Confessions of a Trophy Whore

Hello, my name is Kenney, and I am a Trophy whore.

I've been playing video games for as long as I can remember.  I was playing Doom before there was the ESRB to tell my parents just how bad all that pixilated violence was for me (not that my dad didn't know, he still plays games today).  When the first Diablo came out, I would be on potion-duty while my dad clicked away (that is to say, I would man the numeric keys).  Then the N64 came out and I really got into console gaming. I enjoyed all the classics: Super Mario 64, GoldenEye, Ocarina of Time, Banjo-Kazooie.  Never once did I expect to get anything from a game more than the joy of its gameplay, its story, or (depending on the title) its humor.

All throughout the previous console generations I played and played without nary a Trophy or Achievement pop.  Even when I got my first Xbox 360 I still only barely appreciated the ability to compare Achievements with my friends.  It wasn't until a while after I purchased my first PS3 that I realized: I am a Trophy whore.

It really took hold of me during my time in South Korea.  My wife and I had a ton of free time around our teaching schedule and I took advantage of that to play as many games as possible.  Sure, we went and explored, but there is something about living in a place for over a year that makes it feel less like an adventure and more like home.

We were in Korea from December 2010 until May of 2012.

During my time in Korea, I Platinumed Dead Space, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Heavy Rain, and Mass Effect 2.  I had thoroughly played these titles prior to achieving the coveted Platinum Trophy, but this was the first time that I had really worked at "100%-ing" a title.  It was that beautiful sound of unlocking a Trophy that pushed me farther and farther.

When the Vita released I knew that I had to get one.  Not only was the OLED screen that it sports so sexy, but I would be able to take my Trophy-hunting with me wherever I went.  Looking back on it now, I don't regret my decision to buy the Vita when I did.  It has a great library of titles (though it could stand to be a bit larger) that allow me to enjoy games and earn Trophies on the go.  Success.

When I returned from Korea, I still found myself Trophy-hunting.  Although I wasn't able to do it to the extent that I was in Korea.  I also regained access to my 360.  I was very excited about the prospect of my immediate console collection being complete again.  After the Skyrim debacle on PS3, I immediately switched-out for a copy on the 360.  However, I began to notice that I don't really care about Achievements as much as I do about Trophies.

I really can't tell you what it is that makes me covet Trophies more than Achievements.  I guess it could be the satisfying feeling of earning the Platinum after all of the other Trophies.  It could be that I don't understand how one can assign a number to performing a particular action.  Either way, I just get far more excited at the prospect of gaming on my PS3 so that I can earn a few more Trophies!

I've read a few blogs and articles that compare the two.  One in particular struck me as interesting.  She states that "Platinum Trophies have ruined gaming on the PS3...  Gaming on the PS3 is no longer just about gaming just for the fun of it."  I can't say that I disagree with her argument entirely. 

She makes a good point that the number of Trophies that you earn is perceived as relative to your ability and gaming "cred" as it were.  This can be seen numerous times over on the internet where Trophy whores are always flexing their Trophy score or the amounts of Platinum Trophies that they have.  This proves that some people play games to earn Trophies; it's work.  That being said, I would argue that the majority of those who play games don't play simply for Trophies or Achievements.

Overall, I can say that I still play games for fun.  I love gaming and I doubt that I'll ever abandon it entirely, although what I play and the way that I experience it may change over time.  Even if it was announced that Bioshock Infinite would ship without Trophies or Achievements, I'd still be getting it on launch day.

For me, Trophies are just the icing on a delicious and moist cake.  A cake that isn't a lie.  That cake is gaming.  While gamers may disagree on the methods that we employ to experience the most interactive media ever devised, we all play for the fun of it.

Thanks to PSN Profiles for the screenshot.