Conservative radio host and Blaze TV owner Glenn Beck is once again stirring the pot with his controversial views on gamers. His remarks came during an interview with fellow conservative host Liz Wheeler, who famously claimed earlier this year that male gamers are undatable. When asked about his opinion on the matter, Beck didn’t hold back, stating that he has prohibited his two daughters, the youngest being just 18, from dating gamers. Moreover, he equated collecting figurines with gaming, labeling both hobbies as detrimental to traditional masculinity.
Despite the backlash on social media, where his comments received significant criticism, Beck hasn’t shied away from continuing his anti-gamer rhetoric. He likened daily gaming to women being “addicted to TikTok,” disparaging what he perceives as a decline in masculinity. Beck has even woven this disdain into a broader conspiracy theory, suggesting that tech moguls like Mark Zuckerberg are attempting to trap the world in a virtual reality akin to “Ready Player One.”
For long-time followers of his show, Beck’s distrust of video games is hardly surprising. His criticism traces back to at least 2008 when he condemned “Grand Theft Auto 4” as violent propaganda. At the time, he shifted the blame from firearms to video games for school shootings, advocating for governmental regulation over the gaming industry. In 2014, he claimed that the game “Watch Dogs” was instructing kids on hacking due to its hacking-centered gameplay.
This viewpoint aligns with sentiments expressed by other conservative figures, such as former GOP House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, who have also blamed video games for real-world violence. After a tragic shooting in Dayton, Ohio, McCarthy even suggested a prohibition on the sale of violent video games to teenagers.
Concluding his critique, Beck asserted that women who date gamers are ignoring the natural roles intended for men. He calls on conservative fathers to prevent their daughters from getting involved with men who indulge in gaming or collectible figurines, attributing such choices to the influence of modern “woke” culture.
