A reader rejects the label of hardcore gamer and asks what the phrase actually means and who else it would apply to.
I’ve been a gamer now for over 20 years and I prefer to assume I do know the interest fairly effectively. I’ve all the present consoles, I preserve updated with information and occasions, I do know all the massive identify publishers and builders, and I’ve performed or at the least find out about all the massive franchises. Does that make me a hardcore gamer although? I believe by some definitions it could do. If I used to be speaking about motion pictures I’d be often called a movie buff however is hardcore gamer actually the equal of that? I’m not so positive.
I’ve various youthful cousins who’re additionally, by their very own admission, actually into video games, however they don’t appear to know or care about any of the issues I like. Their mostly performed video games are Apex Legends, Name Of Obligation: Warzone, Fortnite, Minecraft, and Future 2. All both free video games or dwell service video games, none of which I’ve any curiosity in.
To me these are the equal of claiming you’re a petrolhead, and actually into vehicles, and but discovering out you haven’t truly obtained a automobile and take the bus in every single place. Though among the free-to-play video games are superb – I notably like Apex Legends – the dimensions of their success isn’t as a consequence of their high quality as a sport however the truth that they’re free.
Fortnite particularly isn’t an particularly good sport and for those who needed to pay full value for it, it could be nowhere close to as widespread as it’s. Being free excuses loads of issues and Fortnite has lengthy since developed from being a straight shooter to a bizarre mixture of group chat room and social expertise. That’s high quality, that’s nice, however to me none of that has something to do with video video games.
Similarly, the rationale video games like Future 2 and Minecraft are profitable is as a result of they’re additionally social experiences. Future 2 now has little or no in frequent with issues like Halo or Name Of Obligation, and not competes with them and even tries to supply the identical kind of experiences.
It’s not the gameplay or the story that’s the enchantment with any of those video games, as it’s with all those I get pleasure from, it’s the straightforward accessibility, the continuously altering content material, and, most significantly, the sense of group and social interplay.
The free video games aren’t actually free, as a result of as quickly as you begin moving into them, you’re tempted to purchase all of the battle passes and microtransactions. I’m continuously shocked at my nephews shopping for skins and different, to my thoughts, pointless cosmetics for the price of a complete indie sport. I believe they really find yourself spending extra on video games than me, despite the fact that I’m shopping for full value video games.
So are they the hardcore players? I discover it exhausting to say they’re given how little curiosity they appear to have within the video games themselves or any conventional titles. To them, the concept of a sport having a narrative or development being opposed by something aside from different gamers is totally alien, to the purpose the place it appears this stuff they play ought to virtually be referred to as one thing aside from video video games.
But when they’re not hardcore players then who’re? Perhaps esports gamers and different professionals? I assume you could possibly argue that, however these individuals often solely play one sport, which appears far too specialist to deserve such an all-encompassing description. Streamers may play just a few totally different video games, but it surely appears to me they’ve the identical limitation of slim horizons.
So perhaps it’s me. Perhaps I’m a hardcore gamer. I nonetheless don’t really feel that means but when it’s not me or individuals like me, I don’t know who else it could be. I assume in the long run it’s not the identify that’s vital, however what we imply by it. Perhaps we’re all hardcore players in the long run or perhaps merely… players.
By reader Cribbens
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