How would you define a "Hardcore Gamer"?

[Miss Doronjo]

The principle of being a hardcore video gamer has been thrown a lot around nowadays, with a lot of definition from a considerable number of people, however, is there a set definition for it? This includes online hardcore gamers.

For instance, what is a true 'hardcore gamer' like? Is it someone who spends countless hours on video games? Or, could it be someone who takes video gaming on a more serious level, thinking nothing else but to hone and improve his/her skills? Could it be someone who thinks of nothing else but the game? How does a hardcore gamer behave? Could it depend on the video games they play?

Do you have any other thoughts on the matter? How would you define a "Hardcore Gamer"?

 

[Silversnk]

I think a hardcore gamer it's the term used for someone who's always thinking of improving. But what differs Hardcore Gamers from Serious or Pro-Gamers is that Hardcore Gamers don't always look at the game in a technical way. They learn/improve by playing, and their abilities are developed naturally, instead of trying to learn every single aspect of the metagame.

Maybe the game in discussion would determine what kind of gamer a person is. Turn-based games will lead to Serious gamers because metagame it's everything to it. And almost any action game needs user-made moves that require certain skill to pull off.

being off-topic here: I love Arche :D

 

[Pinkie-Dawn]

Based on my experience with hardcore gamers on the internet, they're supposedly gamers who grew up in the 70s/80s/90s and enjoy games that were much more difficult to complete than modern games and wish that modern games should have the same difficulty level as the older games, so casual gamers and non-gamers can have the same experience they had with video games back in their time period.

 

[Pave Low]

I define someone as a hardcore gamer who plays games for long periods of time, mostly avoiding social opportunities in real life (outside the game; in-game chat), but has that extra little "glimpse" to how they play games. They play games on the most challenging circumstances.

Short but that's how I see it.

 

[Legobricks]

Animosity over what defines a particular type of gamer probably stems from how young the the entertainment medium yet is, and how it has emerged both very rapidly and coincidentally with the Internet. Video games are in a unique position as far as cultural placement goes.

I am what I expect a non-gamer would consider hardcore, but in turn I would consider myself 'just a gamer' and consider certain demographics like the stereotypical WoW playerbase to be hardcore. Being a hardcore gamer is a relative thing, over which invoking no true Scotsman seems oddly valid. I feel I perhaps should say a lot more on this and apply some objectivity to the definition of 'hardcore', but honestly the matter is more of a 1–10 scale than X versus Y, so it's unreasonable to go with one term and singularly define it.

 

[Nerdy Mojo]

To me a hardcore gamer is one who takes video gaming more seriously than other subtypes. A HG has further types involved IMO such as the pro, the mmo, the achievement/trophy hunter, etc. that one can fit into across the board but also can specialize in one or a few exclusively.

A hardcore gamer usually plays alot more, alot more seriously/competitively,has a combination of learned,natural,and studied(FAQs and gameplay videos) skill,and is in a state where video games are a pervasive influence of their lives to the point of being less a hobby and more a lifestyle (talking about irl,blogging,forum hopping,merchandise buying,etc.)

There are many who claim to be hardcore but i see two different situations involved. There are those who say they are hardcore but are just posturing and trying to look "cool" to those who they are playing/talking with in the game, as people sometimes tend to with many a genre or venture. These people kind of fit into the category of the type of person who claims the "cool-guy nerd" title. The thing is true hardcore gamers tend to be considered "try-hards", "no lifes", or geeks due to their constant play and their playstyle. just like the nerd moniker many people who would look down on a true hardcore gamer are now falsely claiming the title without truly knowing or seeking to fufill its meaning. The real HG tends to be disliked except for around other HG or whenever their services are needed by other types of gamers.

for an example id say i would be hardcore-not just by my own admittance but by those who know me irl and those whove seen me in game. If i like a game i will dedicate what may be perceived to be an unhealthy amount of time,effort, and attention to it until im higher up on the rankings and level of skill, but also just because if its good enough i will get a near or complete obsession. if im not actively playing im either discussing,researching,or dealing with some other sort of media form besides the game itself. From a tattoo in support of MLG to half my wardrobe consisting of nintendo controller-diablo 3 t-shirts and hoodies i tend to be in support metagame. Im even fully committed to being in the industry as either a journalist or story script writer( writing is my other pastime).

and being the top player/playing alot of CoD doesnt make you hardcore lol

 

[Sylveon]

Well I would say somebody who spends a lot of hours playing either online or offline.

