Dear Hardcore,

Tell me this - What happened to the videogaming audience I remembered decades ago? When did such a large number of players become so rigid in their beliefs and negative? You see I remember a time when videogaming seemed to be a wonder-world of possibilities where we thought "the future is here" and those images of colored light inspired the imagination of "what can be." At one time seemingly not so long ago, people used to dive into this 'pool of potential' head first ready to try out every interesting imaginative idea. There were no boundaries, no limits. And because of this mentality these technological toys, these computers specialized for entertainment served as fertile ground for crafts of creativity, exercises of ingenuity, and the cultural exchange which helps the world achieve better harmony and understanding.

What happened to all of this, Hardcore? When did this beautiful spirit leave the gaming culture? The commentaries from your kind restrict the wonders of "what can be" into merely "what is." You dictate that this is a "real game". This is a "non-game". This is "niche". This is "mainstream". This is "mature". This is "kiddie". This is "casual". This is "hardcore". What does any of this mean? Who decided all of these definitions and why they should matter? The way I remember it, and correct me if I'm wrong, people just used to play the games they liked and let others play the games they liked. Live and let live, Play and let play. But ever since the emergence of your Hardcore Empire that rules sovereign the hearts and minds of many players, we have protests about what games should be made vs. what games shouldn't. We see aggressive chastisement of those who make, promote, buy and play any of the games in the 'shouldn't' category. We see grumbles, gripes, and grievances over new ideas chartering into unexplored and barren territory. There's just a suffocating air of negativity, naysaying, and nonsensical numbskull nitpicking contaminating the lung-space that breathes gaming culture. And seriously, explain the psychotic persistent paranoia about "the end of gaming as we know it" that pops up each time some game offends your finicky sensibilities.

What happened to that hopeful spirit that used to accompany videogaming in the 1970's and 80’s? The spirit which fueled the camaraderie and competition in the arcade gallerias, the spirit which gathered friends and family together in front of the console hearths, the spirit which encouraged the designers to take chances and venture out into new frontiers? Thankfully, somewhere it still exists but alongside it grew this spirit of stagnation and lack of imagination as the years crossed the calendar. This caged bird doesn’t sing, it whines. Such a contrast from that free feathered one who would rather fly high in the sky. Whereas before the game creators would take the machine beyond its stated limits to make the game, now the creators make woeful cries of technological limits preventing them from making it. Whereas before the players would play a game over and over again to mastery, now the players complain about games being too short as they follow the walkthroughs. Whereas before a buyer would use his/her own judgment to decide what game that buyer would like, now that buyer swears by the ‘infallible’ reviews and rankings of some on-high publication in print and on web.

A game is a game is a game. Candy Land, Checkers, Rugby, Dominoes, Charades, Red Light Green Light, Hide and Go Seek, Footraces, Basketball, The Price Is Right, Super Mario Bros., Sudoku, Fantasy Football, Tetris, Monopoly, Dungeons & Dragons, Jeopardy, the Daily Jumble, Hangman, Putt-Putt Golf, Grand Theft Auto, Pac-Man, Wii Fit, Solitaire, Poker, Hungry Hungry Hippos, Operation, Simon Says, Clue, Chess, Tag, Laser Tag, Paintball, Slamball, Tug-of-War, Battleship, Yahtzee, Doom, Street Fighter II, Quarters, Dice, Lotto, the Stock Market, Roulette, Cherry Master, Pachinko, Mahjong, Marbles, Resident Evil, PONG, Boxing, Flag Football, Musical Chairs, Pencil Fight, Open Chest, Bingo, Shuffleboard, Final Fantasy, Myst, M.U.L.E., Zork, Shadowrun, Horseshoes, Pinball, Wheel of Fortune, World of Warcraft, Tic-Tac-Toe, Text Twist, Q*Bert, Populous, Sim City, Imagine: Fashion Designer, Nintendogs, Tamagotchi, Shenmue, and Shinobi. Just a tiny sampling of what a game is whether it’s called a sport, an RPG, an MUD, an FPS, a toy, a thinker’s game, a man’s game, a girl’s game, a kid’s game, a puzzle, a strategy game, gambling, a platformer, a sandbox, amusement, a simulator, a board game, a word game, a drinking game, a game show...or maybe even a videogame.

