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Can we switch "Gamers" to "Players"?

As a serious response, it doesn't matter too much to me. I may occasionally refer to myself as a 'gamer' casually just because it's simple and relatively known, but the term doesn't actually mean much to me, nor do I consider it a major part of my identity. If someone wanted to call me a 'player' or a 'game enthusiast' or whatever then that's fine. The only time I'd ever take offense is if someone conflates 'gamer' with like the people who support gamergate or something. Then I'll reject it.
 
ZeroMaverick said:
Again, those monikers are used for specific levels of interest and subscriptions. When you're talking about the collective of people who listen to music, they're listeners. When you're talking about the collective of people watching movies, they're viewers.
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It's the same thing for playing games. The term gamer obviously those not include those who only play bejeweled on their iphone. It is a moniker for a specific level of interest in the activity
 
Einchy said:
But someone who plays a lot of games is a gamer and not someone who just touches a game. You don't open Angry Birds and become a "gamer", the same way you don't get inside a car and become a Gear Head.

The term Gamer, at least to me, has always referenced to a video game enthusiast. The same way Gear Head, Book Worm and Audiophile reference to their respected hobby. Some people using it wrong don't change the meaning of the war.
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Yeah, and that's fine if that's what you want to call enthusiasts.

I'm just saying, if I were writing a review of Bloodborne, I would write: "With its minimal tutorial and hightened learning curve, Bloodborne expects players to..."

I wouldn't write "gamers."
 
Being a gamer doesn't mean you can't also be other things. My identity is at the same time no more and no less tied to this as it is to all the other things I am. Changing the name doesn't actually change who I am. The community is turning on the term because there've been a few fuckwits of late. To me that means you just remove the fuckwits.
 
ZeroMaverick said:
Yeah, and that's fine if that's what you want to call enthusiasts.

I'm just saying, if I were writing a review of Bloodborne, I would write: "With its minimal tutorial and hightened learning curve, Bloodborne expects players to..."

I wouldn't write "gamers."
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In that example, I really doubt anyone would insert Gear Head if they were talking about a car.
 
There's an easy way to fix this and it's by adding descriptions before the word in question. Instead of calling yourself a gamer, refer to yourself as a 'light gamer'. If you splurge out on a topic of interest (trains in my case), it's better to call yourself 'a bit of a nerd'.

I have many colleagues at work who refer to themselves as gamers or my favourite; 'part time gamers', yet all they play is The Sims once a week. Lighten up, one person doesn't make the word a stigma for all.
 
Don't hate the player, hate the gamer?

Nah, I think if you're telling someone about your interests and identify yourself as a "player," people are going to be even more confused.
 
ZeroMaverick said:
That's what I'm saying.
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And what I'm saying is that no one would say gamer in that sentence. The term Gamer can exist for game enthusiasts (which is what it is right now) and you can use the word "player" in your Bloodborne example. If you're talking about playing a game you say players because those people are playing that game. No one would say Gamer in that consist, it doesn't make sense.
 
I think "Gamer" only annoys me when it's used as a source of pride. Like a person is so proud that they chose the hobby that they chose that they use it to define themselves.

Same goes for "Foodie", "Metalhead", and people who actually call themselves super fans for sports. But I mean most of those words aren't also used by a hate group.

Einchy said:
And what I'm saying is that no one would say gamer in that sentence. The term Gamer can exist for game enthusiasts (which is what it is right now) and you can use the word "player" in your Bloodborne example. If you're talking about playing a game you say players because those people are playing that game. No one would say Gamer in that consist, it doesn't make sense.
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CDPR assumes everyone who purchased their game is a "Gamer" in their letter. It sold pretty well so I'm assuming some non-enthusiasts bought it.
 
I quite like the term gamer. I've no issue with using it to describe that gaming is a hobby of mine.

I also fish a lot and I use the term fisherman.
 
Teeth said:
How about "user"?
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Solid.



Really though the whole concept of "video game" has been outdated for a long time.


Much like I still call my iPhone6 plus a phone, when in reality less than 1% of my total usage of the device is phonecalls.


That said. I don't know what the right term is. I just feel that video game is outdated.
 
I don't quite understand why there needs to be a such a specific word for those that like to play games, it nust seems kind of narcissistic and arrogant to me. Why cant we define it the same way we do film and music?

Music lovers - Music enthusiasts
Film lovers - Film enthusiasts
Game lovers - Game enthusiasts

There are no Musiccers, Filmmers. Why do we need "gamers"?

Sorry if this is a very naive or stupid question. Its just strange to me.
 
Einchy said:
What is this supposed to prove?

So some guy made a really cringey video.

Is it supposed to prove that people didn't dislike the term before GamerGate? Or people hate the term because there's some really cringey and annoying gamers?
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"Gamer" has been cringe from day one.
 
So people want to ditch the term "gamer" due to its link to a few annoying, embarrassing, and misogynistic people, in favor for a term that exclusively refers only to annoying, embarrassing, and misogynistic people?

Okay, use whatever term fits you best, player.
 
_Ryo_ said:
I don't quite understand why there needs to be a such a specific word for those that like to play games, it nust seems kind of narcissistic and arrogant to me. Why cant we define it the same way we do film and music?

Music lovers - Music enthusiasts
Film lovers - Film enthusiasts
Game lovers - Game enthusiasts

There are no Musiccers, Filmmers. Why do we need "gamers"?

Sorry if this is a very naive or stupid question. Its just strange to me.
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In Polish, we have "cinemaniacs" and "melomaniacs", you know.

It all depends on your drive to make speech shorter being bigger or smaller. Games are linked to computing, and IT loves abbreviations.
 
#4theplayers
#4thegamers
#4thecustomers
#4theusers
#4theclients
#4thepatrons
#4theconsumers
#4theendusers
#4thebuyers
#4thepurchasers
#4theshoppers
#4theenthusiasts
#4thefans
#4thegamebuffs
#4thedevotees
#4thefanboys
#4thefangirls
#4thefanatics
#4thegamejunkies
#4thezealots
#4theaddicts
 
I stopped using the term years ago.

It's not a matter of embarrassment (as those who are really attached to the 'gamer' tag might attest) but a rejection of the idea that people who devote ungodly amounts of time to video games have much in common culturally at all. For all of the collisions we see on NeoGAF it's worth remembering that in the ordinary consumer experience, the League of Legends tribe doesn't talk to the StarCraft tribe, the Sony tribe doesn't talk to the Nintendo tribe, the PC-only tribe hardly talks to the console-only tribe (and make no mistake, the console-centrism of this forum is very conspicuous), JRPG players don't have much in common with WRPG players, and mobile free-to-play addicts are off in a world of their own entirely. 'Gamer' says nothing, tells me nothing, other than that you find a bond with others to whom the label is very dear.

We are not one culture. If you want to identify as a 'gamer', suit yourself, but don't pretend that anybody else who interacts with this staggeringly vast industry has any obligation to do the same. And don't turn a useful, neutral term like 'player', which does not have subcultural connotations (and thankfully so), into a term that does.

The actual thriving subcultures in this industry that have their own histories, in-jokes, minor celebrities, shared memories, and shared moments are built around individual games, and sometimes individual developers. And maybe, at a stretch, a genre.
 
Accept your label already, sheesh.

Any other label you make will eventually mean the same thing anyway, cuz it'll be the same people playing the (same) games.
 
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