What‘s an OG mean?

As a passionate gamer and content creator, I often come across the term "OG," used to describe certain legendary game developers, old school arcade titles, or veteran gamers who‘ve been grinding since the early days of Atari and arcade cabinets.

In gaming contexts, OG stands for "Original Gangster." It originated from actual gang terminology in the 70s-80s, but later became gaming slang denoting someone or something with credibility as an original trendsetting pioneer.

So what qualities make someone or something considered an OG in gaming?

The Marks of a Gaming OG

Being called a gaming OG is a badge of honor. It means you or a game possesses these venerable qualities:

• Old school credentials – You‘ve been gaming since the early days across multiple decades
• Elite skills and high scores – You have veteran prowess on classic arcade games and retro multiplayer franchises
• Vintage knowledge and nostalgia – You understand and feel nostalgia for seminal games that started franchises
• Staying power and longevity – Your gaming street cred has persisted from old school to new school
• Influence and reputation – Among fellow gamers, your name and abilities command respect

Essentially, OG status in gaming signifies you don‘t just play the latest releases. You‘ve helped evolve gaming from its earliest breakthrough titles onward.

Some Gaming OGs That Built the Foundation

While many gamers may qualify as OGs, some pivotal pioneers cemented themselves as paragons shaping video game history for generations:

Nolan Bushnell – Founder of Atari in 1972 and the first arcade game company. Bushnell helped jumpstart arcade culture and pushed gaming into the mainstream.

Tomohiro Nishikado – Creator of the 1978 arcade classic Space Invaders, one of the most iconic and influential video games of all time. It revolutionized the early gaming industry.

John Romero – A godfather of first person shooter (FPS) games who co-founded id Software in 1991 and created genre-defining titles like Wolfenstein 3D and Doom.

Hideo Kojima – Game designer behind the seminal Stealth Action Metal Gear franchise which redefined interactive storytelling in gaming starting in 1987.

These and more industry luminaries exemplify gaming OGs for their trendsetting early work and continuous influence over decades.

Some Old School Gaming OGs

In addition to key creator OGs, certain old school game franchises also earn revered OG status for their retro pedigree and subsequent nostalgia. These include:

These and other early arcade and console pioneers all qualify as beloved gaming OGs decades later for the nostalgia and retro respect they still command.

Why OG Status Matters in Gaming

As gaming has exploded into today‘s hyper competitive, multi-billion dollar industry, why does OG pedigree still matter so much?

A few reasons OG status holds currency:

• Proves staying power over shifting gaming trends
• Shows adaptable innovation as tech evolves
• Provides authority as an industry elder statesman
• Confers credibility to inform contemporary games
• Reinforces ability to create inter-generational classics

Simply put, recognizing gaming OGs gives proper respect to the pioneers who laid the foundations modern games are built on. Their early work fundamentally shaped what gaming has become.

Who Qualifies as an OG Gamer?

With such sprawling gaming history, what benchmarks determine if a fellow modern gamer passes OG screening? As a die-hard gamer since childhood combing arcades in the 80s, here are my personal criteria:

• A gaming career spanning at least 20-25 years
• First-hand expertise playing pivotal retro arcade and console games
• Encyclopedic knowledge of gaming history and major franchises
• Veteran abilities, pattern recognition, and hand-eye coordination
• Appreciation and nostalgia for earlier eras of gaming evolution

Based on this framework, I would dub my 50 year-old friend Greg an undisputed gaming OG. Since struggling through Pixel games on the Atari 2600 in 1977, he‘s cultivated elite skills across generations of titles, earning respect from our entire local gamer community.

Despite still losing to Greg in classic fighters like Street Fighter II, I strive to absorb his old school knowledge to inform my own gaming crafted over 30+ years. The keys are recognizing real gaming OGs and learning from their veteran playstyles and perspectives.

Using "My OG" to Describe Close Gamer Friends

As an endeavor people devote so much time pursuing across their lives, close friendships naturally develop around gaming. This phenomenon produces the usage of "my OG" you‘ll hear among gamers.

Calling someone your OG gamer friend signifies:

• A relationship stretching back years, if not decades
• Shared nostalgia for beloved retro games you played together
• Appreciation for how they influenced and enhanced your gaming journey
• An unbreakable bond forged through gaming across generations

For me personally, fellow gamers Matt and Reggie qualify as my OGs. I‘ve been playing co-op and versus battling Reggie since we got obsessed with Street Fighter II leagues in middle school 30 years back. And my buddy Matt and I have bonded for 25+ years over everything from Goldeneye marathons to the latest Halo releases.

Through the highs, lows, and constant change in gaming varieties and platforms, these OG friendships persist. That‘s the beauty of life-spanning gamer bonds.

The Timeless Nature of Gaming OG Status

As someone who‘s been hooked on video games since barely able to hold an arcade joystick, I‘ve noticed OG status only seems to accumulate over time versus fading.

Despite the flashy graphics, mesmerizing worlds, and complex systems defining today‘s gaming landscape, old school bonafides still carry weight—if not take on greater gravitas and respect.

Especially in the internet era where information is increasingly disposable, recognizing OGs pays homage to all the foundational work and creativity that got gaming to where it is today. Calling someone a gaming OG confers elite status for what they contributed when gaming was still discovering itself.

While I love witnessing gaming continue to evolve, nothing replaces hands-on expertise playing the classic arcade cabinets and console platforms that pioneered video game experiences seared into our nostalgia. That‘s why the OG seal of approval maintains prestige regardless what bleeding-edge gaming tech arrives next.

Those formative gaming innovators and experiences will always be the OGs worthy of honor from veteran and up-and-coming gamers alike. Their retro work should never be lost progressing gaming into its undoubtedly spectacular future.