What is a Real Gamer?

[NaK Quinn]

What classifies you as a "Gamer"? My roommate is agruing this with me, he thinks that because I hunt achievements, I am not a real gamer. Yet I argue that I am a hardcore gamer. I own almost every console known to man, and my video game collection is nearing 800 titles (multi-plateform). He said that all I do is get achievements, yet my completion is less than 50%. I have played roughly 240 +/- 360 games on a single gamer tag. I also play PC games that have nothing to do with my GT and Achievements, I just play them because they are amazing (SC2 and Diablo mainly). What do you guys think qualifies you as a "Gamer", and whats the line between Casual Gamer and Hardcore Gamer?

[jedijaxpavan]

no its not true.
yes you can do that.

[iBlessing 09]

Anybody that plays games is a gamer.

[Opiate42]

Oh holy hell, let the war of mistaken semantics begin anew.

[Pez]

The opposite to a fake gamer, and fake gamers don't exist. So I suppose everyone is a real gamer. Smoke that theory, haters. :cool:

[Bubble Supreme]

A real gamer is someone who can take a loss as well as a win. Someone who you can have a conversation with without it ending up in a slagging match. Someone who is willing to help out other gamers when they need help and not pull a fast one on them. People on some games can be such ass8s just cuz the think they're unbelievable and "hardcore" PLEASE!! :chair

[DeekBoy]

if you play games then your a gamer... my ex girlfriend said that she hates video games and but yet she could spend hours on bejeweled which would make her a gamer cause it technically a game

[Burning Revolver]

If you play games at least every so often, you are a gamer, but if you want to know what makes you a hardcore gamer, then I guess you'd fall into that category if you play games quite a lot. With that amount of games you mentioned, I'd say that more than qualifies you as a hardcore gamer, because to build a collection that size means you'd likely have to really be into playing games.

I don't think hardcore means you're better than most others who play games, but it means you play games a lot more than casual gamers and you view playing games as a somewhat serious pastime of sorts.

Anyone who thinks hardcore means they're elite and better than everyone else is probably just a jerk if you ask me.

[NaK Quinn]

if you play games then your a gamer... my ex girlfriend said that she hates video games and but yet she could spend hours on bejeweled which would make her a gamer cause it technically a game

But does it? Look at the gaming scene 10 years ago, its very different from today. Hell, even the famous Columbine High shootings were blamed on Video games. If that qualifies you as a gamer, then I fear that makes 90% of Americans gamers. This also means, and bear with me on this, that the real gamers will lose thier identity.

[NaK Quinn]

If you play games at least every so often, you are a gamer, but if you want to know what makes you a hardcore gamer, then I guess you'd fall into that category if you play games quite a lot. With that amount of games you mentioned, I'd say that more than qualifies you as a hardcore gamer, because to build a collection that size means you'd likely have to really be into playing games.

I don't think hardcore means you're better than most others who play games, but it means you play games a lot more than casual gamers and you view playing games as a somewhat serious pastime of sorts.

Anyone who thinks hardcore means they're elite and better than everyone else is probably just a jerk if you ask me.


Did I say anywhere that I thought I was better? No. However, at what point do you say "that guy must be hardcore"? 50,000 gamerscore? 50 games played? Spending 200hrs in Oblivion or Fallout3?

Look at guitarists. There are millions. Everyone and thier mother plays guitar nowadays. Also everyone appears to be in a band. Who are the hardcore guitar players? Whats a "good" band? I certainly wouldnt pay to hear 90% of guitar players. However there is that 10%. Your Vaughns and Hendrixs if you will, that are so dedicated and put so much effort into thier passion. Ha! Maybe thats it, PASSION. I can say I put passion into my love of video games. I am dedicated, I post and read websites like this one. Keep up with the gaming news and all, look forward to game releases. Maybe thats what seperates the real gamers from the people who wouldnt list Video Games as something they would take with them to a secluded island.

