As video games become more and more mainstream, we should be building bridges instead of walls.
I’ve been seeing a lot of discussion about “What is the true definition of a gamer?” around the local scene lately, and I’ve always seen the label problematic — as if being a “gamer” meant more than deriving your primary enjoyment from video games, as if it was a title to be earned and aspired to, that had clout, credibility, and elevated the “gamer” above their “normie” peers.
Well, to be honest, I find that line of thought kind of pointless.
With the rise of video games into the mainstream public consciousness, some people have begun to subscribe to an “us vs. them” mentality; staunchly defending the medium against their perceived threat of, well… more new people getting into the hobby.
Various labels with corresponding ‘requirements’ keep getting perpetuated, as if the “gamer” label itself isn’t just an arbitrary term to describe someone who enjoys playing video games. No, it’s not about the number of games you’ve played, the rig your games run on (yes, even if it’s a mobile phone), the number of trophies you’ve unlocked, or your rank in a particular competitive game.
It’s about enjoying video games, being passionate about them, and hopefully, not being an elitist gatekeeper when there are people trying to get into the hobby. There’s no checklist of qualifications, and frankly there’s really no need to call yourself a “gamer” — you’re just another person who plays video games, just like a load of other people, you’re not special or entitled to anything extra.
Video games are one of the strongest, most immersive mediums for entertainment and art that I’ve ever come across, and shaming people for not being “a real gamer” isn’t helping the scene grow or helping devs keep making games. If you really love gaming and want to wear it proud on your sleeve, do it with open arms and an open mind.
I’ve seen and met so many wonderful people, learned so many things, and made so many friends because of video games, and imposing some fake standard over a hobby, just to exclude others and stroke your own ego isn’t going to do anyone any favors.
The fact that the very definition of “gamer” is being elevated as some big issue in the local scene over more pressing concerns such as exploitative workplace practices for game developers and people in esports, combating rampant in-game toxicity, finding ways to grow the grassroots esports scene, giving local indie devs more support and visibility, and elevating the discourse about games themselves… it’s frankly very disheartening.
We should be better than this.
