Gamers
Gamers spend thousands if not millions of hours playing video games each year. These gamers can be found across all ages and genders. Whether they are playing with friends or family members, online or on their own, gaming is becoming more popular than ever before. While gaming is considered an addiction for many, it also helps people to relax, escape and feel accomplished. There are a variety of different types of games and games that appeal to various interests, preferences and personalities. Some of the most popular include shooters, role-playing games and sports games. In addition, there are mobile games and social games.
Some people argue that only those who play multiplayer games are real gamers. Others exclude casual games such as Cookie Clicker from the category. Still others use the word to describe gamers who attend esports events and take their preparation as seriously as a footballer or tennis player would do for their discipline. These gamers tend to have a genre they specialise in and may hop between titles but most stay focussed on one game. Adel ‘Big Bird’ Anouche is a fighting game stalwart who has been honing his skills for years and recently won the Red Bull Kumite 2023 in South Africa.
A number of studies have shown that gamers perform better in motor skill tests than non-gamers. This is believed to be because playing video games can help develop an ability to learn sensorimotor patterns, improve multitasking and speed of movement. In some cases, gaming can even help people recover from injuries.
While some of these benefits are disputed by some, most gamers agree that gaming does have some positive impacts on the brain. This includes helping people to become more creative, learn faster, and retain memories. In addition, many gamers prefer the social interactions they can experience while playing with others. In fact, there are some couples who only sleep together when both of them are able to finish a game.
It is common for gaming media, games industry analysts, and academics to divide gamers into broad behavioral categories. These are sometimes separated by level of dedication to gaming, by the primary type of game played, or by a combination of these and other factors.
The Bartle Player Taxonomy identifies four main categories of gamers. Achievers, Explorers, Socialisers and Killers. Achievers like to gain rewards and achieve success within a game, while Explorers enjoy discovering hidden elements and exploring games in more depth. Socialisers love to interact with other players, while Killers are more interested in competition and destroying opponents. This categorization of gamers is used by development services to understand how their games might appeal to gamers and create a more targeted approach. The key is to identify your gaming personality and have fun with it! You can learn more about yourself by trying different games and identifying which categories you fit into. Are you the goal-driven Achiever? The Explorer who is inquisitive and daring? The Socialiser who thrives on connections? Or the ruthless Killer looking for the next fight?