The Definition of a Core Gamer

[Tellyn]

E3 is almost over, and in terms of Nintendo's offerings, most people on here are bitterly disappointed with what they saw. Reggie's promise of games for the 'core gamer' arguably wasn't fulfilled, yet he references Animal Crossing (which will probably be brilliant) and GTA (which we haven't even seen anything of) as the only reasons why the 'core gamer' should be pleased with E3.

 

I know a lot of people who have been having a good laugh at one of Katsua Eguchi's comments on 'core games'. "What is a core user? Everyone has a different definition. My definition of a core gamer is someone who likes games. For me, a core user is someone who sits down for a long period of time and enjoys his game."

 

This doesn't represent Nintendo, it's one man's personal opinion of what he thinks a core game is, and I happen to agree. Most people expect a 'core' game to be an FPS or an epic 150 hour adventure with super high-res graphics, but that seems a bit stereotypical. What does the term 'core game' even mean, surely it shouldn't matter as long as you enjoy a game and feel as though you haven't wasted money on it?

 

What are your thoughts on this?

[Cube]

Well...if you really wanted to define what a "core" game is, then you've got to dismiss all popular games that some people claim are "core" like FF, GTA, MGS, Zelda, Halo, etc and focus on those games that generally only the big gamers like - stuff like Metroid and F-Zero.

[mcj metroid]

everyone used to know what a core user is

 

although when the wii brought in the words "core user" it was different it used to be what a hardcore gamer was.

 

I mean now you're apparantly called a core user if you play games like animal crossing and gta? they "used" to be casual gamers? But now the words casual gamer has a different definition also?

 

seems we have ALL lowered out standards.

 

I am not happy with the way things are going though.. Give me "nintendo are making too many kiddy games" over "nintendo are making too many toys" anyday!

I miss the fucking gamecube days so much.

[Flaight]

I said this in the temporary forum, but this E3's Nintendo presentation feels so much like a stopgap for Nintendo in that they held back deliberately. I think they could've shown a lot more if they wanted to, whatever their plan is. E3 has had trouble since the chairman changed and several big names broke away from the registration. Not that it has any bearing on it, but I'm just saying, E3 is but one medium and it seems these days that many devs consider their own workflow more than timing everything for E3.

 

Reggie's remark seems stopgap-ish too, in that all he was doing was say something just to get away with as little as possible. Obviously I have no proof for that any more than a proof to say he was serious, but if it really was a stopgap, then I think there's no need to read so much into that statement. (as in, how Nintendo views and tackles the so called core mainstream.)

 

If anything, I think we run the danger of reading far too much into that statement for our own good.

 

EDIT: oh just to put my own answer to the title, to me core gamer refers to the old fashioned bunch of gamers as it were in the old mainstream. How that's evolving now, I don't know.

[D_prOdigy]

I genuinely think that this is a never-ending argument where they'd always be someone disagreeing with someone else, thus rendering the whole thing slightly obselete.

 

"Casual gamers" and "Core gamers" (if you want to use those ghastly words) are whatever you, the player, makes them to be.

 

There, everyone's right *exiting thread forever*.

[Flaight]

Yeah I think you're right.

 

Actually, this reminds me of an age old comic strips (can't remember where it came from, probably from early 90s) where there are bunch of gamers arguing about who's more hardcore, which went something like:

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------

"I'm the most hardcore here."

"No you're not, I am."

"No, I am HARDCORE!"

"No, I am MORE hardcore!"

"I am FAR MORE hardcore than that!"

"No, it's me!"

"No, I'm more sad!"

"No, you are not, *I* am more sad!"

"No, I am FAR MORE sad than you will ever be!!"

"NO! I AM WORSE!"

"NO! I AM!!"

"NO!! I AM THE SADDEST PERSON IN THE WORLD OK??????"

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------

... and so he earned himself the privilege of being the saddest person. Extraordinarily silly from the outside, but a serious battle of honour for us gamers... or so it was said back then.

[Patch]

Does this record sound broken to anyone?

 

I genuinely think that this is a never-ending argument where they'd always be someone disagreeing with someone else, thus rendering the whole thing slightly obselete.

 

Amen to that. It's completely subjective with no definitive answer.

 

My definition, for what it's worth, is someone who plays games as a hobby as opposed to someone who plays games every now and then.

[Caris]

Nintendo are a Business and just like every Business there aim is to make money. Nintendo have a found a market were casual games sell shit loads, i can't see them changing that this generation.

 

Were almost 2 years into this gen and if we were honestly gonna see a lot of hardcore games, we would have buy now. We will probably just get a few a year.

[Tellyn]

Nintendo are a Business and just like every Business there aim is to make money. Nintendo have a found a market were casual games sell shit loads, i can't see them changing that this generation.

 

Were almost 2 years into this gen and if we were honestly gonna see a lot of hardcore games, we would have buy now. We will probably just get a few a year.

 

Yeah, but what does a game need to qualify as hardcore? I think it's pretty subjective, but Eguchi was pretty bang on with his comment. What does it matter what the media categorise a game as, as long as gamers can enjoy it and spend a long time with it?

[Flaight]

I agree with Caris in a "conventional" sense, as we tend to refer to the pre-Wii/DS gaming to be the "core" part of mainstream. And I used to get chest deep, no, head deep in all that too. The funny thing is, I do that now with all these Nintendo games ever more so than before. So that begs the question, has "core" for me changed? I think it has. Even with me alone, it has something of a different meaning from 5 years ago.

