@WhiteKnight
I think you're part right. There are people who go to extremes to get their opinions across. However, your definition of fan seems a bit odd. You're essentially saying that we have to want a company to do well to be a fan. If that were the case, then a Nintendo fan should simply donate large sums of money to Nintendo and work hard to promote their products. I know that's not what you're saying, but that is a conclusion that can be drawn from what you've said. I believe a fan is someone who enjoys a product. For instance, I can be a fan of the Mario series, but not really be interested in who made it or how much money it grosses. I do see what you're saying, though.

@Waltz how about someone who wants Nintendos best interest on there own it's possible a company doesn't need help, unless you want an endless cycle of buy outs, I mean by that standard apple needs to be bought out, and then that company that bought out apple would need to be bought out and so on and so forth. I'm a fan who wants Nintendo to be successful without being bought out simple enough

Quickly waltz! Take my Flame Shield!

The word "fan" originally derived from "fanatic," but the general use of the word has evolved to become distinct from its origin.

This is semantics at work, but words do change meaning depending on how society applies them, and the meaning of "fan" has softened quite significantly. "I'm a fan of XXXX" is now a simple identifier that you like XXXX, not that you're "fanatical" about it.

Going back to my point that "fans" are simply people that enjoy games and want to see their favourite companies be successful - these people aren't obsessive or blindly loyal. They simple like XXXX (in this case, Nintendo).

Commercial realities (like, for instance, the fact that Nintendo is not a charity) prevent fans from donating money to Nintendo.

So let me ask you this. Disney just recently bought Lucasfilm and has plans to make a 7th Star Wars movie. Now I would consider myself a fan of the series and am not at all interested in the series being resurrected. So because I wouldn't really support a move that financially is great for both companies does that then fall into 'fanboy' column for you?

@Waltz
I still don't see how wanting to see a company succeed is a requirement for being a fan. A fan might enjoy playing Nintendo games and not care if Nintendo went under. If another company acquired the rights to produce the games that the fan liked, then they would just play the games produced by this new company.

Okay that is definitely good. We agree then that words are only relevant so long as society, mostly anyway, agree on the meaning and therefore words can change meaning slightly from generation to generation. I think you are right about the softening of the translation of fan over the years.

RELEASE THE FANBOYS!!!

Some people don't like tainted simple as that, honestly @jkshaz said was actually something I should've said a long time ago with the whole starwars by Disney, then there is the whole marvel by Disney which seems not so different, but there is the starwars thing which seems like it would be awful, just like if ninty got bought out by apple, it could be bad it could be good, but I dont wanna see it just to see it be awful

A fanboy is someone with a one minded devotion to a single brand who doesn't accept criticism of said brand at all. That's not the same as being a hardcore gamer, you can be 'hardcore' Nintendo gamer who plays nothing else but still thinks other companies make good products that you're just not interested in. No, a fanboy is someone who basically worships a company, series or individual, and basically sees it as a holy crusade to defend them against everyone else and to attack what they see as the opposition. Think the whole SNES vs Genesis arguments or the Wii/Wii U vs PS3 vs Xbox 360 arguments. Most people in those are usually fanboys.

Of course, there are also haters who constantly bash the same company but don't just go elsewhere and people who think they're the most important people in the world, but I wouldn't call them fanboys, just usually trolls or something. A fanboy is more like a religious or perhaps anti religious zealot, someone who thinks everyone who doesn't worship the same thing is going to hell or is beneath them.

This I agree with.

"Nintendo should develop mobile apps,"

But this... no. Unlike a fanboy, I will listen to what you have to say on this idea and if you can convince me you are right then I will back this idea too, but right now I really don't think this would go well for Nintendo.

On Topic: A fanboy is someone who blindly follows a single company. They don't realize that other systems have good games too.

No, it just means you're not interested in an upcoming film?

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make here. There is going to be exceptions to every example/ rule I can come up with here, but that doesn't change the basic fact that a fanboy doesn't have the best interests of the company he/ she is a fanboy of at heart.

You should've said this weeks, if not years ago.

A fanboy is one step above a n00b. Usually they are loyal to one of the big three, and one only. :3

I thought that the The Dark Knight Rises was terribly disappointing, but I would still consider myself a fan of The Dark Knight Trilogy (obviously) and of Christopher Nolan. Just because you don't like everything about Star Wars/every Star Wars movie doesn't mean you can't consider yourself a fan of the franchise as a whole.

Interesting feedback. To look deeper, what would you say makes someone blindly follow a company? What does it mean to blindly follow a company?

1. Obsesseion
2.Ignoring all reason, and saying that every decision the company makes is the best thing for it.