Gaming isn't a life style, its a hobby.

[Jessta]

Making anything a lifestyle is a bad idea.
video games have developed their own sub cultures through fan bases and the such, much like movies did before them, and books before THEM.
The reason for this is because Video games like movies and books give you a glimpse of the feelings and thoughts behind them.
WHAT THE HELL DOES LIFESTYLE MEAN?! I mean, what is a lifestyle? I can not think of a single thing that should dominate your life so much as to call it your lifestyle...
oh and for the guy a few posts up who said its not even a hobby, theres ANOTHER guy a few posts up who explains how it is a hobby in comparison to watching movies/TV because it requires interactivity. A hobby being something you *DO* regularly in your off time.
I might say video games are my "lifestyle" as I spend most of my time studying how to make them but if thats what you mean by lifestyle then you might as well be saying rocket's aren't a lifestyle or being a doctor isn't a lifestyle or something stupid like that so I don't think thats what the word lifestyle refers to...
Actually that guy that Paynspray put on there ISN'T wrong, letting it become an addiction that CONSUMES your life IS bad but theres a difference between letting them consume your life and letting them enhance your life. I like to look at it as the difference of Loading ready run versus Zero punctuation.

 

[Vega_GTX]

I feel that ANY form of entertainment can be considered a lifestyle. However, making any form of entertainment YOUR lifestyle reflects how hollow you really are.

IMO, it should be part of your lifestyle, not your whole.

 

[Giantpanda602]

Watching movies could definitely be considered a lifestyle. My friend spends a huge amount of time watching movies and he easily relates anything hes doing to them. If watching movies can be a lifestyle, so can gaming.

 

[Dense_Electric]

It's a little black and white to say that it can't be a lifestyle. But it's sort of the difference between "gamers" and "people who play games." The majority of the gaming market falls into the second group - they enjoy games, maybe they wear the occasional T-shirt, but it really sort of ends there. Yes, it would be a hobby for these people.

But as for the first group - not only do we typically play games more than the average "person who plays games," we play them in a different way. I call back to MovieBob's "A Nerd By Any Other Name" episode of The Big Picture - it's not just what you're into, it's how you're into it. Some of us take it quite seriously, we play the games, some of us actually make them, we wear the T-shirts, buy the collectibles, go to conventions, associate with others who share our interests, we have our own slang, our own terminology, our own inside jokes and references, our own magazines, websites, news columns, radio shows, our own entire culture. We live our lives that way. And in that regard, yes, gaming can absolutely be a lifestyle.

 

[DoctorPhil]

I agree with the OP's notion. In my case, it is my lifestyle and I am a sad person. I wish it were only my hobby.

 

[artanis_neravar]

Just remember Gamers have a holiday

 

[hem dazon 90]

I dont know why everyone seems to think gaming is a life style. Video games are nothing more then something to have fun with and blow time on. People dont (and never did) consider watchng T.V. as a lifestyle so why do gamers?

Because People wanna justify their addictions. It's the same with potheads

 

[Smertnik]

Yeah, I find it kinda silly, too, along with the whole concept of being a "gamer".

 

[Thegoodfriar]

As someone who both writes for a gaming blog and makes games, it is still really a hobby.

I still get really tired of games, and luckily I can stop it at any point... really I can, no I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM!!!

 

[Metal Brother]

I dont know why everyone seems to think gaming is a life style. Video games are nothing more then something to have fun with and blow time on. People dont (and never did) consider watchng T.V. as a lifestyle so why do gamers?

I've been tempted to voice similar opinions, but it all depends on your perspective. It's not a lifestyle for me, and to be honest I find it difficult to imagine as a healthy lifestyle. But to each his own.

 

[Fetzenfisch]

I do support OP here. Being a damn hippie (even if it doesnt mean anything anymore today) is a livestyle. Being a punk (even if 99% of the people dont know what that means) is a livestyle, being goth (even if all of the USA don't seem to know what that means) is a livestyle. But liking games, isnt. It is in deed a hobby. It doesnt determine you in any obvious way.

What about being a gamer?

A gamer is one liking games. Like me. and some of my friends. The ones i dont meet to just party, the once i meet to play games. thats it. there are a lot of games in the world and just liking to play some of them isnt a lifestyle. It is a tag you can attach to yourself, but never more than that.
it is seldom the priority of your choice of action.And that is what defines a lifestyle, thinks you would say are really important to you and defining yourself. Gaming doesnt define myself, but i damn enjoy it

 

[ChildofGallifrey]

Yes it is a hobby, well unless your S. Korean.

Then it's practically an internment camp.

"Well Jun Young, you didn't properly counter that Zerg rush. You know what that means..."
*electricity runs through chair*

Wait, did you really just mix up the two Koreas?

The only computer in North Korea is used for making nukes, they don't play Starcraft there.

The point I was aiming for is that Starcraft is practically a fanatical religion in S. Korea, where nothing less than absolute perfection is expected, and people often get chastised (some harder than others) for rudimentary mistakes.

Guess I didn't phrase that eloquently enough the first time.

 

[Mauso88]

I just like playing games because I've seen the real world and it's not all that great.

Same thing could be said of someone who reads lots of books, watches lots of films, takes copious amounts of drugs or works all the time.

A few fleeting moments of escapism to help cope being forced to content with said real world.

 

[magicaxis]

Its my lifestyle because:
I'm a games programmer
its my favourite thing to do
I wear game clothes and own memorabilia
i know all about it.

Even if its not a lifestyle, games are definately more than a hobby to me

 

[theultimateend]

I dont know why everyone seems to think gaming is a life style. Video games are nothing more then something to have fun with and blow time on. People dont (and never did) consider watchng T.V. as a lifestyle so why do gamers?

This just in, everybody dies, so all time is blown.

Next question!

 

[Saelune]

What is a lifestyle then?

 

[Trolldor]

life style: a manner of living that reflects the person's values and attitudes

Explain to me why this is not so for gaming, please.

 

[ENKC]

Any activity can be a lifestyle if you choose to make it so. Any contention like this is always baseless unless it starts from the dictionary definition and proves itself on that basis.

 

[Sansha]

I agree.

You'll find many, many hobbyists declaring their interest as a 'lifestyle'. Look at model train 'engineers' for example, some of those men are lunatics.

 

[Rusty pumpkin]

Depends on the context. Saying I'm a gamer implies that I play games, how they state this is the question. If they say something like "You're wasting your life playing video games." Then no, that is not my lifestyle. If they say "Hey, I heard you like video games." then that is my lifestyle.
Hell, getting haircuts is a lifestyle. I know people who never get hair cuts, and that's a different lifestyle.