it's a little frightening how much i relate to all that. honestly, i don't game that much anymore (when i do, they're mostly games designed with one person in mind), and i've moved on to other solitary geeky hobbies.

This article does hit close to home: I have social anxiety and hate talking on the phone with a burning passion. I usually play multiplayer games that allow me to be the quiet guy, like shooters and whatnot, but some games require communication and that can be a challenge. Earning the achievement for beating all of the stories in Left 4 Dead on the hardest difficulty was a challenge for me, but only because it requires actual communication with the three others you play with, instead of just sitting back and blasting away.

I'm pretty much the same way.

Though I can't say Im really down with the mass marketed geek/nerd/gamer "culture" that all the "cool" kids are buying into these days. I bet there are still plent of real nerds, geeks and gamers getting shoved into lockers by hipster jock douchebags wearing "the cake is a lie" t-shirts.

I do like games that do not require any co-op participation as well with excellent engaging stories.

The mass effect and dragons age series were godsends for me because it meant I didn't have to rely on anyone but me to enjoy the full content of the game.

Same as the civilization series as well as the bioshock series.

This is very much me.

I loved World of Warcraft, but I stopped playing when I ran out of content that I could do by myself, and the game began to focus on player v. player content.

I also hate talking on the phone; to the point where I'll go the pizza place and order a pizza in person, then wait in my car for 20 minutes till it's ready, instead of phoning ahead for it.

While I like the occasional online multiplayer session it tends to be only with people I actually know already... and I'm generally much more concerned with the single player experience of any given game.

As far as watching others play (single player) goes, I usually find it boring even if it's a game that I like.

As a less-shy gamer, I love board games. Me, a handful of known friends, maybe one new person being introduced to the group, a bowl of snacks, and a few hours of fun. For those of us who never learned to keep the momentum of a conversation going with small talk, the game fills in the gaps.

There are plenty of shooters with good storylines. Not all are first person but there are a lot. Not all are of course because not everyone wants that. In the gaming industry it gives your title a lot more longevity if you have a good multiplayer experience. But there are games that have recently proven that you don't have to be a multiplayer game to have an amazing stream of DLC. Like Fallout 3 and Borderlands. Bioshock and Deadspace were amazing. I'm not really a big Single player gamer but I remember being on edge playing them. But it's definitely true. You aren't going to get the same satisfaction out of a game unless you go online with other people. Of course you always have an option of muting everyone else on most games. Brink though.. They wanted to force people to interact with each other and that was a main focus in that game. In my opinion I found Brink hard to play (on Xbox) because of the gaming communitys unwillingness to work as a team... and lag issues. They supposedly patched the AI though because the AI was terrible. But I don't think it's unfair for games to be more multiplayer than singleplayer. You have your view and then there is the other side of the fence wishing they could play a CO-OP version of LA NOIRE. OH Portal 2 single player is amazing but I haven't found anyone to do co-op with me so i understand this because I AM missing out on half the game. But I will find someone and force them to play with me. Being shy stinks but it's not a bad thing being force to interact with people.

I am a bit older than the demographic for this site so i grew up playing on systems where the main course for gaming was single-player, story based games on both the PC and gaming systems.

When online-gaming first became wildly popular i kind of forced myself into it. But whenever i buy a game, i still look into the single player end of it before a purchase. I always preferred playing by myself and still do. I would join groups and squads to play but quickly found myself bored, irritated or just upset with the squad or group and end up not taking part in it anymore.

When a game comes out and it relies heavily on the multiplayer mode and lacks heavily on the single player mode it doesn't rank high on my list to purchase. My idea of a good time, even to this day is sitting at home with a gaming system and just enjoying the company i am with, that doesn't make finding a girl in my age group easy.

What also doesn't help is that i absolutely hate talking on the phone, i can text for hours and hours, i can talk for about .0003 seconds before i become irritated with being stuck on the phone.

I hate the world, usually people are a nuisance to me. But its cool to have close friends and girlfriends to drink booze and get high.

Dont label yourself and dont as you please.

Dont expect anything, people doesnt care of what you.

Just make it a goal to enjoy life in your own terms, and fuck the world

I relate completely to that!! For example yesterday I have bought LA Noire, abd at the same time I ordered Gears of war 3 (It will be AWESOME) and the guy tells me that I get the beta for it but I knew it was an online beta and I refuse to take it cause I don't want to play with others I just want to kill Locust!! I like to play co-op but only with friends-and I don't mean xbox friends but real life friends that I know a lot and sometimes for years. So maybe not more than 5 people in the world!! I play sometimes to sports games and everyone tries to convince me that it's a lot better experience to play online, but I don't care!! I don't want to play against a 10 year old...and getting my ass kicked!! So hail to all gamers!!

I'm 100% with you. I'm not shy, but i've been a gamer since age 5! I have a master sword and Hyrulian shield hanging on my bedroom wall, a lithograph of 38 video game characters framed in the living room and thousands and thousands of happily wasted hours in front of computers and consoles kicking major megaboss ass ^_^ Looks like you're awesome.

Here's the real problem: Everything seems to be exclusive.

It seems like everyone is looking for something from you, and when you don't have "it", or something to contribute, albeit a witty comment or pop culture reference, you're driven further into introversion.

I, personally, haven't found a nitch of my own. I was a weird art kid in High School, overweight, and so some might think I was introverted, but in reality I just had nothing to contribute to the conversation. As I started college I began to come out of my shell and try new and different things, enlisted, lost the weight, became more jockish and kind of an asshole. These things weren't me however, and so I've found myself drifting back into the recesses of my mind.

I know enough about games, played enough, and can relate to your post above in as many ways as the next. I'm not a 'gamer' though, for the same reasons you listed. I'll play multi-player, but do my own thing, and mute everyone else on live. I'll also play the campaign two or three times before venturing into other areas of the game.

But I know I'd be less of an introvert if I were given the opportunity. Not talking 100 people parties or anything, but given an environment free of expectations, silent ridicule, and exclusion, I think we'd all have a lot more to offer, would be more willing to contribute, all of us introverts, semi-introverts, and the others who fall into a little of every category.

I just started playing online about a year ago. It started with family and friends only, very slowly going into new people I did not know.
I play 90% single player, but I WILL play things like Borderlands and the Left 4 Dead(s) with others. Left 4 Dead because there are no level ups or stupid shit (it's 4 shmucks surviving the zombie infestation)
There are a few souls on here I have played with (and still do when schedules permit) that have been a ton o' fun. And that's it, not to be a "serious" gamer.... having fun, killing time (& zombies?)