For so long, gaming has been seen as something for an individual, not a family-oriented hobby.  We at GEN see it as something different.  More and more families are coming together and replacing the family movie night with the family game night!  Each week we will feature a new family who shares the gaming hobby, as a way to bond.  This week GEN had the pleasure to interview the newest member of the Frag Dolls, PHOENIX!  She’s the first Frag Doll mamma!

1.)  Give me the run-down of you and your family: who plays games together, names, and ages? Well actually my entire family games from my parents, Fred and Jill who are in their mid 50’s, my bother and his wife who are in the early 30’s, my husband who is 32, myself who is 26, and my son Tyler who is 4.

2.)  How long have you all been gaming together? My husband and I met on Xbox Live so we have been gaming since we first met back in Dec. of 2002. My son joined in on the fun when he tuned 3. I have always gamed with my parents and brother throughout my childhood.

3.)  What games do you play? My family’s favorite games are Mario Galaxy, Indiana Jones and Batman Legos, Rayman Raving Rabbids Tv Party, Rayman Raving Rabbids 2, Super Smash Bros Brawl, Mario and Sonic at the Olympic games. As for my husband and I, we play Call of Duty 5; World at War, Call of Duty 4, Rainbow Six Vegas 2, Halo 3, Rock Band, Guitar Hero, Dead Space, Fallout 3, Bioshock, and Left 4 Dead.

4.)  Does one person play more than others, leaving the others to watch, or are you all playing together at the same time? We play together and by ourselves. Whenever we play with Tyler we always play as a family. Then after my son goes to bed my husband and I hop on the box and play. My husband and I play together and on our own. Yet we always sit next to each other when we play. My husband plays on the big screen and I play on a monitor so I can be better prepared for competitions

5.)  Do you mostly play against each other or co-op? We mostly play co-op or we play on the same team. We never play against one another.

6.)  Can you think of your favorite family-gaming memory? My most favorite gaming memory by far is this past Christmas Eve. We all got together at my brother’s house. So it was me, my husband, my son, my mom and dad, my bro and his wife, and my brother’s wife’s parents. I am always the one who is in charge of the entertainment and since I am a gamer it’s only natural that the entertainment be video game related. Normally I bring GH or RB but this year we got a Wii, so we brought that over. The game of choice was RRR TV Party. It was hilarious watching my family dance LOL. My son would be in the front of the pack trying to show the older folks (my parents and Jenn’s parents) how to play. Everyone got so addicted and we played for hours.

7.)  Do you play mature games with or around your son? Absolutely not. My husband and I are very strict on what my son can play and what he watches us play. We always wait until he is in bed before we start playing games like Call of Duty, Gears of War 2, and so on. We always check the ESRB before buying any game to determine if it is appropriate for Tyler. We also play most every game prior to letting my son play.

8.)  So whose the “best” out of your family?  Is there any trash talking or rivalry? Well my husband and I are pretty close when it comes to skill level. Though I think I am a little bit better at FPS and he is better at racing games. I am more competitive and Jeff is more casual. We do like to trash talk each other, its part of the fun when we game. We don’t really do it when we play as a family. We do make comments like “way to go Daddy” if he loses and then we all tackle him. That way our son knows we are just having fun with one another.

9.) What, in your opinion, is the best thing about sharing this hobby together? The best thing about sharing our gaming hobby with one another is the time we spend together as a family.

10.) In what ways have your family bonded by playing video games? We have to work together as a team, figure out strategies and learn that if we keep trying we will succeed in the end. My son, Tyler, I think has become more confident in the tasks he does due to gaming. He now knows that if he keeps trying he might not make it at first time but if he sticks with it, eventually he will.

11.) What’s the hardest thing about managing your time as a family woman and being a Frag Doll? The hardest thing about managing my time as a family woman and being a Frag Doll is when I have to go out of town for work. I miss my family more than anything when I am away.

14.) Does your family support you in your gaming career?  Go to events?  How do they cheer you on? My family supports my gaming career 110%. If it wasn’t for my family I wouldn’t be able to pursue my love for gaming. My parents and my husband are always there for me. My family hasn’t been to any events yet but they are planning on coming with me to the Penny Arcade Expo this year. Which I am super excited about.

For so long, gaming has been seen as something for an individual, not a family-oriented hobby.  We at GEN see it as something diferent.  More and more families are coming together and replacing the family movie night with the family game night!  Each week we will feature a new family who shares the gaming hobby, as a way to bond.  This week is PMS Clan’s Deja Vu!

Deja's daughter Desitny playing Halo 3!

1.)  Give me the run-down of you and your family: who plays games together, names, and ages?
There’s me Nikkia 28 my husband Adam 29 my two children Destiny 6 and Trey 2..

