Gaming as a hobby

[Pyromaniacal]

This topic seems to be brought up time and time again in conversations with non-gamers. Some people don't seem to think of gaming as a hobby. I know not all, but a lot. Gaming, in society, isn't held to the same status as say reading books or watching movies. While the ladder 2 seem to be viewed as hobbies, whenever I mention gaming as a hobby, I often get stares from people. People seem to view it as more of time killer if anything. Escapists, has this happened to you, and if so what do you have to say?

 

[Raikas]

I think it's in the same category as books and movies. Personally, I consider all of them (along with TV, comics, and certain types of musical appreciation) more as entertainment products than hobbies, since I don't really think of them as activities - but if you count one as a hobby I think all the others need to be as well.

To be fair, I've never had anyone think it's all that strange to answer a "What do you think of ?" with "Don't know - I'm more of a gamer than a TV watcher". People generally seem to think they're pretty equivalent.

 

[Vault101]

I'm not sure on this one

on one hand its like a hobby because it can require more effort..like if you get your gaming PC all decked out...and games themselfs are not passive like other forms of entertainment

on the other I generally see hobbies as somthing a little more productive...but then I guess surfing, fishing or shooting arent all that different to gaming

 

[SomeLameStuff]

Almost anything can be a hobby. Cooking, exercising, playing ball... hell, killing and eating people can be a hobby too as demonstrated by Jeffrey Dahmer.

So if cannibalism can be a hobby (although not a very popular one), I don't see why gaming can't be either.

 

[bigwon]

I just like to simplify it like this....

there's folks that play games casually as in it requires about the same effort as watching television programming. This would be a majority of people who play games I think.

and then there's those crazy muhfuggerz that make 400 clicks per minute in world class star craft competitions. Clearly some sort of devotion is involved. In the end you have them streaming games, and people are watching it like they would regular sports. So if you consider sports a hobby you can definitely consider some of these games.

Find out were you are inbetween the 2. For myself games are a diversion, I play games based on how immersed I can become. Sometimes the game might poise some questions to me like a novel or painting would...but I don't expect it to. I appreciate games that challenge me though, and encourage me to master them like i would an instrument.

If your looking to defend yourself in a debate take into consideration what your actually doing in said games, and logically relate them to what people would consider conventional hobbies.

 

[Pulse]

Gaming isn't a hobby.
Watching movies isn't a hobby.
Listening to music isn't a hobby.
Reading isn't a hobby.

Or at least, if you call them that then I'll probably give you a funny look and carry on.

Of course, there's no strict definition for what a hobby is but it just sounds like you're trying to elevate things unnecessarily. Granted you can have hobbies WITHIN each of those things, but calling yourself a hobbyist because you play videogames just sounds desperate.

 

[putowtin]

I play games,
It's not a hobby or a pass time,
I'm not a geek or a nerd

I just play games

[sub](Better copyright that before someone shoves it on a teeshirt!)[/sub]

 

[Bertylicious]

Almost anything can be a hobby. Cooking, exercising, playing ball... hell, killing and eating people can be a hobby too as demonstrated by Jeffrey Dahmer.

So if cannibalism can be a hobby (although not a very popular one), I don't see why gaming can't be either.

Technically I think that was more of a comupulsion.

 

[King Aragorn]

It's just video game stigma, alebit not the same as the old days, it's still here and there. I myself do view gaming as a nhobby, don't see how it's any different than a good book or movie.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

Gaming isn't a hobby.
Watching movies isn't a hobby.
Listening to music isn't a hobby.
Reading isn't a hobby.

Or at least, if you call them that then I'll probably give you a funny look and carry on.

Of course, there's no strict definition for what a hobby is but it just sounds like you're trying to elevate things unnecessarily. Granted you can have hobbies WITHIN each of those things, but calling yourself a hobbyist because you play videogames just sounds desperate.

It's a matter of degree, not kind. Casually watching movies may not be a hobby, but home theater is, and I'll give /you/ a funny look if you say it's not. Same thing with all the other options -- there are ways to turn pretty much anything into a hobby.

Then again, whoever said a hobby had to be creative? A hobby is basically anything that you voluntarily do for a significant portion of your free time. Which means if anything, it's mutually inclusive with time killers, not exclusive.

 

[AngloDoom]

The distinction I make is a hobby is something you actively do, something you develop, and something you can personalise and add to as you develop. Cooking, martial arts, and writing would all fit here.

Reading, watching films, or playing (some) games are just ways of passively enjoying something I believe: that said it gets a little murky in games like Minecraft where you create, but in the game.

 

[ItsNotRudy]

This topic seems to be brought up time and time again in conversations with non-gamers. Some people don't seem to think of gaming as a hobby. I know not all, but a lot. Gaming, in society, isn't held to the same status as say reading books or watching movies. While the ladder 2 seem to be viewed as hobbies, whenever I mention gaming as a hobby, I often get stares from people.

