What does it mean to be a 'hardcore gamer'?

To you, what does it mean? Is a hardcore gamer someone who plays 6-10 hours everyday/ someone who has played a game for thousands of hours.... Basically, is it something measured by time or is it something like if you're truly enthusiastic about the game, the world, the story, the characters and the lore of the game. Or is it someone who is very competitive and plays only for the sake of being the best, or is it someone who loves a challenge(MP or SP) and will never give up until he beats it?

What do you think?

Be sincere and passionate about your hobby, and play good games regardless of age or platform; that is how I would define a core gamer.

But these days, whining, nitpicking, cynicism and being "edgy" are what define the term.

It means to behave like an ass and look down on everyone who doesn't share your oppinion. Now thats hardcore.

@Lulu_Lulu: haha totally get where you're coming from. Some 'hardcore' gamers think they're so much superior to everyone else.

Being able to play 2-player Ikaruga by yourself.

I don't think it's about how much u play , or how you're good at some specific genres u know it's about being up to date , being able to express your opinions and standpoints about a game in like a "review" form , being in the community, being aware of what's going on in the industry, being much more open-minded about different genres u know not just be one dimensional and stuff, so by my definition i don't believe MMO players for instance are "Hardcore" or those who play ONE genre like all the time , no offense. long story short , it's not JUST about having fun , it's about being in the combination of having fun and showing contribution . contribution to the gaming industry... and it shall be more prosperous as it goes forward.

I don't use that term at all, but the definition of it is a person that is real into a variety of games (both old and new) and follows the industry on-goings constantly.

Its people who consider gaming a proper hobby of theirs. Enthusiasts, in other words.

Nothing. the term "hardcore" is just the equivalent of the hipsters of the gaming world.

" your only really hardcore if you play______" yeah, hipster shit.

Bitching a lot about gaming

If I were to define what I think the difference between a "Hardcore" and "Casual" gamer is, Then..

Hardcore = Gamer who views playing Videogames as a hobby and entertainment, follows what happens in the industry as a whole aswell as studios, likely watches E-sports and Panel shows at E3, Quakecon and equalent conventions, and actively engages with others about it either through gaming and discussions.

Casual : Gamer who views games as entertainment primarily and usually not as a hobby, less likely to follows news in the industry and possibly only games they have a interest in, Enjoys playing games with others on occassion.

That said I don't approve of the labels, as far as I'm concerned If you play videogames then you're a gamer just like me.

I think the most Hardcore thing I've ever heard on this site is when some Demon Souls fanboy made fun of people who only played Dark Souls. Seriously ! What The Hell !

I was on the train with a colleague the other day. She was bored and whipped out her phone and played about 1 hour of tetris. I think thats Hardcore ! She didn't need no graphics, no story, no immersion.... Just pure gameplay. She may have been playing just to pass the time but I still think thats hardcore. I'd take her over anyone who played Dark Souls.... Everytime !

Infact I think people who game casually are better at gaming than we are ?

I've never heard my sister say something like.... "I played it for the story" or "RPG Elements are awesome"

I hate those labels, but I think hardcore is someone who plays a LOT of games and is pretty serious about each one. Not serious to forget to have fun, but someone who really dedicates time to their favorite games.

But as I said, I hate the labels. Either you're someone who plays games or you're not. Sure, some people are more serious than others, but at the end of the day a wide variety of people enjoy gaming to different degrees.

To me, being a "hardcore gamer" requires having a black-and-white view of the gaming industry, using the "No True Scotsman" fallacy when something comes up that conflicts with that view (i.e. "real gamers play/don't play X game"), and generally having some form of obsession with what you label yourself and others.

But really, it's anyone with a passionate interest in video gaming regardless of what they play and how they play it.

This is really my opinion and most probably don't feel this way but I think hardcore is someone who takes competitive games really seriously. Someone who excels at games like Starcraft, CounterStrike, League, ect. Those who put thousands of hours into games like Skyrim and Deus Ex should be considered "dedicated" gamers.

Or if you can play Meepo in DOTA 2. That shits not possible

Yeah it's sad that's kind of become that way isn't it...

@hrt_rulz01

Indeed. Its even affected the gaming Mascots. People are more likely to Recognise Nathan Drake and MasterChief than Sonic and Sackboy ! :(

I strongly prefer the term "dedicated" to "hardcore". The term is self-explanatory.

Master Chief has been around well before Sackboy.

@maynardburger

Yeah well I heard about sackboy before Masterchief.... And I'm a lemming !

Damn I wish I could play LPB.

There is no such thing as a hardcore gamer.

So i think you're out to troll the forum with a dumb question ;)

It doesn't mean anything. If you are a gamer then you are. The term 'hardcore' gamer is simply a title thrown around by elitists.

The way I see it is that people generally want to feel special and unique, but they're also very social animals, worrying about what others might think and wanting to be understood and acknowledged. So they use labels that separate them from the majority, but also connect them to a 'fortunate few' with whom these labels can be shared.

Some people don't want to be just a gamer; that's not enough to show how dedicated or passionate they are. 'Hardcore' implies some form of exclusivity and 'true' dedication. But as others have stated, the term is losing its value and meaning, because everyone is creating their own definitions. It's the same with terms like 'mainstream', 'community' and even 'gamer'.

Yep, me too. I consider myself a dedicated gamer. I have other hobbies but gaming is my first passion. I follow the industry, like the stock market' and love keeping up to date with all the news and everything relating to gaming. I love all the systems, and all the genres, and love to sit down, relax and immerse myself in whatever game I am playing at the time.

