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Can we switch "Gamers" to "Players"?
- Thread starter Oppo
- Start date
So you want to change the term? The people who made you change from "gamer" to whatever new term or sentence you wish to use would just use that from now on. Just make it easier on yourself and say, "I'm a gamer but I'm not cringey". It'd be easier than to attempt to change an established word.
Already Torn
Banned
This is actually a really good point. Although I think the people ruining it would stick with gamer.
And we already stole the term "gamer" from big game hunters anyway, might as well keep using it.
Midnight Bliss
Member
I've been using "video game player" since the early 90s. I remember around the mid-90s I first heard the term "gamers" in a promotional video for the n64, I'm sure the term was used before somewhere else but I always hated the way it sounded. It sounded too bro-ish especially with the ps1 generation.
IceBringer
Banned
It's still referring to the same people, so the name doesn't really matter.
Cmon playa
Cmon playa
NerdEyeBlind
Member
In my mind 'play' is associated with toys. I don't play with toys.
I GAME.
I GAME.
It's an okay rap group name, at least.
Spring-Loaded
Member
I want to change it to "VG'er."
UnemployedVillain
Member
I don't see how "player" isn't more cringeworthy than "gamer"
That's what Game Studies / academia already do.
'Gamers' denotes the consumer construction by marketing to craft an identity to increase sales. It carries a narrow definition with some flawed conditions that are unsustainable to maintain if you want to capture the wide breadth of people playing games.
'Players' denotes the individual(s) who are interacting with the game. No other condition other than 'interpreting and configuring the game' is required to be met. Also, spectators would be the ones watching or observing the player.
'Gamers' denotes the consumer construction by marketing to craft an identity to increase sales. It carries a narrow definition with some flawed conditions that are unsustainable to maintain if you want to capture the wide breadth of people playing games.
'Players' denotes the individual(s) who are interacting with the game. No other condition other than 'interpreting and configuring the game' is required to be met. Also, spectators would be the ones watching or observing the player.
Already Torn
Banned
We've come so far since ROB sold the NES in America.
Sure, just gotta get the terminology congress to pass the name switch bill so we can all be on the same page.
But, really though, you can hate a term all you want, once it's buried in the vernacular you can't really change it,
Additionally:
Viewers
Listeners
But, really though, you can hate a term all you want, once it's buried in the vernacular you can't really change it,
Additionally:
Viewers
Listeners
Samurai G0SU
Member
Wez Coast called dibs
since 1998 lulz
Oppo
Member
actually many people have self-identified as a "foodie" or "music nerd" to me
Yep. No one runs around saying "Reader for life!" because they like books. It's a silly title that has tons of negative baggage. Ditch it.
LOL This is what came to my mind
And both of those come off sounding douchey. Your point?
These arent really the same thing as a word like gamer.
Audiophiles are people that listen to very high quality music because they specifically can observe very subtle sounds and study the make up of tracks that most others are not able to identify.
Film buffs are to me, people that study the film in all aspects, history of director, filmography, cinematics, story composition, etc
Saying gamer just implies someone who enjoys games, not studies them in any way.
SolidSnakex
Member
stan423321
Member
Which highlights that word "gamer" has a significantly different meaning than "player" already. Player is anyone who happens to be playing the game. Gamer is an enthusiast.
Gravy Boat
Member
But people who gamble are gamblers. People who collect things are collectors. People who play drums are drummers. I don't see why 'labels' like this need to apply to everything or nothing. Some things have abbreviations, some don't. We don't call some who plays tennis a tenniser, but someone who plays football would be called a footballer. Seems like such a weird thing to take offence to.
How would you people respond if someone you didn't know all that well asked if you were a gamer? I hope you wouldn't be insufferable enough to reply with something like 'No, I just play games but they don't define who I am'.
I don't see why it has to be any more complicated than this.
entremet
Member
If we're looking at idiom, I think the "avid" is a good way to look at it.
Avid reader
Avid bird watcher
Avid coin collector
Avid chess player
Avid gamer
notworksafe
Member
He said there wasn't an equivalent for music or film. I'm not making a judgement on the douche level of those terms but they do exist. No need to be an ass about it.
While audiophile usually means someone who is into audio hardware, it can also mean a music lover. Regarding film buff, you are incorrect. The term applies to any connoisseur of film.
Nobody calls themselves a viewer because they watch movies or a listener because they listen to music. Just doesn't happen.
Player has the same connotation as those, and is used as so, when you are playing the game. Not to call yourself that outside of that.
And audiophile and movie buff are terms reserved for people who know a lot about those mediums. Which isn't the case for most people who call themselves gamers.
Cynn
Member
And when "players" starts to feel diminishing? What then? Don't worry about labels.
stan423321
Member
People, stahp. If you don't know the word for something this doesn't automatically mean there's no word for that.
I also just demonstrated how those terms are different.
Audiophiles dont passively listen to music, nor do film buffs passively watch films, in the most basic sense they study them.
For example, my dad watches movies but he doesnt care about who made it, how it was made, the cinematics or sound design, level of acting, or anything other than "was it entertaining to me?"
notworksafe
Member
So the communities for audiophiles and film buffs are more alike to gamers than I thought?
'If you don't know enough about it, don't use our term!"
Seems my comparison remains on point.
'If you don't know enough about it, don't use our term!"
Seems my comparison remains on point.
blast processed
Member
So now were drug addicts?
I've personally never heard either term defined as such.
Never have I heard anyone who just listens to music refer to themselves as an audiophile nor anyone who passively watches films refer to themselves as a film buff. Im not saying you're incorrect but its just not my experience at all.
Edit:
But "gamer" as most frequently defined means someone who plays games, not one who studies them like audiophiles and film buffs. I dont think its an apt comparison.
This playa knows what's up.
orthodoxy1095
Banned
Preach.
There is for books though. So why not for video games?
As a note: for music there tends to not be a good overarching term for people who love music in general (besides audiophile), since a large number of "fans" label themselves by fandom of a musical group. Beliebers, Directioners, Swifties and the like.
wanderjahr
Banned
Surely "player" doesn't have a negative connotation.
AyaisMUsikWhore
Member
If you want to OP... But I'm cool with being an enthusiast.
hedmunky84
Member
I agree there needs to be a better term for us "TRUE GAMERS". "Gamers" are ones who read dozens of webites about games, watch videos & podcasts about games. Gamers know the developers & publishers, keep up with what's going on in the industry. Then you have people that just play games that claim to be "gamers", but are far from it. You ask them who is Tod Howard, Cliffy B, Shigeru Miyamoto, etc., or who developed and/or published "X" game, and they have no idea, but they call themselves "gamers cause they play Madden, Call of Duty, & Candy Crush. Those are NOT gamers. "Gamers" are the ones who know most any and everything about the industry. It kinda makes me sick when those types call themselves gamers, cause they are simply just people who play games, their lives don't revolve around games as you and I do. Like in Fast in Furious, "I live my life a quarter mile at a time". well "I live my life from game release to game release".
If someone asked me that than yeah I would say I play games. I wouldn't say I'm a gamer.
Because playing games is a thing that most people do now. From Candy Crush to Dota 2. It's just normal to play games and I find it dumb to separate those things and say some are "gamers" while others aren't.
My mom plays a word game on her phone, I doubt she would say she is a gamer. I use the same logic.
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