2.)  How long have you all been gaming?
My husband and I started playing games together about 6yrs ago now. Then when my daughter got old enough to say I want to play around 2 we started letting her play with us even if one of had to help her and we have done the same with my son.

3.)  What games do you play?
There’s so many lets see Rock band 1 and 2,Halo 3, Left 4 Dead, COD 4 and WaW, all 3 Viva games. There’s a lot more but I won’t try listing them all. I am the only one at the moment who plays WoW. As well as Little Big Planet on PS3 and many Nintendo DS games.

4.)  Does one person play more than others leaving the others to watch or are you all playing together at the same time?
I think it really depends on the game but for the most part there’s at least 2 of us playing together all the time.

5.)  Do you mostly play against each other or co-op?
That’s an interesting question with the kids its mostly co-op, but myself and Adam like to do a mix of both with each other you know for the competitiveness..lol

6.)  Can you think of your favorite family-gaming memory?
I think my favorite memory would have to be back on Halo 2 right before the release of H3 when my daughter, my husband, and myself were playing and she stuck him with a plasma for the first time and killed him she literally jumped off the couch with excitement.

7.)  Do you play mature games with or around the kids?
It all depends on the game I guess and what the content actually is like for instance I wouldn’t play GTA or anything like that in front of either child nor would my husband.

8.)  If you do, how do you handle the explanation of some of the content?
I don’t think to many of the games we have played with them around has needed much explanation like with Halo especially with my daughter because she pretty much knows what is or isn’t real but if she has questions we happily answer them so that there isn’t any confusion. My son is still a bit to young to understand any of it but we do try to let him know that its just a game and not real.

9.)  So whose the “best” out of your family?  Is there any trash talking or rivalry?
Hmm who’s the best I honestly don’t know as far as Music games that would be Adam because trust me he is way better than me. Other games like Halo and such it usually depends on who is having a good night. Yeah there is a little rivalry and maybe a little trash talking but its all in good fun with both Adam and myself. Although I have noticed the kids getting a little more competitive with each other lately. It’s actually kind of cute to hear them play together and hear you beat me and good game or something along those lines.

10) What, in your opinion, is the best thing about sharing this hobby together?
For us it has been an excellent way to be involved with our children and do something that actually keeps their attention especially with a 2yr old. Not only that be it gives you a chance to encourage good sportsmanship if one of the children lose or even win they know to say good game and not to be rude. My husband and I love to game together because it gives a chance to take a break from things and enjoy something we both like doing together. All in all I would say it has deffinantly strengthened our families bond with each other and hey if you are mad at someone like if the kids get mad at each other pop in Wii boxing hand them controllers and let them go at it and no one get hurt that way. Once they have beat each other at that then normally you can get them to sit down and talk about things in a calm manner.

11.) In what ways have your family bonded by playing video games?
There have been so many ways lets see I would say it has helped to bring me and Adam a little closer together because we can pick up a game and play together and still have the competitiveness in our relationship. As for the kids it has helped both my husband and myself become closer to them because we can sit down and play a 4 player game together and laugh and be silly. It has also encouraged both kids to try new things so now my son has something even at age 2 to share with his dad because with my husband playing drums on rock band my son has feel in love with the drums and has his own 4 piece set that his dad has been teaching him to play.

12.) What’s the hardest thing about managing your time as a family woman and playing games yourself?
Hmm for me it really hasn’t been to difficult because no one plays games until dinner and all family chores are done. We not only game together but we also clean together..lol. It really has been pretty simple for me I guess because my children and family have always come first. There have been times though where it was an interesting balancing act especially when I was the leader of a division, but you eventually find a nice balance and schedule so that gaming and game related commitments don’t interfere with family life. It helps that my kids have grown up around gaming and my husband supports me no matter what so I guess the only hard part for me has been what game to play when honestly.

Its seems that every six months there is a new study that tries to prove that video games are in fact the root of all evil. I’ve read studies that say games are to blame for kids being more aggressive, lazy, insensitive, and willing to vote Democrat when they were brought up by Republican parents. Ok maybe not that last part but I’m willing to bet that someone out there thinks that. As a parent myself I’m just going to come out and say what I really think, they’re full of it. Read the full story

We present todays moment of Geek Zen

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Apparently, on CNN there is a man named Glen Black… who not only is full of himself, but also has a personal vendetta against GTA. Why you ask? I don’t know, he must have had a rough childhood, mommy didn’t hug him, or he just doesn’t have anything better to do with his time. This man has gone out of his way to call all gaming bloggers, losers… yes folks, he said losers.

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