Subjective Constructs: "Casual" and "Hardcore"

[A Link In Time]

Somewhere along the course of gaming the terms "casual" and "hardcore" were created to differentiate between those who play "manly" games and those who prefer "kiddie" ones. In this post I''d like to demystify some of the controversy concerning this debate and provide my own insight into this and other aspects of gaming in general.

With the birth of so-called "casual" games on the eve of motion control and free to play games, the old niche of gamers found their preferred medium of entertainment under attack by newcomers. From there the term "hardcore" became to be utilized in excess to describe this group. As of late, a plethora of gamers have criticized the term while incorrectly pairing it with franchises like Call of Duty. Personally, it's never been about the type of game played but how you play it. Someone can spend twelve hours a day rocking it out to Just Dance 3 and be coined "hardcore" while an alleged casual picks up a controller and guns some Covenant for half an hour a week in Halo. It's difficult to explain where these terms originate from but one thing is for sure-We need to shed them from our gaming vocabulary.

What are your thoughts on the entire "hardcore" and "casual" argument? If you believe in such classifications, how do you determine whether a gamer fits one category or the other? If not, why do you deem this to be a load of baloney?

 

[Violet Link]

they said Just Dance 3 is hardcore? Wow,it's a casual.Action,violence,fighting and etc. are hardcore.

 

[A Link In Time]

they said Just Dance 3 is hardcore? Wow,it's a casual.Action,violence,fighting and etc. are hardcore.

Sorry if I was not clear in the opening post. So you believe that the content of a game determines whether or not it is "casual" or "hardcore" and not the play style? Why so may I ask?

 

[Violet Link]

Oh umm sorry.
Why do they even want to 'catigorize' the games? I don't believe this baloney.

 

[A Link In Time]

Oh umm sorry.
Why do they even want to 'catigorize' the games? I don't believe this baloney.

Oh no, I don't wish to categorize these games but some do. Your reply was exactly what I sought, thank you.

 

[Night Owl]

I've never really cared too much as I know it's all subjective.
Games are made to appeal to certain gamer groups. But that doesn't mean that everyone who plays the games fit those labels.
If we need to keep the hardcore and casual gamer labels, They should be used to determine who the games are intended for, while if using it to group gamers is based on how many hours they play a week. I think we need to allow modifiers to help better sort games and gamers. For instance someone who plays 3-5 hours a week would be moderately casual and 10-15 could be moderately hardcore. Or something similar.

 

[Locke]

Anyone who spends any amount of time actually thinking about the terms will find that they can't possibly used to describe certain genres or styles. A "hardcore" game is one that cuts to the "core" of a person. It's taken very seriously and the player endeavors to improve him- or herself. A "casual" game is one that's played simply to pass the time in an enjoyable way. The player doesn't internalize the game itself, only the fun he or she has while playing it.

As ALIT said, these depend on how people play the games, not what type of game they are. What type of game is Mario Kart DS? I spent two years racing online and visiting message boards as my primary hobby, becoming one of the top players in my state. Someone else might play a few rounds before moving on to a different game or with life.

One might argue that "hardcore" games are those that are more prone to bring about the "hardcore" attention described above. This may be true, but it introduces subjectivity, as the thread title indicates, and fuzzy guesswork about the general populous. I think that often, since people can't know everyone's opinions, they look at things like graphics, style, story, and genre as indicators for "hardcore"-ness or "casual"-ness. But in doing so they're confusing them with the distinctions between immersion and engagement.

Games with realistic action and complex story make it easier for the player to feel a part of the game, but this doesn't mean the player isn't simply playing to pass the time. Games that focus on gameplay with little story and take liberties on style make them great at engaging a player's time, but this doesn't mean players can't take it to a more competitive level.

 

[TheRationalDove]

Anyone who spends any amount of time actually thinking about the terms will find that they can't possibly used to describe certain genres or styles. A "hardcore" game is one that cuts to the "core" of a person. It's taken very seriously and the player endeavors to improve him- or herself. A "casual" game is one that's played simply to pass the time in an enjoyable way. The player doesn't internalize the game itself, only the fun he or she has while playing it.

