What does the word “gamer” really mean? Imo Kaufman, a PhD student at the University of Nottingham who has been conducting research in collaboration with the National Videogame Museum, attempted to explain the term during another reckless Hyper Talk in AMAZE Sheffield.
Taking the stage for just five minutes, Kaufman explains that he wants to uncover the identity and experiences surrounding the term, for both gamers and developers. “My research is oral history, which means I interview people about how they think and feel about games,” he says. “But the important thing is that I’m looking at the culture of gaming, not games themselves.”
It’s a crucial distinction. Kaufman isn’t interested in looking at video games as a book or a text, but rather hopes to understand how they shape people and their perspectives. “My special interest is the identity of the gamer,” she adds. “So what is a gamer?”
A terminological paradox
In his search for answers, Kaufman pored over his interview data to summarize all the ways people tried to describe their “gamer” identity.
“A gamer is 'someone who plays video games of any gender or sexual orientation.' 'Someone who enjoys video games.' 'Someone who spends a lot of time playing video games.' All of this seems pretty normal at the moment,” he continues. “'Someone who knows a lot about video games,' for example, who knows the latest releases or has technical knowledge. And then 'someone who plays a lot of big AAA games.'
“Then it starts to get a little darker. 'Someone who is violent in video games.' For example, you might yell at a woman in an online game. Then we have 'someone who likes video games too much.' 'A man, probably a white man.' 'Then someone who believes in toxic, patriarchal worldviews.' That doesn't come across well. Then we have 'someone who feels that white men are under attack.' Finally, we have 'someone who has far-right or nationalist belief systems.'”
Kaufman acknowledges that these definitions are “contradictory.” For example, some respondents believed that “gamer” could include people of any sexual orientation or gender, while others believed it would primarily encapsulate white men. Another apparent paradox was the conflicting belief that “gamer” could mean someone who enjoys playing video games, versus someone who actively spends a lot of time playing video games.
“You might not think of these things as contradictory, but you might be someone who really enjoys playing video games but for some reason doesn't have the time. For example, you might be a single parent with two jobs. Or you might just have trouble getting access to the Internet to play the types of games you'd like to play,” she says.
“Finally, we had someone who plays a lot of AAA games like RPGs and first-person shooters, and someone who is offensive in video games. Now, those two things contradict each other in a slightly different way, in that you might really enjoy shooting games, but you don't like being yelled at for the way your voice sounds. That's a way for a certain type of gamer to identify other people who might identify with them.”
Kaufman says his research highlights the complexity of a term rife with “contradictory meanings.” It’s important, he says, to understand that “gamer” can mean very different things to different people. So why does it matter? Because when one part of that massive, diverse community tries to take ownership, it can dictate who can play.
“It's about who can play. Who companies and developers expect to play. And who feels like games belong to them,” he says. “It's important that the good things don't cancel out the bad. Just because some people think 'gamer' is an inclusive and joyful identity doesn't stop some people from associating it with all these really negative and sometimes dangerous ideas.
“Language and how we talk about things is important. There are obviously a lot of challenges in gaming culture, and I hope the gaming space can recognize and acknowledge that. The mission statement of the National Video Game Museum is 'video games are for everyone, all the time.' I think it's important to remember that sometimes it takes effort and not everyone agrees with us all the time.”
Click here for more information about AMAZE Sheffield.