Since when is watching movies a hobby? I think mentioning that would give me an equal amount of stares if not more so than gaming since movies don't even challenge you or have a social aspect.

 

[Raikas]

It's a matter of degree, not kind. Casually watching movies may not be a hobby, but home theater is, and I'll give /you/ a funny look if you say it's not.

As in building and constantly updating a home theatre? Isn't that really under the home renovation/playing with technology umbrella rather than being a thing in and of itself?

Then again, whoever said a hobby had to be creative? A hobby is basically anything that you voluntarily do for a significant portion of your free time. Which means if anything, it's mutually inclusive with time killers, not exclusive.

I don't think it's so much that it needs to be creative (or productive) as that it needs to be an activity - sitting in front of the tv isn't really an activity (but someone who has TV-watching parties, or who is a TV reviewer and so on is doing something active).


But yeah, I'm nitpicking, because aside from the productive hobbies it's all time-wasting.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

It's a matter of degree, not kind. Casually watching movies may not be a hobby, but home theater is, and I'll give /you/ a funny look if you say it's not.

As in building and constantly updating a home theatre? Isn't that really under the home renovation/playing with technology umbrella rather than being a thing in and of itself?

Then again, whoever said a hobby had to be creative? A hobby is basically anything that you voluntarily do for a significant portion of your free time. Which means if anything, it's mutually inclusive with time killers, not exclusive.

I don't think it's so much that it needs to be creative (or productive) as that it needs to be an activity - sitting in front of the tv isn't really an activity (but someone who has TV-watching parties, or who is a TV reviewer and so on is doing something active).


But yeah, I'm nitpicking, because aside from the productive hobbies it's all time-wasting.

I see what you're saying. Home theater specifically is definitely a thing unto itself, though. You might build one during renovations, but mostly it's a subset of hi-fi/audiophilia, with a focus on movies and multichannel audio, rather than stereo audio and music. There's almost as many major home theater forums out there as there are major gaming forums, if you can believe it.

 

[Pulse]

It's a matter of degree, not kind. Casually watching movies may not be a hobby, but home theater is, and I'll give /you/ a funny look if you say it's not. Same thing with all the other options -- there are ways to turn pretty much anything into a hobby.

Then again, whoever said a hobby had to be creative? A hobby is basically anything that you voluntarily do for a significant portion of your free time. Which means if anything, it's mutually inclusive with time killers, not exclusive.

Home theater? How?

Oh ok, anything you do a lot in your spare time is a hobby.

My hobbies:
playing videogames
walking the dog
watching tv shows
watching movies
reading
listening to music
watching sports
working out
wanking
drinking

Hi, can I tell you what one of my many hobbies are?
Sure.
I read!
Wow, me too, I love reading, what a coincidence. I read every day!
Another hobby of mine is watching films.
We are truly a real pair of hobbyists we are!
But my favourite hobby is playing videogames.
You call THAT a hobby?? That's just time wasting!

Went no conversation, ever.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

It's a matter of degree, not kind. Casually watching movies may not be a hobby, but home theater is, and I'll give /you/ a funny look if you say it's not. Same thing with all the other options -- there are ways to turn pretty much anything into a hobby.

Then again, whoever said a hobby had to be creative? A hobby is basically anything that you voluntarily do for a significant portion of your free time. Which means if anything, it's mutually inclusive with time killers, not exclusive.

Home theater? How?

Oh ok, anything you do a lot in your spare time is a hobby.

My hobbies:
playing videogames
walking the dog
watching tv shows
watching movies
reading
listening to music
watching sports
working out
wanking
drinking

Hi, can I tell you what one of my many hobbies are?
Sure.
I read!
Wow, me too, I love reading, what a coincidence. I read every day!
Another hobby of mine is watching films.
We are truly a real pair of hobbyists we are!
But my favourite hobby is playing videogames.
You call THAT a hobby?? That's just time wasting!

Went no conversation, ever.

Home theater is actually pretty involved as a hobby -- if you're really into it, it's similar to designing and building gaming PCs. Same kind of modular upgrading, slotting in new components periodically. And there's a lot more tweaking if you do it right, you have to know how to use an SPL meter to get everything dialed in, and if you have the money, there's things like room treatments and bias lighting to deal with as well. If all you have is a home theater in a box and you have no idea how to set it up properly, sure, that's not really a hobby. But then you're probably not really into home theater if that's what you have, either. You're just someone who bought some equipment they don't know how to use.

 

[Bestival]

Hobby:

1.
an activity or interest pursued for pleasure or relaxation and not as a main occupation.


Of course gaming is a hobby. TBH I find those of you that think it, and reading, watching movies and listening to music, aren't, rather peculiar.
If that were true I'd literally have NO hobbies what so ever.