This term is bandied about alot. Nintendo used the term 'core' during their E3 conference. But, really, clear this up for me, what does this term mean? Does it apply solely to the XBox Live fiends or anyone who isn't a casual gamer?

Xbox Live 'FIENDS'??? I have you know I have a 360 and I'm not a fiend...merely a minor demon

Optimus Prime:
Xbox Live 'FIENDS'??? I have you know I have a 360 and I'm not a fiend...merely a minor demon

Oh you are so weak. I'm at least a Death God.

Jonatron:
This term is bandied about alot. Nintendo used the term 'core' during their E3 conference. But, really, clear this up for me, what does this term mean? Does it apply solely to the XBox Live fiends or anyone who isn't a casual gamer?

What is a "casual gamer"?

i think the definition of these two terms should be self apparent...

hardcore gamer: one who devotes a significant portion of his/her time and resources to gaming.

casual gamer: one who shows only a passing interest in video games.

i don't know why so many people are making such a big deal about these terms lately... seems kinda silly to me.....

I would make sure to avoid anyone describing themselves as a "hardcore" gamer.

harhol:
I would make sure to avoid anyone describing themselves as a "hardcore" gamer.

Exactly why I'm asking. There seems to be a shared negative connotation about the word, that people don't like. Someone who plays many hours a week should be called what instead?

Hardcore Gamer = someone who refers to him/herself as a hardcore gamer.

Not worth your time.

Let me see if I can get this right.

Hardcore Gamer: Gamer who sees him/herself as a true fan, playing games in excessive lengths at a time. Usually dominates at games with multiplayer functionality. Tends to be elitist, looking down upon other gamers and games they see as "kiddy" or "casual." Constantly worried that their preferred developer/console will "abandon" him/her in favor of these groups.

Traditional Gamer: Gamer who is capable of enjoying games of any nature. More inclined towards quality than name. Can play games for moderate to large amounts of time. Usually seen as the "nerdy" type due to his/her broad tastes.

Casual Gamer: Gamer that plays only for limited periods of time, mostly around other casual gamers. Not really into gaming, but still finds some enjoyment. Buys only a small handful of games per year. Normally only plays mainstream games.

Jonatron:

harhol:
I would make sure to avoid anyone describing themselves as a "hardcore" gamer.

Exactly why I'm asking. There seems to be a shared negative connotation about the word, that people don't like. Someone who plays many hours a week should be called what instead?

They shouldn't be called anything. Are there "hardcore readers" or "hardcore listeners"? Of course not, because it's not a competition.

Sometimes I think this industry doesn't want to be taken seriously.

A hardcore gamer is someone who actually follows the industry I think. So if you know what just happened to Battlefront 3, then your fairly core...*smug smile* lol

I think Laughing Manīs (Post 74) definition of "Hardcore" is the most accurate one.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.78545?page=3

Laughing Man:

Hardcore is going the extra mile to do something that you enjoy even when it requires more effort than you generally get in return from the pleasure. Console games are now specifically designed so that even an idiot can gain pleasure from them, stick disc in load inside a minute and then sit there while the pretty graphics take you away. Even PC gaming is shockingly easy compared to what you had to put up with in the early days of gaming.

Hardcore was knowing that getting the game to work was gonna be a pain in the ass, that it may or may not work because it had been programmed by someone in their bedroom for a total of Ģ20. Hardcore was getting the game to work and then getting pleasure from the awful gameplay, horrible graphics and terrible sound and most of all being hardcore was doing all this and not having to attach some daft title to your name in some failed attempt to elevate yourself above the countless thousands of others who were doing exactly the same thing you were.

I never counted myself as hardcore because I went through this I counted myself as a gamer like everyone else who owned a Speccy or C64. Hardcore gamers don't exist any more, the industry has made the very act of game playing and enjoying it so pathetically easy that only the opposite can now exists. The gamer nub, gamer tard, the gamer spud (whatever you wanna call it) the person who somehow manges to gain no pleasure at all from playing their games, the person who complains because they can't get a game to work or because they were stupid enough to buy some awful piece of crap.

Mr. Fister:

Hardcore Gamer: Gamer who sees him/herself as a true fan, playing games in excessive lengths at a time. Usually dominates at games with multiplayer functionality. Tends to be elitist, looking down upon other gamers and games they see as "kiddy" or "casual." Constantly worried that their preferred developer/console will "abandon" him/her in favor of these groups.

