Define "Hardcore" for me

Everyday this term is thrown around. Yet it seems to mean something different to everyone.

Here are some interpretations off of the top of my head:

• You have to own all systems
• You must play mature rated games (remember the days when games didn't have ratings? I miss those days)
• You must play all genres
• You just need to play one game a lot (Madden, Halo, Solitaire)
• You just need to play one system a lot
• Only PC gamers are hardcore
• Must be gaming for more than one generation
• There is no such thing as "hardcore"

There are others but that is a decent starting point. I'm just trying to bring some continuity to this forum. So what does "Hardcore" mean to you?

whenever I think of hardcore gamers I think of someone whose life revolves around video games. I once saw a documentary about gamers and there was this one guy on there who drove 15min from work on his lunch breaks to play games for a couple of minutes and then whent back to work. He also slept like 4 hours a night do to his gaming habit. I know this is an extreme example but here is my characteristics of a hardcore gamer:

-primary interest in life is games

-plays games a minimum of 30 hours a week

-has an extensive collection of games and gaming systems

i think that this is the only criteria to judge a hardcore gamer buy. For all the rest of us we're just casuals.

Not bad, but you don't have to play mature rated games in order to be 'hardcore'. I've seen 8 year olds that play M rated games for the sake of seeing violence.hiphops_savior

I am not advocating that you do. Just something I see alluded to on this forum a lot. That's why I want people to give me a definition.

whenever I think of hardcore gamers I think of someone whose life revolves around video games. I once saw a documentary about gamers and there was this one guy on there who drove 15min from work on his lunch breaks to play games for a couple of minutes and then whent back to work. He also slept like 4 hours a night do to his gaming habit. I know this is an extreme example but here is my characteristics of a hardcore gamer:

-primary interest in life is games

-plays games a minimum of 30 hours a week

-has an extensive collection of games and gaming systems

i think that this is the only criteria to judge a hardcore gamer buy. For all the rest of us we're just casuals.

Shenmue_Jehuty

Wow, that is pretty tough requirements. That would fall into the realm of addiction IMO. Thank you for coming up with some criteria. :)

Hardcore: Someone who thinks the word "fun" is offensive. Games are not supposed to be "fun" in the mind of the hardcore, they're supposed to be a chore. LordQuorthon

People don't play video games for fun anymore. You noob! ;) LOL :P

No such thing as a hardcore gamer...it's a market term that you shouldn't adhere to...you either play games or you don't. Doesn't matter what you own, what you play, as far a statistics goes the only thing that makes you hardcore gamer is how long you play. So according to analysts if you play Madden for 30 hours a week, you're hardcore.Tiefster

If only everyone happened to think like this. But alas, people do not. And it irritates me.

Comeon people. This term is used in probably 50% of all threads. Someone that uses this term to feel "elite" please define it for me!! I'm very open to quality arguments.

Maybe I should just push to have this term banned since no one seems to think it really exists.

whenever I think of hardcore gamers I think of someone whose life revolves around video games. I once saw a documentary about gamers and there was this one guy on there who drove 15min from work on his lunch breaks to play games for a couple of minutes and then whent back to work. He also slept like 4 hours a night do to his gaming habit. I know this is an extreme example but here is my characteristics of a hardcore gamer:

-primary interest in life is games

-plays games a minimum of 30 hours a week

-has an extensive collection of games and gaming systems

i think that this is the only criteria to judge a hardcore gamer buy. For all the rest of us we're just casuals.

Shenmue_Jehuty

Yeah I would not want to be considered hardcore. I just enjoy a handfull of games, but I do like to talk about games with people who like to talk about games.

Game player. And keeping up to date with the industry. And having opinions that someone else can disagree with.

my definition

Hardcore: meaningless term used by ppl who play some games and think that, because they play these games, are bettter than other ppl. IE its meaningless, ego strocking, nonsense. (pronounced Har-d-Core). ref appendix B for more information.

