By Will Perkins
Toronto
May 10, 2004

My aim with this site, is to educate the non-game players out there. I'd like to give them an insight into Gamedom and what it means to be a gamer. I also created the site as a forum for people like myself. Self described gamers.

First let us clear something up. What is a gamer?
The Internet defines a gamer as the following,

Gamer

1.)someone who plays video games as a primary means of entertainment ...Usually very
good at them.
2.) someone who plays video games as a hobby

frank:: "Dude I can't believe you got your ass kicked in Halo by a fricking 10 year old....Jesus Christ man I thought you were a gamer."

No longer is the role of gamer in society relegated to that of children and/or nerds. In fact more games these days are marketed and designed for adults. The Nintendo Generation of the 1980's has grown up, and so have their tastes.

However a gamer these days can be anyone, from any social strata, or economic background. Stay at home Mom's, our Uncle Fred, College students, business professionals, celebrities and everyone in between. Yes we're among you.

Now that's not to say that everyone who plays video games are automatically gamers. Most can be considered casual gamers. Nay, it takes a special breed to take up the mantle of true Gamer.

Someone unsatisfied with leaving a game half beaten.
Someone who plays through a level of difficulty just to unlock a greater challenge.
Someone who laughs when a newbie makes an ass of himself, but then shows the newbie what to do.
Someone who turns off their respective system in a rage after being defeated by a tough boss, only to come back 10 minutes later to try again.
Individuals of quality, and determination.

Now you might be saying, "Well I fall into all of the above categories, but I still don't think I'm a gamer."

Just answer these 3 simple questions.

1) Do you in an average week spend more than 6 hours playing video games, reading about video games, or talking about video games?
2) Do you own 1 or More next generation consoles (ie. PS2, Gamecube, Xbox) and/or is your computer used primarily for gaming?
3) Have you completed/attempted to complete and/or mastered 1 or More games in the past 6 months?

If you answered Yes to any or all of the above questions you're probably a Gamer.
If you answered No to any or all of the above... Well then, it appears you have some catching up to do... Poser!

That's not to say that if you're an aficionado of classic games you aren't a Gamer, classic games are what we all grew up on. Like old movies, the classics always seem better with age.

It's an exciting time for us. Games and the technology that drive them are getting more advanced every year. My generation will go from playing 8 bit console games in the mid 1980's to fully immersive gaming experiences sometime in the near future.

If you are a Gamer now, or have been in the past count yourself lucky. 30 years from now you'll be able to look back and say "I was there, I lived it, I played it."

The best is yet to come my friends.