Whats your definition of a "gamer"?

[Dustbunnii]

I think a good definition of a gamer would be someone who enjoys and frequently plays a variety of games and someone who is generally up-to-date on the latest games. I don't think that someone has to be "good" in order to be called a gamer because no matter what, they'll be better than someone and if they play often, they'll probably get better. Of course, if they're not good at games then they probably won't play them, or at least not a large variety or not competitively. They might only stick to what they're good at and not branch out into any other genres.
I don't like using the term "gamer" to describe myself because I don't have the money to try out a variety of games, and I'm not willing to spend money on a game or a system that I might not like (I also don't really approve of pirating). There are a lot of different types of games that I would be willing to try now, but I don't have the means to try them (I could try some by pirating, but I'm not going to pirate). I think if I had money to throw at things, I could safely call myself a gamer, but unfortunately gaming is an expensive hobby.... :|

 

[DaisyCrossing]

It's so tricky. Since there's so many different KINDS of gamers. I will admit that I look down on the people who play shooters all day and don't truly value any of them. Example: My Dad. Basically he literally throws away his old shooter gamers and gets new up to date ones because "the graphics and realism is better".

Maybe it's just because I have the mentality of "never throw away a good game" and maybe it's because I wish people appreciated games as an art form.

Err sorry i'm babbling....definition of a gamer...hmmm...someone who regularly plays games. Any kind. Is a big hobby of theirs basically.

Now does that count towards people who just play angry birds and other similar phone games? Well if they play it quite a bit? I guess so. A casual gamer. But a gamer none the less. Does that count towards people who are mindless shooter fans? Yeah. They're gamers. And they play them alot. Does that make them casual too? Hmm I dunno. I know sometimes they're called casual gamers but they get pretty hard core into it. Mechanic and strategy wise. But they're not the type of people who value story USUALLY.

 

[Officer Berri]

^This is pretty much exactly what I would have to say on this subject, especially with the shooter fans who just throw out old games in order to play new ones with better graphics. I'm also big on video games as an art form. xD

I'm not sure what type of gamer I am. I will play any game outside of shooters for the most part. But when I play a game and I really like the story, world, and characters, I have a tendency to learn every little thing I can about it.

 

[ChubbyGirl]

My definition is a little bit strange, it is? someone is really mad about playing different kind of games without having a good sleep and foods until its finish he/ she is the real gamer like myself.

 

[Max12]

Really nice talking about definition of a gamer and also really nice above comments, guys, i also want to say something about it, guys, i also really like games, and many games are my favorite, i love games...

 

[Overlord Gorntrex]

We should start declaring rules for what a gamer is in the fashion of "you might be a redneck if" jokes.

You might be a gamer if, you play video games.

 

[Skitty]

I think that if you like and play games enough to say you like more than one specific franchise then you can rightfully be called a "gamer." I feel like the conflict regarding this topic has only gotten intense in recent years. Honestly, people should stop being such elitists because there are different levels of engagement in any and every hobby/interest on the planet. If someone is only starting to get into games but considers their passion large enough to start referring themselves as a gamer, who the hxxx am I to tell them otherwise? I'm not going to kick you out of my "special club" because I'm grasping for some sort of exclusivity or feeling of belonging to a demographic title that has to be "earned."
The whole stigma regarding official "gamer" title and what people have been deeming "fake geeks" is really irritating.

 

[Yuki Nagato]

Someone who plays video games.

 

[Kip]

@ Skitty: Lol i loved that. Now i know how some girl gamers feel! If i was her i would murder those guys!!! I'd say a gamer is anyone who plays often (or whenever given the chance) and at least 2 different franchises no matter what the games are.

 

[Carole]

I was thinking about this today, and then saw this thread. What a coincidence!

I don't think "gamer" means anything at all any more. Just today, a young man said to me that he didn't know I was a gamer. Huh? I am 64 years old and could care less what is cool, and I am terrible at most competitive or time limited games, and never play online, so think about what that says about the meaning of "gamer".

I do spend what I think is a lot of time and money on video games, playing mostly peaceful games like Animal Crossing and Professor Layton. I love playing video games. But a gamer? Pffft.

 

[Tenyu]

Someone who plays video games.

I'm aware that there's a certain "subculture" surrounding video games, but I don't think that affinity with that subculture means squat in regards to whether or not someone is a "gamer."

The alleged dichotomy between "hardcore" and "casual" gamers irritates me too much to even kvetch about it.

 

[oath2order]

Just someone who plays games is my definition. I never really had a way to differentiate between hardcore and casual gamers.

 

[GingerBoy]

A Gamer is a person who enjoys playing game and forgets the rest of the worlds when palying . They just live with the game.

 

[Roel]

Someone who plays videogames.

I seriously don't get why people think other people are less of a gamer because they don't play videogames every day or they aren't as good as them. Since when is there a list of things you need to do to be a gamer?

 

[oath2order]

Someone who plays videogames.

I seriously don't get why people think other people are less of a gamer because they don't play videogames every day or they aren't as good as them. Since when is there a list of things you need to do to be a gamer?

Some people who are good at video games, and think highly of themselves, got up and decided they knew what was a gamer, and what wasn't.

 

[Dizzard]

Somebody who gets into a game and it's world when they're playing it. It doesn't matter if it's casual or hardcore....if they get invested in them then I would consider them a gamer.

I think it's a bit like the difference between somebody who reads books and somebody who just reads magazines. People always remember a brilliant book.....but you're not really going to have people recalling a particular magazine edition that they read with the same kind of vigour.