"hardcore" is a legitamite word, just meaning that you are incredibly devoted. A hardcore gamer would just be someone who's intensly loyal to video games. He/she doesn't have to own everything, play everything, or even enjoy everything.. they would just consider gaming an important part of their lives. Probably play a good amount, of what time they can afford. They'd think about games alot and maybe even discuss them. They'd probably be on top of alot of news and recent games. I would just assume that'd come along with being devoted to gaming. Though i'd also assume a fairly open mind would come along with that, something most people lack.
It's really not one of those definitions that should set you above anyone else. Really "i care more about games then you do!".. ya, great.. awesome.. sure ya do.

Unfortunatly, people these days seem to have twisted the term "hardcore" to mean playing stuff that looks like a shallow hollywood blockbusters, and that's it. Just take a look at the weekly(or maybe evey other day?) articles that get posted on n4g about casuals and "hardcore"...

Depends on the other available terms. If there's just Casual or Hardcore, then people who visit sites such as this, research games before they buy, talk with others about said games know the names of game devs and studios, and know the upcoming releases for their platform are hardcore. Those who play solitaire and snake on their phone are casual.dlindenb2000

I do my research on games b4 I buy them, I research everything b4 I buy something (Car), thats a smart consumer. I play Madden 30+ (mainly on the weekends) hours a week, I also play solitaire. I dont wanna be labled "Hardcore". I think hardcore is a term for people who play games 24/7, eat and sleep games, basically have no life, dont go outside, just play games all day. I'll take the "Casual" lable, video games are entertainment, when you take "entertainment"away from a video games, then I think you have a problem.

[QUOTE="dlindenb2000"]Depends on the other available terms. If there's just Casual or Hardcore, then people who visit sites such as this, research games before they buy, talk with others about said games know the names of game devs and studios, and know the upcoming releases for their platform are hardcore. Those who play solitaire and snake on their phone are casual.CubanBlunt

I do my research on games b4 I buy them, I research everything b4 I buy something (Car), thats a smart consumer. I play Madden 30+ (mainly on the weekends) hours a week, I also play solitaire. I dont wanna be labled "Hardcore". I think hardcore is a term for people who play games 24/7, eat and sleep games, basically have no life, dont go outside, just play games all day. I'll take the "Casual" lable, video games are entertainment, when you take "entertainment"away from a video games, then I think you have a problem.

There is no such thing as "hardcore".

i'll stick to that one.

Heres one,

a true hardcore gamer gets paid playing video games.

[QUOTE="dlindenb2000"]Depends on the other available terms. If there's just Casual or Hardcore, then people who visit sites such as this, research games before they buy, talk with others about said games know the names of game devs and studios, and know the upcoming releases for their platform are hardcore. Those who play solitaire and snake on their phone are casual.CubanBlunt

I do my research on games b4 I buy them, I research everything b4 I buy something (Car), thats a smart consumer. I play Madden 30+ (mainly on the weekends) hours a week, I also play solitaire. I dont wanna be labled "Hardcore". I think hardcore is a term for people who play games 24/7, eat and sleep games, basically have no life, dont go outside, just play games all day. I'll take the "Casual" lable, video games are entertainment, when you take "entertainment"away from a video games, then I think you have a problem.

I like to consider myself hardcore and I dont have a problem. I play about 15hrs a week and still find time to spend with my family. I am a big Sony supporter that realizes that wii is on-top 360 is 2nd with the best library and PS3 will reign supreme soon. Hardcore is someone who likes playing games and researches them first and wont buy Lost the game or Toy Story but will buy Pixel Junk Monsters man that game is addicting.

Everyday this term is thrown around. Yet it seems to mean something different to everyone.

Here are some interpretations off of the top of my head:

• You have to own all systems NO
• You must play mature rated games (remember the days when games didn't have ratings? I miss those days) NO
• You must play all genres NO
• You just need to play one game a lot (Madden, Halo, Solitaire) Maybe that would make you a hardcore Madden/Halo fan but not a hardcore "gamer".
• You just need to play one system a lot NO
• Only PC gamers are hardcore NO
• Must be gaming for more than one generation Maybe but not necessarily
• There is no such thing as "hardcore" There is no such thing as a hardcore GAME, but people can be "hardcore".

