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While the term used to refer to a gambler, "gamer" came to refer to a video game hobbyist. In recent years however, the term has been politicized. "Gamer" became something of a pejorative to many on the Left in particular as denouncing "gamers" became a means of signalling political allegiance. Those who disparage the term claim that identifying as a "gamer" is just tying one's identity to the products one consumes (because free games and emulation totally do not exist). Those types are often the ones who cannot imagine how anyone could to tie their identity to anything other than one's sex life or gender.

Labels for those who enjoy particular hobbies is not that unusual. Some terms that come to mind are: cinemaphile, bookworm, rock hound (stone collector), philatelist (stamp collector), numismatist (coin collector), gearhead, motorhead, railfan, trainspotter, foodie, outdoorsman et cetera. Keeping those other terms in mind, "gamer" is not really out of place. Especially when one considers how those who bewray the term often big fans of Harry Potter and the like. There is also a level of irony to the term "gamer" that came about when companies started using the identity for marketing.

I guess I am not too bothered by the term, but I am likely in the minority in that regard.

So are we gonna make a page about it?

I don't know if you're trying to set up a discussion with the intention of making an entry about the "gamer" term in the end, but if so, I think it's only fair to mention that the term was already debated way before the 2010s.

With the video game industry trying to widen its audience from the late years of the PlayStation 2 to the worldwide success of both the Nintendo DS and the Nintendo Wii, many games were designed to be friendlier to new players (sometimes they did it without sacrifying the gameplay, sometimes it was a disaster), leading a lot of people on online boards to discuss what was the "correct" definition of a gamer or at the very least how we categorize them. That's roughly how the terms casual gamers or core gamers became popular, while hardcore gamers became more prominent. However, it had nothing to do with politics or something, as it was only an attempt at putting words on how committed someone was to video games. These terms eventually were used by the industry itself, stating for some games that the target audience was "casual" or "core" gamers.

They are not as prevalent as they used to be, because the industry evolved to manage difficulty such that today's games are realitvely easy to play but hard to master (a good example being the latest Monster Hunter games), but they were at every corner 10 years ago or so and you can find remnants of that in memes from that era. I'm pretty sure that's where GiantDad's catchphrase "What R U ? Casul ?" came from.

I had no intention make a page about it, although someone else could make it if said individual desires. I just wanted to share my thoughts on the term. I guess I should have done it on the Riff Raff board. Sorry about that.

As far as the term gamer goes, I can see it as something people wouldn't use because it's just that, a label. I seen one say he watches movies but he wouldn't use some term that's an equivalent to gamer. As Cheeky said, the terms been debated way before the 2010's when the industry tried to widen its audience since the field managed to go further with the DS and the Wii.

As for politics, I'm assuming you probably saw someone on Twitter go "gamers tm" and the like. I can't even stand much of those Twitter sort of things since they just all look more like a headache where everyone involved could be a jackass but as far as politics goes, I seen some refer to "gamer" as "reactionary white male." Maybe with something like GamerGate or whatever but even then I seen it get applied to things that wouldn't tie into GamerGate at least not directly but then again, it's all on Twitter and Twitter is it's own cesspool of various individuals that can be complete jackasses regardless of political leanings. You'd get one guy thinking a butt shot in ME 2 being cut could be some SJW conspiracy and another thinking one not liking the removal must be some reactionary coomer but that sort of thing is its own can of worms fit for another discussion.

IMO, I just say a gamer is anyone that plays video games long enough that they could come back to it now and then whenever they have the time. I just use the label not because of consumerism but more of a way to let people know what I'm into, what one of my biggest hobbies are. I don't game as much as I used to not just because I could be losing interest (and for all I know, maybe something else could kick in thanks to my own health or genetics but who knows) but also because of all the responsibilities I manage to get as I get older.