Who ARE you? Who ARE you, Hardcore? What's really the meaning behind your vaunted title? What gives you the authority to operate as Caesar in the Coliseum? Keep your twisted thumbs to yourselves, because you don't have as much control over this pastime as you might think. Yes, I know the interface device in your hands may have given you this delusion, but never forget that it only allows you to control the playing pieces displayed on your television screens.

But what is a game according to you, Hardcore? Well, I'll tell you my definition. I define a game as a "select simulation of life". Games are to be played, right? Play is the domain of the child, correct? A baby human, a young human plays. When a baby dog, a puppy plays what’s it doing? It is practicing the skills and abilities it will need when it becomes an adult dog. When you see puppies play-biting and taking some shoe or random item by the mouth and shaking it to and fro, they are practicing the skills they need to hunt food and protect against any challengers to their territory. Baby cats, kittens suddenly hop up on couches and chairs with a sly demeanor. They get on their hind legs and scratch the furniture; they toy with balls of yarn with their paws. It’s the same thing. They are practicing the skills and techniques they will need when they are fully grown cats. It is no different in this respect when it comes to babies of the human kind.

You follow me? Each game we create focuses on a portion of life that our inherent abilities and skills are designed to flourish in whether we play them as children or adults. Kids play hide and go seek to practice the deceptive maneuvers humans use to escape predators which may (and often do) include fellow humans. Kids play tag in order to learn the chase or the hunt both as chaser (hunter) or the chased (hunted). Kids play red light green light to refine mastery of command. A social animal such as this relies on the spoken order to be able to organize for a hunt, an adventure, or an excursion. What we call sports whether its baseball, football, basketball, or whatever can teach us the strategies of war, an extreme example of the hunt. We learn how to work in teams yet use our individual abilities to their fullest to guarantee success. Puzzle games, strategy games, logic games train us on how to use our massive minds. To master a game like Chess or Sudoku or Dominoes or Sim City shows that we can handle complexity in information. Some games teach social skills like the various drinking games, Truth or Dare, or Animal Crossing. You learn how to interact in a group or society which is something every human being has to participate in somewhere in his/her life. Some games teach concentration and coordination like Pinball. Card games teach risk and reward. Some games teach you how to read code like word games. Some games train strength. Some games train memory. Many games teach social roles and their conditionings. No matter what the form all games are a smaller representation of the ultimate game called Life (and not the one from Milton Bradley either).

Because of this a game can be any and everything. Some games keep score while others do not. Some games have statistics to delve through while others do not. Some games have an intricate back-story while others may or may not have even a faint framework. Some games are pictured in 2D; some are pictured in 3D; some games have no graphics at all. Some games have playing pieces to pick up and hold; some are games of the spoken word. Some games have objects to interact with, some games have no objects. Some games have an ending while others do not. Some games take great skill while others are accessible to the seemingly skill-less. Some games have multiple solutions while others can only be played one way. In the world of gaming and all its evolutions including the video kind, there is no limit to the possibilities. It’s as infinite as the universe we live in, as infinite as the whole of creation. The child never knows its limits and pursues the wonders of life even to his/her own danger. The soft mind lets in new ideas but the hardened mind bounces the new ideas off the surface. What’s that saying they came up with about old dogs and tricks? (Hey, open your mind to this possibility. Dating and Mating is a game; that’s why they call them Players and Playboys. Ever thought along those lines?)

If gaming is truly so infinite, why do you self-proclaimed Hardcore members choose to be so finite? Videogaming has shown itself to be as fluid and expansive as any other, but now this natural essence is a problem to your rigid minds. We can play backgammon for thousands of years yet have trouble playing the latest blockbuster gaming title for a couple of months. “There’re no games,” whine the unappreciative brats. “Where are all the adult games?” moan the adolescent minds in irony. Ha, “adult games”. Certainly aren’t played on a videogame controller if ya smell what I’m cookin’. “A TRUE gamer buys all systems”. “A REAL gamer plays REAL games” “This game is casual. Do. Not. Want.” “This game is for the hardcore!” Is that anything like the Marine Corps? As in “Semper Fi - do or DIE!”  When exactly did game players become such masters of marketing?

