Hardcore Gamer

Fnz

It's a terrible, ill-defined term.

The two classifications most commonly applied to gamers are "hardcore" and "casual." These terms may be hopelessly broad, but they're an excellent jumping-off point. It would help to define them, once and for all. That's easier said than done. Is a "hardcore" player somebody who eschews popular mainstream games like Halo, or plays weird Japanese games like Persona to the exclusion of all else - that is, someone with narrow or elitist taste? Does a player count as "casual" if they spend hundreds of hours playing only mini-game collections for the Wii, or racking up high scores in online puzzle games?

Maybe we should distinguish the two solely in terms of dollars spent on games -- but I think anybody who got hooked on Desktop Tower Defense this year would admit to having felt hardcore at least some of the time, like when their boss was at the door but they kept on placing turrets. And some of the most committed gamers around pirate a good majority of their software. So expenditure isn't it, either.

If we can't accurately define the two most common terms applied to video game players, then we'll have to look for better ones.

Taken from part two of this series: [Link]

It's a good read.

johnny_ultimate

Anyone who watches E3, and when they hear a company claim they're down with the hardcore by trotting out cod whatever simply says "yeah, but where's shenmue 3?"

Tipsy McSwagger

It was funny reading some of the comments in the e3 thread about how companies were not catering for the hardcore gamer and these very posters didn't know who Shigsy was. The Zelda segment was a high point for me personally.

Jonny7

Hardcore gamers - the definition and highly entertaining (and 90,000 first prize)

http://www.gomtv.net/2011gslsponsors3/vod/65228

or this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7Gb25mgkUE

Skip ahead to 24 min for the first game of the tourney

stevenmu

"hardcore gamer" is just a term people made up to make themselves sound superior to others. IMO the people who make a point of calling themselves hardcore gamers are too concerned about image, status and gamerscore and not enough about just playing some games and having fun.

Jazzy

stevenmu wrote: »

"hardcore gamer" is just a term people made up to make themselves sound superior to others.

if someone made up that term to sound superior I worry for humanity

Overheal

I asked someone the other night if they played PC games and they replied "nah, Im not a hardcore gamer".

Really? You're the one with the dedicated gaming console, Xbox Live subscription and stack of games and controllers. I'm just the guy with a few titles on my 6-core Firefox calculator.

DaleHyland

This here be hardcore gamer. (me)

That_Guy

"Hardcore gamer" is just a stupid tag. An Xbox fanboy told me that I wasn't a hardcore gamer because I own a Wii.

Good job buddy. You sit there with your Xbox whilst I enjoy all the benefits of a wide range of exclusives on 3DS, Wii, Xbox, PS3, PC* and PSP.

I don't consider myself "hardcore". I consider myself an avid enthusiast and that's all

*I've not played a PC game in yonks tbh. "Noob" they cry. :pac:

deathrider

stevenmu wrote: »

IMO the people who make a point of calling themselves hardcore gamers are too concerned about image, status and gamerscore and not enough about just playing some games and having fun.

I don't understand this barrier people seem to put between gamerscore and fun, as if the two cannot co-exist. Personally, I find gunning for some achievements (depending, of course, on the achievements in question) to be some of the most fun aspects of gaming these days. It can often give a lot more of a challenge than the game would without it. And for me (most of the time) challenge= fun!

Grumpypants

If you pass up sex to clear the next level your a hardcore gamer.

Vargulf

Tipsy McSwagger wrote: »

and is more interested in collecting some random japanese rpg on the snes than playing gears of war 3 online all night.

Sounds more like a Hipster gamer to me, if there is such a thing.

I'd say The Angry Video Game Nerd is a hardcore gamer, he seems to know a lot about video games.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gU21wBNSVWU

Tallon

Im a hardcore gamer. Everything I do is a game, from the way I live my life, to the way I pack my bags like a game of tetris

I even once drove on the path knocking down pedestrians because I was practicing for the new carmageddon

Sisko

Cheesy term but there is distinction between both types of gamers.

Tis largely due to the types of games you play too. The ones with plenty of depth and require a lot of effort and a love for gaming in the 1st place before you can reap the rewards from the game. Versus mindless straight to the point shallow as hell shooters. For example.

Playing on PC is deffo part of it. There is games like demon's souls however that proves its not all pc.

In the shooter genre however, well there is a reason why on the PC version of BF3 you have a choice between 'hardcore' mode (no health regen) and casual mode (health regen) where as on console you don't get that choice.

Imo they should just call it PC mode and Console mode instead, or just feckin do away with the option and leave it PC mode on the PC.

