Gun and Ball Gamer
The gaming culture phenomenon that defines a generation of FPS and sports game enthusiasts
What is a Gun and Ball Gamer?
Gun and Ball Gamer is a slang term describing someone who only plays video games that prominently feature guns (FPS games like Call of Duty) or balls (sports games like NBA2K). The term is often used to call someone's taste in video games basic or narrow.
Origin Story
June 17, 2023
X user @LANDoCUH posted a GIF of Patrick Star sleeping with the caption: "N****s when a video game aint got guns or a ball in it" — garnering over 154,000 likes and 23,000 reposts.
This tweet became the earliest known post to disparagingly refer to gamers who are uninterested in games without guns or balls.
Viral Moment: The Game Awards Response
December 11, 2025
During The Game Awards 2025, the official @OkamiOfficial account brilliantly responded to criticism with this now-iconic tweet, showing Okami next to a gun and basketball with the caption "is this more to your liking" — garnering over 120,000 likes and becoming one of the most memorable gaming moments of the year.
This response perfectly captured the absurdity of the "gun and ball gamer" mindset while promoting Okami 2's reveal at The Game Awards.
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