I don't remember gameplayers using these kinds of words when I was growing up. Perhaps the marketers have finally succeeded in their advertising dreams to have the customers parrot their talking points...I've got crackers if you've got cheese.

When I think of the words “hardcore” and “casual”, I’m hearing sexual terms, porno terms. Do those “hardcore” games give orgasmic pleasure while the “casual” ones are flings and one-night stands? Should I coin a new term..."gamephomaniacs"? The forever insatiable and unsatisfied lusting for the (Mr.) right game to knock their socks off (hear the synonymous rhyme beneath this euphemism). It's as if these players are making love to their game machines when you listen to this kind of talk, which does nothing to dispel the stereotypical image of the usual gameplayer being a sexually/socially uninitiated adult in twilight childhood. A “True” gamer? A “Real” gamer? Ah, the sage Dave Chappelle has taught us all the follies of when keeping it real goes wrong. I buy the system or systems I want. I play the game or games I want. I don’t have the time or the money to invest into everything ‘videogame’.

While this attitude might work for the stockholders of the publishers who make these playthings, I have wider ranging interests than sitting in front of my TV screen all day, every day to play them. It's a pastime, a hobby. One that I and, as the sales charts show, many others enjoy immensely. But it’s not healthy to be a slave to the marketers’ interests regardless of how much they trained us to be this way in our youth through the constant cavalcade of happy shiny commercials.

Like the faithful trained seals you are, you Hardcores now think you must get the biggest and best sound system, TV set, and system specifications just to merely enjoy a videogame nowadays. That’s not what gaming is about. I never cared about the components of the machine; I care about the fun derived from the images and interactions on screen. They represent the select simulation of life that affirms my life in reality. This is what gaming is about and what it has always been about whether it’s for competition or camaraderie or self-improvement or sociability or simple straight-up entertainment. It’s not about the gaming press’ reviews or sales figures or even the technological bits and pieces.

To me it doesn’t matter if the art style is illustrative or naturalistic. It doesn’t matter if it has an epic background story or the faintest of frameworks. Buying into these phony distinctions called “hardcore” and “casual” reminds me of the idiocy when I hear the political terms “red state” and “blue state”, “conservative” and “liberal”. Just silly human beings doing that ‘Us vs. Them’ thing again.

There are old ladies who play Bingo quite enthusiastically and competitively while there are those teen boys who play Madden for a little while (only to have it collect dust in the closet). Those housewives who spend hour upon hour over years playing the solitaire packed into their PCs while there are those 20-year old college kids who play the current 'IT' game of the month. Those 50-year old uncles who play a spirited trash-talking competitive game of Spades in get-togethers every week for decades while there are those young'uns who have a stack of games unfinished or even unopened. That grandma who looks feverishly for a worthy competitor on the worldwide multiplayer feature in Tetris Party while there are those Prime Timers who spend more time online talking about games than playing them. Who’s “hardcore” and “casual” here? All of them are REAL players (not that one with Rhapsody) and all of them are REAL games. Good games, bad games? Well, that’s up to you to decide. It says much to me when games that came out decades, centuries, even millennia ago still get played and re-bought while recent blockbusters are often forgotten within a couple of years - or months.

When I saw Pac-Man at 4 years old I didn't have a clue about the origins of the videogame business, who was who, who owned who, how all of this stuff got here, how the makers of the machines got paid through sales, the detailed circuitry inside of the machine, its effects on the market, none of that. All I knew was the yellow thing ate the colored things who chased him all around and made them go BLRLROOP! This I would come to learn was a "videogame" and soon I would see videogames that were nothing like Pac-Man at all. One game with a man jumping over barrels thrown by some crazy gorilla who stole his girlfriend. Another one with some guy digging in the ground and pumping up monsters to make them pop. Another one with a spaceship shooting flies, bees, moths, and all kind of freaky bugs in outer space (what IS a Galaga anyway?). Another one with a frog trying to get across the street without getting gooshed by cars on the road. Another one of some garden being invaded this weird centipede and other pests played by some rollball device on the machine. Another game where the man shoots a bunch of scary robot monsters who keep creeping up close to him on every side.

