Nintendo's Denise Kaigler defines "core" and "casual" gamers

[Dr. Furball]

Ninty of America's vice president of Corporate Affairs answered some questions from avid readers of GoNintendo. One of them really stuck out to me:

Q: What does Nintendo define as a “hardcore” gamer?

A: This is a really good question, and I’m glad you asked. Nintendo hardly ever uses that exact term. Sure, we’ll talk about games that appeal to both “core” and casual gamers, but it seems that “hard-core” is more of a self-anointed label, and not a term we use internally.

It’s more likely that you would hear us talk about Nintendo loyalists (the huge Nintendo fans who have Mario and Zelda in their DNA), casual players (the expanded audience that everyone now knows so well) or longtime/core players. As you know, we have been on a mission to break down the wall between core and casual players. We don’t see any benefit to people limiting themselves by arbitrary definitions or styles of play. We think the video game universe is big enough for people of all tastes to find games they are passionate about, no matter who they are playing with.

But I want to be sure I answer your question. So how does Nintendo define those “core” players? There’s no one set definition, but we like to think core players are people who have been playing video games for a long time. They have grown up playing all kinds of games and have developed an appreciation for the larger video game industry as a whole. They probably have favorite genres, franchises and systems, but they’re open to all kinds of new experiences and ideas beyond their own interests. The best players are also good ambassadors for the industry. They’re the ones whose enthusiasm for their hobby gets other people interested in video games. To the person who asked me this question, do you consider yourself a “hard-core” or “core” gamer? Or maybe some other kind? And if you do, why? I’d also like to put this out there to all IGN readers: Do you believe there is one definition of a core gamer and, if so, what is it?

lol IGN.
Full story here: GoNintendo - GoNintendo 'End of Day' thought - Denise Kaigler's responses to your questions: Part 2 (Denise's definition of 'hardcore', DSi VC talk, and more)

What do you think of her answer? Agree completely or standard PR stuff? Somewhere in between?

[Robotazy]

I have to agree, why not show we aren't bloodthirsty and nerd-like.

At least not all of us.

[Cosmonautical]

Yeah, I have a problem with the whole "core" thing. There isn't a definition for it, because it's just some word people picked up and started misusing in whatever context they thought appropriate. Try to nail anything down as a defining feature, and someone starts bawing over it because they thought that they were hardcore.

[Metal Man]

Personally, I like to differentiate from fun and unfun games.

Both 'casual' and 'hardcore' games are fun. However, with the way they make casual games, a number of them are glorified exercise handbooks and thus not fun to me. On the other extreme, some 'hardcore' games are just too tedious and annoying for me to bother completing.

[Cosmonautical]

WHAT ARE YOU SAYING MM DOES THAT MEAN COOKING GUIDE IS NOT FOR YOU BEST GAME ON THE WII 4EVR

[Metal Man]

YES THE MERE MENTION OF FOOD WHICH DOES NOT START WITH P, END WITH A, AND IS NOT MADE BY ITALIANS MAKES MY BLOOD BOIL

[Robotazy]

Shoot the hardcore.

[I REALLY HATE POKEMON!]

The answer given by that Nintendo lady was pretty good.

[Panfan]

I severely doubt the hardcoreness of some gamers.

I mean, how many "hardcore" gamers do you think have Dead Kennedys albums? Or what about Big Black? You can't tell me you're hardcore and not have Songs About ****ing.

[Cosmonautical]

^Yeah, I gotta agree, it's a questionable use of the term. I mean, maybe if there were games with Puya or Pantera in the soundtrack.

Originally Posted by I REALLY HATE POKEMON!

The answer given by that Nintendo lady was pretty good.

It's a marketing cop-out, not good. She dodged the subject and didn't answer the question, and instead used it to promote Nintendo's policy.

[I REALLY HATE POKEMON!]

I didn't say it was a definitive, direct, perfect answer, just "good."

She defined "core" gamers well but I admit she floundered on the definition of "casual."

She virtually summed up "core" gamers as people who have experience, long-time gamers and that they have set game types that they're used to (FPS, RPG). Casual games generally stray from requiring experience, and from using proven genres (Nintendogs), which is what we can derive from her statement.

I think that the answer could have been worse.

[Cosmonautical]

Core games are games designed to appeal to people who appreciate how a game was made and the effort they have to put into that game to complete it.

Casual games are time-wasters, they're not for hobbyists, hence they are easy to pick up and play and forget about. They are essentially an arcade-style experience with a new name because it tends to include players with no skill.

[Bomby]

im hardcoar becuz i only play gaems liek halo n geers uv war. mario is fr babys n katamari dosn't maek ne sence.

[I REALLY HATE POKEMON!]

Originally Posted by Bomby

im hardcoar becuz i only play gaems liek halo n geers uv war. mario is fr babys n katamari dosn't maek ne sence.

Gotta admit, the Katamari comment is true.

[PK FIRE!]

Katamari much like Wonder land, (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland) Subcon, (SMB2 USA) Wackyland, (Loony Toons) and many others does not operate on logic as we understand it. Granted I only played a demo of Katamari at a store but to me it seemed like you didn't really need to understand the game to enjoy it.

- You stupid dog!

[Bomby]

Actually, the fact that Katamari doesn't make any sense is probably one of the reasons why I love it so dearly.

[Robotazy]

Isn't that the point of Katamari Damacy?

[Cosmonautical]

The point is to have fun playing in its world. Kind of like Rampage, or GTA. Some apps like it will have a "game" function tacked on, but essentially the fun element is running amuck in a simulated world.