Maine Democrat Colleen Lachowicz made gaming history twice this year:

First, when she was attacked by the Republican Party last month for being a computer gamer.

Second, when she won her election on Tuesday, becoming the first Senator whose gaming habits led, in part, to her victory.  

Hear that, negative stereotypes about gamers? Your days are numbered. Gamers can be doctors, lawyers, and now, even state senators. 

Gaming Is Now Mainstream

Luddites take note: Attacking a candidate just because they play video games will not only backfire in the form of bad international press and an outpouring of support from fellow gamers, but the move also paints you as incredibly out of touch with modern society. The backlash will be even worse if that candidate plays World of Warcraft, the planet's most popular massive multiplayer online game - with some 10 million players. 

As Lachowicz pointed out on her site, 65% of American homes now house a gamer, and the average age of a gamer is now 34 years old. Questioning if a candidate is fit for office because she plays video games is the 21st Century version of complaining about someone for liking that loud “rock and roll music.” 

Back in October, Republicans created the attack site Colleen’s World, complete with the tagline “Maine needs a State Senator that lives in the real world, not in Colleen’s fantasy world.” The site collected forum posts Lachowicz made on various sites, including Daily Kos, in an attempt to show how “crude, vicious and violent” she was in her “time-consuming,” “disturbing” and “bizarre double life.” It also criticized Lachowicz’s World of Warcraft character, a level 85 Orc assassin named Santiaga "who stabs things a lot." Maine GOPers took offense to the term “teabag,” too.  

The attacks on Lachowicz and Santiaga led to segments on CNN, coverage in outlets like TIME and Slate, and even internationally on the BBC, where a gaming researcher named Ladan Cockshut weighed in on the controversy and negative stereotype of gamers:   

"In my work, I've spoken with many people who in their regular lives have roles of significant responsibility (as doctors, managers, or educators) but who choose carefully with whom they disclose their gaming activity," said Cockshut to the BBC. "And disclosing their gaming activity is often accompanied by a degree of apology or embarrassment."

Presumably, that's what Maine Republican Party spokesman David Sorensen was going for when he said Lachowicz’s activities “raise questions about Lachowicz’s maturity and her ability to make serious decisions for the people of Senate District 25.”

Smear Campaign = Epic Fail

The smear campaign, however, backfired as it mobilized gamers tired of “gamers = bad” mantra in support of Lachowicz. A fundraising page set up for her on ActBlue raised more than $6,000 for Democrats in Maine before it was shut down by an ethics complaint from Republicans. (As a Clean Election candidate, Lachowicz is forbidden from accepting donations, but the ActBlue page clearly stated as much, and was raising money for the Democratic party in Maine.)

Lachowicz told the Ethics commission she did no more than link to the ActBlue page as she was “overwhelmed” with the public response and it was a way to  get “people to stop calling me, stop messaging" her. (Lachowicz was cleared by the ethics panel on November 1.)

Back in October, during the height of the controversy, Lachowicz told Joystiq in an interview all the press has actually increased her profile in her own district, especially among 18 - 30 year olds. “I knock on the door now and some people recognize me,” said Lachowicz, even a 64-year-old who plays EverQuest.  

“It just really goes to show that I think those of us who do play games are eager for it not to be stereotyped anymore” added Lachowicz, in reference to all the support. Her quote could easily have been about last night’s win, too.

Summer is over, and new video games are springing forth at long last. But in an industry happy to rake in cash with some tried-and-trite formulas, “new” doesn’t exactly translate into “fun” or “worth sixty bucks.”

Whether you're a hard-core gamer or just a homebody looking for a hobby more engaging than Court TV, a truly great game can be an immersive way to sneak in a little play in the cooler months. Ditch uninspired sequels and games Gorilla-glued to genre conventions with this starter set of new fall titles that stay true to the good, (mostly) clean fun that gaming is all about.

An Unhinged-Yet-Refined Shooter: Borderlands 2

On paper, nothing about Borderlands 2 should be noteworthy. It's a first-person shooter, and a sequel at that. But like its predecessor, Borderlands 2 embraces the addictive playability of its genre, opting to focus on fun rather than dressing things up with an overdone, overwrought war-zone setting.

The result is a game that doesn't take itself one bit seriously -- and that's refreshing. Borderlands 2 is about killing lots (and lots) of things, and stockpiling lots and lots guns. Simple as that. 

The sequel smooths out the rough patches of its predecessor and mixes in an array of open-world environments to explore, all populated by a cast of hilariously deranged locals, of course. With genuinely funny dialogue and a cartoony cel-shaded look that’s a refreshing departure from the genre's penchant for drab hyperrealism, Borderlands 2 is as addictive as it is earnest.

The Best Online RPG, Now With Pandas -- WoW: Mists of Pandaria

If you've never waded into World of Warcraft, the advent of a new expansion pack is the perfect time to dive in. The huge open-world online role-playing game has 10 million subscribers for a reason, and Mists of Pandaria improves on its successful formula -- no small feat for a game that's been around since 2004.

Mists of Pandaria is the most playful expansion to the game to date, adding a playable race of epicurean pandas (this race has its origins in an April Fool's joke), a pokemon-esque game within a game, and a brand new class of martial-arts masters. There's never a dull moment in WoW -- it doesn't hurt that developer Blizzard religiously irons out the kinks in weekly updates -- and Mists of Pandaria is just another excellent entry point to a game truly worthy of its immense hype.

Surviving The Post-Apocalypse As A Beagle: Tokyo Jungle

Tokyo Jungle's premise is absolutely ridiculous, and that's half the charm of a game that you might be powerless to resist. An absurd departure from the zombie-crowded genre of survival gaming, Tokyo Jungle sets you loose in a post-apocalyptic version of the Japanese metropolis. But rather than roaming as some scrappy, gun-toting human you're playing a critter ... or rather, as a lot of critters.

You'll be everything from a golden retriever to a velociraptor while fighting to stay alive in a dinosaur-eat-dog world. Naturally, it's easier said than done, requiring some fun strategizing to make the most of the beast you inhabit.

The game isn't perfect but it's an enjoyable, challenging gaming holiday from yet another zombie slog.

These games thrive on not taking themselves too seriously. Have another fun, irreverent fall game? Let me know in the comments and maybe we'll take it for a spin.