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[Dilbert]

I've seen the term "non-gamer" and "non-game" thrown around in myriad discussions lately, especially concerning the Nintendo DS: "Nintendo's strategy is marketing to non-gamers," etc. Well, I've reached my limit with the poor semantics. "Non-game" doesn't bother me TOO much, since I think it's relatively easy to define what a "game" is: A game is an activity where there are one or more clear criteria which constitute winning, some possibility of losing, and rules which the participants must follow. If something isn't a game, then it's a non-game...simple test, although it's debatable whether or not "non-game" is a useful term for understanding.

However, the notion of a "non-gamer" is really starting to bother me -- what does that term MEAN? Is a "non-gamer" someone who plays "non-games?" Is it someone who has the potential to become a "gamer"...whatever that means? Is it someone who is utterly uninterested in any KIND of game?

Part of the reason this bugs me so much is that I think human beings are, by their NATURE, "gamers." We try to turn EVERYTHING into a game, whether it ought to be or not, by defining criteria for "winning" (attractiveness of significant others, perceived social status, wealth, etc.), and seeking out competition against others. I find it hard to imagine that there is someone out there who doesn't enjoy SOME form of gaming, although it's just as easy to imagine that videogames in particular aren't for everyone.

So what do you mean when you use the term "non-gamer?" And if we find that the term is semantically meaningless, can we agree to abandon it?

 

[Duck of Death]

Part of the reason this bugs me so much is that I think human beings are, by their NATURE, "gamers." We try to turn EVERYTHING into a game, whether it ought to be or not, by defining criteria for "winning" (attractiveness of significant others, perceived social status, wealth, etc.), and seeking out competition against others. I find it hard to imagine that there is someone out there who doesn't enjoy SOME form of gaming, although it's just as easy to imagine that videogames in particular aren't for everyone.

This is exactly why the term "non-gamer" is irrelevant. The way the term has been used by Nintendo and its vigilant fan crusaders has mostly concerned non-traditional video game demographics.

 

[Musashi Wins!]

In the space of PR it seems to mean, "people who haven't yet bought a game-centric handheld". :lol

 

[ThongyDonk]

or people who are NOT GAMERS

 

[Goreomedy]

Non-gamer = Someone who is so turned off by the standard controller interface and gameplay complexity, the only titles they'll play with me are Mario Party, Eye Toy, Monkey Target, and Burnout Crash Mode...

 

[aceface]

Someone who does not play videogames. Seems pretty easy to me....

Nintendo wants to attract people who have never played videogames before or have very little videogame experience.

 

[Vandiger]

Non-gamer = an individual who rarely plays video games.

 

[demi]

I, am a non-gamer.

 

[Ceb]

Someone who's into Nintendogs-related taxidermy.

 

[Razoric]

Non-Gamer plays Pac-man but hates Halo 2.

Non-Gamer is not a typical male from ages 10-30.

Non-Gamer is Gamer but Non.

Revolution.

Believe.

 

[Zaptruder]

non-gamer = people that don't normally play videogames and certainly not of their own impetus.

 

[Dr_Cogent]

A game is an activity where there are one or more clear criteria which constitute winning, some possibility of losing, and rules which the participants must follow.

There are games where you never "win". The Sims is a game. World of Warcraft is a game. Neither involve winning anything.

 

[Zilch]

For example: Nintendogs is a "game" made specifically for the "non-gamer". It's simple, it's straight forward, and it's easy for people who never play games to pick up and play.

So Tetris is a "non-game"?

 

[Chittagong]

Reminds me of a pre-E3 interview I was doing with a top exec of a top publisher. He kept on explaining how their strategy really focuses on "converting gamers to non-gamers". Looking at their recent games, I must say that the strategy is working on me.

 

[LakeEarth]

Non-gamers cannot grasp the motion on doing a fireball in Street Fighter.

 

[SonicMegaDrive]

A non-gamer is a person who is incapable of playing a video game.

For example:

This old woman has arthritis and bad eyesight. It would be a struggle for her to play a video game. Particuarly since she does not posess the coordinational skills and reflexes needed to do so.

This is a baby. Babies don't play video games. They're not smart enough yet.

This is a dude with no arms. He can't play video games because he can't hold a controller. Unless it was EyeToy or something.

 

[Ruzbeh]

A non-game is a game that doesn't feature traditional, modern day gameplay or gameplay elements. It's very often a game, but it is referred to as a non-game to suggest that it's a very different game.

 

[FortNinety]

A non-gamer is a person who is incapable of playing a video game.

For example:

This old woman has arthritis and bad eyesight. It would be a struggle for her to play a video game. Particuarly since she does not posess the coordinational skills and reflexes needed to do so.

