THE HOLE // Gamer identity vanishing

Introducing a new categorical outlet for opinion pieces at Glitchcraft: THE HOLE.

Today I am addressing a subject that has sparked incredible debate over the last couple of months. I generally tend to stay out of this stuff because I'm not crying for attention concerning it, but it's my website & I do have something to say.

In response to a FB post made by one of our beautiful editors Jessica Kate, where she posted this link, I wrote,

• I've always thought people who identify 'gamer' as the finite end of the subculture spectrum to be exclusive. There are so many subcultures of gamers that the word might as well mean "human who uses technology recreationally" & gives zero indication of a plausible identity. Everyone plays video games, but how often & the type of game should be distilled into a bisecting graph. The terms "core gamer" & "light (casual) gamer" only illustrate the two extreme ends of the spectrum. Once you start to break down the subcultures of the subculture, you find that some people cross those boundaries regularly & cannot be trapped into one type of gaming - the best that can be said is to observe a personal majority to identify with, if identity is necessary. It's just like how "nerd" has evolved to mean "a human with intense passion concerning a subject, especially learning about it & pride for their passion"... 'gamer' is a subculture of 'nerd' & the dozens of subcultures that abound under the term serve to differentiate between people's specific passions. The umbrella use of the word 'gamer' lost meaning to all those who identify as such years ago.