Heat tickled my cheeks and neck when someone told me once, “Oh, you’re a gamer? Does that mean you play ‘Fortnite?’”
Now, I cannot deny the significant influence Fortnite had on gaming, both in its inner circle and larger society. Epic Games’ battle royale money machine thrusted gaming and its industry in the mainstream spotlight for both good and bad reasons.
I’m seeing revitalized talks about how video games are bad for the youth, incidents of kids stealing their moms’ credit cards for new skins and emotes and even video gaming addiction as a legitimate mental illness in the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,” the complete and official book of psychological illnesses and disorders.
However, I’m also seeing the useful applications of video gaming, such as its effects on mental performance, how it’s being used for education purposes and its social functions in an increasingly digital world.
I can’t fault people for confusing “Fortnite” with the the whole of the gaming community; if you look at any other generic news site, “Fortnite” is the only game mainstream media outlets touch on. The only mainstream website I know that regularly covers gaming is Forbes, and even then, it’s usually the same guy reporting on it. “Fortnite” is a social phenomenon, just like “Minecraft” in the early 2010s, “Grand Theft Auto” in the early 2000s and “Mortal Kombat” in the 1990s.
Most people don’t know what occurs in the video game atmosphere. So I had to ask myself: what does it mean to be a gamer?
Before we get to the main point, let’s clarify some things: you are not a gamer if you solely play “Fortnite.” I’m sorry, but it’s true. Let’s take the example of sports. Say I love baseball –I watch it on television, maybe collect some cards, and go see some games in-person, both college and professional. Am I a sports fan? No, I’m merely a baseball fan. If I was a real sports fan, I would have extensive knowledge of other sports, their teams, players, systems and strategies, etc.
With that said, it’s okay to only play “Fortnite.” There’s absolutely nothing wrong with playing that game; it’s popular for a reason. But you’re only a “Fortnite” player, not a gamer. Ninja, one of the most popular Twitch streamers, got popular because he was only good at “Fortnite” and no other game at the time.
This means that you need to be at least aware of generic terms or issues that come along with gaming and the industry. Microtransactions, major developers and publishers, distribution means (e.g. GameStop, Steam), first-person shooter, grinding, farming, different genres (e.g. platformer, rogue, Metrovania), ping, and other things I’m not getting into. Depending on which genre or area you’re involved in, you may or may not be exposed to some of these terms, people and influencers. You might be introduced to other terms that are separate from other areas.
So, what does that mean for other people who game? Are you a gamer if you’re only constricted to one genre? Are you a gamer if you restrict yourself to certain series or franchises? Yes, and yes.
For example, I play two shooter-based games “Warframe” and “Overwatch” but I’ve never played other shooter titles, such as “Battlefield” and the infamous “Call of Duty” franchise. (Plus, OW and WF are more than just shooters). I usually play roleplaying games (e.g. “Pokemon,” “Kingdom Hearts”) and hack-and-slash (e.g. “Devil May Cry, “Darksiders,” “Bayonetta”). I never play strategy or turn-based games.
You don’t need to indulge yourself in every conceivable genre or game known to be a gamer (not even gamers have time for all of that). There are plenty of people who make their living as gaming YouTubers or streamers by appealing to certain niches. The Sphere Hunter usually speaks about survival horror games, such as “Resident Evil” and “Devil May Cry.” There are gaming channels dedicated to fighting games (e.g. “Street Fighter,” “Mortal Kombat”). There are streamers whose main appeal comes from a certain video game, but they make it known that they’ve played other games in the past; most of the time, they become variety streamers, and I’m not even touching on the realm of tabletop, card games or esports.
Jordan Salters, a junior social work major, considers herself more of a casual gamer due to obligations to school.
“I get to play whenever I can. I don’t have time to be as competitive as I used to be. Sometimes school comes up and I can’t get to it, but I think it’s fine to just play what you want,” Salters said. She plays a variety of games such as FPS, RPG, real-time strategy and adventure games. Her favorite titles are “Rainbow Six Siege” and “Red Dead Redemption 2.”
In the end, it honestly comes down to passion. It is similar to how gardeners care for certain species of plants and rainy seasons and how sports fans represent and cheer for their favorite team.
There are many ways to be a gamer. If you have a real passion for the games you play and are aware of trends, especially trends that affect you as a gaming consumer, then you’re a gamer in my book.
