People have been gaming for years and years. Some find gaming a way to relax and wind-down from the ‘real’ life, while for others gaming is their ‘real’ life. Here at Console Monster we thought it would be a good idea, with tounge in cheek, to stereotype the different gaming personalities, starting with the Casual gamer, through to the Hardcore gamer. So what type of gamer are you? Do you live to game, or game to live? That is the question.
The Casual Gamer
Most of us gamers have all been here, and some still are. It’s the Casual gamer. The gamer that doesn’t mind quitting a game half way through a mission to go out for a real life social event. These gamers tend to have a social life outside of the gaming world and are happy to dive in for a quick game when they can be bothered. Casual gamers wont be seen online playing games over the weekend as most nights they will be enjoying their social life in the ‘real world’. Casual gamers also rarely spend money on new games, unless its games that they can involve their social life. A prime example of this is Pro Evolution Soccer. Guys will often invite their real life friends around and enjoy a few beers whilst playing Pro Evolution Soccer. The casual gamer also doesn’t understand the life of hardcore gamers and can often refer to them as ‘sad’.
The Sociable Gamer
Next category up in the gaming ladder is the Sociable gamer. I don’t know many, and you might not no any yourself, but the sociable gamer is the gamer that plays online solely for the social aspect. To them it doesn’t
matter if they win, lose or draw. It’s all about playing with friends online, and many of their friends are in fact solely known online. It goes without saying that the Sociable gamer prefers Multiplayer games. You will very rarely find the sociable gamer playing single player games on their own, like Mass-Effect or Metal Gear Solid, they’d prefer games like Fusion Frenzy or Wii Sports.
The sociable gamer category is small, but is vital to gaming. Those who fall into the category are the ones who really help to stimulate interaction with other people in games, which has become a key element since the invention of online gaming. Sociable gamers usually stay in this category, but if they really start getting into gaming outside of the social spectrum, they move onto the next level.
The Moderate Gamer
If you are wanting to game outside of the social spectrum, then your next stop is to become a Moderate gamer. This is probably the category that most of you players, who call yourself gamers, will be in. Most of you will in fact be reading this very article as it’s gaming related. The moderate gamer, in most instances, is the one who spends a good amount of time gaming and has one or two dedicated game consoles, but who is not obsessed with gaming. Often spending money 
on some new games every month and, at least once in your lifetime, have completed a marathon session of gaming – otherwise known as an “all-nighter”. The Moderate Gamer can often find themselves on Internet gaming sites, like ours, chatting to fellow gamers and finding out the latest gaming news. So we love the Moderate gamers!
The Moderate gamer is the backbone of the gaming industry. They more or less mirror the overall demographics of all gamers. The majority of games that are created are aimed at this group. Most moderate gamers stay at this level and fall back down the scale when they get older or more focused on another aspect of their lives. However, there is that group of gamers that begin to think of gaming as more than a hobby, and that brings us to the next gamer personality level…
The Addicted Gamer
This is where people start crossing the line of turning gaming into an obsession. Gamers are so focused on gaming that it can start to control parts of their lives. Their social life slowly deteriorates and is before long, all their friends are online gamers. They usually don’t have a girlfriend or boyfriend and live on their own so the can play whenever they have the chance. Occasionally to the extreme you might catch them calling sick at work so that you can play the newest game. In fact they probably go to most of the midnight launches of new games, just to play it hours before other people. You also spend more money on games than you do on food and clothes, combined.
A relatively small number of gamers fit into this group, but they are certainly out there, and anyone who has a large group of gamer friends probably knows someone who fits the description. But believe it or not, their is another group of gamers that take gaming to the extreme. That group is at the top of the gamer personality scale.
The Hardcore Gamer
The crème dela crème of gaming personalities. These gamer devote their life to gaming. They are of course the Hardcore gamers. The gamers have little social life in the ‘real world’, if any. They spend nearly every waking hour playing videogames, devoting all their time to 100% a game, with Red Bull being their choice of drink to keep them awake. In some cases the Hardcore gamer can be working in the games industry, and in some cases earn their living actually playing games at a competitive level. Often found on sites like MajorLeagueGaming (MLG). Their social calendar is filled with dates of LAN parties rather than the opposite sex. And they can often postpone real life events to participate in an online gaming tournament. Occasionally it has been seen that these gamers will ‘accidentally’ sign their cheques with the online gamertag.
The hardcore gamer is by far the rarest kind of gamer out there. Even though these gamers are few and far between, their significance is magnified by the fact that they rise to the top and make a name for themselves. These players become the most well-known gamers on the planet, and it’s because of them that competitive gaming is such a thriving business. Needless to say, these folks are dedicated to gaming, and every game publisher wants to attract them for their guaranteed loyalty, which means they will pay for expansion packs, online subscription fees, and extra downloadable content.
So there you have it. 5 typical stereotypes of the gaming world. What one are you? Or do you cross the line between 2 or even 3? Let us know by leaving a comment below!
