"Hardcore" Gamers.

[TF/HH]

Imo, all games fit into three categories: Hardcore, Casual, and Fitness. Fitness is obviously just exercise games. Casual is games that don't require a constant stream of focus, an example being Animal Crossing. Hardcore games do require a constant stream of focus, such as Zelda, Call of Duty, Halo, Street Fighter, and tons more. Being a "hardcore" gamer just means you prefer hardcore games over casual or fitness games. There's nothing wrong with being a hardcore gamer, it's just all based on opinion.

 

[A Link In Time]

Imo, all games fit into three categories: Hardcore, Casual, and Fitness. Fitness is obviously just exercise games. Casual is games that don't require a constant stream of focus, an example being Animal Crossing. Hardcore games do require a constant stream of focus, such as Zelda, Call of Duty, Halo, Street Fighter, and tons more. Being a "hardcore" gamer just means you prefer hardcore games over casual or fitness games. There's nothing wrong with being a hardcore gamer, it's just all based on opinion.

No. Those distinctions are completely arbitrary and if you're going to use them, then judge on play style not game. I can play Wii Sports profusely and be considered "hardcore" whereas another CoD player could be classified as "casual".

 

[Turo602]

Imo, all games fit into three categories: Hardcore, Casual, and Fitness. Fitness is obviously just exercise games. Casual is games that don't require a constant stream of focus, an example being Animal Crossing. Hardcore games do require a constant stream of focus, such as Zelda, Call of Duty, Halo, Street Fighter, and tons more. Being a "hardcore" gamer just means you prefer hardcore games over casual or fitness games. There's nothing wrong with being a hardcore gamer, it's just all based on opinion.

"Hardcore" and "casual" aren't terms used to describe video games, but the players themselves. A hardcore gamer is someone who plays a lot of games and appreciates them and sees them for more than what the public/ignorant see it as. A hardcore gamer isn't afraid to try new games and expand his or her variety of games. Like me, I understand video games and I constantly keep up with them. While a casual gamer would be someone who doesn't play too much or really keep up with the industry. My friend is a good example of this. He plays games like Devil May Cry, Ninja Gaiden, Street Fighter, and Resident Evil. But he'd still be considered a casual gamer because he shows an interest in video games, but doesn't really play a lot or keep up with them. The only reason he'd know of an upcoming game he likes would be because I told him about it.

 

[Batman]

Being a 'hardcore' or 'casual' gamer is nothing to be ashamed of. I disagree with you, because being passionate about any art is perfectly fine. Being super passionate about video games and gaming culture is certainly something to be proud of, imo. I consider myself a casual gamer, except when it comes to Zelda, and then I'm definitely a 'hardcore' Zelda gamer. I'm not ashamed of that in the least.

 

[dur.i.am]

To many saying that I said that games are childish, what I meant to say that is that many of the public label video games as something children do. I didn't mean this about people who get paid to play games, in which case, well, it's your job. I'm just trying to say that I don't think its something to be proud of if you consider yourself a "hardcore" gamer.

That just seems like an attempt to make my counter to your original argument invalid. People having jobs to do with the gaming industry is part of gaming, so it doesn't matter if it is their job or not. Do you say a professional footballer isn't a sportsman because that is his job? No. They have a job in sport because they enjoy it, and probably are very good at it. People get jobs in the gaming industry because they enjoy it too. Because they get paid for it doesn't mean that they don't enjoy what they do.

I'll admit I interpreted what you meant about games being labelled as childish wrongly. It does come across like you are agreeing with the public on that label though, hence why I came to the conclusion that I did. I will still stand by the fact that this label is an incorrect label, though.

Hardcore gamers, in my eyes, are people who consistently play games for huge amounts of time each week. Casual gamers, once again in my eyes, are people who do play games frequently but not for extended periods of time, just for say maybe 10 hours a week? Something like that anyway. Those terms can apply to anything. You can have a casual drinker for example. I am someone who is a casual drinker because occasionally I have a bottle or two of cider while I am playing a game. There are those people out there who drink heavily because they believe that partying is a way of life, those people could be considered hardcore drinkers.

 

[guapo2003]

I'm definitely not a hardcore gamer by any means. I've always been a casual gamer, but recently like the past few years, I'm just on and off every few months playing a new or old game. It's really hard to find the time to.

 

[Gorrilaz]

I see video game completionists as hardcore gamers. Since that is the case , I am kind of a hardcore gamer.

 

[Warrior of Fire]

For the most part, I see myself as a casual/hardcore gamer. I don't think about games much except when I'm playing them, and will focus on other stuff when not. Of course, some games are more toward one style at all times. I play Animal Crossing for usually about fifteen-twenty minutes when I play it so I can check on some stuff and dig up the fossils for that day, but then I move on to something else. To me, Animal Crossing is a casual game. Now, Zelda is my main focus. I think about it almost 14 hours a day, including when I'm asleep, and I think about things that I'd like to include in either my Zelda-based book series from either a certain Zelda game that could fit seemlessly in the series with nessissary changes (such as the Loftwings from Skyward Sword being called Hylian Eagles in my books and the red ones can speak Hyrulean (perfectly grammatically correct English)) and stuff not seen in Zelda that could work (no further spoilers for you). And games like Mario Kart are in between. The only time I'll think about these games before is if I want to play them (if I own a copy) or if they look interesting enough to buy (if I don't), and (only if I own a copy) if I decide I want to play that game, I may only play for a little bit or a while (depends on if I'm feeling drawn into the game or not at that point). If I don't get drawn in, it's a casual game that day. If I do, then it's a hardcore game that day (only while playing). It all comes down to one thing and one thing only: is the game good? I may play for a few minutes to do a few things that can be done in only a few minutes, I may play for a little longer because the game drew me in a bit but is now no longer holding my interest when I stop, or I may play it for hours because that game has me hooked. Really, to be considered a completely hardcore gamer, every game you really like to play has to keep you in for hours every time you play and you almost - or completely - play it religiously.

