Define a hardcore gamer.

[shatnuh]

I guess I always have considered myself a "hardcore gamer", though the line between hardcore and casual is becoming so blurry. I've been playing video games since I was 4, my mom had a NES with Batman and Tetris. I was able to make it to the Joker's level (never beat it) by age 5, as well as rack up 200 lines routinely on Tetris before we sold the machine in 1994.

But I don't think any of that defines what a "hardcore gamer" is, at least not as it applies to everyone. I hate to offer more subdivisions on the issue, but I feel that we have to define a "hardcore gamer" by the time period they first grew up and gestated with video games. Then we can do as someone has earlier in this thread, and make a list that has certain common gamer events from that era. You could even go further and break it down by console generation.

For example, the 90's gamer questionnaire might look like this:

-Did you ever do the double warp flute trick in SMB3?

-Do you remember the first time you used Zero in the MMX series?

-Do you remember where you were when you saw Aerith die?

These are only three examples. And the way to determine whether or not you fit the definition is how each answer resonates with you. If these examples hold memories that are fond and meaningful, you probably were a "hardcore 90's gamer" You'd probably need longer lists than what I have posted to truly be satisfied, but if a definition is needed, I think this would be the best barometer.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

I think it's mostly up to each person to decide whether they feel like a gamer or not.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

The way I define a gamer is very simple: can I talk to you about games?

I don't mean, "Dude, I got a kill streak of 56 in that last match! I'm boss!" If that's all you have to talk about in terms of games--your skill at multiplayer in one specific game--then to me, you are not a gamer. You are someone who is good at a game, but you are not a gamer.
Can I discuss the lore of Dark Souls with you? Can we compare notes on the choices we made in Mass Effect, and can I get your opinion on the ending? Who did you side with in Dragon Age II? What's your favorite Final Fantasy? Were you shocked when Ghost died?
There are many more questions, but you get the idea. A gamer is someone who can talk about the game beyond, "Yeah, I had fun I guess." A gamer is someone who gets that same excited feeling I get when talking about games. Someone who gets that little spark in their eyes when they realize that I know what they're talking about. Someone who gets the jokes, knows the references, and plays games for more than just a kill count.

 

[laggyteabag]

I always considered a hardcore gamer to be a person who almost exclusively plays a single, or select few, games, and plays it competitively (ie, be the best, have the best gear, use the most effective strategy etc).

 

[balladbird]

All players with exactly the same level of commitment as myself are hardcore gamers.

Players who put in more effort are tryhards with no life.
Players who put in less are filthy casuals.

I think there was a comic hosted on this site that expertly conveyed this sentiment, even!

 

[Godhead]

Anybody who enjoys playing hard video games and are masochistic enough to download mods to make it even harder.

Spoiler

The Misery mod haunts me still

 

[McElroy]

A hardcore gamer is someone who "gets" the games s/he plays. It's someone who picks up the game's mechanics as s/he plays and learns, first in great leaps, then gradually slower, and if given enough time, masters the game. A hardcore gamer pushes the game's boundaries and innovates.

So yeah, the most hardcore gamers are speed runners, and there are lots of differences between games in term of hardcoreness (yes, I realize what I just typed). I'd say it's mostly a positive thing.

 

[FPLOON]

Someone who is willing to know the ins and outs of a specific video game, its related series and/or its overall genre... this could also include knowing the video game series and/or genre's history, both past, present, and future...

Basically, a hardcore gamer should be more than just someone who's always playing that same game over and over again for hours on end... They better be like Tom Cruise and learning as they're playing said video game... especially when they're asked for help from other gamers about said game and/or be willing to give decent recommendations to games within the same genre, especially if it's a genre that they have been experiencing for the longest time...

Every gamer is, at least, "hardcore" in some way or on the verge of becoming "hardcore"... but it's up to the gamer themselves, how "hardcore" they're willing to take certain video game series and/or video game genres... (Also, you can never be too "hardcore", unless you reach the point of alienation... but, that's "another story" in my book...)

 

[Harpalyce]

A person that spends most of their leisure time playing video games, or doing video-game-related activities (like discussing video games on forums, for instance).

You will note in this definition that in no way do I mention genre. The soccer mom who spends every spare moment glued to FarmVille, discussing how to get the next level and figuring out how to min-max coin production to get a shiny new upgraded farmhouse or what have you, is on equal level with the kid who can tell you all his favourite Pokemon strategies and how to beat every gym from the past three generations and the nuances of the personality of Cobalion as seen in the Swords of Justice movie, and on equal level with the person who is part of a DOTA team that lets everyone else know they're about to be wrecked by synching their avatars and player names to be that one guy from that one Old Spice commercial and can speak fluent jargon on level with the best WoW GM (gg no re) and has probably also learned how to say 'STOP FEEDING' in at least 5 languages, and is on equal level with the person who has spent more hours in gun fights in the latest Call of Gears of War Runny Gunny Fun than somebody who has been on two tours to Afghanistan and has picked up enough military speak and such a clear commanding voice telling other people what to do strategically that people assume them to be of high rank in the military when the closest they've done irl is that one time they went deer hunting last fall, and is on equal level with someone who keeps a stable of old computers alongside the newest DOS-boxes on their modern machine so they will always be assured of being able to play their favourite point-and-click and who says that at heart the experience isn't the same if you don't have to change out a floppy mid-game, and the -- okay, actually, I think you guys probably get the idea.

