The term gamer has two main uses, I'd say. First, those who sincerely use it to convey the fact that someone enjoys gaming as an entertainment form, and then secondly, as a bit of a meme. Gamer, the word, has more than a few negative connotations these days, and many prefer to call themselves players, or just express that they happen to enjoy playing video games from time to time. Now, EA has come forward with some statistics suggesting that the term gamer is well and truly outdated.
As reported by VGC via Adweek, the vice president of brand at Electronic Arts has stated that the word gamer is not representative of many of those who enjoy games. The report from VGC quotes Elle McCarthy saying: "Gaming is no longer a medium or an industry, it is simply 'interactive'. You can now interact with almost everything through play-from an interest area like interior design to a movement like Black Lives Matter or exploring your sexual identity."
One of EA's next big releases is FIFA 22 which was finally revealed just a few weeks ago and will release in October 2021...
She continues: "There's really no such thing as gamers at all and understanding that will be crucial. The recent rise in more lo-fi live service games allows faster integration of culture than ever before. This is a huge opportunity for marketing and forces a more audience-first and fluid approach for brands looking to engage authentically."
Advert
She even gives us a statistic, saying that just 14% of people who play games would call themselves a gamer, and that falls to 6% for women. That's incredibly low considering the amount you may hear the term used in common conversations about the medium and those who enjoy it.
I don't know about others, but I do often question why we get called gamers when there are musicers, filmers, televisioners too. Well, if these statistics are true then we now know that playing games and being a 'gamer' don't always go hand-in-hand.
Featured Image Credit: EA