[NaK Quinn]

A real gamer is someone who can take a loss as well as a win. Someone who you can have a conversation with without it ending up in a slagging match. Someone who is willing to help out other gamers when they need help and not pull a fast one on them. People on some games can be such ass8s just cuz the think they're unbelievable and "hardcore" PLEASE!! :chair

I agree with you. You also added a criterea? Someone who helps other gamers, and isnt hauty. Ok, now we are getting somewhere. Hold on though, where do we draw the line on Casual? We here it alot it in the media, that a certain game or whatever is catering to the "casual" gamers. What classifies as casual? The only play on saturday for a hour gamer? The only play Wii Bowling gamer? What about if you only play one game? Lots of people only play Madden or Fifa, what about them?

[Corrupt x360a]

Dictionary.com
–noun
a person who plays games.

There you go :)

[JAW LV]

I think there are different levels of what a gamer is...

Hardcore- When gaming is a real priority for someone. Example: you ditch a day of school/work, or blow off a date, to play Reach.

Enthusiast- You play the second you have everything done. Example: I play the minute my shit is done for the day: work is done, kids are in bed, did my workout etc. So with that said I consider myself an enthusiast.

Casual- Those that play when they have nothing better to do and just want to pass the time.

[NaK Quinn]

I think there are different levels of what a gamer is...

Hardcore- When gaming is a real priority for someone. Example: you ditch a day of school/work, or blow off a date, to play Reach.

Enthusiast- You play the second you have everything done. Example: I play the minute my shit is done for the day: work is done, kids are in bed, did my workout etc. So with that said I consider myself an enthusiast.

Casual- Those that play when they have nothing better to do and just want to pass the time.


I like this. However it only shows charactistics of a certain type of gamer.

[JAW LV]

I like this. However it only shows charactistics of a certain type of gamer.

Ya I guess the best way I can sum it up then is it just depends on how high of a priority gaming is for a certain person and what things we sacrifice to play games: how much time, how much money etc. Basically the same thing with people who drink/do drugs: you smoke pot a few times a year you have a recreational habit. You sell your moms tv to get that next taste then your a crackhead lol.

PS- congrats on cracking 100k, you damn gamer ;)

[DeekBoy]

But does it? Look at the gaming scene 10 years ago, its very different from today. Hell, even the famous Columbine High shootings were blamed on Video games. If that qualifies you as a gamer, then I fear that makes 90% of Americans gamers. This also means, and bear with me on this, that the real gamers will lose thier identity.

they are considered games. i mean when you lose time playing it then i consider it a gamer. then you can balance off and give the hardcore a scene and the casual. its just how you see it

[Chipsonfire]

I'm pretty sure anyone who calls themself a gamer is a gamer. Anyone who says otherwise is just an elitist. A fake gamer, as far as I'm concerned, is a bot that plays games. In this, I assume the definition of 'real' to be 'human'. Thus, a human who plays games and wishes to define themself as a gamer is, in fact, a gamer.

[Chaos MAN]

Fake gamer= somebody who only plays call of duty and nothing else, and then bitches how it's the best game ever even though they've never played anything else. Yes I do know people like this in real life.:)

[mitchcraft1980]

to me a gamer is someone who is well in to playing , not someone that hardly knows any of the games around , maybe plays like once in a blue moon.

A true gamer owns a console or PC and regularly plays games or if they dont have either but a friend does and they play games every time they visit also is a gamer.

Hardcore gamer is someone that has to collect everything and are not happy until they do so , if there is an add on they have to have it and complete it etc lol.

I am a mix between relaxed and hardcore because i dont go mental if i get beat at a match but i do like to try find every single hidden thing in a game and play every chance i get lol

[GhOsT SLaYeR]

a REAL gamer plays 25 hours a day 8 days a week.....

fake gamers do it less than that.

[Vanilla Coke Zero]

a hardcore gamer is someone with vast knowledge about games and gaming culture. sounds nerdy as shit, but it is what it is. i'm hardcore.:woop:

[DeekBoy]

a REAL gamer plays 25 hours a day 8 days a week.....

fake gamers do it less than that.


:Bounce::whs:Bounce:

[Unterofficer]

I think there are different levels of what a gamer is...

Hardcore- When gaming is a real priority for someone. Example: you ditch a day of school/work, or blow off a date, to play Reach.

Enthusiast- You play the second you have everything done. Example: I play the minute my shit is done for the day: work is done, kids are in bed, did my workout etc. So with that said I consider myself an enthusiast.