 

[kafigalo]

This may seem a little harsh, but games like Call of Duty are some of the most casual games out there. I consider "hardcore" to be the type of games that require loads of dedication to complete. Games like Zelda and RPGs fall into this category. Call of Duty is one of those games where you pick it up anytime and just start a match randomly, shooting people with no goal in sight, except wining that particular match, which ultimately has no effect on the story. This makes it very similar to games like, say, Wii Sports. I am not trying to bash games like Call of Duty. In fact, I really enjoy Call of Duty. I just don't like when people call it "hardcore".

Lol Yeah you're right. Call of Duty is all fun and games. Until you mess someone's KDR up. Then they start sending death threats to your inbox

 

[xwatchmanx]

I've always viewed the term "hardcore gamer" as a distinction for, quite simply, someone who really likes video games and spends a lot of time playing and maybe talking about them. It's kinda like when you refer to a "hardcore Zelda fan"... that's just a distinction for someone who really likes Zelda and plays and maybe talks about it a lot, right?

Aside from that though, I also view people who seem to have a "natural talent" for gaming as being hardcore gamers... you know, these are the gamers who (often because of their experience with games) can pick up a new game and essentially master it very, very quickly. Also, the gamers who tend to really take it seriously. You know, the people who get really involved in the politics of gaming (id est, the people who can essentially give speeches for why it was stupid for the Halo Reach update to remove reticle bloom), getting on forums and discussing "serious" gaming issues, etc. I have one friend in particular who fits those descriptions, and I told him that I consider him a hardcore gamer, but he denies it, even though he spends a huge amount of his time gaming. It's kind of a subjective distinction, I think.

As for me, I don't really think in terms of those kind of labels. I've been playing video games since I was 5 (sheesh, that's 17 years... where's the time gone?), and I would say I'm somewhat good at it (though most of the friends who I consider hardcore gamers are definitely much better than I am), and I really like video games more than most, but I would never really make the claim of being a hardcore gamer. If anyone asks me about gaming, I just say that I really love video games and it's one of my favorite hobbies, and if someone calls me a hardcore gamer, I just kinda shrug. lol

 

[DiashyGuy]

I think a hardcore gamer is a person that play every type of game and master them all and not those nerds that play Call of Duty 24/7 that's not hardcore that's get a life.

 

[xwatchmanx]

I'm not CoD fan at all, but I think it's really stupid to disqualify CoD players as hardcore gamers. What about CoD makes you any less of a gamer than someone who plays Zelda all the time (like me)? Just because it's mainstream doesn't disqualify its players as "hardcore gamers", imo.

 

[Ventus]

Hardcore gamer, professional, etc. are all synonymous within the respective gaming community. If you're a hardcore gamer, you're a pro which also means you're competitive level. It's how things work;

in SSBB if you've mastered Link, placed like 2nd or 1st [something mentionable on SBR or AiB]...you're gonna be called hardcore, pro, and also you will be noted a tourney level player etc.

in Call of Duty, if you have 2+ KDR and earned it respectfully [i.e, haven't pulled the switch to preserve kills], maybe if you're a great commentator on the side, if you've won tourneys in MLG etc...you're gonna be called hardcore, pro, et cetera et cetera et cetera.

The term doesn't quite work as well in a casual setting such as Zelda where the only thing you can do that is relatively "hardcore" is a reverse bottle run or some amazing TAS like SwordlessLink does.

Actually, now that I think about it, I don't understand why casual kids don't like the term. We're all kids, for the most part.

 

[Turo602]

Hardcore gamer, professional, etc. are all synonymous within the respective gaming community. If you're a hardcore gamer, you're a pro which also means you're competitive level. It's how things work;

in SSBB if you've mastered Link, placed like 2nd or 1st [something mentionable on SBR or AiB]...you're gonna be called hardcore, pro, and also you will be noted a tourney level player etc.

in Call of Duty, if you have 2+ KDR and earned it respectfully [i.e, haven't pulled the switch to preserve kills], maybe if you're a great commentator on the side, if you've won tourneys in MLG etc...you're gonna be called hardcore, pro, et cetera et cetera et cetera.

The term doesn't quite work as well in a casual setting such as Zelda where the only thing you can do that is relatively "hardcore" is a reverse bottle run or some amazing TAS like SwordlessLink does.

Actually, now that I think about it, I don't understand why casual kids don't like the term. We're all kids, for the most part.

Being a hardcore gamer is not about your skill in any video game. It's not a term used to describe a video game either. It just describes what level of a gamer you are. You understand video games, you appreciate them, keep up with them, and you aren't afraid to try new things. There's no such thing as a casual game or a hardcore game.

 

[xwatchmanx]

There's no such thing as a casual game.

Angry Birds?