"Hardcore gamer" is often a title that people use not like a medal of honor but like a baseball bat. Specifically, it's a great way to get all No-True-Scotsman about who is and isn't part of the community. Much like how innovations in research come from people reaching out of their insular college departments to make connections with something entirely different, every type of gamer has a slightly different point of view and comes from a different background and will have unique insights to bring to the table. By sticking together and recognizing that one form of gaming is not more noble and above the rest, we'll have better discussions, better communities, and even better games as developers have bigger pools to look at and go "hm, how about we do an idea kind of like that, but modified?" for their new concepts.

That's the goal, anyway. Unfortunately it just gets co-opted by snobbery a lot of the time. Especially towards women, which is pretty discouraging. That's something we, as a community, need to look out for: how is the label of 'hardcore gamer' being used? Does it include women? gay people? people who aren't white? other marginalized groups? Because if a hardcore gamer is always a straight white dude, there's something hinky going on, and the term isn't being used to bring people together over a common interest, but instead as a fencepost to keep people out of the discussion.

tl;dr: do games make up a significant part of stuff you enjoy and talk about? grats ur a hardcore gamer.

 

[Artaneius]

Someone who plays Quake or UT instead of CoD or Halo.

*sarcasm intended*

 

[FoolKiller]

I think I've stated this before in other posts but here is mine and it's one that most of my friends agree with.

Gamer: anybody who games as a hobby
This means that you choose to spend time in your life playing games. My mother falls into this category because she plays Bejeweled every night. This excludes people that game to pass time. A person playing Angry Birds on the subway ride to make it less monotonous is not a gamer.

Hardcore Gamer: anybody who games as their primary hobby
This means that out of all your hobbies, gaming is the one you spend the most time/energy/thought/effort on.

 

[verdant monkai]

The way I define a gamer is very simple: can I talk to you about games?

There are many more questions, but you get the idea. A gamer is someone who can talk about the game beyond, "Yeah, I had fun I guess." A gamer is someone who gets that same excited feeling I get when talking about games. Someone who gets that little spark in their eyes when they realize that I know what they're talking about. Someone who gets the jokes, knows the references, and plays games for more than just a kill count.

Exactly this. The amount of people I know who say they are obsessed with games and are massively hardcore, then when asked about a game they profess to love they know next to nothing. I'm not trying to be elitist here its just disappointing.


I'd say anyone who plays a wide variety of games and is really into a number of franchises (knows the characters/story owns most or all of the games). They also would't be one to dismiss a game purely based on genre (unless they have given the genre a go a few times and found it not to their taste, like sports games or rts games). Someone who frequents gaming news sources and is usually anticipating some new release.
Thats what I say a hardcore gamer is.

Saying someone isnt hardcore isnt an insult and it shouldn't make you sound like a dick for saying someone who owns an xbox360 with a 5 game library isnt a hardcore gamer. I don't get this new hate of the term, you CAN define a hardcore gamer its basically someone who spends a lot of time playing and doing things related to games. It is un-inclusive to go around saying no one likes games as much as you do, but its not un-inclusive to not define everyone as a hardcore gamer.

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

A hardcore gamer is pretty much someone who would describe videogames as an interest, and tends to attempt to learn the mechanics of the game and play well. Casual gamers will play with friends or to pass the time or as a distraction but will not classify it among their hobbies or prefer to game over other activities. Note that this has nothing to do with hardcore or casual games, that is a different distinction. It should also be noted that I don't care who puts themselves in either camp or what people want to call themselves. Naturally time spent is a stupid way to categorise people. I've seen plenty of unconscionably long LPs by people who clearly have no interest in the game.

As for you, which I feel is somewhat the purpose of the thread, you can rest easy. People trying to browbeat other people with 'hardcore' and 'casual' are missing the point. If you're not interested in a game you can't be accused of anything regarding your playing of it. I don't have a PS4 either because my interest is in DkS2 and that's on PS3, and most of my recent play has been FTL and Risk of Rain.

 

[Bocaj2000]

What makes a "hardcore" gamer? Same thing that makes a "hardcore" anything. It's more than just a hobby. What that means is up to you, but for me it involves analysis over enjoyment. When talking about games it's not about how cool it is to kill 1000 orcs; it's about asking why farming in DotA is a core mechanic and what effect it has on the core experience.