Whats always strange is how people take offence to the terms just cause its a 'casual game' and you enjoy it doesnt make it something to be embarrassed about. I'd never call uncharted 2 a hardcore game, its casual as ****. Fun game though and has some great qualities. Meanwhile you'd have to be an idiot to consider ArmA 2 a casual game.

I see the terms as more of a description of the games then of gamers themselves. When I think of a 'casual gamer' I'm really thinking of someone who plays the odd DS game once and awhile or a quick game of fifa every blue moon or something.

Grumpypants

A casual gamer is someone who play games every now and then to kill a half hour but has not real interest in it beyond that.

A hardcore gamer is someone who plays lots of games quite often.

In the same way you have casual football fans who put on a Utd jersey and head to the pub on a Sunday but then you have hardcore fans who travel to every game home and away.

It really is a term that defines a level of interest.

Casual or hardcore games don't exist Arma 2 is a simulation, Uncharted is a 3rd person adventure game.

Many people get mixed up thinking party games are casual games, they are not, they are party games, you play them in groups of people. Party games can be great fun in a party but not so much fun on your own, in the same way playing 12 hours of fallout 3 at a party isnt as much fun as playing it alone, especially for the people watching.

tonydude

IMO i consider a casual gamer to be a person who occasionally plays to pass an hour or two. A hardcore gamer would be a person who aims to challenge him/herself, you dont need to possess every console to be one.

Its easy to see whos hardcore and who isnt by looking at what games they play and what they achieve, e.g Paul plays little big planet and call of Duty while John plays Demons Souls and Star Ocean. If both players finish there games id cosider John to be a hardcore gamer simply due to the difficulty in the games he plays.

I consider my self to be in the middle. I can play hours at a time on a difficult game but need to relax by playing something more casual the next time.

jaykhunter

I've no idea about PC games/gamers so I'll deal with consoles only. My personal PoV is that :

Hardcore
- Has more than one console
- plays multiple genres of games
- also plays less popular/acclaimed titles
- AND some indy/XBLA/PSN games
- Keeps up with industry news
- You have a favourite games developer (eg BioWare, Rockstar etc)

Pseudo-Hardcore
- Someone who plays mostly FPS multiplayer games all night; only plays one or two genres of games.

Casual
- Someone who generally only plays the big titles

Not a Gamer
- Anyone with only a Wii/ a handheld/iPhone/Facebook 'games'; rarely plays or might buy ~3 games/year.

If anyone's wondering, I consider myself a casual gamer

landsleaving

tonydude wrote: »

IMO i consider a casual gamer to be a person who occasionally plays to pass an hour or two. A hardcore gamer would be a person who aims to challenge him/herself, you dont need to possess every console to be one.

Its easy to see whos hardcore and who isnt by looking at what games they play and what they achieve, e.g Paul plays little big planet and call of Duty while John plays Demons Souls and Star Ocean. If both players finish there games id cosider John to be a hardcore gamer simply due to the difficulty in the games he plays.

If Paul finishes LBP he's pretty hardcore, the last few levels are tough as nails. Plus if he's played single player in a CoD game he's probably pretty hardcore too, not many bother!

John's just a masochist.

Sisko

Grumpypants wrote: »

Casual or hardcore games don't exist Arma 2 is a simulation, Uncharted is a 3rd person adventure game.

Of course they do , hell even the devs of both games would agree. ArmA etc would be considered at the hardcore end of the spectrum where as Uncharted is the laid back - 'I don't wanna think, just effortlessly play something and have fun' - casual game. If you don't like to see it that way fair enough, but that's how it is.

It doesn't mean one is better than the other either.

Stercus Accidit

I prefer people with taste in films, books or games, regardless of the time they pump into these things. There is nothing worse than a fanatic, or a contrarian but if someone can legitimately assess and discuss something and appreciates quality, that is universally enjoyable. It does not matter how dedicated they are or how knowledgeable of obscure Japanese rpgs they are.

I like what I like, I love stalker, metro, fallout, half life and I loved goldeneye, body harvest, smash brothers, shadow of the colossus, and I like to talk about them with other people who maybe enjoyed them or even didn't and drum it out and discuss what works and what doesn't and have fun.

I'm not even sure the term 'Hardcore Gamer' is a positive one, but I am unsure as I have no idea what it means to begin with. What is a hardcore movie goer for example? (I don't mean raunchy xxx films btw!)

I prefer normal people who happen to be gamers and that have a sense of quality in their games, that's about it.

Fnz

^^^ This.

"Hardcore gamer" is a term that can be sliced too many ways to make it, in any way, meaningful.