As ALIT said, these depend on how people play the games, not what type of game they are. What type of game is Mario Kart DS? I spent two years racing online and visiting message boards as my primary hobby, becoming one of the top players in my state. Someone else might play a few rounds before moving on to a different game or with life.

One might argue that "hardcore" games are those that are more prone to bring about the "hardcore" attention described above. This may be true, but it introduces subjectivity, as the thread title indicates, and fuzzy guesswork about the general populous. I think that often, since people can't know everyone's opinions, they look at things like graphics, style, story, and genre as indicators for "hardcore"-ness or "casual"-ness. But in doing so they're confusing them with the distinctions between immersion and engagement.

Games with realistic action and complex story make it easier for the player to feel a part of the game, but this doesn't mean the player isn't simply playing to pass the time. Games that focus on gameplay with little story and take liberties on style make them great at engaging a player's time, but this doesn't mean players can't take it to a more competitive level.

This is pretty much my view on the subject. I'm not too keen on the labels, but I believe the real difference should be based on how and for what reason people play a certain video game, not the type of viode games they play. I'd say that most games can be made competitive, no mater the graphics, rating or game console. Hardcore gamers are just as likely to be found playing Super Mario Bros as they are playing Ace Attorney or the Uncharted series.

 

[Dio]

I'd say a hardcore game is one that is intended to be taken seriously, for instance Halo, final fantasy and Zelda are games with deeper storylines which are an enriching and meaningful experience.

A casual game is something that is not intended to be particularly meaningful and designed to be easily accessible, a bit of mindless fun really. Games like Just dance, wii play and wii sports.

Someone can spend twelve hours a day rocking it out to Just Dance 3 and be coined "hardcore"

Well I would coin them borderline pathological rather than hardcore, I cant imagine anyone in their right mind doing that.

 

[Ventus]

Did anyone notice that only the casuals seem to have a problem with the notion of hardcore/casual?

In my opinion, there are two kinds of hardcore and casual: playstyle vs game type.

Hardcore* game type = realistic (realistic in degrees, not "OMG LIFELIKE PHYSICS"), generally a fighter, shooter, aRPG/JRPG. Game generally isn't made for "pick up and drop down" purposes, meaning to get seriously good at the game takes a LOT of time, dedication and effort either with that game or likeminded games prior/ahead to it. Example series: CoD obviously, Star Ocean, Final Fantasy, Battlefield, Delta Force, Diablo, Guild Wars, World of Warcraft, Smash Bros Melee and 64** etc.

Casual game type = cute, unrealistic (can be realistic kind of, not sure what i mean by this point), generally a puzzle, platformer, or other genre. Generally IS made for "pick up and drop down" purposes, meaning you play on the fly and to get good at the game takes minimal skill and effort. Example series: Zelda, Mario, Kirby, Wii Sports, Smash Bros Brawl**, etc.

Hardcore play style = dedication.
Casual play style = not so much.

You can play a casual game with a lot of and dedication which makes your play style hardcore, but the game itself isn't. I can play a hardcore game casually, but the game is still "hardcore". For example, no matter how much I may love OoT, the game is a casual game. It isn't meant to be taken seriously. I can do all the speedruns, TASes, and so on of that game. Doesn't make it any less casual. Just makes me dedicated, hardened and thus "hardcore player of that casual game".

* Hardcore, just so you know, doesn't mean M rated. Too often do Zelda and Nintendo fanboys/fangirls get this confused. Just because the many CoD fanboys/fangirls say X game suxx0rz and CoD is teh winz0rz doesn't mean they like the game due to it's rated M status. It's because of the content itself, how dedicated they have to be to get good, etc.

** Brawl is a joke of a game, Sakurai even said he wanted things to be balanced and here I will just cue Meta Knight who has priority over EVERYTHING, he's finally banned for Unity rulesets. Melee and 64 require FAR much more skill than Brawl, don't care what anyone may say.

