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What does it mean to be a "Hardcore Gamer"? (Patreon)

Published:
2021-01-15 00:25:31
Imported:
2026-06
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All the time me and Dan see people say "This is for hardcore gamers," and it kinda used to make sense - gaming used to be more niche.  But at this point we are not so sure what people mean by this term anymore.

In 2021 most Americans play video games, and some genres that used to be considered nerdy (like RPGs) are selling millions of copies day one.  How can something be "hardcore" if such a thing makes more money than mainstream movies?

So what do you all think?  Does the term mean anything to you anymore?   Did it use  to? Did it ever?

You have ~16 hours from now to submit your thoughts, comments, concerns, and opinions about this subject in the comments below!

Comments

Bollocks

The Hardcore is defined by their dedication to sticking to something until they have mastered it, then either moving on - or finding new ways of playing the Game they have chosen as a victim.

Alexander

It definitely comes from a weird place of elitism, similar to the PCMR mentality. Making other people's way of enjoying a hobby seem "less than" is definitely.. not sure what word, but "shitty" will suffice. I do however understand that there is some kind of distinction between people who's idea of gaming is mostly iphone apps, maybe the sims or animal crossing at the most involved, as opposed to people playing Doom Eternal. Not sure where the line is, if there is one. I don't use the term myself, other than maybe for the competitive gaming types playing 16 hours a day.

Jacob

Does not leave a game until masters it. Definitely spends much more time playing that average gamer.

10GHz Netburst

I never really liked the term hardcore for gaming, I always preferred using competitiveness as a metric. When people talk to me about "hardcore gamers" I basically automatically translate it into competitive... Not necessarily professional tier, but definitely playing for performance or to compete in rankings or just with the objective of being a better player rather than "merely having fun".

Holden Mobley

I would say "hardcore gamer" now is more indicative of how much self value a gamer finds in being a master of the games they play. Similar to a hardcore enthusiast of any hobby. In the past, I would say simply going all in on video games as a time investment was enough to claim being hardcore. Now that MMR and ELOs typically determine match ups in PvP games, being simply good compared to your local players or simply having a lot of time logged, doesnt mean anything anymore. You are now being compared to a whole world of players. You can only be more than mediocre on a global level if you dedicate time, and effort, on average more than most players. Being in a higher percentile in most areas of the games you play is what makes you the hardcore player.

oglack

I think its one of those things that can be turned in to a circle jerk if taken too seriously. Though I might turn my head just a little bit if my mum who plays candy crush on her tablet professed to be a hardcore gamer, I think its a valid term for whoever wishes to call themselves as such. The speedrunner honing their skills for hours upon hours on a 5 second sequence? the CS ex competitive player who still plays a lot but mostly for fun? The middle aged hipster who unwinds during the evening over copious Skyrim session after skyrim session. Or myself, who plays a variety of games, constantly dipping my toe in to many different scenes without ever wholly committing? (cept i reckon i could smash you and dan in a BFV showdown js) Though previously I would hold the "hardcore gamer" title as some sort of sick and twisted trophy for the hours wasted in front of a screen, as a friend once told me "I didnt skip school to play WoW because I wanted to, I did it because I had to". the digital equivalent of college students bragging over how often they black out and the shit they shovel up their nose. Ultimately what im saying is that its kind of meaningless and somewhat juvenile to me, despite it being technically more correct in some situations than others. I say its applicable to whoever wants to call them self such because really I think its a pointless statement and it doesnt matter at all.

Andy Crawley

My definition would be the people that grew up in the 80s and early 90s that still game today. We have been there from the start and seen how things have progressed like hardware and graphics. I know there are people that master certain games like first person shooters. There's speed runners. People trying to complete games to 100%, achievement hunters. Today's standards of a hardcore gamet are alot different than when we were young. I have owned almost all the systems at one point or another, or have played on them from friends growing up. Enjoying all aspects from old to new should be a consideration not just mastering one game or showing how much time you have in a couple games.

Mican Andrews

I don't think the term hardcore gamer applies maybe classic gamer would be more appropriate. One who has spent 8 hrs or more in an arcade or know what stacking up quarters is. Proficient in multiple genres of games ie fighting , platformers etc.

Woolly

A hard core gamer is not only some one that played video games, he also cares about video games as a medium distinct from cinema and literature.

ServersVIP

I think it's pretty simple. Hardcore gamers are willing to put the extra time and effort to be better at a video game. They are willing to deal with bugs and find every way possible to play the game they want.

Amiablechief

I do think the term came from a genuine place to start with, but took on a more elitist meaning over time as gamer skillsets grew and gaming and streaming became more competitive. If someone told me 15 years ago that you'd be able to stream and make money gaming all day, I would not have believed them. The term is also very relative and loose. For example, I thought I was a hardcore gamer until I saw a 'real' hardcore gamer. Today although I spend a not-so-insignificant portion of my very limited free time gaming I am referred to as a 'hardcore gamer' among my friends most of whom don't game at all. For my part, I would define the term 'hardcore gamer' for those who fit one or more of the following criteria - stream games for a living, play competitively, doggedly pursue and/or achieve platinum completion on multiple games or are even great at min/maxing in RPGs/Loot shooters. That said, I do think the industry needs a bit of a 'rebalance' (i.e. away from the 'hardcore') vis-a-vis the whole Twitch model, which is making gaming feel less like magic of old (e.g. the Half-life series) and more like a chore.

