogy Legend of Spyro]]'' fans. Classic fans will rub off making the ''Legend'' fans look like idiots who'll buy anything while the other side says the Classic fans are immature losers who are afraid of trying something new. It can get rather ridiculous watching the fights go on, especially [[FanDumb when people start assuming things about how video games get developed and get sold]]. As of 2011 though, both sides are willing to make an EnemyMine against ''SkylandersSpyrosAdventure'' just for its Spyro character design ''alone''. (Kotick's reputation among gamers doesn't help.)

* Much like the ''SpyroTheDragon'' example above, ''CrashBandicoot'' has rivalries between people who accept all of the games, people who like everything up until the Radical Entertainment games, people who ''hate'' anything post-Naughty Dog, and people who like the Radical games but don't like the rest. It isn't pretty

** Due to both series' {{Mission Pack Sequel}}s, Music/{{Metallica}} vs. TheBeatles is an easy way to start an argument between fans of not those two bands, but rather of said video game series. This despite the fact that both bands are completely different.

** Recently, there seems to be a group of ''Crash'' fans who hate other fans who like ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', even if the hatred is pretty one sided. That is, until you realise the main forum to like ''Friendship is Magic'' already has a mixed reputation among fans...

** And you can toss fans of the ''{{X-wing}}'' series in for good measure. The fan rivalry between ''WingCommander'' and ''X-wing'' especially got quite heated.

** [[VideoGame/MegaMan Classic]] timeline fans vs. the ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork'' timeline. Though the latter is actually fairly faithful to the former in terms of themes, people who like the old-school, NintendoHard games see the Network timeline as an attempt to woo over fans of games like ''Pokémon'' and ''{{Yu-Gi-Oh}}''.

* ''{{Touhou}}'' fandom gets some hate from the more general ShootEmUp fandom for not focusing on the games, and the games themselves being mechanically simplistic. When the Touhou fans actually notice, they generally respond that the other games have boring, ugly patterns and mediocre writing.

* ''VideoGame/{{Torchlight}} 2'' and ''VideoGame/DiabloIII'' fans are already at each other's throats despite both games still being in development (D3 has opened for public beta testing). Though Runic Games is keeping mum, every new Blizzard announcement has invariably led to someone mentioning TL2 and triggering a massive FlameWar.

* ''MetalGear'' fans think ''SplinterCell'' fans are boring, wish-fulfilment-craving thirteen-year-old boys who like to look ultra-serious all the time, have no sense of humour, and aren't smart enough to understand a complex, involved and challenging story. ''Splinter Cell'' fans think ''Metal Gear'' fans are moronic, hyperactive children who wouldn't know true stealth if it crept up behind them and snapped their necks, and aren't mature enough to care about the story of a game that isn't from Japan and doesn't have a vampire in it. ''{{Thief}}'' fans tend to dislike both camps for being too stupid to understand a story which isn't spoonfed. It's kind of hilarious watching them all go at it.

** Perhaps one of the reasons is that it's not uncommon to move from ''RuneScape'' to Creator/ArtixEntertainment (being that both games are free-to-play [=RPGs=] with a bit of comedy involved, and the resemblances are even closer with ''VideoGame/AdventureQuestWorlds'' now in place), and thus the old animosity that the old RS fans have carry over to AE.

* ''DarkSouls'' vs. ''TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'' are both high-fantasy {{RPG}}s that came out around the same time. The debate usually boils down to JRPGS vs. WRPGS (despite Dark Souls being styled much like a WRPG) and old school challenge vs. open world fun.

* Fans of ''{{Pokemon}}'' vs. fans of ''{{Spectrobes}}'' for DS RPGs. Both ''Spectrobes'' and ''Pokémon Diamond and Pearl'' came out around the same time, inciting massive arguments about which one has better gameplay, graphics, and story.

* The "classic" ''SpyroTheDragon'' fans vs. ''[[TheLegendOfSpyroTrilogy Legend of Spyro]]'' fans. Classic fans will rub off making the ''Legend'' fans look like idiots who'll buy anything while the other side says the Classic fans are immature losers who are afraid of trying something new. It can get rather ridiculous watching the fights go on, especially [[FanDumb when people start assuming things about]] [[DidNotDoTheResearch how video games get developed and get sold]]. As of 2011 though, both sides are willing to make an EnemyMine against ''SkylandersSpyrosAdventure'' just for its Spyro character design ''alone''. (Kotick's reputation among gamers doesn't help.)

** Recently, there seems to be a group of ''Crash'' fans who hate other fans who like ''MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', even if the hatred is pretty one sided. That is, until you realise the main forum to like ''Friendship is Magic'' already has a mixed reputation among fans...

** Recently, there seems to be a group of ''Crash'' fans who hate other fans who like MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic, even if the hatred is pretty one sided. That is, until you realise the main forum to like ''Friendship is Magic'' already has a mixed reputation among fans...