^^ All of that is my opinion, pl0x don't bash me for it ^^

 

[Turo602]

I've never heard of casual or hardcore games... Whoever thinks such a thing exist, is an idiot. Games cannot be defined as "casual" or "hardcore", only the players.

 

[Ventus]

I've never heard of casual or hardcore games... Whoever thinks such a thing exist, is an idiot.

Resident Evil is hardcore. And I'm not an idiot. Some games were specifically made to be more casual, like Soul Calibur V or Super Smash Bros Brawl.

 

[Turo602]

Resident Evil is hardcore. And I'm not an idiot. Some games were specifically made to be more casual, like Soul Calibur V or Super Smash Bros Brawl.

Resident Evil is rated M, not hardcore... Having blood, difficulty, etc. does not make it "hardcore". It is designed for an older audience who can handle and understand the game. Fighting games are competitive games. Whether you choose to play them casually or not, is up to the player.

 

[misskitten]

Casual and Hardcore are mindsets, nothing more. I identify with neither. Firstly I don't put in nearly enough amount of time to be considered a hardcore gamer, however despite my infrequent gaming sessions, I don't identify with the casual gamer either, as I feel I put a lot more heart and soul into a game than a causal gamer would. When I do play I get lost in a game for hours, and when I finally do quit for the day it's about 2-3 hours later than I originally intended, lol.

I don't like the idea of distinguishing between casual and hardcore games, so I won't make it. I agree with the OP, anything can be made hardcore with the right type of dedication.

 

[StarBound]

In my opinion, there are two kinds of hardcore and casual: playstyle vs game type.

Hardcore* game type = realistic (realistic in degrees, not "OMG LIFELIKE PHYSICS"), generally a fighter, shooter, aRPG/JRPG. Game generally isn't made for "pick up and drop down" purposes, meaning to get seriously good at the game takes a LOT of time, dedication and effort either with that game or likeminded games prior/ahead to it. Example series: CoD obviously, Star Ocean, Final Fantasy, Battlefield, Delta Force, Diablo, Guild Wars, World of Warcraft, Smash Bros Melee and 64** etc.

Casual game type = cute, unrealistic (can be realistic kind of, not sure what i mean by this point), generally a puzzle, platformer, or other genre. Generally IS made for "pick up and drop down" purposes, meaning you play on the fly and to get good at the game takes minimal skill and effort. Example series: Zelda, Mario, Kirby, Wii Sports, Smash Bros Brawl**, etc.

Hardcore play style = dedication.
Casual play style = not so much.

You can play a casual game with a lot of and dedication which makes your play style hardcore, but the game itself isn't. I can play a hardcore game casually, but the game is still "hardcore". For example, no matter how much I may love OoT, the game is a casual game. It isn't meant to be taken seriously. I can do all the speedruns, TASes, and so on of that game. Doesn't make it any less casual. Just makes me dedicated, hardened and thus "hardcore player of that casual game".

* Hardcore, just so you know, doesn't mean M rated. Too often do Zelda and Nintendo fanboys/fangirls get this confused. Just because the many CoD fanboys/fangirls say X game suxx0rz and CoD is teh winz0rz doesn't mean they like the game due to it's rated M status. It's because of the content itself, how dedicated they have to be to get good, etc.

** Brawl is a joke of a game, Sakurai even said he wanted things to be balanced and here I will just cue Meta Knight who has priority over EVERYTHING, he's finally banned for Unity rulesets. Melee and 64 require FAR much more skill than Brawl, don't care what anyone may say.

^^ All of that is my opinion, pl0x don't bash me for it ^^

[video=youtube_share;sw6ndZNLYUA]http://youtu.be/sw6ndZNLYUA[/video]

Being a hardcore gamer means you play a lot of games and you "understand" them. A casual gamer plays a small amount of games and they don't "understand" them. There is no such thing as a hardcore or a casual game.