Much like my earlier youth seeing the diversity of the arcades in early 80s, my teens were spent enthusiastically seeking out and trying out new gaming ideas both on the consoles and the arcades. So thrilled by the ideas available, I used to look in awe at the vibrancy that existed in the computer gaming scene since I didn't have a computer. Then there was my neighbor who owned a Sega Genesis. There existed no rivalry or haterism between us. We enthusiastically played each other's systems impressed with what each company had to offer. There were no casual/hardcore labels to think of, no mindless overly partisan corporate identification, no sales charts one-upmanship, no reviews as gospel. Only gameplayers...period. Videogaming by then was much different than it was when I was a 4-year old, but the original spirit of imaginative possibility I gained as that mesmerized youngster never faded. And I was too overjoyed by the abundance to have complaints.

Perhaps because of that spirit I've always been blind to these kinds of divisions. Maybe the Hardcore existed when Nolan Bushnell and Ralph Baer took digital electronic gaming from the MIT college tech whiz domain to the masses in the bars and living rooms of America. Maybe the Hardcore existed when Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man drew in females to the arcades. Maybe the Hardcore existed when the NES console dared to challenge the computer gaming empire of Commodore 64 and the Amiga 1000. Maybe the Hardcore existed when Sony's PlayStation expanded the scope of the videogaming audience to appeal primarily beyond children and teens. What about that "Hardcore" who played the difficult arcade and console games of the 80s and 90s and relished the hand-breaking challenge? They couldn't have been one and the same; those arcade dwellers had that same spirit of exploration and open-mindedness to new ideas. They didn't complain and whine just to hear themselves make noise.

At the center of it all, the game was the thing. Still gameplayers - period. Gameplayers who appreciated technological progress. Gameplayers who appreciated fresh subject matter. Gameplayers who appreciated different artistic approaches. But STILL when you boil it all down, just gameplayers. Not Hardcore. Not Casual. Not Niche. Not Mainstream. Not Real Gamer. Not Non-Gamer. Just gamers. Just gameplayers.

We need that feeling again. Wherever you came from, whenever you emerged, now is the time for your kind to fade away. Just as it had done at the beginning of the Atari era; just as it had done at the start of the Nintendo era; just as it had done as the PlayStation came into being, it is being done again today. Videogaming is expanding its boundaries and gathering new audiences. With each step the industry charts new territory as a media form. For every different type of person, more and more there better exists a game for each of them to enjoy playing. Every new player further solidifies the medium as an authentic entertainment source like any other. Hey, this loyal Nintendo fan didn't cry and complain when the PlayStation began to dominate the market. I wanted a PlayStation for the exact same reason I enjoyed playing my friend's Genesis, for the same reason I envied computer gaming of the early 90s: new fresh interesting ideas that I wanted to try out. As I entered adulthood, I still retained that exact same attitude toward this pastime that existed in me since childhood. I still have it and will forever have it.

What about you, Hardcore? Can you follow my path? Will you place the welcome mat out for the newcomers like I will? Will you leave your preconceptions behind and look at new ideas with open eyes like I do? Will you enjoy the games on your own merit free from the overrated opinions of some reviewer like I have always done? Will you ever take yourselves less seriously and quit with all of the unproductive grousing? I hope you can but I have my doubts. Hardcore, you have lost your imaginations, your view of what can be, and as far as I'm concerned game over can't come soon enough for the way you think.

I admit it. There’s a rewarding feeling I get when the games of this new inclusive era send you self-proclaimed Hardcore into a panic. The Germans call it schadenfreude, I think. I love it when your example of what gaming should be is placed upon a pedestal, only to have it bested by some unwanted interloper who steals its thunder and overshadows its success. Hardcore has at last become a Casualty - from the press to the developers to the players at home. As I said before, a long time ago, “The hardcore of a peach is the pits. Try to get the WHOLE fruit.” For the future of this wonder-world of possibilities, I’m gonna take a bite.

Thank you for listening,

A Gameplayer