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Angelus on 01 May 2021
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Runa216 said:

Game subscriptions are simply game demo/trials with a monthly cost. That's really all they are, since you don't own the game, can't keep it, and don't get to chose which games are on the service.

The reason I said you're not a 'true' gamer if you use them is because...well, it was a poor choice of words. I've never been the gatekeeping type. what I was trying to get at was that it's hard to call yourself a serious gamer if you don't own any games. Everyone who plays games is a gamer, but there are clearly different levels of dedication from the casual to the hardcore, and while there's no absolute formula to decide which is which, I think we can all agree that people who don't buy/own games or keep their games are on the casual end of the spectrum.

Again, doesn't make anyone a real or fake gamer, it doesn't mean your choices are any less valid, but you can't deny you're on the more casual side of the spectrum if you do most of your gaming on a game subscription service instead of on games you've bought. This is not a negative thing, even though some people will see it as an insult, but that's how I see it.

And yes, there are other factors. Factors like how big your TV is, how expensive your PC rig is, how many hours you put in, how many games/genres you play, how you buy your games (Digital vs physical), participation in conventions/cosplay, how many games/consoles you have, if you play professionally/stream, collect paraphernalia, etc. There are so, SO many factors at play that tend to tilt you more towards hardcore or casual, and I'd argue that getting your games through gamepass or PSNow or any other subscription model like that definitely tilts you more towards casual.

And I can't reiterate enough, this doesn't make you less of a gamer, nor does it mean you're having less fun than hardcore gamers (Seriously, in my experience, I find hardcore gamers to be more insufferable than filthy casuals, but that's just me.)

And of course different people have different criteria for how they perceive it in general. I personally feel you're more on the hardcore/serious side if you play a wider variety of games and genres, but it could EASILY be argued that the most hardcore of us ONLY play LoL or Starcraft or whatever. My point is, that's my opinion. And this is a subjective discussion so it is a matter of opinion. I personally feel that subs make you more casual. Buying makes you more serious. You might feel different. I promise not everything is meant as a jab or an insult, I literally chose one wrong word (True rather than serious/hardcore). Replace my instance of 'true gamer' with 'hardcore gamer' and then you'll probably see it wasn't meant as an insult or derogatory at all.

According to MS, GP subs spend 20% more time playing games, play 30% more games, 40% more genres, and spend around 20% more on gaming overall than users who aren't subbed to the service.

...but according to you, they're all less "hardcore," serious gamers, because they maybe got less games collecting dust on a shelf somewhere, yes?

Frankly, I'm unsure when I last saw this much bullshit in one thread, but I guess the one thing we can agree on, is that based on you identifying as more of a hardcore gamer than those of us subbed to GP, hardcore gamers are most certainly more insufferable.