Sisko wrote: »

ArmA etc would be considered at the hardcore end of the spectrum where as Uncharted is the laid back - 'I don't wanna think, just effortlessly play something and have fun' - casual game. If you don't like to see it that way fair enough, but that's how it is.

If we wanted to get into stupid arguments; couldn't we say that Arma is less a game and more a, straight-up, simulation?

ghostchant

jaykhunter wrote: »

Not a Gamer
- Anyone with only a Wii/ a handheld/iPhone/Facebook 'games'; rarely plays or might buy ~3 games/year.

But what if I spent every hour of the day playing either Sin & Punishment 2 for the Wii and/or the Shin Megami Tensei games for the DS and PSP? Am I not even at the level of casual if so? (assuming the points about the Wii/handhelds and rarely playing are exclusive)

I hate all the hardcore/casual terminology. Heck, even the term 'gamer' annoys me. If I was really into films I wouldn't refer to myself as a 'watcher'.

johnny_ultimate

I find the more disparaging meaning for 'hardcore' can refer to those who have ludicrous platform biases. Those who seriously (as opposed to those who say it with tongue in cheek) claim "PC gamers are the master race". Those who dismiss the DS / Wii as kiddy machines. Hell, even to a degree those who dismiss mobile gaming. There are great, complex games available on all formats - console games that have as much, if not more, depth and content as the PC RPGs of old, or IPod bullet hell games.

Sure, everyone has preferences, can't argue with that. But those who stubbornly claim that a certain console is beneath them probably hasn't experienced the best said console has to offer. There's room for PC, handheld, mobile and console gaming. It's most fun to experience the best of them all.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

Kersmash wrote: »

a level 60 paladin.

Not in 2011

Blink182rock wrote: »

someone who has no life ....

:rolleyes:

o1s1n wrote: »

Someone who engages in rampant sex while playing videogames.

It a stupid term. Along with 'casual gamer'. Every time I hear either I cringe.

I'm really into my videogames. Have been for 20 years now. About 50 consoles and jesus, quite possibly 1000 games and an atomiswave candy cabinet.

Do I call myself a hardcore gamer? **** no. Why? Because the day I take anything seriously enough to use the term 'hardcore' is the day I feel like my hobby has turned me into a complete moron.

Harecore me arse. (no, not literally)

Yea, you would be labelled as a hardcore gamer, whether you agree/like it or not. Not a whole lot you can do about it either.

I'm pretty sure that when being described as a "hardcore gamer" the true meaning of "hardcore" is not being implied. Being hardcore does not equate to moronic.

Do you have a fear of the word "hardcore"?

jaykhunter wrote: »

I've no idea about PC games/gamers so I'll deal with consoles only. My personal PoV is that :

Hardcore
- Has more than one console
- plays multiple genres of games
- also plays less popular/acclaimed titles
- AND some indy/XBLA/PSN games
- Keeps up with industry news
- You have a favourite games developer (eg BioWare, Rockstar etc)

Pseudo-Hardcore
- Someone who plays mostly FPS multiplayer games all night; only plays one or two genres of games.

Casual
- Someone who generally only plays the big titles

Not a Gamer
- Anyone with only a Wii/ a handheld/iPhone/Facebook 'games'; rarely plays or might buy ~3 games/year.

If anyone's wondering, I consider myself a casual gamer

Bold italics = WTF?



There are different concepts of a hardcore gamer. I don't believe there is a number of criteria you must pass before you are considered a hardcore gamer. You don't need to have a favourite developer (seriously, wtf?) or more than one console, etc etc.

jaykhunter

ghostchant wrote: »

But what if I spent every hour of the day playing either Sin & Punishment 2 for the Wii and/or the Shin Megami Tensei games for the DS and PSP? Am I not even at the level of casual if so? (assuming the points about the Wii/handhelds and rarely playing are exclusive)

IamX : Bold italics = WTF?

1. Eep, u sound angry! Not my intention

2. If you spent your days playing only one game or one genre; that'd be pseudo-hardcore in my eyes; similar to someone who plays Gears or MW Multiplayer every night, as you're only exposing/enjoying one morsel of the gambit of what games have to offer. I consider the Wii a casual console.

3. Playing rarely/buying games is inclusive in the point. It's to delineate say, me from the girlfriend who uses the Wii for Wii Fit only.

4. IMHO my definition of the word hardcore gamer describes maybe 1% of people who play games, if even. There's of course overlap between archetypes, these are just broad strokes. I'll reiterate that I consider myself casual.