Ourous

To me, being a Hardcore (anything) implies a level of time/attention/financial investment in that pursuit which has a large affect on someone's life. Not necessarily in a positive or negative way, just so that they wouldn't be quite the same person without it. So it's where a hobby becomes a driving passion. There are two ways to describe people as a "Hardcore (anything)". One where it's said as a remark on their character carrying either prestige or derision, and another where it's just a fact. If you see a guy built like a tank, ask him why, and he says "I'm a hardcore bodybuilder", it's the second one. It's a lot harder to make the same assessment of "Hardcore Gamers", and so the term is used far more loosely. In my experience I find the gamers I would consider actually "Hardcore" would never describe themselves as such unless pressed on the matter. Whereas anyone who says "I'm such a hardcore gamer, I played for like 9 hours last Sunday" doesn't need the praise they're seeking, they need to go for a walk.

Chris Rijk

When I was at university, I played games on the computers there until we got kicked out at 11pm. There was no vending machines or anything so just had to starve the whole evening. I actually lost a fair bit of weight :p Does that count as hardcore or does it have to mean something more than that...?

Travis Gooding

The question that should be asked is what exactly is a "Hardcore Gamer". What illicits the title. Is it the genre of games they play? Competitive games? 50+ hour RPG gamers?. Games are games, this is like calling people who watch a lot of movies or action films hardcore movie watchers. And for other people talking about hardcore gamers as being defined by their determination or willingness to "master the game", no, are people who play chess and master the game hardcore chess players. Gaming is too mainstream and anyone who calls themselves hardcore gamers are just trying to standout and give themselves a title to differentiate from all other "casual" gamers.

CarryTrainer.Editor

People who played table top Battletech and Warhammer 40k... and painted their army of miniatures. That's hardcore ... or winning Nethack.

YB2NDBest

Back when we used to drag our bulky PC's to lan parties and game for 48 hours or more with basically zero sleep... That was considered hardcore gaming imo. These days its an arbitrary term.

Lorenzo Linares

I still use it to refer to those who are into gaming enough to, for example, becoming a patron to something like this. Sure millions of people will buy an RPG on day 1, but will they go to a message board to talk about it? There are people in this world who are highly invested in video games... they are hardcore gamers

Cleansweep

I would say that "hardcore gamer" has shifted a lot over the last 20-25 years. Back then, it was about consuming as much as possible. These days, it's probably more about being engrossed in the online conversations about gaming and/or being in the game modding sphere. The average gamer probably doesn't hang out on forums/Discords talking about games or whipping together mods for games, even if they're simple mods like controller button swaps or minor text edits.

Michael Costa

Ditto, their is a curious relationship between the people I have also observed . The self described hard core "anybody'"s whom I would also agree are hardcore( non sarcastically) really only have the the consistent trait of being ridiculously over accomplished. I play beat saber and a few other very active games in VR and if you check the global leader boards, those people in the top 100 are athletes or great hackers. Generally I think the term hard core is a joke or porn subcategory but if I'm playing my best game and your able to 10x my score consistently, and I don't suck (proved by stats, )gotta say that would make you undeniably hardcore at that activity or game. If your 9x or 3x my score then your just better or your having a better day and. People I consider Hardcore never beat me because of luck, its just over match or controlled overkill of skill. If your self proclaiming being a hard body thou and can remember being beaten recently, again take a walk and ask yourself how steep do you wanna ride down the douche slope before recognizing your loud and you suck? I'm a try hard but hard core to me has nothing to do with time invested in a game or how much DLC you bought, or even unlocking difficult achievements. I guess to summarize, for me its about mastery, consistency and versatility. From the body builder, to the boxer to the CODMWF comp gamer, ^ those are the qualifications . Anything below that is upcoming or meh.

Jeremy Lamb

Base requirement you play a shit ton of games. Next you spend money on GPUs, CPUs, super high refresh rate monitors, and high end accessories, like mouse pads, mice, mice feet, and other things like that all designed to get the most performance out of your system and yourself while you play. Basically you plan out all of your purchases meticulously. Also as others have stated I think hardcore gamers are involved in communities like this and subreddits contributing and trying to figure out everything about the genre or game someone is obsessed with.

Michael Costa

more then a 3 color minimum and based.^

Clint Hoffman

Hard core - You dedicate your free time to playing video games. Your excess cash supports your gaming. This can be multiple consoles/systems and hardware to support it. You are likely to be part of online communities related to gaming. You are more likely to play a variety of games and/or have a long term online game you play in between sampling others. Edit : To clarify - Hard core gaming does not immediately imply technical/technological intelligence. Ex. Just because you are a Hard Core Gamer, it doesn't mean you understand tech or make smart purchases. This seems to be the exact opposite of what most Hard Core Gamers think of themselves.