What is a gamer?

There are different types of “gamers,” but I assume you’re asking about the hardcore type.
Short version… anyone who plays 40+ hours a week, generally on a variety of games.

There are a few other gamer types too:
Board Gamers: The D&D group. These are the original gamers. This is also where the name originated.
Casual Gamers: This is the category where most people fall. This is the Tetris, addictinggames.com, anyone with a Nintendo or PS2 lol
Retrogamers: People who only play older (vintage) games like Atari, NES, arcade, etc.
Import Gamers: People who play games that can’t usually be found or bought in the US. These are mostly console games from Japan, but occasionally Europe has some too.
Pro Gamers or Cyberathletes: This is the select group that most Hardcore Gamers aspire to become. These are the people who get payed to play games. By becoming among the best they are sponsored and allowed to play in competitions around the world. Alternatively, instead of being sponsored, they could win video game competitions for prizes and/or money.

Links:
Major League Gaming (Pro Gamer League)
World Series of Video Games (now canceled)
CPL World Tour (now canceled)
Fatal1ty (One of the most famous gamers of all time)

I define a gamer as someone who plays video games and considers it to be one of their top three leisure activities. I don’t define it by hours spent, as that can change from month to month. What’s most important in this definition is that their love of video games continues over a long period of time.

I don’t consider board games or D&D style games to fall under the category of a “gamer” – to me the word gamer indicates video games, regardless of console.

I would almost want to consider myself a pro gamer, though I don’t compete anymore…I use to compete in N64 Goldeneye and was really good at it. I’ve also competed in Starcraft tournaments as well.

I consider myself a casual gamer now, still playing those older games from back in Junior High and High school. But I will also play newer games as well. I’ll only really compete with friends or matches online, but no more tournaments really.

One who plays games to an arbitrarily greater extent than your average person.

What dan doesnt realize is that hes actually a total noob at most games.
A good definition of a gamer is someone who enjoys playing games as was said earlier, as a main leisurely activity. But in addition plays many different types of games and isn’t stuck on just one or two types of games. Also someone who is always interested in playing the new games that comes out just to see what they are like. And finally I think a gamer should be able to pick up on new games pretty quick, since they play so many differnt types of games. So if you walk into a room and someone says hey want to play mortal combat IV, and you havent yet, you say sure, and then you proceed to beat them silly with lui kang because his moves arnt much different from the first 3 mortal combats. pow.
P.S. Me and dan know eachother in real life so me calling him a noob is a credible insult.

Starcraft!!
<—-See gamer.

Hmmm for the second time today i find my self echoing what dynamicduo said…. :P

I dont always play video games all the time, sometimes theres whole months where i dont play, but i definitely love vidja games and would consider myself a “gamer”.

I tend to get really into games and play the hell out of them for a couple days, and then just stop playing video games until the next one i like comes out.

kyle, if anyone here is a noob, it’d be you…I’ve always schooled you in Blizzard games like SC, or WC3 (after I got accustomed to the hero aspect). Also, I remember owning you and friends in Goldeneye, and Perfect Dark for N64. I’ve competed in Tournaments for all the games I’ve mentioned and won several times. noob.

My first definition of a gamer was someone who regularly played role-playing games of any sort—online, console games, pencil and paper. Whatever.

My current definition has expanded, very grudgingly, to include non-RPGs as well.

To me, gamer indicates someone who has a significant interest in, enthusiasm for, and/or knowledge of any game, usually excluding sports but not excluding boardgames or RPG’s. I include people who used to play a lot, and still find games interesting and/or appealing, but haven’t played anything in a long time. There were gamers before there were video gamers.