* Most users on Steam's ''Team Fortress 2'' forums hate anything Mario or Sonic. Just ''the mere mentioning of them'' will cause users to go into a frenzy. Website/YouTube and DeviantArt [=TF2=] fans don't mind Mario or Sonic, though.

* ''SystemShock'' vs. ''BioShock''. Even if you like both or prefer ''SystemShock 2'' over Bioshock, this is ''NOT OKAY''.
** On the other hand, if you dare suggest BioShock is actually a good game, ''some'' SystemShock fans will eat you alive, call you a Console Kiddy, and kick you out of their forum.

** Then there's the fans of ''OcarinaOfTime'' vs. ''Majora's Mask'' vs. ''Twilight Princess'' into which is the [[FanDumb better 3D Zelda game]].

*** Compare to the rivalry between ''{{Warcraft}}'' and ''{{Warhammer}} Fantasy''.

* ''SuperSmashBros'' vs. ''any'' fighting game. Due to its game mechanics, it's heavily debated whether ''Smash'' is more technical or less technical than other fighters; it may be considered less technical because the control scheme is comparably simple, and it may be considered more technical because the game is more about manual advanced technical maneuvers[[hottip:*:For example, lag-canceling aerial attacks is manual in ''Smash''. Traditional fights don't have any landing lag at all.]] psychological skill, matchup knowledge, and creative playstyle than simply health bar depletion and button combinations.

* ''{{Halo}}'' fans vs. ''{{Metroid}} Prime'' fans. Doesn't help that the resemblance is superficial at best and that both series actually do appeal to different tastes.
** There's also a substantial rivalry between the ''{{Halo}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{Half-Life}}'' fandoms, possibly mirroring the Console vs PC conflict.

** ''{{Halo}}'' fans vs. ''CallOfDuty'' fans vs. ''GearsOfWar'' fans for domination of 360 shooters, stirred by A. ''Halo'' and ''Gears'' being Xbox exclusives and B. ''CallOfDuty'' outright dethroning ''Halo'' as the #1 popular console FPS series upon the release of ''ModernWarfare''.
*** Good god, ''VideoGame/{{Battlefield}}'' versus ''CallOfDuty'', a rivalry deliberately started by ElectronicArts themselves. The intense amount of FanDumb spouted by both sides is enough to give one a headache. Not completely unrelated to this is...

** A stronger example for Americans would probably be, within the ''Final Fantasy'' series, pre-''FinalFantasyVII'' games vs. [=FF7=] and anything beyond. ''FinalFantasyVI'' and ''FinalFantasyVII'' in particular have fandoms with a hate-on for one another. The other strongest rivalries are FFVII Vs. FFX, FFIX Vs. Underappreciation, and FFVIII Vs. Every other game in the series. There's lots of HateDumb to be had.

** There's also ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' vs. ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda''. The most heated debate is usually between fans of ''FinalFantasyVII'' for the Sony [=PlayStation=] and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'' for the Nintendo 64, crossing over into ConsoleWars, with both heatedly declaring that their specific game was the biggest RPG of all time. Even though Zelda is an ActionAdventure series, not an RPG.

* You do occasionally run into ''UminekoNoNakuKoroNi'' versus ''HigurashiNoNakuKoroNi''. Yes, despite being two parts of [[WhenTheyCry the same metaseries]], there's still debate over which is better.

* The ''FateStayNight'' war between the Unlimited Blade Works and Heaven's Feel scenarios still hasn't boiled down. Whether it's a battle between the heroines: Rin is a strong, hardworking, independent woman vs. Rin is a cookie-cutter {{Tsundere}}; Sakura is a sympathetic, kind-hearted {{Woobie}} vs. Sakura is a boring NiceGirl FirstGirlWins. Shirou's ideals: It's impossible to save everyone, but it's beautiful to try anyways vs. ultra-dense LawfulStupid [[ImageBoards moralfag]]; It's better to realistically look at the world vs. moral relativism is for senseless 80's [[AntiHero Anti-Heroes]]. The quality of the narrative: An epic and hopeless supernatural brawl vs. standard {{Shounen}} plot line; A look at the darker aspects of the Grail War vs. two weeks of people dying and badly written sex scenes. What's worse is that any argument among [[NasuVerse Type Lunatics]] tends to curve right back to where it began, resulting in an endless loop of "debate".

* ''[[JakAndDaxter Jak]]'' fans and ''RatchetAndClank'' fans absolutely despise each other, claiming one game ripped off of the other, despite the developers being good friends and business partners.

* ''VideoGame/{{Torchlight}} 2'' and ''{{Diablo}} 3'' fans are already at each other's throats despite both games still being in development (D3 has opened for public beta testing). Though Runic Games is keeping mum, every new Blizzard announcement has invariably led to someone mentioning TL2 and triggering a massive FlameWar.

