Two years ago I decided to build a gaming room. We had taken a trip to Las Vegas and I was inspired to do so after taking a tour of the HyperX Esports Arena at the Luxor. It was a quite a rabbit hole that I decided to go down. Several months later I have collected and put together various systems; new and old; and have amassed quite a collection.
I find myself recently enamored with the Nintendo Switch. Fancying myself a collector, I purchased the Dragon Quest XI Switch Edition and it is a thing of beauty.
I believe that you can classify gamers into different types:
1. the casual gamer – these types of gamers are into all types of games whether it is a simple mobile game or a complex real time strategy game. They are easy going about playing them when they have nothing better to do. They rarely make schedules or plan their gaming in advance and do not spend more than an hour or two playing games. They rarely ever finish a game.
2. the hardcore gamer – this type of gamer eats, sleeps, and breathe video games. The stereotype of the overweight individual covered in Cheeto dust sitting in a dark lit room surrounded by empty Mountain Dew cans is not far from the truth. They are dedicated, spend hours glued to their TV or computer screens, and plan their schedule around their video games.
3. the midcore gamer – a hybrid of the previous two types this type of gamer probably includes the majority of gamers out there. They love gaming and the gaming industry, thoroughly enjoy playing video games but are not as single minded as the hardcore gamers. They might plan a gaming session somewhere in their day but not at the cost of other social activities. They might indeed spend hours on a game but only if they have the time to do so. They know when to tap out so to speak and focus on other priorities other than video games.
4. the old school gamer – fans of old console and arcade games and tend to dislike new games made today. They may own old consoles and have a vast collection of games that they play using MAME32 and other emulators. Many tend to be set in their ways and uninterested in trying new things. (while I certainly am a fanboy of the old consoles and arcade games and possess many of the characteristics of this category; I DO APPRECIATE and like the newer games and devices)
You may find, with the exception of possibly the casual gamer; that many of the gamers in these categories are also avid collectors. They pride themselves on their gaming collections and it is a very passionate hobby for these enthusiasts.
Here are my questions that I pose to you:
1) What is your favorite gaming platform? The PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, etc. There are many different types of consoles and computers and I would be interested to hear from you if you have an absolute favorite. And then WHY is this platform your absolute favorite? Is it the exclusive titles that come with the system or is it something about the technology compared to other devices?
2) Secondly, are you a collector, and if so what do you like to collect? If you want to share images of the shining jewels of your collection or your entire collection please feel free to do so.
I look forward to reading your responses.
I’m liking the PC platform for the sheer flexibility of it. My old consoles either stopped working after some time or I’ve sold/gifted them to some other enthusiastic gamers or collectors, but I always have a computer in a way or another.
For the same reason, I’m light on the collection aspect. I probably have a backlog big enough to last a few years and I’d rather collect experiences and empty shelves than actual physical things. I still have a decent Sega Saturn collection that should be looking for a new home, though.