The Game Awards have come and gone, and now, social media users are taking the opportunity to make fun of so-called "gun and ball gamers."

The term dates back to 2023, but it's been blowing up recently ever since YouTuber MightyKeef posted a skit about the phenomenon.

Now, the company behind the Okami series of games is getting in on the meme.

So, what does it mean to be a "gun and ball gamer," and why is it such a big deal? Here's what you need to know.

What Is A 'Gun And Ball Gamer?'

"Gun and ball gamer" is a slang term that describes video game players who only enjoy games that feature a gun or a ball. That means anything from Call of Duty to Fortnite to any of the sports games, such as Madden or NBA2K that are forced upon us each year.

The phrase is mostly used disparagingly to make fun of these types of gamers for having "basic" tastes, as shooters and sports games are some of the most popular genres of games, while also being considered "normie" by many.

The origins of the term seem to date back to a 2023 tweet by X / Twitter user @LANDoCUH, who posted a now-viral GIF of Patrick Star snoring and sleeping on a couch under the caption, "When a video game ain't got guns or a ball in it." The post has gained over 100,000 likes since it went online and has now inspired a whole slang term.

How Is 'Gun And Ball Gamer' Used Online?

The term "gun and ball gamer" largely remained obscure until last month in November 2025, when content creator MightyKeef posted a comedy video about the idea.

Then he started using the term on X, giving it even more attention as a way to make fun of gamers with perceived basic tastes.

Usually, the term is used to make fun of someone for calling a game without a ball or gun bad or uninteresting. This happened numerous times in December 2025, leading up to The Game Awards, which featured very few ball and gun games as nominees.

Now, the term is going viral after the official X page for the upcoming Okami sequel referenced it in a post criticizing someone for making fun of the way that The Game Awards host Geoff Keighley hyped up Okami 2 in 2024. In their post, they added a basketball and gun to an image of Okami and wrote, "Is this more to your liking?"

The term was then called out by some online as supposedly being racist and targeting Black gamers, but others have since refuted that it's racial in any way, instead claiming that it's merely meant to mock normie gamers with basic tastes.

What Are Some More 'Gun And Ball Gamer' Memes?

@the.mindful.gamer Ball And Gun Gamers Are Locked In A Cage and The Key is The Courage To Try Something New. #ballandgungamers #gaming #gamingdiscourse #gameoftheyear2025 @flyguygbg (TTV/YT) ♬ Good Vibe – Made By J

@theblackglokage

Sales charts back up the Ball & Gun gamer stereotype…

♬ original sound – The Black Hokage

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For the full history of Gun And Ball Gamer, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.