As much as the terms "hardcore" and "casual" get thrown around I'm wondering, is there some hierarchy associated with this? If your favourite game or genre is labeled "casual" is that a bad thing?

Well, if you're not "casual", then you're labeled as a "hardcore elitist scum", even by other hardcore gamers.

Now I'm not going to name any sites, but you all know who you are.

I don't think "casual" is an insult, what's wrong with being a person who like casual games?

No I don't think casual is an insult at all, I'd actually think hardcore is more of an insult. Even though both aren't really insults.

Hmm, there must be some hierarchy... in many games (FPS especially) devs introduced "casual" difficulty in place of rookie... and it means "for total noobs only"... so yes. It is an insult... I guess.

Sensitive people are insulted no matter what you call them. Well adjusted people don't care. It's in the eye of the beholder.

I always thought of each as being more of a personal opinion since they’re just opposite ends of the spectrum of gamers

I guess if they’re supposed to be insults then calling someone casual would imply someone isn’t as good at games because they play less frequently. While calling someone hardcore implies they spend an ungodly amount of time playing videogames.

So I guess you can consider them negative in that aspect

it is first and foremost a description of attributes of a person. but then, other descriptions are having some sort of meaning associated as well.

try thinking: rich vs poor, immigrant vs native and you get the general direction

i think for hardcores its an insult using casual, for casuals they dont care cause thy dont know.

I think 'casual' may seem like a bad thing or insulting to some hardcore players, but I'm definately a casual player, and I'm not insulted by the term at all. I play less than 2 hours a week generally and for short amounts of time (5 -30 minutes), so 'casual' is totally accurate. Once SSBB is out I'll be 'hardcore' for a while until life refuses to be set aside any longer.
Conversely a lot of casual players think of 'hardcore' as geeks living in their moms basements, so in a stereotyping, somewhat insulting way, but they normally aren't even involved enough in the industry to even know or use the term 'hardcore'.

To compare it to films, a game being rated casual is like a movie being rated PG-13. Sure there are some good PG-13 films, but for the most part you know that the action and language are going to be limited. It also should be noted that an R rating does not make a film good by any means.