Gamers Classified Once And For All!

[Gabriel]

Classes of gamers:

 

Casual gamers

 

These are the people who just play a video game once in a while. It might be a plug n' play, it might be a PS2. They might recognize the common games such as Halo, Grand Theft Mario, or a Mario title, but they're just as prone to talk about the "Nintendo game they play on their X-station Wii." If they buy games, they tend to be the bargain rack things. They have no great experience with games and will buy/rent and play whatever the most talked about recent big game is. All games are equal in their eyes.

 

This category of gamer is best represented by normal adults and teens with cars and social lives.

 

The adult variety tends to view all games as lighthearted childish pursuits, much like Monopoly or American children's cartoons.

 

 

Dedicated gamers

 

These are people who play a larger, but still small selection of games. Their focus is primarily on whatever is hot at the time. If the game is older than about 2 years and they don't own it, then it is completely off their radar. They will own about 2 dozen to 4 dozen games. They'll know about some major releases, and have a basic knowledge of the primary consoles currently available.

 

This category of gamer is best represented by young teens and college students. Dedicated gamers are either going to "grow up" to be Hardcore gamers, or Casual gamers. It's nearly always a transitional state.

 

A subcategory of this type of gamer is the "Fanboy." They are generally ignorant of all other game types beyond their current game selection on their current game console, and therefore attack all other games and game consoles as inferior. When these types "grow up" they tend to skip Hardcore and jump straight to Darkside Elite.

 

 

Hardcore gamers

I've previously commented on this category, but my definition of a hardcore gamer is a gamer who embraces video games in general. They know of a wide variety of games, and can correctly identify just about all the major consoles. They will own a collection of dozens, if not hundreds of games, both major titles even the casual gamers would recognize and games which are seldom heard of outside their own niche. This is the first category where the quality of a game actually becomes relevant. This is also the first category where the hobby becomes a major and defining hobby.

 

This category of gamer is best represented by people of all ages with very little socal life and/or a large amount of disposable income and lack of common sense.

 

 

Elite Gamers

 

At first blush, elite gamers seem to be hardcore gamers, but the dedication is far greater. While a hardcore gamer will play many games and focus on a depth of experience, the elite gamer focuses more on mastery. They're the players who commit themselves to a game, learning details that no one else would care to. I'd say players of Street Fighter II and the Expert Guitar Hero players qualify for this category.

 

Elite gamers have a dark side. They begin to believe everyone shares their level of dedication. Since they're so dedicated and fanatical (and therefore a primary audience that must be pleased for the next game of the type in question), the game designers use them as a test group for further developing sequels and spin offs. This results in games which exclude everyone but the Elite players. You can see this phenomenon in long running MMORPGs where new players cannot have a chance, and 2D fighting games which have been tweaked to only be entertaining to the most advanced players.

 

Darkside elite also tend to start saying every game which isn't in their favorite genre sucks.

 

Note: Dreamcast fans are Darkside Elite, but followers of a console instead of a specific game or type of game.

 

Almost all Elite players tend to be late teens or early 20s, probably because of the reflexes required for most of the Elite favorites. A lack of common sense and objective ability helps.

 

 

A Note About Internet Fans

 

Just about all posters to a message board like Atari Age will be Hardcore or Elite. A Casual gamer will never have the inclination to post. A Dedicated gamer might occasionally find the community, and occasionally one may "mature" into a Hardcore gamer, but most time they'll just disappear and lapse to being a Casual gamer as they "grow up." It seems most Dedicated posters tend to be Fanboy posters.

 

A large number of Internet fans are Darkside Elite. I consider myself borderline Darkside Elite with turn based RPGs as my genre of dedication. I'm sure you can easily spot others here on the board. Any time someone says "All modern games suck, but [insert classic system here] games were really awesome," that's Darkside Elite, or possibly borderline Fanboy/Darkside Elite.

 

 

Edit: "Grand Theft Mario" was an unintentional typo, but a funny one. It's indicative of the Casual Gamer anyway, as they're prone to cross and mangle titles ala: Dreamstation 360. So, it stays.

Edited January 30, 2008 by Gabriel

[Atari5200]

so this catagorizes teens and up that purchase their own games, what about the millions upon millions of pre-teens and younger that the parents buy them stuff, the kiddie group?

