The Different Types of Gamers

Back in the days when gaming was niche, everyone was grouped into one category. If you played video games, you were a gamer. This situation worked fine for a while, but nowadays, nearly everyone plays video games. I would hardly call even half of these people gamers, and therefore I feel there needs to be some categorization. Here are the different types I’ve come up with...

The Casual Gamer

This person only plays a small handful of games, and he sees gaming as a social experience. Video games play a small role in his life, and he would almost never call himself a “gamer†in public. He usually plays party games on the Wii and cheerful titles that have little difficulty. He (or she) may also play more traditionally “hardcore†games, albeit with an unsusually limited time commitment.

How to Find One

Visit your grandparents house and see if they have a gaming console. The most “hardcore†game my grandpa owns is Endless Ocean. Gaming there sure was a joy.

The Hardcore Gamer

This is the guy you think of when you think “gamer.†He plays many different types of games of many different genres. Gaming plays a very large role in his life, usually as his primary hobby. Gaming is his passion and obsession, and he is proud of it.

Many say being a hardcore gamer relies on skill, but I disagree. I say it relies on passion. Passion leads to sinking time into games. This will usually develop skill, but even if it doesn't, the person is still hardcore.

How to Find One

Go to the abandoned house down the street. You’ll find the door locked. Sneak inside into the basement. You may find that this house is not actually abandoned; there is likely a pale-skinned man with long hair and fingernails sitting in front of a screen with twitching eyes. Welcome to gaming, my friend.

The Genre Gamer

This person only plays one type of genre. He loves the genre so much that he prefers to explore every inch of the library it offers, rather than branch off. He spends most of his time playing video games, and is very knowledgeable about his genre.

How to Find One

Find a way to access the Hardcore Gamer’s friends list. Scroll through until you find one of his (few) friends that looks like the following. One of them is bound to be a Genre Gamer.

The Achievement Gamer

This guy only buys games for the achievements/trophies. He tosses the game to the side soon after. He doesn't care how bad the game is, as long as the achievements are easy. However, if someone goes for achievements but doesn't buy the games based on them, he fits into “hardcore†gamer.

How to Find One

You see that full grown man in GameStop buying Hannah Montana: The Movie, Terminator: Salvation, and Disney Pixar’s UP? Now you know why.

The MMORPG Gamer

This guy spends his days playing an MMORPG like RuneScape or World of Warcraft. This is the only game he plays; after all, he’s paying for a subscription. While having a personality similar to a hardcore or “genre†gamer, he is often considered to be a bit lower on the food chain for not having as much knowledge of the industry. However, he has a lot of knowledge about his particular MMORPG.

How to Find One

Join an MMO, because you will never meet one of these gamers otherwise. They tend to be reclusive with those not of their own kind.

The Wannabe Gamer

This guy only plays one game. This is not because he is paying for a subscription, but because he thinks his game is the best thing since sliced bread. He refuses to acknowledge any other game in the industry, but calls himself a gamer nonetheless. An example being any kid who plays Call of Duty all day. That is the only game he buys every year, yet he calls himself “hardcore.†These guys are often hated by the more hardcore community for being arrogant sheep. He will praise his game no matter how shallow it is.

How to Find One

Try a middle school, high school, or college. These guys are everywhere. They only play Call of Duty and Madden, and maybe some FIFA or Halo. Try suggesting any other game to them. If their first response is “*game* has terrible grafiks and Call o’ Doodie has da best graphics EVAR!!!†you've found your guy.

The App Gamer

People who fit into this category often play games like Farmville and Angry Birds. Some of them consider themselves hardcore, because they wake up in the middle of the night to check their crops. Others wouldn't even call themselves gamers. Regardless, I believe they are all in this category, for the sole reason that they don’t seek more substantial experiences.

How to Find One

Create a Facebook and add some women onto it. They will soon spam your inbox with Farmville requests. Yep, that’s social networking for ya.

The Online Gamer

This gamer’s primary way to play is through online shooters, racing games, action games, or pretty much any game with competitive multiplayer functionality He plays a variety and has a wide palette, but he can’t appreciate the artfulness of the single player experience. He sometimes enters tournaments, but he doesn't count on winning enough to make substantial earnings.

How to Find One

Drive to your nearest golf, skating, or go kart area. It doesn't matter really, it just needs laser tag. Sign up for a laser tag match. If no one stands out, sign up again. Eventually, there will be someone who dominates, whether through sniping, ganking, or just run n’ gunning. There’s your online gamer.

The Professional Gamer

These are those Korean guys you see on TV battling in Starcraft or some other online game. They make their living playing in tournaments. They often specialize in just one game. Their excuse, of course, is that it’s their job. These guys are the cream of the crop; they are gaming’s elite. Their average income is only about 20k a year, however.

How to Find One

Go to your nearest arcade, or play a video game that has an arcade mode. Look at the high score table. See that high score? You can guess who set that record.

The PC Elitist

These guys are intent on barging into every conversation about consoles to insist that PCs are the best. Well, yeah, guy... We realize PCs are best, but most of us can’t afford them! These guys don’t care. They believe that if you can’t afford a gaming PC, you don’t have a right to game.

How to Find One

Type into Google “PS3 vs Xbox 360.†You’ll find the professionals siding with the PS3, the fan-boys siding with the 360, and a couple of PC elitists bashing them both. Are they right? Sure, PC is the best. That doesn't mean what they are saying is relevant to PS3 vs Xbox 360.

What about You?

What category do you fit into? I became a casual gamer in 2003, and became a hardcore gamer in 2009. RPGs became my favorite genre in 2011, but I still play other games, and am therefore still classified as hardcore. Do you have any other categories to add? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!