Casual Shinji said:
Sorta.
But it's more than that. There's fans out there who have invested so much of themselves into their gaming hobby that they feel sort of an ownership over it, and anyone who comes along with a lesser credence will be seen as unworthy of joining in.
Not that I know anyone who's that into games (or who regularly games at all), but I reckon it's the same for any hobby.
That. The investment is severe in some cases, and not seeing that investment be recognized can be taken as a very personal blow, by some.
Take XCOM: Enemy Unknown, for instance. The remake simplifies several mechanics, but the game still is gripping and utterly engaging. It's still unforgiving and suitably complex. You'll still have anxiety attacks at the thought of choosing to build another Laboratory over assembling another Carapace Armor, because you'll have stuck one of your favorite newbies in low-tier gear for a few turns longer.
Unfortunately, a lot of people raged about the core mechanics' changes, on the Steam forum. Some people grew up with fifteen-men Skyrangers and Action Points and were so pissed off by the fact that Firaxis didn't maintain these mechanics that they disavowed the remake entirely, calling it "casual".
Having played Candy Crush, I'd have to say it's comparable to a Mario game. At first, you're stuck with the saccharine themes and easy-peasy levels. Of course, that's going to look casual to you; especially if you happen to come from a triple-A background. Then, things start to ramp up. You really have to work that brain to get those three-star ratings, and you have so few moves to use that everything needs to be premeditated and planned out. I guarantee there's a point where I felt like I was playing a round of high-stakes professional-grade chess.
And, well? That's not terribly casual, is it?
The casual gamer is someone who's in it purely for the entertainment, and not the challenge. He's the guy who hands you the controller when things get too tight, and who's never really dug into a specific genre or franchise. Hardcore types tend to react as though that were bad, but it's not. Not everyone considers that being stumped against something that's supposed to fill your leisure hours is something that's enjoyable. That's why I've never minded that some games could be played through with your eyes closed, while others actually demand careful attention. The so-called Gamer Cred doesn't require anyone to push through Dark Souls or The Witcher. Anyone who insists on telling me that I'm not a gamer because I've never played one game or another isn't worthy of my consideration, honestly.
I want a challenge? I boot up XCOM. I want to kill time or just vent some stress out from my system? I'll boot up The Sims 3 and kill me some virtual people, or get a dopamine rush out of looking at fake persons getting job promotions or tearing up at the sight of a newly-begun pregnancy. Or I'll boot up Skyrim and have another round of fake people telling me just how awesome or fearsome I am.
A casual is someone who gets the same rushes out of games who simply happen to be less complex. There's nothing wrong with that.