Third Tier of Gamer?

[Sabre]

We all know gamers. The non gamer, like my dad, who doesn't play games. The casual, like my mam, who plays bejewled and the like. And the hardcore gamer, like us, to who games are our number 1 hobby or a major factor in our lives. However, there is an ever increasing third type that I'm starting to think needs it's own name.

From my brother to somewhat familar internet names like moviebob who play games, but it's second or third with other hobbies and activiaties take priority. To use my brother as an example. He is into cars, bikes and machines. He plays Saints Row, and Froza, but despite playing them almost exclusively in his game time he has still not finished them despite playing them for months.

Why now? It was a straw that broke the camels back moment. I was watching a somewhat popular video series on the internet (that I almost always disagree with for various reasons and don't want to give the oxygen of publicity) that put forward the revolutionary idea of, and brace yourselves, thinking of games as an art form rather then a kids toy. I did a double take at that for reasons that I don't need to tell you. It was very similar to the series Game Over Thinker by that moviebob fellow mentioned above, and like that show it's main failing was the people involved not knowing any better.

When trying to describe it, I ran into the problem that I didn't know a word for these gamers. They are clearly not casuals, but their lack of detailed knowlage, passion and experience common to hardcore gamers is obviously missing. I know it's OCD to try and put a label on everything, but it's getting to the point where these are mentioned often enough in conversation that I think we should come up with a term for them, if one doesn't exsist already.

Thoughts?

[Vy'drach]

I dunno, softcore gamer or game enthusiast?

[ThePointingMan]

Ahhh yes, Artistic video games... I think some people need to play peaches, that'll knock em straight

http://www.destructoid.com/the-videogame-show-what-i-ve-done-art-games-163502.phtml

*very mild warning I guess.*

I too have seen this "third" group, a lot of the people at my school are becoming them. Sports being their top priority. I don't like it one bit, at least not when they start talkin aboot video games... but as far as naming a group, I'd say naw, that's a touphy, I can't think of anything...

[Milkyway64]

First, I'd like to express annoyance that you brought up a video series and didn't name it. Just do it, you already told us about it.

Second, yeah, games can be artsy. Look at Limbo, Kirby's Epic Yarn, Eversion, and even to something as "standard" as Nightmare House 2. They all have visual effects that impress and please, and turn the decade old "shoot this thing to win/get points" into something to behold. These games, like any other genre, have their market.

Point being, they don't need a name, as the artsy game is really just another genre that doesn't really work by itself.