So I’m making a grilled cheese sandwich the other day when I start to think about my two girlfriends who are obsessed with Sims 2. They know this game inside out. They spend every available hour playing this game. They know the 9 ways to die (swarm of flies, electrocution, satellite falling on your head, etc.).  They know all about the Social Bunny, the psychiatrist who comes out when you go crazy, and even maxing out your career level - for example, if you’re a cook, you end up getting a chocolate factory and then you can earn money by selling the chocolates you make. They have even bought a strategy guide for this game.  And in almost every conversation we have, Sims 2 seems to come up. We (or maybe just they) talk and email about strategies, what’s going on in their Sims’ lives, and even how to throw the most successful birthday parties! They are waiting at the edge of their seats for the Sims 2 Expansion Pack to come out any day now. And to me, these girls are hardcore gamers.

On the other side, I’m also part of this ongoing Halo 2 email thread with some friends of mine.  They share their online findings about best weapon combos, tricks/glitches on the levels, videos of people doing crazy jumps that leave you exclaiming “NO WAY!!!”, and strategies on how to train a n00b. They talk about their stats, share stories about their awesome wins and even their nights of suckage. And the other day, one of them even bought a strategy guide. I would also say that these guys are hardcore gamers.

So why is it that to the average gamer, you wouldn’t consider someone obsessed with a game like Sims 2, a hardcore gamer? These people love the game just as much, spend just as much time playing it, and are constantly thinking about ways to improve their game. Have we limited hardcore gaming to only include games that involve fighting, blood, guns, or aliens? I would hope not, but it seems like there’s still tons of gamers out there that think this way. Either way, I just wanted to take this opportunity to give props to all the “gamers who aren’t seen as gamers”. Who cares what kind of video game you’re playing – if you’re obsessed with it, that’s a gamer in my book.