Ah, the "hardcore" gamer movement. Oh how I hate you. I hate you so, so much. We all know about this. "The "hardcore" gamer with there "core" games are the ones that the industry should really be focusing on", we all say. I am not here to talk about the rising popularity of "casual" games, nor am I here today to talk about "core" games. No, I am here to talk about the "hardcore" gamer, and what makes me detest that mindset. Strap in, because this is going to be a rather large wall 'o text.
The "hardcore" gamer seems to arrived in recent years as a response to the growing popularity of Facebook and iPhone games (those so-called "casual" games), and in response to the growing accessibility of the industry. These people believe that the so-called "core" are the only way the industry can move forward. They usually believe that "casual" games are killing the industry, and "casual" gamers (those who play these "casual" games, even though there is nothing casual about many of them) are the bane of the earth. The term "casual gamer" has become an insult. "Casual" gamers are not considered "true" or "real" gamers. Never mind that this seems to be a blatant No-True-Scotsman [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_true_Scotsman] fallacy on the part of those making it, it is just plain wrong. I do not think I have to tell you, dear reader, why it is so wrong to label someone "inferior" somehow because of such an arbitrary decision like whether or not they play Mafia Wars.
What scares me even more is that this mindset is becoming ever more common. Gamers increasingly label themselves as "hardcore" and label the ones who play games they do not like "casual" and often treat them with contempt. How many rants have you seen on the negative effects that casual games have on the industry, eh? How many rants have you seen about how those who only play Wii Sports at parties are ruining the industry? How many rants have you seen about how those who play Farmville in between checking e-mails at the office are ruining the industry? How many rants have you seen about how those who only play Halo or Call Of Duty in fraternities are ruining the industry? Heck, how many times have you made those rants yourself? Good gravy people, can we just sit back and take a look at what we are doing for one second? Our industry already gets enough flack, do we really need to attract more by acting like stuck-up snobs? The industry still creates our precious "core" games by the hundreds, so what do we have to worry about or fear?
It just boggles my mind. Why do we feel the need to label ourselves as somehow "different" or "superior" than others? Is it because of the increasing prevalence of games in our everyday lives? Is it because of the fact that when everyone is a gamer, no one is, and we somehow feel the need to distance ourselves from those who play Angry Birds? We are "core" games the only true way for the medium to advance? Have we become so arrogant that we believe ours is the one and only true way for the medium to advance to it's artistic and creative heights? If so, why are we the only one who are right? Why can't Farmville and Deus Ex live in harmony with each other, in the same industry? Why does one have to be ruining the other? Why does this mindset continue, and how do we stop it? Can it be stopped? I sincerely hope it can. I hope we can reverse this mindset and make the industry a nicer, better place for everyone who plays games.
This rant is not to decry those who profess to be "hardcore" gamers and detest casual games are not "real" gamers or are inferior to the "true" gamers who love everything. I would then be committing a No-True-Scotsman [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_true_Scotsman] fallacy myself, and I seek to avoid that. Nor was this rant to meant to insult anyone. This rant is just to point out to those who do profess to be "hardcore" gamers who hate "casual" games that they may need to rethink their mindset on this, for they just might be in the wrong here. Shocking, I know, but people can be wrong sometimes. As for myself, I refuse to label myself as a "Hardcore" gamer from know on, and I refuse to hate on casual games and gamers. On one final note, to those who do not like the way the industry is going (as if anyone really knows were the industry is going), vote with your wallets. It will speak volumes more than any rant you make on a forum.
P.S. I know this has been said many times before by those much more well spoken than I, but this has been building up in my head for awhile, and I just needed to get it out of my system. Catharsis is a grand thing, don't you know. Also, thanks to all of those who actually read the whole entire thing! You are an inspiration to us all!
Have a nice day, everyone!
BreakfastMan out.
The "hardcore" gamer seems to arrived in recent years as a response to the growing popularity of Facebook and iPhone games (those so-called "casual" games), and in response to the growing accessibility of the industry. These people believe that the so-called "core" are the only way the industry can move forward. They usually believe that "casual" games are killing the industry, and "casual" gamers (those who play these "casual" games, even though there is nothing casual about many of them) are the bane of the earth. The term "casual gamer" has become an insult. "Casual" gamers are not considered "true" or "real" gamers. Never mind that this seems to be a blatant No-True-Scotsman [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_true_Scotsman] fallacy on the part of those making it, it is just plain wrong. I do not think I have to tell you, dear reader, why it is so wrong to label someone "inferior" somehow because of such an arbitrary decision like whether or not they play Mafia Wars.
What scares me even more is that this mindset is becoming ever more common. Gamers increasingly label themselves as "hardcore" and label the ones who play games they do not like "casual" and often treat them with contempt. How many rants have you seen on the negative effects that casual games have on the industry, eh? How many rants have you seen about how those who only play Wii Sports at parties are ruining the industry? How many rants have you seen about how those who play Farmville in between checking e-mails at the office are ruining the industry? How many rants have you seen about how those who only play Halo or Call Of Duty in fraternities are ruining the industry? Heck, how many times have you made those rants yourself? Good gravy people, can we just sit back and take a look at what we are doing for one second? Our industry already gets enough flack, do we really need to attract more by acting like stuck-up snobs? The industry still creates our precious "core" games by the hundreds, so what do we have to worry about or fear?
It just boggles my mind. Why do we feel the need to label ourselves as somehow "different" or "superior" than others? Is it because of the increasing prevalence of games in our everyday lives? Is it because of the fact that when everyone is a gamer, no one is, and we somehow feel the need to distance ourselves from those who play Angry Birds? We are "core" games the only true way for the medium to advance? Have we become so arrogant that we believe ours is the one and only true way for the medium to advance to it's artistic and creative heights? If so, why are we the only one who are right? Why can't Farmville and Deus Ex live in harmony with each other, in the same industry? Why does one have to be ruining the other? Why does this mindset continue, and how do we stop it? Can it be stopped? I sincerely hope it can. I hope we can reverse this mindset and make the industry a nicer, better place for everyone who plays games.
This rant is not to decry those who profess to be "hardcore" gamers and detest casual games are not "real" gamers or are inferior to the "true" gamers who love everything. I would then be committing a No-True-Scotsman [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_true_Scotsman] fallacy myself, and I seek to avoid that. Nor was this rant to meant to insult anyone. This rant is just to point out to those who do profess to be "hardcore" gamers who hate "casual" games that they may need to rethink their mindset on this, for they just might be in the wrong here. Shocking, I know, but people can be wrong sometimes. As for myself, I refuse to label myself as a "Hardcore" gamer from know on, and I refuse to hate on casual games and gamers. On one final note, to those who do not like the way the industry is going (as if anyone really knows were the industry is going), vote with your wallets. It will speak volumes more than any rant you make on a forum.
P.S. I know this has been said many times before by those much more well spoken than I, but this has been building up in my head for awhile, and I just needed to get it out of my system. Catharsis is a grand thing, don't you know. Also, thanks to all of those who actually read the whole entire thing! You are an inspiration to us all!
Have a nice day, everyone!
BreakfastMan out.