Traditional Gamer: Gamer who is capable of enjoying games of any nature. More inclined towards quality than name. Can play games for moderate to large amounts of time. Usually seen as the "nerdy" type due to his/her broad tastes.

Casual Gamer: Gamer that plays only for limited periods of time, mostly around other casual gamers. Not really into gaming, but still finds some enjoyment. Buys only a small handful of games per year. Normally only plays mainstream games.

So a 'hardcore' gamer wouldn't consider playing... let's say a Kirby game? Thank you Mr. Fister, It all makes sense now. I now understand.

Mr. Fister:
Let me see if I can get this right.

Hardcore Gamer: Gamer who sees him/herself as a true fan, playing games in excessive lengths at a time. Usually dominates at games with multiplayer functionality. Tends to be elitist, looking down upon other gamers and games they see as "kiddy" or "casual." Constantly worried that their preferred developer/console will "abandon" him/her in favor of these groups.

Traditional Gamer: Gamer who is capable of enjoying games of any nature. More inclined towards quality than name. Can play games for moderate to large amounts of time. Usually seen as the "nerdy" type due to his/her broad tastes.

Casual Gamer: Gamer that plays only for limited periods of time, mostly around other casual gamers. Not really into gaming, but still finds some enjoyment. Buys only a small handful of games per year. Normally only plays mainstream games.

wait, so in order to be a hardcore gamer you have to play Halo 3 and COD multiplayer all the time?

i dont think so...

The Amazing Orgazmo:

Traditional describes everyone here except that asshole who made that post asking Yahtzee to scorn Resistance 2, which seemed more like an attempt show off how much greater he is, and to make us jealous of his awesome life.

P.S. Seriuosly, should'nt everyone here know that Yahtzee doesn't give a shit about us, which makes us love-hate him the more and adds to his mastique?

AHAHAHAHAHA today sir you win at this topic

But seriously the only people that are hardcore gamers are the ones that call themselves that... I dont know, the term hardcore gamer always gives me imagies of those tools who think they are better than everyone because they play a single game 14 hours a day :|

minoes:
I think Laughing Manīs (Post 74) definition of "Hardcore" is the most accurate one.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.78545?page=3

That is indeed a great post, especially as it's sandwiched between two people who are arguing over who's better at Halo 3.

Johnny Xtreme:

wait, so in order to be a hardcore gamer you have to play Halo 3 and COD multiplayer all the time?

i dont think so...

They could play Gears, too...

Jonatron:

Mr. Fister:

Hardcore Gamer: Gamer who sees him/herself as a true fan, playing games in excessive lengths at a time. Usually dominates at games with multiplayer functionality. Tends to be elitist, looking down upon other gamers and games they see as "kiddy" or "casual." Constantly worried that their preferred developer/console will "abandon" him/her in favor of these groups.

Traditional Gamer: Gamer who is capable of enjoying games of any nature. More inclined towards quality than name. Can play games for moderate to large amounts of time. Usually seen as the "nerdy" type due to his/her broad tastes.

Casual Gamer: Gamer that plays only for limited periods of time, mostly around other casual gamers. Not really into gaming, but still finds some enjoyment. Buys only a small handful of games per year. Normally only plays mainstream games.

So a 'hardcore' gamer wouldn't consider playing... let's say a Kirby game? Thank you Mr. Fister, It all makes sense now. I now understand.

Not really, the hardcore gamer is someone who lives for only games. All their either are or close to 100% completion or spends at least 50hrs+ playing games a week.

hardcore is dudes that play normal games like shooters and rpgs

casual is dudes that play just the wii or just madden or just solely guitarhero/rockband

A hardcore gamer is someone who dedicates their time to gaming and/or when not gaming follows the progress of games and their developers. There are different types of Hardcore Gamer, such as: Elitist, Games-are-art types, fanboys, and frat boy to name a few. And the sub categories are not mutually exclusive.

A casual gamer is someone who plays games in their spare time/rarely and doesn't foolow the industry. They are also oblivious to the fact that EA are complete and utter evil.

Janus Vesta:
A hardcore gamer is someone who dedicates their time to gaming and/or when not gaming follows the progress of games and their developers. There are different types of Hardcore Gamer, such as: Elitist, Games-are-art types, fanboys, and frat boy to name a few. And the sub categories are not mutually exclusive.

