Are casual gamers ruining gaming?

[minoes]

My big problem with casual gaming isn't that it makes gaming easier. My problem with casual gaming is that it takes from gaming's image as a legitimate artistic medium. The very word "game" is one of the biggest problems that gaming has with being viewed as valid. People who don't "play games" (more problem words) hear the word "game" and think it's some silly little thing kids do for fun, like playing monopoly, etc... but it's not the sort of thing adults ought to waste their time on regularly. Needless to say, people who believe this haven't seen games like Bioshock or Oblivion (just to name a few), genuine artworks in interactive media. The games they do see, however, are games like Peggle, or [B/]the endless number of shitty Wii games[/B]. Games that really are just "games," nothing more than distractions. And as a result their opinion of gaming remains in the area where they view gaming not as legitimate interactive media, but as just a "game".

Yeah, 'cause the Wii doesn´t have games like MadWorld, No More Heroes, Deadly Creatures, Muramasa and World of Goo.

And remember that even if certain mediums like "literature" and "music" are art, that doesn´t deter people from thinking that Hip Hop and the Twilight novels are nothing but crap.

 

[TheDudeMan14]

i consider myself a casual gamer just cause i dont play video games often, but i do think games are getting alot easy and not as rewarding.

 

[TheDudeMan14]

i consider myself a casual gamer just cause i dont play video games often, but i do think games are getting alot easy and not as rewarding.

 

[pdxer]

Casual gamers are not the ones making the games, so wouldn't it be the dev's that are ruining the games by creating games that target a demography who insist that games be made so the person with an IQ of 12 can figure it out.

Divide the gaming arena into two sections, games for people with Autism and games for people who want a challenge!

 

[Hyperone]

No, because there is no such thing as casual or hardcore gaming.

I cannot stress this enough.

A game requiring 50 hours every month for three months doesn't make it hardcore, it just makes it a grind-fest (a la CoD4 Prestige).

Games are there for everyone to enjoy, they (Who you deem casual) are no less entitled to play their way (Bear in mind even the use of this terminology is laughable to me).

Long story short: Elitism is never cool.

 

[dubious_wolf]

After some reflection I don't really buy this whole casual vs hardcore gaming idea. What exactly defines a casual gamer? what defines a hardcore gamer? in the end gaming really comes down to a personal experience. What do YOU as the player enjoy? do you want to play a game for cheap enjoyment? do you enjoy challenging puzzles? Do you want to feel extreme sense of achievement by beating the hardest game in the world?
In the end it all comes down to your definition of what fun is...

EDIT:

No, because there is no such thing as casual or hardcore gaming.

I cannot stress this enough.

A game requiring 50 hours every month for three months doesn't make it hardcore, it just makes it a grind-fest (a la CoD4 Prestige).

Games are there for everyone to enjoy, they (Who you deem casual) are no less entitled to play their way (Bear in mind even the use of this terminology is laughable to me).

Long story short: Elitism is never cool.

Haha took the words right out of my mouth. right after I posted the above comment I looked up and thought "gee that seems similar to what i just posted.

I concur Elitism is never cool...

 

[The_Echo]

I'm all for a challenge, but if a game's easy, I don't care as long as it has other appealing aspects.

You do remember the point of games, right, OP? They're supposed to be fun. And a game doesn't have to be a certain difficulty to be fun.

 

[Rock 'n' Soul]

I don't think so.

It's weird for so many "casual games" to be out there these days, and to see my beloved Nintendo turned into a kiddie whore, but hey, I did appreciate my "Peggle" add-on when I used to play WoW.

Casual gamers will play casual games. If a traditionally good game gets a little shitty, or a little too easy, I don't think it's because developers are trying to get a few more players in their pocket.

 

[Korten12]

There are plenty of challenging games out there if that's your thing.

If you can suggest some for PC, 360 ,PS3 I need to expand my library since this year has been pretty lackluster.

if you want a challanging rpg get demon's souls it is very unforgiving and very brutal. if you have a ps3 which im guessing you do becuase of your post, get it!

 

[tehroc]

...WHAT?!

Are casual wine drinkers ruining sommeliers? Are recreational baseball players ruining pros? Are everyday internet users ruining web development? Are sports fans who don't watch every game ruining their team? Are daily drivers ruining the collectible car auctions?

Those are shitty analogies. None of your examples listed demand that the activity be designed to fit the needs of the casual. Developers want to dumb down the medium to attract grandmas and small children. Developers are willing to let the game be played by the computer if the players are not up to the task of playing a particular game.

old games were hard because a hard game takes longer to complete, nowadays games can be longer so they don't need to be as frustrating and repetitive.

Yet how many games released this year alone are beaten (single player campaign) in under 10 hours. You can't use that excuse as games are not longer and still just as repetitive

 

[owner276]

I cried when I saw Game Party for the first time on a store shelf...I cut myself the first time I saw Game Party 2...I don't know what I'll do if they make Game Party 3...Probably suicide.....

 

[revenge6000]

I'm amazed at how much elitism the gaming community has. Video games have been sitting on the entertainment sidelines for a long time, and now that the hobby is getting mainstream attention, old school gamers seem to be feeling 'betrayed.'

Why, exactly? It's the same impulse that makes people quit liking indie bands when the rest of the world catches on to them. Casuals aren't ruining gaming, they're just casting a spotlight on our formerly dark corner of entertainment. The more money and attention they bring in, the better.

 

[Yumi_and_Erea]

Casual gamers, no. They'll either remain irrelevant or grow into real gamers.
Casual games though, probably. Simply because all the time, money and talent that goes into making them goes at the cost of hardcore games.

 

[Hyperone]

Casual gamers, no. They'll either remain irrelevant or grow into real gamers.
Casual games though, probably. Simply because all the time, money and talent that goes into making them goes at the cost of hardcore games.

I'm curious, what exactly do people define as a Hardcore game?

If I take it by casual games people mean flash games like those from popcap, hardcore would be any of your common console games?

 

[SomeBritishDude]

Quite simply: No.

There may be more casual games no-a-days but that doesn't mean that challenging games don't exist.

Personally, after going back and playing some games I never had the chance to when I was young, I would say 80% games where harder because the controls where less intuative more than anything.

I'm amazed at how much elitism the gaming community has. Video games have been sitting on the entertainment sidelines for a long time, and now that the hobby is getting mainstream attention, old school gamers seem to be feeling 'betrayed.'

Why, exactly? It's the same impulse that makes people quit liking indie bands when the rest of the world catches on to them. Casuals aren't ruining gaming, they're just casting a spotlight on our formerly dark corner of entertainment. The more money and attention they bring in, the better.

Agreeded, though I would say this is probably less about gamers in general and more about the escapist community. There's a simple forumlar that explains it.

Popular = Bad

 

[Mr.Lucifer]

Most games have always been casual. Knowing how to play an actual video game does not make you a hardcore gamer. ITs just that the wii lowered the standards of what is considered a casual gamer. I consider myself to be a casual gamer but I have a ton of video games.

 

[Twad]

No, because there is no such thing as casual or hardcore gaming.

Agreed. There is only games.
Casual, hardcore, FPS, RTS, MMO, whatever. THose are just names, genres or opinions to the «global» concepts of games.
And frankly, imho, that whole «hardcore» gaming thing is just some way that some people have to convince themselves they are «superior» to others. Makes them feel special.

Its a bit like ice cream. Many flavors, to each his favorite. These is no «superior/harcore» flavors.. just choices.

 

[FalloutJack]

Short Answer: NO.

Long Answer: A blatant impression of Yahtzee answering same.

Better Answer: Not when there's still hordes of people trying to link real-life violence with the violence in games.