 

I cannot classify myself based on the description. I consider myself hardcore based upon my collecting methods, amount of $$ spent on collecting, the fact I own 40+ systems, almost if not 1,000 + games, 2 Arcade Cabs, etc. etc. But by those classifications, I'm basically between Casual and dedicated. The only current Gen system I play is my 360 because thats all i own. I don't play any previous gen systems at all, and PSP is the most recent handheld I play, DS sometimes. But I do not keep up with current times other than some news articles from Gamespot and posts on AA.

[moycon]

Nice post Gabriel.

You should make these Wiki entries.

Gone are the days when hardcore gamer ment you could score 1,000,000,000 at Nibbler or play Pac-Man 5 hours straight in the arcades.

Edited January 30, 2008 by moycon

[liveinabin]

I'm not any of them. Perhaps because I'm not mentally ill.

 

I teach primary school kids, and there are girls (age 7) in my class who play Cooking Mama and Animal Crossing a very great deal. What are they?

 

Oh, and "Darkside Elite"? Bloody Hell

[Atari5200]

Oh, and "Darkside Elite"? Bloody Hell

 

that was my thought, at first i'm thinking Darkside Elite, is that owning an Intellivision over a 2600?

[Gabriel]

I'm not any of them. Perhaps because I'm not mentally ill.

 

I teach primary school kids,

 

Sorry, you can't deny mental illness and then embrace it in the next sentence.

 

Oh, and "Darkside Elite"? Bloody Hell

 

You can't tell me that "Darkside Elite" isn't something that the type of gamer in question wouldn't like to be called. It's perfect for both it's descriptive and parody purposes.

[iwan-iwanowitsch-goratschin]

I am a borderline zombie king!

[Ross PK]

I really don't know what I'd classify myself as, maybe my gaming habits reflect a hardcore gamer, but I definatley don't feel like one in terms of my personality/character or the way I look.

[+Cafeman]

Aging Gamers.

 

These would be Dedicated/Hardcore gamers, if they had the time & opportunity. Alas, they think & post more about games than actually play them.

[+Random Terrain]

You forgot to add "Poor White Trash Gamer." They would love to buy the latest console and rent or buy a ton of games, but they have to spend most of their money on bills, food, clothing, and for the scummiest ones, illegal drugs. The lack of money usually causes them to be 3 to 5 or more years behind everyone else when it comes to gaming.

[moycon]

All great definitions. These sound like something that would be on RT website.

 

liveinabin, In my opinion, 7 year old girls that play a couple of games would fall under "Dedicated Gamer"

 

Their focus is primarily on whatever is hot at the time.

 

Basically they play whatever their parents all their friends are playing. If Sally is playing Cooking Mama, then Jenny and Susy want to play Cooking Mama and ask their parents for the game. One can only hope they grow up and become "Hardcore gamers", the gaming world needs more females.

 

Although I could be wrong and they don't fall under all catagory listed, maybe there's a new definition needed for "The Pip-squeak Gamer"

[Atari5200]

"charity gamer" these gamers have little to no knowledge of upcoming or current games, they only play and own the games given to them or "found" with little to no money.

[Gabriel]

All great definitions. These sound like something that would be on RT website.

 

liveinabin, In my opinion, 7 year old girls that play a couple of games would fall under "Dedicated Gamer"

 

Their focus is primarily on whatever is hot at the time.

 

Basically they play whatever their parents all their friends are playing. If Sally is playing Cooking Mama, then Jenny and Susy want to play Cooking Mama and ask their parents for the game. One can only hope they grow up and become "Hardcore gamers", the gaming world needs more females.

 

Although I could be wrong and they don't fall under all catagory listed, maybe there's a new definition needed for "The Pip-squeak Gamer"

 

When I was thinking about Dedicated Gamer, I was thinking about someone similar to myself at age 11-12. Kind of by definition, I lived for videogames at that age. I was really into Atari systems, and had general knowldege of the others on the market, but the pong machines which came before and things like the Fairchild Channel F and RCA Studio II might as well have not existed as far as I was concerned. I focused on the big titles all my friends were playing like Defender and Pac-Man, and completely missed out on hidden gems like Turmoil and Seaquest.

