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richardhutnik on 21 September 2012
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Veknoid_Outcast said:
richardhutnik said:
Veknoid_Outcast said:
I think the most appropriate way to distinguish "hardcore" and "casual" gamer is to focus on time, energy, and money dedicated to playing video games. So-called hardcore gamers spend a lot more time and a lot more money buying, playing, and learning about games. Casual gamers spend much less time and money.

But they're counter-productive terms. More often than not they start a fight instead of a productive conversation about the industry and about the community of video game enthusiasts.

The dichotomy we should be focusing on is good games vs. bad games. Not hardcore gamers vs. casual gamers.

In what other medium does this conversation even come up? Are there hardcore movie watchers? Or casual book readers?

I think other mediums and genres have different labellings of them.  Core has terms like "hobbyists" applied to them.  It is likely the casual side doesn't get much of a label put on it.  And there are hardcore movie watchers.  Some people are REALLY into movies. I think a really stronger form of hobbyist would be "affectionado".  There are movie, wine, and book affectionados.  And you would have maybe dabbler on the casual side.

Exactly, but those are far less polarizing terms. If I'm a movie buff, I love all things movies. So why not video game buff? Instead of hardcore? Immediately one can recognize a video game buff as someone who loves all things video games. Whereas a "hardcore gamer" is a much more amorphous term, one that can easily be turned into an insult.

I believe part of it is that it captures the attitude of insecure young adult males who have esteem issues, wanting to feel that they are awesome and need a way to put down people.  Hardcore has connotations of being a badass.  Also, the core part refers to a target demographic that makes up a bulk of sales.  It means serious business.   The videogame industry itself is arguably a teenager on the seen, or young adult, and it still has maturity issues that other mediums don't have.  It hasn't matured yet.  Perhaps finding a way of being serious, without the "extreme" side of things, would help.  Heck, it likely has to do with esteem issues in regards to being taken seriously with one's hobby.  If you are a game enthusiast, people look at you suspect, as you still need to "grow up".  Books, movies and so on, don't have that stigma.  So, it also could be wearing the stigma like a Scarlet A also.  Again, esteem issues.