* [[TheSims The Sims 2 vs. The Sims 3]]

* Within the ''VideoGame/StarFox'' franchise, those who played ''VideoGame/StarFox1'' vs. those who started with ''VideoGame/StarFox64'' vs those who like ''VideoGame/StarFoxAdventures'' [[RuleOfThree vs]] those who prefer ''VideoGame/StarFoxAssault'' [[OverlyLongGag vs]] those who '''[[FanDumb dared]]''' to call ''VideoGame/StarFoxCommand'' a good game, or even [[FanonDiscontinuity consider it canon]][[hottip:*:though this particular example has actually fallen victim to CanonDiscontinuity]]. Depending on which side you are on you may or may not find that members of other [[BrokenBase base fragments]] actually team up on you.
* Most users on Steam's ''Team Fortress 2'' forums hate anything Mario or Sonic. Just ''the mere mentioning of them'' will cause users to go into a frenzy. YouTube and DeviantArt [=TF2=] fans don't mind Mario or Sonic, though.

*** Mario Kart itself has a Fandom Rivalry between ''Mario Kart DS'' and ''Mario Kart ''

** Then there's the fans of ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'' vs ''Twilight Princess'' into which is the [[FanDumb better 3D Zelda game]]

* EliteBeatAgents versus ''Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan'', with OTO fans saying that EBA is a watered down version of Ouendan and EBA fans calling OTO fans weeaboos.

* Within the ''VideoGame/StarFox'' franchise, those who played ''VideoGame/StarFox1'' vs. those who started with ''VideoGame/StarFox64'' vs those who like ''VideoGame/StarFoxAdventures'' [[RuleOfThree vs]] those who prefer ''VideoGame/StarFoxAssault'' [[OverlyLongGag vs]] those who '''[[FanDumb dared]]''' to call ''VideoGame/StarFoxCommand'' a good game, or even [[FanonDiscontinuity consider it canon]][[hottip:*:though this particular example has actually fallen victim to CanonDiscontinuity]]. Depending on which side you are on you may or may not find that members of other [[BrokenBase base fragments]] actually team up on you.

** ''Videogame/WorldOfWarcraft'' vs. ''Guild Wars'' - getting worse now that Guild Wars 2 is close to release and being called the first major competitor to WoW. The game isn't even OUT yet and flame wars are already starting on Guild Wars 2 vids on YouTube.

* ''GrandTheftAuto'' fans vs. ''SaintsRow'' fans.

* ''VideoGame/{{Half-Life}}'' fans vs. ''VideoGame/{{Portal}}'' fans. This is an EnforcedTrope: to make sure ''Portal'' doesn't get a hatedom, Valve set it in the ''Half-Life'' universe, and Aperture Science (the facility in ''Portal'') became rivals of Black Mesa (the facility in ''Half-Life''). In addition, ''{{VideoGame/Half-Life 2}}: Episode Two'' featured a discovery of an Aperture research vessel, Borealis, with Eli Vance vowing to destroy it "whatever it takes", and in ''VideoGame/{{Portal 2}}'' Cave Johnson implies Black Mesa stole Aperture Science's corporate secrets and made profit of them themselves. While some fan circles do seem to get in an argument whetter Aperture Science or Black Mesa is "better", most of them became fans of both, destroying the trope.

*** With ''VideoGame/SonicGenerations'', Sega TookAThirdOption and combined the difference - featuring the aspects of the two eras, from gameplay to aesthetics, colliding in a CrisisCrossover time travel plot. Surprisingly, [[BeyondTheImpossible this pleased]] [[UnpleasableFanbase everybody]].

*** Speaking of [[CapcomVsWhatever Capcom crossover games]], but to a smaller extent than the two above, ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom2'' against ''VideoGame/TatsunokoVsCapcom''. Upon the announcements that both games would receive {{updated rerelease}}s in the West in 2010, the stage was set for hostilities. Best example of this case? ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom3'' adopting the ''Tatsunoko vs. Capcom'' button layout was the cue for RuinedForever.

*** With ''VideoGame/SonicGenerations'', Sega TookAThirdOption and combined the difference - featuring the aspects of the two eras, from gameplay to aesthetics, colliding in a CrisisCrossover time travel plot. Surprisingly, [[AndTheFandomRejoiced this pleased everybody]].

** There's also a substantial rivalry between the ''{{Halo}}'' and ''{{Half-Life}}'' fandoms, possibly mirroring the Console vs PC conflict.

** 8-Bit Mega Man platformers vs. more-than-8-Bit Mega Man platformers. Some people feel the series declined after the NES era, with ''Mega Man 8'' in particular being SnarkBait for its increased focus on new gameplay elements the core games never had. With ''Mega Man 9'' and ''10'' not only becoming 8-Bit again, but also axing some of the moves Mega Man gained since ''Mega Man 2'', a steay alternate backlash has arisen from people who think the series needs to be more progressive.