E is For Everyone: Who is the Typical Gamer?

The typical gamer is...

It's hard to say.

When you think of a typical gamer, you most likely think of a basement dwelling hermit, a socially inept teenager sat a mere five inches from the screen focused intensely on their next move, lest they fall short of their 500th platinum trophy. The words geek or nerd might come to mind.

The gamer you imagine boasts an incredible retro gaming collection, and a far less impressive sleeping and eating schedule.

Is the vampyric recluse with online only friends the backbone of the most successful entertainment industry in the world? Or is this a misconception? With the continuing globalisation of the modern world, as well as the increasingly ubiquitous appearance of gaming and it's multimedia offshoots, could the stereotyping of the 'gamer' be an injustice to the diverse range of players out there? Let's find out.

The Casual Gamer

The casual gamer does not fit the aforementioned description. This player may kill a little time during the day or evening with a game like FIFA or Call of Duty. They may well be very adept at these games but they don't hunt for achievements the way the hardcore gamer does.

Casuals won't be up 'til 3am doing raids, and they may steer away from majorly competitive online gameplay. Come home, shoes off, feet up, hot choc and COD.

Casual gamers are somewhat of a bad smell in the hardcore gaming world, and are associated with more 'on the go' platforms such as mobile gaming and handhelds such as the Switch, or in days gone by, the PSP. In elitist circles, it is not uncommon to hear such gamers referred to as 'filthy casuals.'

In 2019, 46 percent of gamers who identified as casual gamers were aged between 23 and 36. Naturally, as people enter their twenties and thirties, and undertake more pressing responsibilities like marriage or parenthood, the gaming side of things becomes secondary. This demonstrates that casual gaming may be a result of time constraints rather than interest.

Regardless, casual gamer demonstrates the different shades of gaming that exist. After all, who is to say that the old lady who plays Solitaire on her laptop is any less valid than any other gamer?

Check out some casual, stress free games here

The Social Gamer

In a world where we are seemingly connected yet also disconnected simultaneously, we should not overlook the utility of gaming as a way to unite old and new friends alike.

The Social Gamer may share similar traits to the casual gamer, though they will choose their preference of games based on what their group of friends play online. This tends to include more competitive focused games such as League of Legends, CSGO, Call of Duty or Fortnite.

The distinction between these people and those who are more dedicated to absolute victory is the approach they take. Social gamers may play games more as a means of connecting and catching up with their friendship circle through a fairly straightforward experience.

This is not to say that social gamers are not serious about their gaming, as some of the worlds best play as part of a team. In any case, it is great that gaming can act as a sanctuary for shared experience and developing relationships.

See our article on why gaming may not be all that bad for you here

The Story Gamer

The story gamer is not necessarily one who plays for competitive reasons. Though this is not to say that they do not dedicate enormous amounts of time to their favourite titles.

These players select games because of their immersive storytelling. A recent title that lends itself to this sort of gamer is the monumental achievement that is God of War Ragnorak (A PS4/PS5 exclusive for the time being).

Story driven games stimulate the mind and senses, and can really connect with people on a deep level. It is no surprise that a majority of tattoos dedicated to gaming are connected with role playing games.

The story gamer is invested into the narrative, world and lore built around the games' characters, in the same way people get invested in an enthralling book or TV series. These individuals focus mostly on single player titles which take them on an adventure.

A predictor in these individuals are traits such as openness to experience, agreeableness and a high degree of conscientiousness. Games like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Cyberpunk 2077, and the Assassin's Creed titles are some of the best examples of story driven games.

Recent years have shown a proliferation in the popularity of choice based narrative games such as Detriot: Become Human and Life is Strange. Branching storylines bestow a degree of autonomy over the outcome of the player experience. As times and tech goes on we expect non-linearity of story to become standard practice in most games

For a truly singular story experience that combines adventure and choice, check out The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, newly upgraded for next gen consoles and PC.

