What The F*ck Is a “Dad Build”

According to the Internet, “dad builds” are now a thing. According to Kotaku by way of PC Gamer, dad builds are Destiny 2 players running with weapons and armor that is merely okay, as opposed to perfectly tuned characters with the exact right super tree equipped, carrying pinnacle weapons with god rolls and the best gear RNGesus can give you.

Personally? I hate it. I hate the name, I hate the concept. I hate the idea that this is for “dads, (who are) blessed with all manner of obligations from the joy of child-rearing, marriage, and work, (who) cannot play involved games for terribly long stretches but would still love to, (and who) have become a culturally acceptable target for gentle mockery and loving parody.” (That’s a real line in that Kotaku article, btw.)

I grate at the idea that accessibility or making a game easier is only fine when you’ve made it acceptable to a male audience. It wasn’t six fucking months ago that all of gaming was sent into an absolute uproar when someone suggested that Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice get some kind of easy mode or accessibility mode. What happened to all the git gud motherfuckers who got up in arms about that?

And of all games, Destiny 2 is the one where the dad build got its start? The game where people have incessantly complained about its inherent lack of difficulty and have clamored for harder challenges to the detriment of several game modes? The game where if you’re a new player, or one who just hasn’t done raids, you’re met with derision from other players if you join an LFG with no experience? Give me a break.

“Git gud” or don’t, but don’t spend all spring making casual players feel bad and spouting bullshit like the “You didn’t grow. You didn’t improve” meme only to turn around and hide behind shit like this.

I’m gonna go play a fucking mobile game now, have a good fucking evening.

Fuck!

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