for me, it is a hobby and to use gaming as a stress reliever. If I have time, I'll play, but if there are things I need to do, I can skip playing console games.  It is another medium of entertainment for me and for my family.  So it really helps those indoor activities and have fun. 

for me, yes its a part of me

If I were in the same situation, I probably wouldn't say gaming was a hobby either. I've always felt like being a gamer gives the impression of being lazy and nerdy. Even when I meet new people, I don't really talk about gaming until I've gotten to know them much better.

It doesn't bother me to say gaming is a part of me/hobby.

Why shouldnt i? if i spent the freetime in a gaming forum?

People that are close to me naturally know I'm into gaming. I don't keep it a secret, they're fine with it, I'm fine with it, one even shares it. I just never bring it up to people I don't know as well, because they will likely dismiss it and it would be a dead-end conversation. I don't know or have known many people that are into gaming in general though, especially not in the capacity I am. This is true for my family, my friends, and the people I met in high school and university. Always just a small handful of people, and more often than not, with only a passing interest. Over time, I know most of those people even lost interest altogether and moved on to other things.

The last time I felt gaming was something mainstream enough to be openly talked about was in elementary school when everybody had a GameBoy with Pokemon. Now, here and in the social circles of my past academic life, it's generally more socially acceptable to be into something more 'healthy' or creative. Therefore I also don't feel the call to do something about gaming's image problem, since I have enough other interests more interesting or relatable to others that fit under those descriptions, to talk about.

It is along side watching movies, reading books and listening to music. Something I enjoy, but in the context above doesn't come up besides in certain context. If someone mentions games, I'm fine saying I play them, but my real passion is art so I mention how I paint and sculpt in spare time.

Maybe
(Yes)

Of course I do!

For example, I said that I love gaming in general back when I signed up for the internship; and right now I'm writing an article about The Phantom Pain for the local newspaper. Openly stating your hobbies open more doors, so people shouldn't try to hide them or anything. It's 2015; there are more people spending money on videogames than on books. (Took a wild guess here, though, no data to back that up).

I personally wouldn't as I'm more passionate about Rock climbing and mountain biking, if I had to choose between them and gaming then gaming wouldn't stand a chance but it is still something I'd do when I'm at home and relaxing so id probably mention it later on in the introduction but it's an interesting question, I think the problem with saying you like video games in an introduction is people might automatically judge you as someone who spends all his/her time indoors playing games talking to people you've never met, especially if it's the only thing you say you do. I dunno I could be wrong.