Casual- Those that play when they have nothing better to do and just want to pass the time.
I vision myself as a hardcore-core player, but I don't think I belong to either of your examples.

I see that the terms hardcore-core-casual come from the games you play, so:
Hardcore: Games that need dedication (IL2 Sturmovik, Hearts of Iron, Total Wars, Arma).
Core: "Normal" games that don't need dedication to master, but aren't a walk in the park (Halo, CoD, Crysis, Gears).
Casual: Games that don't have a step and are very easy to get into (Bejeweled, Peggle).

Of course games can cross between sections and be burgers, or not. Example CoD is Core-Casual burger.

[tehapoc]

I don't understand the need to label yourself something. But, I try and balance myself out with everything. Don't really tend to sit down and play Halo and Call of Duty everyday-allday.

[True I Skill]

I would say your a hardcore gamer...
I always thought a hardcore gamer was some one that played plenty of games and played on most days of there life. A normal gamer i'd say is some one that plays games and has it as a hobby but also does other things and can go a week without playing video games but still come back to them and look excited for a new release. a casual gamer is some one that plays ps3. Lol seriously, ive never met a casual gamer that enjoys xbox, i feel more hardcore players play xbox. But yeah, Casual gamers just play games when they are bored, own maybe 5 or 6 games and wouldnt care much if they was to ever lose a save or get stuck because of a glitch.

Thats what i've always thought they was anyway,

[Gareth Dent]

a casual gamer is some one that plays ps3. Lol seriously, ive never met a casual gamer that enjoys xbox, i feel more hardcore players play xbox.

So true, i believe it's because of the achivement system, soon as they brought out a way for people to actually prove/show off their nerdiness they came out of the woodwork. Back in the day saying "oh i beat CoD on veteran" ment nothing but now its an "Achivement" Besides nobody really cares about how many trophies you got on PS3.

[takuto neko]

I don't understand the need to label yourself something. But, I try and balance myself out with everything. Don't really tend to sit down and play Halo and Call of Duty everyday-allday.

+1

I am on the same boat...For years I rarely played anything..Here and there....I was more a card player...Still could this be called a 'gamer'? I really don't care for labels.

If you enjoy gameS all the time then you are a gamer...If you play sometimes you are a gamer.......If you rarely play then you are a gamer but just less of a gamer than others. It really doesn't matter.

It also doesn't matter if you are a 'gamer' and all you do is hunt for achievements...If that gives you your jollies then so what? It is what you enjoy not what others think or enjoy..Afteral you aren't playing for others.

Lables = :uzi:

[Snowwwwy]

Anybody that plays games is a gamer.
True this. And to add to this.. anybody who likes to game :p

[nappster187]

I think a true gamer is someone who plays competive games. Such as multiplayer, or co op stuff. I do not consider my nephews who play tmnt or legos batman gamers. I think its more about competing against other people that makes you a gamer. Just playing single player campaigns or zuma or bejeweled doesnt make you a gamer IMO.

[Wortsenawl]

...whats the line between Casual Gamer and Hardcore Gamer?

When you are argue with your roomie over who is more hardcore [at gaming], then that makes you a hardcore gamer.

:drunk

I think a true gamer is someone who plays competive games... I do not consider my nephews who play tmnt or legos batman gamers.

er whut? So those aint games they are playing? So if I spend my day playing strategy games (that are single player), Civilisation on the PC for example (yes I know it can be played MP), then you don't consider that gaming? That thar be semantics my dear boy!

If you play games then by definition you are a 'gamer'. It's logic... and logic trumps opinion.

[Burning Revolver]

Did I say anywhere that I thought I was better? No. However, at what point do you say "that guy must be hardcore"? 50,000 gamerscore? 50 games played? Spending 200hrs in Oblivion or Fallout3?

No, I am not saying that you are, just that there are probably those out there who would classify themselves as hardcore and take it to mean they're better than mostly everyone else who plays games, like they're elite or something.

As for what a hardcore gamer is, I think Vanilla Coke Zero stated it best in his post.

a hardcore gamer is someone with vast knowledge about games and gaming culture. sounds nerdy as shit, but it is what it is. i'm hardcore.:woop:

What I was trying to say, but couldn't because my dumbass self was half asleep at the time, is that a hardcore gamer is someone who takes games seriously enough to view it as a serious pastime, and that would therefore likely mean that they would be so into games they'd probably have a lot of knowledge about games, consoles and the like. And yes, by that definition I'm a hardcore gamer, even though I don't play games non stop every day and night so much.

