Boss Rush Banter: No, You Do Not Have to Play Every Video Game in a Franchise to Be a Fan

We are lucky to have creative minds in the video game industry that have brought us franchises that last decades. Easy examples include Mario, Pokemon, The Legend of Zelda, Resident Evil, Call of Duty, Halo, and Assassin’s Creed. Some have individual games that have a long tail, while others thrive by delivering a title almost every year, and they gather new fans with each iteration. However, to be considered a “true fan”, do you really need to play every entry in a particular series?

An example closest to me is The Legend of Zelda. I used to raise an eyebrow at people who said their first game was Breath of the Wild and big fans of Zelda; however, after some reflection, I realize, you can (and should) be a fan no matter how many Zelda games you played–as long as you’ve played one and loved it! Granted, it would make a little more sense if you’ve played at least two to get a sense of the series (or else you are just a fan of the one game you’ve played); however, I am not into gatekeeping fandom just because a person didn’t play all 29 mainline Zelda games. Trust me, I tried. Last year, I was on a mission to play every Zelda game in release order, then Zelda II kicked my butt.

*Credit*: **Nintendo** (from *The Legend of Zelda: Creating a Champion*, p.21)

This principle applies to any other franchise, whether it has 30 games or three. I believe someone could jump into the latest releases or remakes like Pikmin 4, Resident Evil 4, and/or Street Fighter 6, and if you fall in love with it, you are a fan. Sometimes, not every single game in a franchise would make sense to play. For example, Resident Evil by Capcom has experimented with various approaches from standard horror to more action-oriented. If you prefer more action, you’d probably enjoy Resident Evil 4 more than Biohazard, but you don’t need to play both to say “I love Resident Evil“.

I’m unsure why some people are motivated to gatekeep fandom from others. I’ve seen toxic communities “quiz” newbies to see if they are a “true” fan or not. I feel that it takes the fun out of things. What do you think?

Please share your thoughts with us on our Boss Rush Facebook Group or our Boss Rush Discord.

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