A gamer is someone who plays interactive games, especially video games and tabletop role-playing games. They often play for long periods of time and have a strong attachment to the gaming world. They may attend gaming conventions and watch gameplay streams. Some even play competitively, which is known as esports.

There are many different types of gamers, ranging from casual players to hardcore enthusiasts and professional competitors. Some gamers also spend considerable money on their hobby, buying high-end consoles and accessories. The gaming industry has grown to include a large social community, with games becoming increasingly complex and interactive over the years.

In the past, people who played video games were referred to as “geeks.” However, as gaming has become more social with multiplayer and online capability, it has expanded beyond being an entertainment medium to a form of competition and culture. This has led to an increase in gaming conventions and streaming platforms as well as a growth in the popularity of esports.

While most people think that gamers are male, the truth is that both men and women enjoy gaming. In fact, more women than men play mobile games like Candy Crush. The most common persona is the Casual Gamer, which represents a quarter of all gamers. These gamers are likely to play games when they have a spare moment, such as during their commute or while waiting for an appointment. They are less interested in hardware and consume content at a lower rate than the Ultimate and Enthusiast personas.

The Achiever gamer type is highly impulsive and has a high sense of self-esteem. They are more interested in excelling at a game than in socializing or escaping from real-life problems. They are also more interested in the immediate gratification that comes from beating a challenging level. Achievers often enjoy competing against other gamers in a game and enjoy completing the main story and all of its side missions.

The Explorer gamer type is curious and loves discovering new things about a video game. They often like to explore the game’s world and learn as much as they can about it. These gamers often find themselves playing RPGs, such as Skyrim or Witcher 3, and will spend a great deal of time exploring random caves, talking to all the NPCs, and maxing out their levels. They also like to share their experiences with other gamers and will offer feedback to developers on ways that the game can be improved. They are also a good persona for testing out new betas and demos of games before they buy them. These gamers tend to be very loyal to the games that they play and will rarely switch to another. They are also quite generous when it comes to their tips and advice for other gamers. This group of gamers is very similar to the Enthusiast gamer persona in terms of their preference for AAA, high-production value single-player games. They are also very active on social media and frequently watch videos and streams of the games they love.