Line #26 Main/GamingClan


1	One of the most iconic forms of gamer community, arguably even more so than the [[TournamentPlay E-Sports team]]. At its most basic the gaming clan is simply a bunch of gamers who regularly play one or more games together under some form of group identity.
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3	As with teams in other sports, they vary widely in their style, level of formality, membership requirements etc. For example, many {{First Person Shooter}} clans use military styles and even award "medals" while those in {{MMORPG}}s may have a multi-layered bureaucracy as if they are player-run nations. Some may require members to be extremely participatory while others simply need assurance that a player isn't going to jump to another game in the near future.
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5	A common feature of all of these is the "clan tag", which players will display when they are playing in a match or on a general server. It's basically a uniform. If a clan was called Sabre Knights From Miami, their tag might be [=SKFM=]. Newer games tend to at least have integrated clan tag functionality while many have adopted services such as clan-exclusive chat channels and administrative powers for clan leaders that used to be handled externally on each clan's own website(s).
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7	The term "Clan" for gaming teams likely [[TropeNamer came from]] ''{{TabletopGame/BattleTech}}'', which featured ritualistic warring factions known as clans. With the release of multiplayer functionality with ''VideoGame/MechWarrior231stCenturyCombat'', amongst the first [[CompetitiveMultiplayer Deathmatch]] styled PC games, players formed groups based on them as a way to act out fantasy battles. Completely original clans popped up soon after. Nowadays, lack of official clan infrastructure is seen as a serious flaw in new multiplayer-centric games and many successful clans have extensive out of game activities including websites, merchandising, product endorsement and offline public relations events.
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11	!!Examples:
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13	[[foldercontrol]]
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15	[[folder:Fictional]]
16	* Some of the Zoku groups in ''Literature/TheQuantumThief'' got their start as raiding guilds.
17	* Marigold of ''Webcomic/QuestionableContent'' is a member of a ''[[VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft World of Warcraft]]'' gaming clan. Dale, a minor character who was introduced recently, turns out to be part of a rival clan.
18	* ''WebVideo/TheGuild'' is a sitcom about a gaming clan on an expy of ''[[VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft World of Warcraft]]''.
19	* [[TheStrategist Alex]] from ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'' honed his leadership skills commanding a gaming clan on a {{MMORPG}}.
20	* ''Franchise/{{Noob}}'' depicts four of them. The titular Noob guild, just big enough to form a single PlayerParty, that has been shown playing other games in a bonus ''VideoGame/RunesOfMagic'' themed episode of the webseries and an audio episode. Relic Hunter guild is in a similar situation. The Roxxor and Justice guilds are much bigger and structured clans whose top PlayerParty is the only one ever seen. Justice's includes the person taking care of their admissions and she's seen rejecting any candidates that have a job and/or a significant other in real life because of the availability requirements.
21	* ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft''-based {{machinima}} tend to feature them:
22	** The guild PALS FOR LIFE infamously had the poor judgment to admit a Mr. WebVideo/{{Leeroy Jenkins\|Video}} into their ranks.
23	** The ''Illegal Danish'' series centers around members of the eponymous guild, named for an incident in which [[VideoGame/{{Warcraft}} King Llane of Stormwind]] blamed the failed defense of his city on the danish he had for breakfast, subsequently banning such dishes. But one illegal danish survived this pastry purge, [[MacGuffin an ancient sugary sweet said to have various mystical powers]].
24	** ''The Grind'' concerns a guild's attempts to figure out why they're wiping on Onyxia. They do so just in time to learn that the ''Burning Crusade'' expansion has made everything about the raid boss obsolete.
25	* ''[[VideoGame/MountAndBlade The Napoleonic Wars DLC for Mount and Blade: Warband]]'' has the players organised in regiments with a strict hierarchy and chain of command. True to the spirit of the game and period, infantry regiments usually form line and fire at each other. There are many "linebattles" on Website/YouTube.
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28	[[folder:Real Life]]
29	* [[http://www.usecforce.com/ Unity Security Force]]- for military games.
30	* [[http://tghq.org/tghq/homepage.php Tactical Gaming]]- A gaming clan with two major divisions; Tactical Sports and Tactical Warfare.
31	* [[http://www.hussars.org.uk/index.php Hussars Gaming Group]]- a loose group originally from ''VideoGame/{{Battlefield}} 1942'', but with a presence in a number of games. Their ''Battlefield'' clan has a ''Series/{{Blackadder}}'' theme and members (joining is by invite only) are encouraged to take names from the show.
32	* [[http://www.duxford-wing.org/ Duxford Wing]]- an ''Aces High'' and ''Warbirds'' squadron.
33	* [[http://www.16aa.net/ 16 Air Assault Brigade]] - An ''VideoGame/{{ARMA}} 2'' group who take realism very, ''very'' seriously.
34	[[/folder]]

Context Main / GamingClan