This is a baby. Babies don't play video games. They're not smart enough yet.

This is a dude with no arms. He can't play video games because he can't hold a controller. Unless it was EyeToy or something.

Great example btw.

Sorry, but physical handicaps doesn't really count. Some who is a non anything should be thought as so due to an inherent disinterest to something.

Also, what about that blind kid who play fighting game? And the one who can play Pokemon? Plus there's really fat people who play DDR. Okay, bad example, but maybe you know what I'm getting at.

 

[Ruzbeh]

Oh, and I think a non-gamer is someone who rarely or never plays a game, but not someone who always plays non-games. When non-gamers play non-games they become gamers.

:lol Does that make sense?

 

[SonicMegaDrive]

The blind kid who could play fighting games? I hadn't heard of that. That's pretty impressive.

As for fat people and DDR...half the people I know who play DDR are fat. So, that's definitely not a problem. :lol

 

[ToxicAdam]

I think it's a great "shorthand" term for what it took some 7 or 8 sentences to explain.

 

[ge-man]

I'm glad -jinx- made this thread because I'm having a difficult time trying to sort this out as well. I think casual gamer is a better term than non-gamer because the idea of "games" is pretty broad IMO. I'm sure that folks that Nintendo, for example, is trying to attract with their current philosophy have had some experince with games. What makes them different is not that they don't play games at all but that "video" games aren't a significant choice in their off time.

 

[Slo]

If you can't win, it's not a game. The Sims is not a game. Animal Crossing is not a game. AutoCAD is not a game.

 

[SonicMegaDrive]

Can you guess the name of this obvious non-gamer?







That's right. It's Emperor Palpatine. He doesn't play video games.

 

[sammy]

Down Syndrome patients are considered non-gamers due to the extra-chromosome that is capable of projecting them into a warp/time astral-plane realm where their skills as infinitesimal-cognizant beings surpasses any demand for optical-media.

They also just like the simple act of swimming in a pool, the pressure from every angle stimulates their lack of tactile-sensory.

 

[Chittagong]

what

 

[WrathOfOtaibah]

What the hell is a "non-gamer?"

The new clichéd word of the season, until its overused and becomes a bannable phrase a few months from now.

It also is the "Its got legs!" of 2005.

 

[slayn]

I'm glad -jinx- made this thread because I'm having a difficult time trying to sort this out as well. I think casual gamer is a better term than non-gamer because the idea of "games" is pretty broad IMO. I'm sure that folks that Nintendo, for example, is trying to attract with their current philosophy have had some experince with games. What makes them different is not that they don't play games at all but that "video" games aren't a significant choice in their off time.

to me casual gamer is different form non gamer. They are all labels on the same sliding bar.

hardcore gamer - someone that owns all systems and pays all kinda of games regularly as well as generally follows video game news

gamer - doesn't really care about news and doesn't always know what games are coming out but has a pretty decent library of games and at least occasionally talks abotu games amongst other people.

casual gamer - someone that plays Madden and Halo and thats about it. Possibly thinks the genesis is a system named sega.

non-gamer - someone that would look at stuff like Halo and Madden with disgust. They can't possible understand why anyone would want to waste their time on silly things like that and, as someone else said, are incapable of throwing a fireball in street fighter. In the rare occurance that they will like a game it tends to be one in which they can play for a few minutes and then stop. They would rather play pacman on their cell phone than anything on a console.

 

[SonicMegaDrive]

Well, I don't know about that. A person with down syndrome should be perfectly capable of playing a video game. I mean, most of them probably aren't going to get 3,333,360 points in Pac-Man, but they are certainly capable of at least playing a game and getting a certain level of enjoyment out of it.

 

[Dilbert]

Down Syndrome patients are considered non-gamers due to the extra-chromosome that is capable of projecting them into a warp/time astral-plane realm where their skills as infinitesimal-cognizant beings surpasses any demand for optical-media.

What the FUCK, dude.

It's bad enough that SonicMegaDrive started the parade of tastelessness...did you really have to join in?

 

[Razoric]

this thread has taken a really weird turn.

 

[demi]

non-gamers are getting harassed, time for a survey

 

[6.8]

non-gamers = GAFFERS

I am non-gaming right now. And so are you.

 

[Chittagong]

This thread has archive potential. Make it happen!

 

[Deku]

My boss is a non gamer. I'm increasingly turning into a non-gamer.


A non-gamer is someone who doesn't spend the majority of their waking lives, thinking, discussing and bitching about games. They also don't get flustered and post threads against non-gamers because a company decided there's a market for them to maybe play games 20 minutes a day on the train to work or to home.