I tried finding a definition through Google and this is what I got

Someone who plays video games as a primary hobby. They tend to spend large amounts of time playing games, often in excess of two or three hours a day.

Hardcore gamers tend to care less about graphics then casual gamers. While some specialize in a single genre, they typically have fairly diverse taste in games, frequently playing a wide variety of games from different genres. They'll often seek out obscure and older games, based on word of mouth or positive critical reception. Hardcore gamers put good gameplay above all else, and don't mind if a good game has poor (or even nonexistent) graphics, sound, characters and plot.

The stereotypical hardcore gamer is out of shape, and has poor hygene. They spend a lot of their disposable income on video games, consoles, or PC upgrades, and a large percentage of their free time either playing video games or discussing them, online and off. They wear either black clothing, or T-shirts with geeky pop-culture references, often to video games. Their social skills may be sub-par, and they may be less likely than others their age to have many friends, a jobs and a girlfriend/boyfriend. Some of these stereotypes are negative, and they certainly don't apply to all hardcore gamers, but there's a fair amount of truth to them.

The last part made me laugh a little, it's quite an extreme view.

 

[Tyrael]

"The stereotypical hardcore gamer is out of shape, and has poor hygene. They spend a lot of their disposable income on video games, consoles, or PC upgrades, and a large percentage of their free time either playing video games or discussing them, online and off. They wear either black clothing, or T-shirts with geeky pop-culture references, often to video games. Their social skills may be sub-par, and they may be less likely than others their age to have many friends, a jobs and a girlfriend/boyfriend. Some of these stereotypes are negative, and they certainly don't apply to all hardcore gamers, but there's a fair amount of truth to them."

Being a hardcore gamer myself, I would have to agree with most of this XD the out of shape part mainly, but that's not just because i'm a hardcore gamer. I am also a fully time college student with a job and girlfriend. So I really don't have a lot of time to hit the gym and stuff XD

Now, what exactly would I consider a hardcore gamer.. Completion of games. No matter if it's a shorter game like Pokemon would be, or a game that takes a good bit of time to complete (I.E, Runescape). Always trying to be very efficient when playing games, saving a few frames/game ticks by running a certain way or other little things like that. Not really loafing around on games, always trying to be productive when you spend time on the game. I would have to say the last thing I think that makes someone a hardcore gamer is the time that they spend on it. Personally, I played Runescape for over 8100 hours during my time of playing. There were quite a few times that I pulled 24+ hour sessions playing the game. Definitely not the best way to spend a life, but oh well ;P

 

[SnowpointQuincy]

TotalBiscuit had a definition that is both actuate and binary.

Casual Gamers play when they have free time.

Hardcore Gamers Schedule play time in advance.

Either you plan your activities around video games, or you just play whenever you happen to feel like it. On any one day, you are either on or the other. You can change back and forth.

If you and 3 friends plan on playing Halo Monday night a 7pm, You are a hardcore gamer. You scheduled your time to play a game.

If you and 3 friends just happen to be playing Halo all day every day because you are unemployed, you might be a casual gamer.

If you say, "Can't go out on a date tonight, I'm playing Monster Hunter with Dave." You are a hardcore gamer.

It isn't about time spent, "skill" possessed, or personality type. Either Video Games ARE the activity you are planning to do, or You are playing Video Games because you don't have any plans.

It is a cut and dry, "yes or no" way of looking at it.

 

[Patrick]

Ahardcore gamer is someone who plays at least ten hours of video games a week. Least, that's what I was told by one of my instructors, and he's like one of these important industry guys.

It surprised me because I personally thought I didn't play enough video games. Maybe my answer was lower than that. 5? I dunno, whatever it was, the bar is set really low.

 

[Nerdy Mojo]

Ahardcore gamer is someone who plays at least ten hours of video games a week. Least, that's what I was told by one of my instructors, and he's like one of these important industry guys.

It surprised me because I personally thought I didn't play enough video games. Maybe my answer was lower than that. 5? I dunno, whatever it was, the bar is set really low.

Wow it seems alot of those i know and myself seem a bit overzealous with that hour standard. i average 9 hrs....a day/night on weekdays.....and going into excess of 15 on weekends or days off work.

i know many who are close to that also