 

[Ulquiorra4sama]

Can I discuss the lore of Dark Souls with you?

Honestly that's the one thing on your list i'd have to say "No" to because while i appreciate all the lore in the Souls universe and find it all very intriguing i find Dark Souls lore discussions always drop back to "Vaati said [X]". As a result i've stopped engaging.

A hardcore gamer is someone who "gets" the games s/he plays. It's someone who picks up the game's mechanics as s/he plays and learns, first in great leaps, then gradually slower, and if given enough time, masters the game. A hardcore gamer pushes the game's boundaries and innovates.

So would my Dark Souls 2 character who dual-wields fully upgraded Claws to mimic Wolverine count as innovation? I mean i played the X-Men theme while i was in PvP.

OT: To my mind it's more "hardcore gaming" than "hardcore gamer". Like... i'm pretty big into Demon's Souls and Dark Souls, i've played them several times, gotten all achievements seen all the sights, etc. On the other hand i'm not that into other things like Fallout, Castlevania, Halo or other such things that some would say you need to be familiar with to be a "true" gamer.

So i guess i'd say you can be hardcore about something if you put real effort into being good at it. I just don't see it as possible to be really hardcore about gaming as a whole 'cause there's things you get excited about and there's things that'll bore you outta your mind. It's just an effect of gaming being as diverse as it is.

 

[Eve Charm]

Eh to me a hardcore gamer is someone that is well versus-ed, knowledgeably and experienced with with gaming and it's still one of their current major hobbies.

Now another thing which kinda throws nintendo under the bus or at least people that have one console or pc only is it's kinda hard to claim hardcore if you haven't even touched the latest "Big games" that have been coming out recently

 

[IamLEAM1983]

For me, being a hardcore gamer (or just being a "gamer" in general) has always been less about how much time you spend playing games (especially if it's only a single game) and more about how much time you spend thinking about more than just the games themselves. It's actually knowing about, caring about and thinking about the industry of gaming, the direction of gaming, etc. along with playing games. As such, to me hardcore gamer is basically the videogame version of a cinephile or food buff. Everyone watches movies and everyone eats food but only some people actually care about the intricacies of them and what goes on "behind the scenes."

This. To me, a hardcore gamer is someone who cares about the industry, who has an emotional investment in seeing it develop its untapped potential. A hardcore gamer is precisely the type of person who grouses when studios get set in their ways or spot a specific gameplay tangent they're looking to milk to death. A hardcore gamer is someone with a voice, and who isn't afraid to use it.

This is extremely large, of course. My fifty-six year-old mother who's so invested in Candy Crush she's actually bothered with researching Freemium economics? Hardcore gamer. My eight-two grandma who can go into the physics of tossing a bowling ball on Wii Sports? Hardcore gamer.

I'm generally saddened when I spot people who profess themselves to be gamers but only stick with one franchise or one genre. Ask them if they're passionate about anything, and they say they've been sticking with shooters "for the lulz" and that other genres look "lame".

I'm 31 years old. Finding people like that who claim to be hardcore really, honestly saddens me. I don't judge them openly and I mostly just move along because no game will ever be worth some bad blood between two strangers - but it really is unfortunate.

 

[1Life0Continues]

A hardcore gamer is someone who uses the terms 'hardcore and casual' to further segregate the community for no other reason than to make themselves feel better.

Why not just 'gamer' and ditch the pigeonholing? Are we as a community that insecure we need to further the view that our hobby is for elitists and children?

Just my .02 cents.

 

[Something Amyss]

I've always considered "hardcore" to be the people who are the most dedicated. In this case, I don't distinguish between hardcore Sims players and hardcore CoD and hardcore League of Legends. If you devote serious time and effort, I consider you to be hardcore.

For example: I remember at one point looking through an FAQ for Geometry Wars (I wanted to clarify some point on the scoring or something) and came across a tip encouraging you to learn to blink one eye at a time. And my response was basically "fuck it, I'll never be that hardcore."

I think this is consistent with most of its uses in terms of someone who is a hardcore fan of something. They are devoted, possibly obsessive. They are the fanatic that is the origin of the word fan.

I'm usually a casual gamer. I like games, I even play games that a lot of people seem to call "hardcore," but I'm not that devoted. While it's weird saying it on a gaming website (I guess it's no longer strictly gaming, but that's a new turn and I've been here for years), I'm not that into games. They're a pastime, something I often do to unwind. I don't like games as homework or games as chores.

 

[Something Amyss]

A hardcore gamer is someone who uses the terms 'hardcore and casual' to further segregate the community for no other reason than to make themselves feel better.

Why not just 'gamer' and ditch the pigeonholing? Are we as a community that insecure we need to further the view that our hobby is for elitists and children?

Just my .02 cents.

What's the point in gaming if I cannot denote myself as a special little snowflake?