The Sports Gamer

The sports gamer is perhaps on the more competitive side of the spectrum. They might be playing to live out their fantasy of being a professional sports person or team manager. Popular games for these players include FIFA, NBA 2K, Football Manager etc.

This player gets to carve out their own narrative onto teams that they perhaps admire in real life. Playing these games will allow them to engage in the sport itself but also the intricacies beyond the field such as transfers, contracts, public relations and much more.

A 2012 study showed that the sports gamer is generally aged between 18-24 and overwhelmingly male, which makes sense for sports demographics. The study also showed that many of these individuals shared meaningful stories and experiences of how such games have impacted their lives. If this teaches us one thing it's that just because a game is casual and simple, does not mean it does not resonate on a meaningful level.

The Simulator Gamer

The cousin of the sports gamer focuses on much more simulation based games, this player usually has a particular interest in a sport, profession or activity that is difficult to master.

The simulator gamer may well have a bespoke rig which provides tactile feedback on their performance, and brings the player as close to the real experience as possible.

The standard arcade style experience will not do for this player, as they want to not only experience, but to understand and master the fine intricacies of their chosen activity - be it racings cars, flying planes or playing as a goat. Yes, a goat. Check out Goat Simulator.

Simulators vary greatly in terms of how well they imitate a real-life situation. For example, Microsoft Flight Simulator is said to offer an experience so similar to flying a plane that a master of this game would be relatively well equipped to fly a real one. Don't go getting any ideas.

The Streamer

The streamer may be the most distinct and interesting of this list, as the qualities that make a successful streamer are multi-faceted.

As of February 2021, 9.5 million streamers inhabited streaming service Twitch, with watch hours equalling 2 billion. Streaming now marks itself as not only a media platform, but a massive generator of income for developers and content creators alike.

The streamer's choice of game is less important than their presentation. A good streamer will have an aesthetic setup beyond just their PC, they will have an endearing personality which engages well with their established audience, and must understand the algorithms of socials in order to achieve success.

Each streamer will have their own allure. It could be rhetoric, humour, attractiveness or just pure unadulterated skills in the competitive zone. The degree of interest the player has could vary from pure performative interest for the sake of their audience, or a life-long legend of the game in question. Some of the most streamed games include Call of Duty: Warzone, League of Legends and Valorant.

The E-Sports Gamer

The E-sports gamer is a truly a different breed. There is no casual path for this player, and they will spend their days perfecting in-game mechanics, studying strategies, learning new techniques and analysing the frame by frame plays of their previous performances.

A large portion of professional gamers play eSports. Games such as League of Legends, Valorant, CSGO and Overwatch all have a huge following of gamers and non-gamers alike who will fill out stadiums to watch the best at play. It is anticipated that by 2024, there will be a total of 285.7 million enthusiasts watching eSports.

The most significant difference between this type of gamer and the stereotypical gamer is that when eSports started to develop, health became a huge focus. The world's elite players follow a strict diet, exercise routine and sleeping schedule as well as specific hand muscle exercises in order to maximise dexterity. E-Sports champions are known to practise up to 8 hours a day.

At the top levels, they are of course well remunerated for their success. Denmark's Johan Sundstein, better known as NOtail, has made $7,184,163 playing Dota 2 alone.

Indeed, E-Sports are more than just a hobby, but rather a fully fledged way of life. We keep the champions in our thoughts as they grind away each day.

Check out Case-Esports to see Fierce PC's incredible partners.

Conclusion

The gamers outlined above are by no means a comprehensive list. The world's players are far too varied, complex and quite frankly important to reduce to such categories. It is rather a snapshot into a larger spectrum of gamers.

In the UK alone, more than 50% of the populace plays video games regularly or semi-regularly. It has become a more inclusive community in recent years, especially with the advent of advanced accessibility options within games.

The gaming industry is rapidly expanding and every day demonstrating more and more than gaming is not just for the archetypal vampyric nerd. Gaming is truly for everyone, after all.

Words - Adam Simcock

Edited - Don Spencer