[Wortsenawl]

I am not hardcore, but I know tonnes of sh*t about games and gaming, of all varieties, card, board, computer (incl. console)... I just love playing games. I actually prefer board and card to computer, but I don't mind... i guess, if a title is required I will take game-ologist or game historian.

To prove my vast wealth of knowledge and general understanding of gaming culture!

Amiga > Atari St and Spectrum > Commodore! Glad that has been cleared up after nigh on 20 years!

[mitchcraft1980]

I am going to add to this thread a CRAZY GAMER : Now these are people that sit and play world of warcraft all day untill they get really fat as illustrated in picture bellow that they cant fit in their car anymore to go get shopping and almost die of malnutrition , then friends notice ( online friends only of course ) that person has not been on for a millisecond and think oh shit whats happened to him/her he/she hasnt been on every single server within the last millisecond and call police , police make a friendly visit to find the person has gotton so fat( again illustrated) they have moulded to the chair and has lost the strength to type for help any more and they throw them in to WOW REHAB CLINIC ...... this is a very sad and true story btw


illustrations>>>> No.1 http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y201/starcraft_20002000/225629_fat_guy_in_car.jpg

No.2 http://totallylookslike.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/this-woman-totally-looks-like-jabba-the-hutt.jpg

[Bill 777]

Does being a hardcore sim racer make me a real gamer or are those two mutually exclusive? I have a Thomas super-wheel for the PC and a Fanatec wheel/stand for the consoles. I can play Nascar 2003 by Papyrus on the PC or Xbox Forza 2 indefinitely, but I don't mind the occasional arcade racing game.

Other than that, I like games that are easy to pick up and play and I'm into motion gaming. Wii bowling and skiing; Move disc golf, bocce, and John Daly's golf. I have Kinect on pre-order.

What say ye?

[Inyaface13]

Person who plays games - 0-5,000 Gamer score
Casual Gamer - 5,000-20,000 Gamer score
Hardcore Gamer - 20,000-30,000 Gamer score
Dedicated Gamer - 30,000-50,000 Gamer score
Real Gamer - 50,000+ Gamer score

Did I just give a true meaning to Gamer Score? I think I did...

btw

Fake Gamer - Trophy Collector
haha

[Bill 777]

After careful consideration I came up with the following...

Using a gamer score only defines the Xbox video gamer. Indeed, a high gamer score might indicate a real Xbox video gamer. If you play a lot of games on multiple platforms you might be a real video gamer.

Dictionary.com defines a gamer as "a person who plays games." That would also include real life games.

A person who plays games regularly is one who enjoys the competition whether against an opponent, an artificial intelligence, or themselves.

A real gamer would then be someone who is ready and primed for competition anytime, anywhere, using any media. If you need a constant gaming fix, if you get a high from the competition, then you might just be a real gamer.

[CONKER1182]

Their are hardcore Xbox Live gamers, hardcore achievement hunters, and gamers who aren`t hardcore and just play games and don`t care about achievements.

[NaK Quinn]

Well theres one thing I was reminded of when reading through the responses. Board and Card gaming. Might and Magic and WarHammer 40k for instance. Are they in a different catergory as well? Warhammer is expensive as hell (I should know, I play Chaos Marines) and both Might and Magic and Warhammer 40k takes dedication to learn just how to play it correctly. So maybe the Gaming community is alot bigger then we all thought. So we are part of something that is going to define a generation of people.

[VladimirK]

Just playing single player campaigns doesnt make you a gamer IMO.

I laughed hard, then settled down to a facepalm. xD
Three letters. R - P - G.
Shit, I guess folk who spend literally thousands of hours of their life on RPGs aren't really gamers then, well I'll be damned.
What do we call these people then? Hardcore time-killers?

Nah, stupid idea tbh. I don't like shooting down folks ideas since it is theirs, but this is definitely an exception, the idea that the only "real" gamers play multiplayer is fucking preposterous tbh.