There are others but that is a decent starting point. I'm just trying to bring some continuity to this forum. So what does "Hardcore" mean to you?

DeerhunterIA

I think the term "hardcore" for gaming has be so twisted that the "true" definition of the term has been lost to what it truely means. To me, a "hardcore" gamers is the following:

someone who can loose themselves in a game where they can get carpel tunnel syndrome (it's happened to all of us to a certain degree, right?)

someone who has insanely fast reflexes honed from playing games too much

someone who can beat any game on the max difficulty WHILE taking LITTLE or NO damage

someone who knows all the secrets to any given game and the cheat codes by heart

There's probably more but that's all I can come up with at this time.

[QUOTE="DeerhunterIA"]

Everyday this term is thrown around. Yet it seems to mean something different to everyone.

Here are some interpretations off of the top of my head:

• You have to own all systems NO
• You must play mature rated games (remember the days when games didn't have ratings? I miss those days) NO
• You must play all genres NO
• You just need to play one game a lot (Madden, Halo, Solitaire) Maybe that would make you a hardcore Madden/Halo fan but not a hardcore "gamer".
• You just need to play one system a lot NO
• Only PC gamers are hardcore NO
• Must be gaming for more than one generation Maybe but not necessarily
• There is no such thing as "hardcore" There is no such thing as a hardcore GAME, but people can be "hardcore".

There are others but that is a decent starting point. I'm just trying to bring some continuity to this forum. So what does "Hardcore" mean to you?

ZIMdoom

So how can people be hardcore? What am I looking for?

it's hard to define hardcore because its a very general and subjective view.

Personally, a Hardcore gamer is the opposite of a Casual gamer.

What is a casual gamer? No exact definition - but here are some traits that generally describe them:

1. Only/Mostly plays only a few franchise series (ex. NBA, Madden, CS, etc.)

2. Only/Mostly plays simple games (ex. Tetris, Wiifit, WiiSports)

3. Usually, only interested in a few specific genres (ex. Sports, Shooters, etc.)

I did a post like this yesterday, and got good feedback from Zimdoom and Private_Vegas. Here is the link:

http://www.gamespot.com/pages/forums/show_msgs.php?topic_id=26258279

whenever I think of hardcore gamers I think of someone whose life revolves around video games. I once saw a documentary about gamers and there was this one guy on there who drove 15min from work on his lunch breaks to play games for a couple of minutes and then whent back to work. He also slept like 4 hours a night do to his gaming habit. I know this is an extreme example but here is my characteristics of a hardcore gamer:

-primary interest in life is games

-plays games a minimum of 30 hours a week

-has an extensive collection of games and gaming systems

i think that this is the only criteria to judge a hardcore gamer buy. For all the rest of us we're just casuals.

Shenmue_Jehuty

30 hours a week? How in the hell is that even possible?

[QUOTE="Shenmue_Jehuty"]

whenever I think of hardcore gamers I think of someone whose life revolves around video games. I once saw a documentary about gamers and there was this one guy on there who drove 15min from work on his lunch breaks to play games for a couple of minutes and then whent back to work. He also slept like 4 hours a night do to his gaming habit. I know this is an extreme example but here is my characteristics of a hardcore gamer:

-primary interest in life is games

-plays games a minimum of 30 hours a week

-has an extensive collection of games and gaming systems

i think that this is the only criteria to judge a hardcore gamer buy. For all the rest of us we're just casuals.

iusm78

30 hours a week? How in the hell is that even possible?

In the March issue of EGM they interviewed an achivement freak and He plays over 50 hours a week.

And he is a father of 5 and has a job:shock:

I have no idea why people call themselves hardcore gamers. Don't they realize it's almost the same as saying "I'm a nerd and i've never touched a boobie".OniStrat

LMAO why do i always laugh at anything, no matter how stupid... so on topic i think people call themselfs that cause they think it makes them sound cool...