Malstroms articles always makes for an interresting read, but this time I was really surprised. When reading a blog entry I got to a part where I was reading the exact words I have been thinking ever since I heard the term "Hardcore gamers"!

"Now, I am a PC gamer (though not lately since PC gaming has gotten pretty sad). I love Epic’s games such as Unreal Tournament and all. I like Quake. I am a HUGE RTS fan and strategy game fan.

There are Next Gen games I do like. I like the ‘racing’ games on them. I did enjoy Gears of War in co-op. The thing that repels me from the PS3 and 360 is the controller. For reference, the PS1 and N64 controllers also repelled me. I just don’t like those controllers except for some games (like racing).

When I look at many of the 360 and PS3 titles, I see neutered PC games. I can’t understand why someone would want to play FPS games with such an inferior interferace such as the dual sticks when a mouse works so much better. As for RTS or strategy games on those consoles, hah. I, personally, prefer to play my PC games on my PC.

Am I committing a double standard here by preferring the PC gaming side even though the console gaming side sells better? If you see how I interpret the business of the HD twins, the answer will be no. I interpret the entire PlayStation Franchise as “casualizing” (using the hardcore lingo here) PC games. The Xbox franchise, which was a response to the PlayStation’s success, is literally PC games in the living room. All the big games on these systems have roots in PC gaming. Halo was going to be published on the Mac. Fallout 3 is the sequel to games on the PC. Bioshock is reminiscent of PC games of the two System Shocks. The ‘online features’ are features ripped from PC gaming.

One could say that Sony was disrupting PC gaming. In fact, that is likely why Microsoft got into the console business in the first place.

The Xbox and Playstation console series have made PC gaming much easier and more affordable to the masses. This is the reason for games selling so much more on the consoles than on the PC.

So when ‘hardcore’ complain that the Wii appeals to ‘casual gamers’, they don’t realize that the PlayStation and Xbox way was nothing but ‘casualizing’ the PC gaming experience.

I don’t hate Next Gen games. I just hate playing PC games with a console controller (and these controllers really are ridiculous).

When I put on my business hat, consoles disrupting PC gaming was a clever move back in the 90s, but currently they are overshooting customers. Red ink is being spilled everywhere. It is simply unsustainable."

(here is the entire entry: http://seanmalstrom.wordpress.com/2009/08/05/email-on-going-the-wrong-way/ )

He does a really good job of putting down in words exactly what I think is ironic and pathetic about the term "Hardcore games". The "hardcore games" that the "Hardcore gamers" like isn't even hardcore!

I can't help but to agree with this. Was the PS1 and it's style of play instantly "Hardcore" when it came out? No! It wasn't! Where was the term "hardcore" heard in the PS2/Gamecube era. Back then, reviewers even complained that certain games weren't accessible enough for newcomers.

The term "hardcore" needs to die.

The only time the term "Hardcore game" should ever apply, should be describing games like Starcraft or Counterstrike that really have a competitive arena of players that plays the game "hardcore"!

I dare any self-proclaimed "hardcore" gamer to challenge me at SC on Iccup, and then we shal see who is truly "hardcore" (If you are C+ or higher, I retract my statement xD)

I hated Starcraft.. give my WarCraft any day.

Anyways, I am I PC fanboy and will forever be a professional gamer due to me playing in the leagues. So I one-up all "hardcore" gamers by taking things professionally.

So now he's hating on the PS3 and 360 because of the controller.

The two examples he's using aren't really the best, because controller preference will vary from gamer to gamer and from genre to genre.

To me, professional gamers are the true "hardcore".

But don't you think it's annoying seing how all gaming forums, and even gaming news is cluttered with the term "hardcore" being applied to almost everything despite how far off it can be?

what's funny is that consoles have always been this way, toned down graphics and cheaper than pc games, they are after all, small pcs.

It was only recently that the term "casual" existed, right? What's interesting is that it is applied to the wii console. NObody said arcade machines "casualized" pc games... and nobody said that the NES "casualized" pc or arcade games.
The reason is because arcade graphics were way ahead of most pc games because they were specifically made for games rather than word processing and such. Home consoles were also specialized to acheive as much power as they could, since arcade games were priced at sometimes thousands, and the same with pcs, this was a great alternative.
Today's "issue" with "casual" is not a pricing thing. Sure the wii is affordable and a great value for the machinery inside it, but the price differences today are marginal. You can buy a laptop for 400$, a home computer for 300$, and even make your own arcade cabinet.
It's about the games.

He did say it was smart by Sony to make those kinds of games more accessible to the masses, and he also said that he personally didn't like the controller and didn't undertand why other people like it. It was written in a quite angled way though.

But the controller isn't the point of my thread. The point is, the "hardcore" think, they are so "hardcore", but in reality the Playstation-style console and the games the "hardcore" likes is very casual.

The term "hardcore" is hypocracy and needs to die off.

Well, the Playstation has always had the casual crowd. The gamers that only buy Madden, GTA, or Call of Duty, etc.

Nintendo expanded that casual crowd with Wii Sports and Wii Fit, etc.

Loved this article and aproves of it. I feel the same way. My act of buying a PS3 comes from the fact that I was watching a drougth of titles in my beloved PC and good titles coming for the PS3(have my favorite games among consoles). But I still play games in my rig and still buy games for it. Matter of fact, latelly I spent more money in pc games than in Ps3 ones and will keep it up, since Tropico 3, HoI3, Cities Xl and more are comming.

seems like hardcore and casual talk will keep him occupied for the rest of his lifetime *yawn* he should go back to playing games

I would even go as far as to say games like Final Fantasy VII and Crash Bandicoot for the PS1 and GTA San Andreas for PS2 were very casual because of their mainstream appeal and the way they were played.