As for OPs roomate, turn round as say these words: "Piss off, you elitist piece of shit. Oh, btw what's you're gamerscore? Ahh, right, 'x', bwahahahahaha, you total noob!"
(The gamerscore part is just to piss him off, gamerscore isn't really a full measure of the gamer).

[Inyaface13]

And people whose last "Played Games" list consist of

Madden 10
Madded 09
Tiger Woods PGA 09
FIFA 10
Modern Warfare 2
Madden 08
NHL 09
Halo 3
NHL 08


Are not REAL gamers imo

[takuto neko]

I laughed hard, then settled down to a facepalm. xD
Three letters. R - P - G.
Shit, I guess folk who spend literally thousands of hours of their life on RPGs aren't really gamers then, well I'll be damned.
What do we call these people then? Hardcore time-killers?

LOL! Ahhhhhh thank you for the laugh! XD

What about ppl who play MMO's guess they ain't gamers either...:confused:

First time I've ever heard an RPG isn't playing a game..lol ;)

[FFFreak1129]

Anybody that plays games is a gamer.

I agree with this. Doesn't matter if you think you're hardcore or casual. If you play games, that makes you a gamer.

[jgahagan]

I don't see why people should try and label themselves. If you play games, then you're a gamer. If you play games every second of your day, then you're a gamer. If you play once a week, guess what? You're a gamer.

It's a bit silly that people feel the need berate each other for not being 'hardcore' or being too 'casual'.

[NorbMB]

A gamer is someone who takes games seriously, casual players aren't gamers, it's just as saying that because I took a CPR course I am a paramedic or because I have a camera I'm a filmaker

[Turn Away Now]

I am going to add to this thread a CRAZY GAMER : Now these are people that sit and play world of warcraft all day untill they get really fat as illustrated in picture bellow that they cant fit in their car anymore to go get shopping and almost die of malnutrition , then friends notice ( online friends only of course ) that person has not been on for a millisecond and think oh shit whats happened to him/her he/she hasnt been on every single server within the last millisecond and call police , police make a friendly visit to find the person has gotton so fat( again illustrated) they have moulded to the chair and has lost the strength to type for help any more and they throw them in to WOW REHAB CLINIC ...... this is a very sad and true story btw


Not all WoW Players are fat, neither are those who play all day. The same could be said about Xbox players. Also I highly doubt any police officer would take the time to come out for a 2 minute inspection because someone didn't log into a game. Lmao.

Also, you can get admitted to Rehab for ANY ADDICTION not just WoW in general.

OT: I really don't see the need to label each other as "Hardcore", "Casual" and the such.. just enjoy the games and have fun. That's what it's all about after all..

[rvlution]

I think you can consider yourself a gamer if you tell people you play (of course you actually have to play, though). There are different degrees of gamers I believe.

[chivalryVillian]

the line between casual and hardcore is very thick in saying that of why u r playin. either for gamerscore or just the enjoyment. i do both and it would seem to my friends im a gamefreak. but some games r just that good. but whatever you still are a gamer if u play them.

[FFFreak1129]

A gamer is anyone who plays games. Doesn't matter if its COD or bejeweled or Kinectimals. If you play games you are a gamer.

[Darth Stigious]

I'm with the first guy, I have 10+ consoles, ranging from the original (boxed) NES from 1985, to my treasured X360. I play games daily, up to 6 hrs a day (and thats with 8 hrs at work), and I would happily consider myself a Hardcore gamer. There are people out there better than me at the games I play, and there are people out there who spend more time on their games than me. But that doesn't change the fact that I consider MYSELF as a Hardcore gamer, it's my hobby and I'm proud of it. Tell your mate it's a matter of opinion, and in my opinion you are a Hardcore gamer.

[mitchcraft1980]

Not all WoW Players are fat, neither are those who play all day. The same could be said about Xbox players. Also I highly doubt any police officer would take the time to come out for a 2 minute inspection because someone didn't log into a game. Lmao.

Also, you can get admitted to Rehab for ANY ADDICTION not just WoW in general.

OT: I really don't see the need to label each other as "Hardcore", "Casual" and the such.. just enjoy the games and have fun. That's what it's all about after all..

did i say that they were all fat ? no you cant be admitted to rehab for any addiction actually if you must know and learn to take a joke

jeysus