What is a gamer?

Merriam-Webster defines a gamer as : a person who plays games; especially : a person who regularly plays computer or video games. At Urban Dictionary it is defined as : someone who plays video games as a hobby. Some definitions encompass table top gaming like role playing and board gaming. Digging a little deeper you find a variety of opinions and terms like casual gamer, mid-core and hard-core gamer. Topics like nerd culture, gamer nerd, comic nerd, dork and geek come up. Social stigma is a common topic.

My definition of a gamer to the uninitiated is simply: One who plays games to the extent that it is part of his/her lifestyle. To those who are initiated, the answer can be varied and emotional and is full of minutiae that would be lost on most non-gamers.  What does it mean to me to be a gamer? For me being a gamer and a nerd go hand in hand. I enjoy using my imagination and I enjoy pitting my wits against an opponent or opponents(be it a person or a computer) using logic, math and chance. Games that incorporate both these aspects are best. Sometimes just getting lost in my imagination is preferable, like reading a good story, watching a movie, playing a solo game or painting miniatures in preparation for a future game. Most importantly for me is the social aspect. I love connecting with other gamers. People who are as passionate as me about gaming and the associated nerd culture. Playing an MMORPG with my friends, gathering around a table with friends for a board game or old fashioned pen and paper rpg, heading down to a local game shop to play a tabletop miniature game or spending the weekend at a Comic convention or a gaming convention are what I like best. I consider myself a hardcore gamer but often I only have time for mid-core games. Gaming is what makes me happy :-).