“Completely ignorant”: Inside the ‘ball and gun’ gamer debate and why The Black Hokage is critical of the modern gaming culture at large

The phrase “ball and gun gamer” has become a curious term and a huge talking point for gamers on social media. The peculiar term coined by Twitch streamer The Black Hokage recently elaborated on its deeper meaning and who it is targeted at. At its core, the phrase is not about what types of games people enjoy, but how they engage with the wider gaming world, according to the popular streamer.

As a longtime variety streamer active since 2016, The Black Hokage has built credibility by playing across genres, from shooters to story-driven RPGs. His term specifically targets those so-called gamers who are only stuck on certain games and look down on other games as inferior and dismissively view them. He completely goes off on such people, calling them ignorant of what is the true essence of gaming.

Why The Black Hokage says the term is about attitude, not taste

In his recent livestream, The Black Hokage stated that a "ball and gun gamer is a term used for people who primarily only play games with balls and guns in it." He made it clear that casual players who enjoy games like Madden, Call of Duty, and FIFA after work or drop into Fortnite with friends is not the issue. The problem, according to him, comes when those same players mock or are dismissive of games they have never touched.

He further explained, “To be honest, for clarification, there's nothing wrong with that. You're allowed to play whatever you want. The term 'ball and gun gamer' is thrown on people who only play those types of games, and they have a dismissive nature about the rest of the gaming culture."


To illustrate the gap, he referenced Expedition 33, the Game of the Year-winning RPG, which was praised for its innovative visuals, rich characterization, and emotional depth. His resentment is when they are perceived as games for “only people who get shoved in lockers.”

The streamer also called them out for having “no experience with anything outside of ball and gun games” but having “an opinion on everything.” Doubling down on their insensitive attitude, he declared that "they're f**king morons" who are "completely ignorant of everything that's going on."

Lastly, he argued that ball and gun gamers don't deserve a place in choosing Game of the Year if they haven't played at least two or three games that are nominated. Additionally, the streamer claimed that they shouldn't be present anywhere during important conversations regarding gaming and its larger impact.

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