 

So, yes, the 7 year old girl who only plays Cooking Mama and/or the Imagine series and only those because it's what her friends are playing fits into the pigeonhole I was trying to define. Perhaps on the age range I should have just listed "kids."

[Gabriel]

"charity gamer" these gamers have little to no knowledge of upcoming or current games, they only play and own the games given to them or "found" with little to no money.

 

I think most such gamers would fit into Casual Gamer. Especially if they just accept the games and don't know or care about the larger gaming environment.

 

They might be Dedicated Gamers. Most cheap games are older high profile titles. The ownership of games isn't really the entire point. It's more about how knowledgeable and well versed they are in the hobby of video games. If they know more than the average joe who calls every videogame system a "Nintendo" then they might at least be in the Dedicated category.

 

As I see it, someone who just accepts any free games which come their way wouldn't entirely qualify as a Hardcore Gamer. To me the term implies an active pursuit of the hobby, while someone waiting for free games would probably know only about the free games they acquired and not have the breadth of experience. But, I suppose if someone kept doing this over a long time, they'd qualify as a hardcore gamer by mere absorbtion. They don't actively pursue the hobby, but if it comes to them they're willing to lear, and that separates them from the Casual Gamer. I think that would fit the Dedicated Gamer category though. After all, most Dedicated Gamers are little kids who have little say on what they get for Christmas, this is the same general principle.

[Atari5200]

i don't know still. I don't think you can class any gamer as hardcore unless they own an actual arcade cab.

[AtticGamer]

By that description, I would fit in Hardcore gamer.

[Longhorn Engineer]

how about the people that prefer to hack the hardware then play the games? Or am I just weird in the respect...?

[Atari5200]

thats why I thought the descriptions were to vague. Seemed mostly geared towards the current gens. (guess that's why it's in the modern thread) I'm sorry. If you own a Wii or any current gen system and nothing else, you are not hardcore regardless how many games you own or keep "in the loop" of stuff. Hell, even if you own a 360, PS2, and lets say a DS. You are not hardcore, I don't care if you own every game for the system.

 

Someone who is hardcore to me, owns like 30+ systems, hundreds of games, arcade cabs, various gaming goodies (shirts, posters, give aways, etc.).

 

People that hack hardware, mod hardware, consolize MVS systems, Ben heck, etc etc. they are hardcore. The people that take the time out of their day to program for any given "dead" system out of sure passion for the system...THAT is hard core.

 

There is nothing hardcore about owning a few systems and boat load of games.

Edited January 31, 2008 by Atari5200

[keilbaca]

Cool, by that definition I'm an Elite gamer ^_^

 

Everything from Expert on GH, to 100% completion of burnout 3, to chucking along on the Atari High score club.

[Jess Ragan]

These definitions are hardcore stupid. There are millions of gamers, and none of them fits perfectly into these categories. Why do you feel so compelled to affix labels to everyone in this community, anyway?

[moycon]

These definitions are hardcore stupid. There are millions of gamers, and none of them fits perfectly into these categories. Why do you feel so compelled to affix labels to everyone in this community, anyway?

 

Anyone in this community would probably be hardcore or Elite, no-one else would devote time posting to a videogameing website. There are millions of gamers and millions of them fit perfectly into these categories regardless if you say otherwise. You're a hardcore gamer...Just deal with it Jess.

[Ross PK]

There is nothing hardcore about owning a few systems and boat load of games.

 

I guess those people need a new classification then because I don't think you could call them casual.

[Gabriel]

There is nothing hardcore about owning a few systems and boat load of games.

 

The intent behind listing ownership of large quantitites of systems and games is to illustrate the requirement of a large breadth of experience regarding different games, as well as a greater dedication to gaming in general. Not only that, but to show a large personal investment of resources (money, time, attention) on the part of the hobbist.

[Atari5200]

i highly disagree. Owning a couple systems, new systems, and a bunch of games,I would even argue the PS1, does not make you a collector to call it a hobby, if that is what you meant by "hobbist". When I was a kid, my uncle gave me a 2600, I was 3. I already had 2600 with about 40 games before I was in kindergarten. That did not make me a collector, I had no personal investment. But the way I read your post, I was already hardcore at 3 just because of what I had.

 

Also playing nothing but M rated games does not make you hardcore either.

[Lord Helmet]

Why is it important to classify gamers again, I've forgotten?