A casual gamer is someone who plays games in their spare time/rarely and doesn't foolow the industry. They are also oblivious to the fact that EA are complete and utter evil.

come on EA has been alot better than they have been games like catwoman aren't comeing out anymore lol

My first or second post i made on the escapist was on this exact same topic. I'll say now what i did at that time;

A hardcore gamer is someone who plays video games in the nude.

edit: Anyone else a hardcore escapist poster?

Jonatron:
This term is bandied about alot. Nintendo used the term 'core' during their E3 conference. But, really, clear this up for me, what does this term mean? Does it apply solely to the XBox Live fiends or anyone who isn't a casual gamer?

well, define "casual gamer". This is not a great question because it is sooooooooo old. Google it and you'll likely find thirty essays on the topic. hit gamasutra and walk through the excessive number of features on this very issue.

Just don't bring up this old hash here. We get high on fresher stuff.

I will say that the term "core gamer" is more PC in regards to gaming culture because the terminology of "hardcore" is derogatory, implying fanaticism and in that isolates people from the population that the terminology is meant to describe. i.e. a Producer at BioWare would likely hesitate to call himself one of the "hardcore" but he would be much more open to the concept of being part of a "core" population.

Why, because he is a professional, not a fanboy. Being hardcore is not conducive to being taken seriously.

Mr. Fister:
Let me see if I can get this right.

Hardcore Gamer: Gamer who sees him/herself as a true fan, playing games in excessive lengths at a time. Usually dominates at games with multiplayer functionality. Tends to be elitist, looking down upon other gamers and games they see as "kiddy" or "casual." Constantly worried that their preferred developer/console will "abandon" him/her in favor of these groups.

Traditional Gamer: Gamer who is capable of enjoying games of any nature. More inclined towards quality than name. Can play games for moderate to large amounts of time. Usually seen as the "nerdy" type due to his/her broad tastes.

Casual Gamer: Gamer that plays only for limited periods of time, mostly around other casual gamers. Not really into gaming, but still finds some enjoyment. Buys only a small handful of games per year. Normally only plays mainstream games.

See that's the thing. Nowadays you are either a hardcore gamer, or a casual one, and it irritates me to no end. What happened to the days when if you completed final fantasy X, you were a regular gamer, but if you finished it with 100% completion then you were hardcore? Now it just seems like if you play call of duty you are hardcore...

Also with Nintendo talking about the 'core' audience, it seems to be the audience that buy the quality titles that they put out, not the crap that is shifted on a day to day basis that any man and his dog plays 'casually', technically they didn't say hardcore like the OP seems to think. Hell I remember a time when a casual gamer was someone who would play games around 5 hours a week.

EDIT: also the core audience are the audience that will remain once this casual trend blows over, they will stay as their main market no matter what.

Johnny Xtreme:

wait, so in order to be a hardcore gamer you have to play Halo 3 and COD multiplayer all the time?

i dont think so...

Well judging from all the "hardcore" gamers I know, in addition to playing Halo 3 and COD on Live all the time, to be a hardcore gamer you have to bash anyone who plays Casual Wii games or anything else not custom tailored to hardcore gamers. ;P

ace_of_something:
My first or second post i made on the escapist was on this exact same topic. I'll say now what i did at that time;

A hardcore gamer is someone who plays video games in the nude.

edit: Anyone else a hardcore escapist poster?

I am. It's like crack to me, it really isn't healthy.

Also I may as well post this up, because this is the kind of site that would actually pay attention and soak in all of the points this guy makes, as well as the fact that what he predicted would happen, did happen.

http://malstrom.50webs.com/birdman.html

Honestly, I have naught but respect for this guy. Don't let the length shy you away, take it in instalments.

EDIT: It does have some to do with hardcore gamer mentality and such, as well as Nintendo's market strategy. Is he right in what he says about the hardcore gamer?

A "hardcore" gamer is someone who uses video games as a primary source of entertainment.

A "Core" gamer is someone who uses games as a source of entertainment

A "Casual" gamer is someone who only plays games when they can't find anything else to do

The type of game does not matter, if you play barbie horse adventure 4 hours a day you are a hardcore gamer, if you only play Halo 3 30 min a week and nothing else you are casual

I think its hysterical that anyone who spends time on a video game website, posting on a video game forum, can think of themselfs as a casual gamer. Unless they are a troll.

Whenever I hear somebody call themselves a "hardcore" gamer, this is what I think of, although I question how many "hardcore" gamers even know what Radiant Silvergun is.

This is a hardcore gamer http://www.ripten.com/2008/10/10/wow-whore-has-36-accounts-raids-by-himself/

If you aren't that dedicated you are just a gamer