5. Sorry if this sounds abrasive etc, it's just my opinion

ghostchant

jaykhunter wrote: »

1. Eep, u sound angry! Not my intention

2. If you spent your days playing only one game or one genre; that'd be pseudo-hardcore in my eyes; similar to someone who plays Gears or MW Multiplayer every night, as you're only exposing/enjoying one morsel of the gambit of what games have to offer. I consider the Wii a casual console.

3. Playing rarely/buying games is inclusive in the point. It's to delineate say, me from the girlfriend who uses the Wii for Wii Fit only.

4. IMHO my definition of the word hardcore gamer describes maybe 1% of people who play games, if even. There's of course overlap between archetypes, these are just broad strokes. I'll reiterate that I consider myself casual.

5. Sorry if this sounds abrasive etc, it's just my opinion

Sorry if I sounded angry!
I wouldn't consider the Wii to be a completely casual console, there are a number of games that I would consider more "hardcore" than COD and the like (Sin & Punishment and plenty of the virtual console games for a start). There are of course plenty of party games and stuff aimed at small children, but good for Nintendo for offering those experiences to people.

Similar to O1s1n a couple of pages back I have an awful lot of consoles and games knocking about (retro and recent) and will be spending a lot (most :P ) of my savings on gaming goods in Akihabara in Tokyo later this month, but I'd cringe at the thought of referring to myself as 'hardcore'...maybe when I was a teenager I'd have thought it made me sound cool or something I'm just someone who has a passion for collecting/playing video games and consoles. I don't think there needs to be a label attached to it.

wyrn

I have been playing games for ................. well decades.

I'm still crap at playing games. Also, I'm one of those people that takes forever to finish a game because I like to look in every area, talk to everyone and break every crate.

I personally do not think there exists such a being as a "hardcore gamer".

Robert ninja

I play games... I tend to play them often and seriously... but I don't TAKE them seriously. I love talkin' about em' and I've been involved in the video game industry. I have much broader and more passionate interest in media over all than I do in video games. I wouldn't call myself a hardcore gamer but I would describe myself as a very good gamer since I do tend to own at almost every game I play.

The thing is, I've been called a hardcore gamer only by people who don't play video games. To other gamers, I'm just another cog in the big gaming machine.

If a non-gamer sees me play or mention something about a game, they'll be overwhelmed and be like, 'I'm not into all that but I can see you're a hardcore gamer.' Even if I've just mentioned something very simple and mundane about a game.

My conclusion: People are stupid. What a suprise.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

Sisko

Its not rocket science really, its a spectrum, at one side someone who might have a game of solitaire once a year all the way up to someone who would build their own gaming machine from scratch and play some of the most in depth and complex games out there and then beyond into realms of obsessiveness and playing certain games at a competitive levels.

Its a stupid cringey word , like something from wrestling but its there. Trying to deny the concept exists and try to make out that everyone is just as into games as everyone else so as not to offend casual gamers or to not appear elitist is pointless.

Stercus Accidit wrote: »

I'm not even sure the term 'Hardcore Gamer' is a positive one, but I am unsure as I have no idea what it means to begin with. What is a hardcore movie goer for example?

In gamer terms? Probably someone who's a massive film buff and big into all types of movies, not the type of person who would scoff at the idea of watching a foreign movie with subtitles lets say. But more someone who would scoff at watching the latest transformers movie more like.

Fnz wrote: »

If we wanted to get into stupid arguments; couldn't we say that Arma is less a game and more a, straight-up, simulation?

Not really. Its a hardcore FPS made from a sim. But lets just say a 'hardcore' sim fan would 'scoff' at the idea of ArmA being considered a true sim. I dunno if you've played the game but play a flight sim like lock on then get into a jet in ArmA and you'll know what I'm talking about.

The sim element is mostly the simulation of battles themselves then the operation of vehicles and so forth but its most certainly far more 'game' than sim.

Its a war game not for the faint of heart - aka - 'hardcore' :rolleyes: (I don't exactly enjoy using the term myself)

Keep in mind though that while I'll describe ArmA as a hardcore FPS , I wouldn't say just cause you play it 'your a hardcore gamer' for example I play it but I'd casually play arma, I don't get as crazy into as some ex military people who treat it like a military drill. They would be far more into it (aka hardcore) then myself and play it on a higher level.

I wouldn't really describe anyone as a hardcore gamer in a general sense, the term is more for using it in such a way as "he is more of a hardcore gamer than me" or "I'm not really in the mood for a hardcore RTS, I would rather play a more casual one"

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

There's room for PC, handheld, mobile and console gaming. It's most fun to experience the best of them all.

Who could disagree with that?