What does "hardcore" exactly mean?

[sparkit34]

thekitchensink said:
There is literally no such thing as a 'hardcore' game like we've been saying lately. I hate that term.

There is definitely a use for the term 'hardcore gamer', but all it means is that you're someone who's really into games. There is no such cult as 'the hardcore' and no revolution of 'the casuals'.

There is such thing as a 'core' game, used in reference to a game designed for people who've been playing for a long time. However, pointless button combos or overly-complex controls do not make a game 'core'. Games that a core gamer finds fun are core.

 

So what exactly are "core" games, i.e. what games do core gamers find fun? I ask this because any time any TP publisher tries to appease the "hardcore gamer" on the Wii,  they come with another (on rail) shooter.