[General Discussion] What is a gamer, anyway?

Wow, this is an AWESOME thread idea. Sweet, Skex. =D

First off I'll say that Kostaki is quite right in most of his points and that I agree with him. So I'll elaborate on my own ideas a little further instead.

For me at least, a good chunk of the enjoyment of the hobby comes from discussing it with other people. That whole campfire thing you mentioned was a great analogy. One of the reasons that I enjoy this hobby as much as I do is that there are many other people who partake in it, and meeting them through it is fun and rewarding. On the internet, it's led me to a bunch of friends I made through this site and others, and in real life it's made me some good buddies too. That is, hands down, the best part.

Since gaming became more mainstream in the 32 bit era, the broad definition of gamer certainly has changed. Instead of "That guy who's got a SNES, Genesis, and NES", it's now anyone with half a dozen PS2 games or more. It's become a term so easily thrown around that it's meaning has changed dramatically. It's no longer a term describing someone who's quite into a hobby as much as it's a word describing anyone who partakes in it as all.

And lastly, personally, the last gen hasn't changed anything for me. It's given me new and creative ways to enjoy the hobby, it's given me easier ways to play with friends, and it's given promise to have some revolutionary new ideas. But no, it's still the same hobby it was before, and my enjoyment of it hasn't really changed. The new ideas and implementations will make some new gamers, but it hasn't changed my perceptions.

Has it changed what it means to be a gamer? I wouldn't say so either. Although the term has been bastardized, if we go by what it used to mean, I'd still say no. The new generation is just giving you a different way of becoming one.

Jam it back in, in the dark.