Hardcore Gamers = Addicts?

Hardcore Gamers = Addicts?

Oct 02

There are many different views on what exactly constitutes the so called Hardcore gamer. But some of the general and less biased definitions are: People who play alot of games, People who play all kinds of games, and People who use gaming as their primary form of entertainment.Somewhat recently Reginald Fils-Aime of Nintendo stated that “Hardcore Gamers are insatiable”. Gaming journalism has to a great extent become an extension of these gamers mouths, whether it be the gamers who are writing themselves, or sites that cater to their opinions. Nevertheless, the world of the Hardcore Gamer has indeed become one where Games are tailored for niche groups at great expense and great risk, whilst simultaneously providing a boisterous community outlet for instantaneous and often premature judgment.

But if games for the most part are being tailor made for the Hardcore, even at great risk, along with patch after patch for failures and things that the hardcore find annoying, as well as there being the media outlet to ensure that this continues, what does it say about Hardcore Gamers?

The one thing that it says for certain is that we so called Hardcore Gamers have alot of time to play games, talk/argue about games, and write about games. It means that to some extent, statements like Fils-Aime”s aren”t too far off. Are we addicted? Is this a bad thing?

While I do believe that some people go too far, and that we might all be happier gamers if we weren”t able to agonize over every second of development of particular games, I say no, this isn”t a bad thing.

You see, there”s addiction, and there”s addiction. There”s the gamer who loves playing for a few hours every day, spends his/her entertainment money more on games rather than movies, magazines, fast food, and whatever; and there”s the gamer who keeps a refrigerator next to his computer and wears Depends because he can”t be bothered to break away from World of Warcraft long enough to go take a dump.

So… Am I insatiable? Maybe. Am I addicted? Perhaps, but not in a negative way.

I work, am a productive member of society, am considered a good person, spend alot of time outdoors, am active, and don”t have violent or anti-social tendencies.

I just enjoy video games as my primary form of entertainment.

When they are watching Soap opera”s, or Game Shows, or Dancing with the Stars, or American Idol, or whatever T.V. programs people are “addicted” to, I”m probably playing my PS3, or my Wii, or discussing the industry with other people of like interest. So sure, they can call us addicts, but in truth they shouldn”t do so until the day that Gaming surpasses sitcoms, movies, game shows, and reality shows as the #1 use of the television worldwide. We”re nowhere near there yet.