Question: How do you feel about terms like “casual gamer” or “hardcore gamer?”
I hate terms. A Flappy Bird addict versus an MLG player, both love what they’re playing. Some people are just more passionate about a certain game or genre than others, and others play professionally. Whether it’s competitive gaming or full-time commentaries on Twitch or YouTube. Someone calling themselves a “hardcore gamer” is as ridiculous sounding as someone calling themselves a “girl gamer.” We get it. In the end, we all love video games.
My name is Beau Ryan and I’m the Head of Entertainment at Robotoki. I’m basically leading a brand new entertainment division at a indie video game studio. I love the entertainment and game industry, so as a creative, it’s pretty much the dream job for me.
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Marie the Bee 
I could not disagree with this more (see http://thebittervoice.wordpress.com/2013/12/15/so-everyones-a-gamer-now/). To me it comes down to whether someone is a gamer or a non-gamer, based on what I wrote in the link above. Just because someone plays video games doesn’t make them a gamer and, as we’ve seen from a various bits about professional LoL players, being a professional player doesn’t make a gamer either. This distinction is only partially qualitative and nuanced in that distinction.
But to the sound bite:
First, it’s a genuinely open question as to whether or not someone ‘loves’ the game they are playing because it’s far more about what is included in one’s approach than mere time spent playing. We need to actually have the bravery to unpack these terms and question them, to have some sort of standard that isn’t remarkably inclusive even if it will alienate us from the ever-growing pack of people believing in all-inclusiveness.
Second, it’s inappropriately to simply look at polar opposites, extremes, and see how they are so radically different. This doesn’t meaningfully take into account their approach to what they are playing, what is entailed in such an approach and why it matters.
Third, in the end we don’t all ‘love’ video games. There is a disproportionate amount of people that seem to be quite content with poorly made or even broken video games (e.g. Skyrim) and for any number of reasons. It’s not to say that people cannot enjoy poorly made games or even broken games, but that if people truly all ‘loved’ video games they would be much more inclined to act in a fashion that encourages the industry to make better games. But this is not the case.
Saying “we all love video games” certainly feels good and it’s incredibly appealing, but it’s simply not the truth. Besides, uncritically lumping in the trolls of all levels that ‘love’ video games with the people that make and play games critically, that truly ‘love’ video games, is a real disservice to those who actually care and those who are just getting involved with the hobby-cum-industry.
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I agree with what he said. Casual fan, hardcore it really doesn’t matter, at the end of the day we are all enjoying games. Even though many are different and serve different purposes, I think that games are games whether it be console, PC or handheld.
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