 

That goes to show how volatile this whole "core" thing is. And yeah, Eguchi got it spot on as Tellyn said, seeing it as a broad subject I think Eguchi put it wonderfully.

[darkjak]

A core gamer has no problems with understanding the controls of most games. A core gamer wants immersion. A core game wants possibilities. A core gamer wants something to measure how good he is (level, number of unlocks unlocked and so on), a core gamer has a goal in each game. And of course a core gamer understands and likes a wealth of genres.

[Flaight]

And of course a core gamer understands and likes a wealth of genres.

I hope so...! I really do. I fear that too many people out there don't think like that.

[Emasher]

A core gamer has no problems with understanding the controls of most games. A core gamer wants immersion. A core game wants possibilities. A core gamer wants something to measure how good he is (level, number of unlocks unlocked and so on), a core gamer has a goal in each game. And of course a core gamer understands and likes a wealth of genres.

 

Thats almost a perfect definition I think. But you may want to add:

 

"A core gamer takes games more seriously".

[Gaijin von Snikbah]

A core gamer drives a lamborghini while a casual gamer drives a mini.

[Tyson]

Well, I was speaking to my Xbox-only friend, and from what he tells me I'm casual because I don't play games built around big men, bigger muscles and guns. So yeah, you're casual if you've yet to sell your soul to the colour brown.

[Fierce_LiNk]

A core gamer is very much like a music zealot.

 

They both look far too heavily on the technical aspect of music/games. For a start, a core gamer will look at a few selected genres indepthy, namely FPS, whereas a music zealot will look at metal, or hard rock.

 

Core gamers look for specific things in games. Set pieces which feature heavy sets of dialogue which encompass the storyline of the game, action, as well as music to fit the mood. A guitarist also is the same. They look for structure, for the over-the-top solos which require you to move your hands faster than the speed of light, one handed, whilst the other hands is playing an entirely different solo on the other guitar which is situated in the city of Boston.

 

Core gamers will look at certain developers as if they can do nothing wrong. The same can be said for guitarists, and their love for their fellow musicians. They will forever trawl the internet looking for fansites where they can rant and rave about the technical aspects of the piece they are learning, forgetting whether or not they are actually enjoying the song, or having fun whilst listening or playing along.

 

The comparisons are there. More will be found, but these are the few that came to me at the top of my head at half past 1 on a Friday late night/Saturday morning.

[Emasher]

Core gamers will look at certain developers as if they can do nothing wrong. The same can be said for guitarists, and their love for their fellow musicians. They will forever trawl the internet looking for fansites where they can rant and rave about the technical aspects of the piece they are learning, forgetting whether or not they are actually enjoying the song, or having fun whilst listening or playing along.

 

You sure you're not confusing "core gamer" and "fanboy".

[Flaight]

For a start, a core gamer will look at a few selected genres indepthy, namely FPS

Add sport and RPG to that mate

 

But yeah I think that's more like it too FL. That's why I felt uneasy with darkjak's line "a core gamer understands and likes a wealth of genres". I don't think a core understands and likes "a wealth" of genres. If they did, a lot of debate we've been having here wouldn't exist. I AM a part of core gamer too, or I have been, and I think I still am, but I don't think I'm a typical 'core' gamer in that I lost steam due to over a decade of 'core' gaming. Same thing over and over...

You sure you're not confusing "core gamer" and "fanboy".

I think there's a thin line between those. A certain genre fanboys certainly fit into FL's description. Like FPS fanboy or Gr4F1x fanboy.

[Emasher]

Those who call themselves core gamers but really only play shooters are generally fadders rather than gamers. Fadders only think they are core gamers.

[Flaight]

I think like that too mate but not sure if the large bulk of pre-Wii mainstream think like that. It's one thing to talk about ideal definition, something else about general perception.

[Hero-of-Time]

For me the definition of a core gamer is someone who enjoys games but also takes an interest in the world of gaming by checking the news, internet sites, conferences etc.

 

I dont think you can define what kind of gamer someone is by what games they play as its all a question of taste.

[Jamba]

Think that Eguchi is pretty right. Personally though, I don't think that AC is a core game at least it's definitely not core enough to satisfy the gamers that Reggie has been preaching that his has not forgotten.

[mariosmentor]

I always looked at it like a casual gamer is someone who plays games for quick fun and enjoyment.

 

A core gamer plays games more like a hobby, intensely.

 

A comparison could be to movie goers, some people see movies every once in a while and enjoy the summer blockbusters and generally alot of Hollywood movies.

 

But a frequent film goer who reads about upcoming movies, directors, notices what actors are rising and falling, notices and awaits good foreign films etc. may come to expect something deeper and more complex from films. They want an intriguing plot, a visual style, look for great acting, structure etc. This is not to say they can't enjoy the blockbusters aswell.

 

 

Nintendo however is focusing on games for the masses, the majority of which are short, enjoyable but don't care about those that make a hobby out of games.

 

Sure they release the core games, SMG, Metroid Prime 3 etc. but from this years E3 is obvious core gamers are not their market anymore.

[Phube]

 

but from this years E3 is obvious core gamers is not E3's target audience anymore.

 

Fixed.

[Konfucius]

For me a core-gamer is someone who prefers complexity over simplicity. I don't mean to say that a core-gamer wants complicated things although complexity and complication can be very close to one another.

I think more along the lines of complex level design, story, gameplay etc.

A simple example for me is Mario Kart Wii. Simplicity over Complexity: no brakes, wide tracks, little driving skill required, easy to gain boost when drifting...