The first time I read about hardcore gamers was when it was referring to skilled players who considered playing video games to be a hobby that could be enjoyed by children and adults alike. That has been what I have considered hardcore gamers to be for years. Only recently have I begun to see comments that it is meant to be demeaning. I do not know when that started, but it is something I refuse to adopt. A more stylish definition would be fitting for the group that bought into the video game industry despite years of trivialization by mainstream audiences. That will come when games are more accepted by the mainstream media and those who share the same opinions. As it is, gaming remains a niche hobby despite the fact that over fifty percent of American households own least a single dedicated video game console of the seventh generation since 2013. The best things about gaming would not be without us.

http://www.theesa.com/facts/pdfs/esa_ef_2013.pdf

I would say a hardcore gamer is someone who follows the news and posts on boards like these and discusses it with like minded individuals. Playing just one game a year or just playing mobile games does not count. Wether it's pc or console, if you like different genre's and appreciate gaming as whole. That makes you a hardcore gamer

Hard core doesn't mean you have no life and only play. It means you are passionate about the industry. Look for indie games that are up and coming. Don't just settle for what the mass media pushes at you. I'm watching a new mmorpg I'm really hoping to get to play called Labrynthos. It looks like it will be great.

Do not study, work or hanging out.. playing games all the time. Will have a bunch of game dvd's, consoles and says i have little numbers of games are meant to hardcore gamers

I would agree with you, In fact I used to answer this question like the difference between motorcycle enthusiasts and bikers. One makes it a lifestyle the other a minor hobby but they are both valid and essential to the motorcycle industry and culture.

However the reason I answered the way I did is in the last two years or so, especially on certain sites (not really this one as much) those that self identify as hardcore have started to sound more and more like the jokes about hipsters.

I don't know how many times in that period I have been called a casual because of an opinion or not playing a certain game even though I have played since Atari and owned all the major consoles since and helped keep this industry alive when it was culturaly niche too and being a gamer was like being a nerd. Its like if not for people like me there would be no industry for these guys to be able to narrowly view and condescend to those that are different.

Plus I believe any culture where the main requirement has been met, in this case games being a main hobby, diversity is key to growth and sustainability.

So that's why I hate on the term hardcore.

The ones who love to play challenging games are hardcore gamers (or core gamers) . Casual press A to win games are not liked by them and the ones who praise such games are viewed as casual gamers .

Elitism has nothing to do with it, which is why I wish the term would just die off. Its the equivalent of saying that if you love music to be a core ( or hardcore ie code for "real whatever" which is bullshit) music lover you can only listen to complex intricate pieces and casual pieces of music or pop are looked down upon. Real music lovers don't do that and the ones that do are considered elitist hipster jerks, same with any hobby or entertainment. Gaming is like a tent, that has many booths of entertainment, no matter how core the experience or how much you choose to be in the tent you are still gaming, and that is all that really matters.

@Cloud_imperium: That's not it. :/

The term "hardcore" needs to go.

I would say that it's somebody who plays more than 1 or 2 different games per year and is actually willing to pay money for those games.

Playing most of the games out there?

@mattykovax: I understand.

Playing difficult games doesn't make you elitist . It improves your skills and I'm not talking about playing E Sports and practicing 24 hours a day .

Games with actual gameplay and some sort of challenge is related to core gaming . Press A to win , games are for casuals .

Playing difficult games does not make you elitist, saying they are the only games that count is.

Looking down on everybody and whining about the good old days when gaming was "good".

Beat the soul games solo

In highscool terms, hardcore gamers = the nerds; bro gamers = the popular kids; and casual gamers = the average kids. For hardcore gamers, gaming is a lifestyle. They don't just play games for fun, they analyze them, they make charts about game systems to maximize their play, they learn all about the behind the scenes things, they nitpick games. They are the trekkies/trekkers of the gaming world.

I was going to ask "who cares about this label?" But then I see there are many who do. :(

to me, its just to have a passion for gaming. thats all it really is. i dont think being a skilled gamer makes you a gamer weather its with 1 or many games. i dont think its having a small or a big gaming collection or the amount of hours you play games. just having a passion for it is enough

I think that there should be no boundaries or ranks for gamers. A community of people should be able to come together to enjoy something they all love, instead of fighting about who is better, or supposed ranks. However, if I had to define it, it would be someone who is truly passionate about what they do, as with any hobby.

To me there is no "Hardcore" gamers anymore. The term died off years ago. To me a "Hardcore" gamer was someone who back in the NES days who helped support the industry, whether it was on the NES, SNES, Genesis hell, even the Atari, if you were having a good fun time, and played video games alot back then, its thanks to those people that the industry survived in the first place. So to me, back then those were the hardcore gamers. Now a days there is the casuals, and core. No hardcore and core are not the same. In my opinion, "Core" means the core fanbase of a certain system. You have the core who will always go with Xbox for Halo, you have the core who will always go with Sony for their "OMG DEM GRAPHICS", and games like Uncharted, and you have the core who will always go with Nintendo for Zelda, Metroid, Smash Bros and such. And there is a difference between core and fanboy. A core wont bash the others for pointless reasons. A fanboy cares more about bashing then even their own console of choice. I know alot of people will think I'm crazy and wont agree with me, but hey, thats what human's do. Have their own opinions.

No bashing. In fact I like the fact that you separate the fanboys from others. I hate that label but that is one that actually exists for a reason.

It's weird...I don't use the term "hardcore gamer" at all. I don't even use the term "gamer" anymore. And yet I spend a huge amount of my time either playing games or writing about them (almost all of it). I guess because as much as I interact with videogames I don't really consider them a huge part of who I am these days.

I spent a few months abroad in a country that barely had serviceable internet and was essentially cut off from videogame news/games as a result. The weird thing was despite having been away from them for so long I didn't miss them a bit - I missed the familiarity of them.

It means that Candy Crush is the lamest game you've ever seen.