I hate the term 'gamer'
The mental image is almost always a 200 lb + lonely loser or manchild, which isn't true approx. less than half the time. I think those who unironically call themselves gamers willingly tend to be on the cringe end of the personality scale. Political activists making 'gamer' synonymous with extremist, consumer and/or loser is just a further consequence of the absurd nature that vidya has going for it as an entertainment industry

For me it used to be one of those umbrella terms to describe a community of the more "nerdy" hobbies, like weeaboo or furry.

Because of that, like the other two community it has a bit of a reputation. Sadly, the media likes to pick at that audience because it's such a big target.
The name didn't have a good reputation to begin with. If not for the gatekeeping hardcore gamers, then for association with gambling. It certainly didn't help when in '14 the media betrayed their own audience by commiting a character assassination of the worst kind.

Imagine, the community turned from a closed clique of hobby enthousiast into a gang of sexist neckbeards. Of course the gamer community was angry!

Then things turned political and got real ugly. The damage was done! The name gamer was forever associated with conservative neo-nazis.

I've seen it happen more since then, something relatively innocent gets milkshake ducked by the media, reactionaries jump the bandwagon only to turn into the very thing they were supposed to prevent to be associated with.

It happened with "Gamer", it happened with the okay sign and it happened with Pepe the frog.

The mental image itself may as well be different depending upon the person. I wouldn't be surprised if those that had the mental image were from a different generation where they saw video games as purely as kids toys or something that only nerds engaged in. As for the personality scale, I'd say those calling themselves gamers will legit have some that are cringeworthy. I call myself a gamer in an unironic sense but even then that's just more on gaming being the biggest hobby I got.

Even without political activist, "gamer" can still be synonymous with a consumer culture simply because of the industry built around it. I don't mean in only video games but imagine all the products made that have a "gamer" aesthetic or branding in mind like various motherboards and even products that bear the face of a video game character like Mario. I can't say for the extremist angle beyond knowing you could have some gaming chatrooms or discords and the like be preyed upon by say right wing extremist who could find a few people to sway to their side. The loser part though, that's been around since like the 80's or 90's. It's not really much of a new thing.

I think the term gamer has become a pejorative because the vast majority of those who self-identify as gamers tend to be very prickly and judgmental with regards to the media they and others consume. Having the wrong opinion is a surefire way to start a flame war.

This was the case even back in the 2000s . You all know as well as I do just how easy it is to kick up dust simply by saying you didn't like a game, or that you prefer playing on this certain console or pc or whatever.

So someone comes along and starts saying that video games are sexist, racist, etc etc. Instead of just going "you're entitled to your opinion, but I disagree" and moving on with their lives, they end up losing their shit and devoting a bunch of their time and energy to, idk, Proving them wrong I guess.

Gamers became absolutely obsessed with people like Anita Sarkeesian. Even back in the day I didn't quite understand the hatred for her. I watched a video of her's, thought it was stupid, tapped the dislike button, and moved on with my day. Others would instead write whole goddamn essays, make 30 minute long response videos, and go through her entire catalogue just disliking all her videos.

You can see where this leads to the perception of 'gamers are manbabies afraid sjw's are gonna take their toys away' comes from. Cause that's how a lot of them acted back then. Its how some of them still act now.

Oh, you're a gamer? So what McDonald's do you work at?

There is a similar joke for actors in Los Angeles when someone says they are an actor you respond with, "Really, so what restaurant are you a waiter at?" Meaning everyone wants to claim to be an actor, everyone wants that big break into being a big star and everyone wants to be able to quit their mundane job to be an actor full time but the reality is, they still are just a waiter until that happens. You can call yourself a gamer all you want but reality is you are just a guy who plays because you still live with your parents and they pay for everything or you're actually employed and play in your spare time. Either way gaming is something you do for fun. It's not a career for most of you and very few people that call themselves gamers can say that it is. In conclusion what I'm saying is this, If a Pig can learn to play you aren't anything special. Git Gud Scrub!

Out of curiosity, how much are you being payed at KFC?

These are true gamers. stop being butthurt and get on this level. Then you can call yourself a gamer.