This is more of the same, "I was wrong about my assesment of the DS strategy and prospects on the market, but I'm too proud to admit I'm wrong so I'll try to discredit the entire strategy and demographic and pretend I'm still right"

 

[ToxicAdam]

Here's another non-gamer:

 

[monchi-kun]

my wife

 

[Cerebral Palsy]

The non-gamers are people who bitch all day long on internet forums about videogames, but don't actually play them.

 

[monchi-kun]

Phantom gamers

 

[sammy]

What the FUCK, dude.

It's bad enough that SonicMegaDrive started the parade of tastelessness...did you really have to join in?

Sorry, 'couldn't help myself --- but I'll actually participate now.

Like movies, games have gotten pigeonholed and cornered into a set criteria.
Movies are 'film' and have much more potential than the usual "character, rising action, conflict, resolution" ---- We rarely have a choice for a high-budget documentary or anything outside of the traditional 'narrative' when we go to the theatre.

Now look at games --- at a base level they are 'interaction', there's a lot of potential in that single word .... Yet the majority of what we're given is a forced 'challenge' to overcome.
But millions of people don't want to pay $50 to compete, some just want to be creative --- so they don't "game" ...

Animal Crossing is a great example --- If you aren't creative, it's really hard to enjoy the game since you mostly have to define your own challenges rather than following any rules.
People that are turned of by shooty-FPS games are turned on by "bopping-someone with the NET!" in AC ... simply because they *chose* to do it.
This market is being called the "non-gamers", and that name will likely change in time.

 

[John Harker]

A non-gamer is simply someone who hasn't played video games yet, or doesn't regularly.
It is a term for an untapped segment of the market.

If they buy a video game becuase of special segmented marketing toward their group... they become gamers. The label doesn't stick once you leave that segment of the market and enter the target marketing, which, you've guessed it - the gamer segment.

 

[SonicMegaDrive]

Wouldn't a better word for a 'non-game' be 'objective-less game'? I mean, games like Animal Crossing and Nintendogs are still games. There's just no clear objective.

Or how about Mario Paint for the old SNES? It's a video game. There are no clear obsticles to overcome or even an ending to the game. The objective is really to do whatever the hell you want to.

 

[Borys]

Non-gamer = my girlfriend (24).

I showed her dozens of games, from Sanitarium, Halo, Wolfenstein, Diablo to Mario 64, Mario Sunshine, Zelda: TWW, Klonoa etc.

She always laughs how stupid and childlish gaming is.

 

[Musashi Wins!]

Wouldn't a better word for a 'non-game' be 'objective-less game'? I mean, games like Animal Crossing and Nintendogs are still games. There's just no clear objective.

I think he's clearing saying that they are not games if they don't fit the earlier definition.

 

[Ruzbeh]

Non-gamer = my girlfriend (24).

I showed her dozens of games, from Sanitarium, Halo, Wolfenstein, Diablo to Mario 64, Mario Sunshine, Zelda: TWW, Klonoa etc.

She always laughs how stupid and childlish gaming is.

See if she likes Nintendogs or Brain Training.

 

[SonicMegaDrive]

True. But a game can also be defined as, An activity providing entertainment or amusement; a pastime.

As for the question at hand: it's simply a derogatory word invented by somebody, who doesn't like 'objective-less games', to describe the people who play them.

 

[Musashi Wins!]

True. But a game can also be defined as, An activity providing entertainment or amusement; a pastime.

That's not a very good definition, though. I'm not sure we need a definition, but it's interesting and it would clear up the question at hand.

 

[Jonnyram]

Non-gamers also includes the group of people that used to play games but have stopped playing for one reason or another. Nintendo seems to be very serious about this group of people.

 

[WrathOfOtaibah]

Non-gamer = my girlfriend (24).

I showed her dozens of games, from Sanitarium, Halo, Wolfenstein, Diablo to Mario 64, Mario Sunshine, Zelda: TWW, Klonoa etc.

She always laughs how stupid and childlish gaming is.

One of the girls I fornicated with hates games but loved Donkey Konga. Another one I was with kicked ass at Metal Slug 3 and got higher scores than I did. It was weird because she seemed more like a party girl but not only did she know about the game but she was good at it. She didn't like anything else that I had.

I think "nontraditional gamers" a more correct term IMO, have random and odd choices of what they like and don't like.

 

[Musashi Wins!]

Another one I was with kicked ass at Metal Slug 3 and got higher scores than I did. It was weird because she seemed more like a party girl but not only did she know about the game but she was good at it. She didn't like anything else that I had.

KEEPER.