What is your definition of a Gamer?

[Loyalty]

Basically anyone who plays games (Phone Gamers are not real gamers)

[pawgKing]

Lets be real here guys, for all of us that grew up on Flash games (literally what mobile games are) back in the day as dumb kids on the early internet, I think we can all agree their are levels to this.
The way I see it we all started somewhere and that "start" nurtured our curiosity into a passion, hobby, etc... I would say those levels are as follows:

Virgin Gamer (Toe-Dip'ers as I call them) :
- Just beginning to start games or just bored and need something to keep their interest for a few hours (lets not forget their are actually game games on the mobile platform like the FF series)

Rising Gamer:
-Been playing for a good while but have a poor knowledge of the classics ('70s - '03 by my opinion)

Gamer:
-Well rounded consumer of electronic pleasantries, has a pretty decent knowledge of the classics and is aware of the current climate of gaming. I personally think this definition of 'gamer' is important because without prior knowledge of the past you will unknowingly created a objectively terrible future (loot boxes anyone ?) by voting for the wrong stuff with your wallet. The current climate of gaming right now is pretty loose because the true definition of a "gamer" has been cased to everyone (by the fake media) instead of the niche few of us that actually have a passion for this. I would argue the very reason Battlefield V(Wahmen) failed was because they didn't understand (or rather cared) who their core demographic was.

That being said i don't think its conducive to alienate "mobile gamers", but rather put them in the proper category.

[Shrevident]

Really, just anyone who plays games on a regular basis. If I were forced to make an arbitrary cutoff, I'd say if you play some sort of video game for at least 5 hours a week, you're a gamer and not just someone who occasionally games.

Mobile games are a tough call. They are technically video games (for the most part). You cannot deny that. Candy Crush, no matter how disgustingly unfair and over-monetized, is a video game.

I don't think being elitist does anyone any favors. I think "casual" vs "hardcore" labels are fine if they're not used to demean anyone. It should just be about that person's approach and mindset.

[Nerdy Mim]

I think that's a really interesting thought actually, I myself consider myself a gamer. Yet I will pretty much only play solo, story-driven titles on my PS4 or PC... I have a nasty habit of sneering at mobile titles so perhaps I am just a bit of a snob?

Or maybe it's just because mobile games usually seem to be low effort cash grabs so perhaps that's why I dismiss them.

[Jokerthefoolio]

I've been PC gaming since 2012, really dumb of me to not include the PC crowd. I do have to agree with on that, though a lot of people who play mobile game like candy crush or boom beach aren't people who would be inclined to post on EG forums or read up on gaming news

[Zeno]

I would say that anyone who goes out of their way to buy something specifically to play games on (Console/PC/Handheld) is a gamer. I don't consider people who only play games on their phones to be gamers, they are just finding something to kill time with, and a game happens to be at the touch of their screen.
That's just my opinion.
The difference between a gamer, and someone simply playing a game, is intent.

[Bella Desiare]

To me, a gamer is simply someone who loves to play games and enjoys the challenge of learning and beating them.

It doesn't matter if it's the 10-year-old in front of the tv, clutching the Atari stick and trying to beat her little brother at Pong.

Or the same 10-year old who would spend hours with her brother playing Battleship and Connect Four.

Or the 12-year old sitting on her Grandma's bed with a beat up deck of cards playing Solitaire for hours just so she can claim more wins than losses

Or the 13-year old who got excited that her parents had declared it game night and the Monopoly board came out.

The 18-year old who giggled her way through playing Leisure Suit Larry on her parents' computer when they weren't looking.

The 25-year old woman who built her first computer just so she could play Diablo.

The 47-year old woman who has been playing Lotro for almost 9 years running.


And, to me, it doesn't matter if it's the person who plays Farmville every day for the challenge of seeing how big they can grow their farm or the person who buys every FPS game and masters them in a matter of days. All that matters is that they play and they enjoy playing. That, to me, defines a gamer.

(and yes, all of the girls in the above examples are me over the course of my life. That was just a small sampling because I didn't feel like writing War and Peace in the forums. :P)

[twidget]

Are you kidding about what constitutes "a real gamer"?

[Aidy]

*takes notes*
*...someone who plays games I play: gamer*
*...someone who plays games I don't play: LITERALLY HITLER*

[Inkdipper]

There are two main uses that I've noticed:
- Anyone who chooses to play video games is a gamer. Gamer is a blanket term, a spectrum that doesn't count for playtime.
- Gamer is a title to describe gaming enthusiasts who are passionate about games and invested.

But we all know you're not a real gamer unless you're addicted. Do you even game bro?

[isturbo1984]

I don't think the problem for some is whether or not mobile gamers are considered gamers... it is whether or not mobile games are considered video games. they are in a subset so far removed from traditional video game culture and practices, all the way down to how you play to how they are marketing and developed. There is a good case that dictates they are little more than electronic gambling machines, not actual video games.

[baboon]

As long as someone has an ongoing interest in games I'd say they're a gamer. My only exception to that is if they exclusively play games that are designed with no other purpose then to part you with your money.

Yes, that's my second point. Filthy casuals who only play mobile games, FIFA/Madden etc and ruin the market for the rest of us by buying loot boxes and PTW micro-transactions are a huge problem as they distort the market for people who actually CARE about gaming. Maybe that is the definition of a gamer?

My mother may play Farmville but no way in hell is she buying anything with real money, she objects to it. If you are dumb enough to make a game free to play don't complain when you don't get any money for it!

So yes, that portion of the (non-existent) "community" has a lot to answer for, and we need to reach out to them, educate them and help them understand it's not cool to support being exploited.

[baboon]

My definition of a gamer is someone who plays videogames. Doesn't matter if it's on mobile, a virtual version of a board game or what-have-you. If you play any of those, you are a gamer. Even if you don't do it all that often.

I agree. I see even guys like TheQuartering dismissing people who play mobile games or things like Farmville and I disagree, if you like playing video games of any type, you are by definition a gamer.

I'm not accusing Jeremy of elitism and I do understand his position, but my mother for example plays Farmville religiously. She really enjoys it. She even farms her friend's farms when they are on holiday!

I think the definition of a gamer needs to be established and agreed on.

That said, I hate this overuse of the term "community" these days. What do I have in common with a thirteen year old Hindu speaker in India who plays GTA Online? Not much. But yet we are supposedly part of a community???

[MakeGamesGreatAgain]

Thanks, that definitely clarifies it.

Lots of Candy Crush saga games and the other junk.

And you’re right, you think about your genre of game before you do anything.

‘Games’ like SW:GOH with their endless grinding of new characters is a great example of a game I get bored of in 3 months and leave behind.

Also, I’d give you a like for that response, if I could.

[Lehran]

As long as someone has an ongoing interest in games I'd say they're a gamer. My only exception to that is if they exclusively play games that are designed with no other purpose then to part you with your money.