Back in the 1980s and 90s, gaming was slowly becoming part of the mainstream. As more gamers started to gain access to at-home consoles like the Atari and NES, along with handhelds like the Game Boy, gaming became a more common pastime. However, that didn’t mean hardcore gaming disappeared altogether.
In fact, even though hundreds of millions of gamers today could fit comfortably under the umbrella of ‘casual gamers’, there are plenty of vestiges of early hardcore communities. Whether focused on an expansive MMORPG like EVE Online or entrenched in niche worlds like CryptoKitties, the impulse for gamers to fully immerse themselves in virtual worlds will always be present.
And, just like any dedicated community, there are plenty of unique trends, habits, and norms present for gamers. While some transcend the borders of gaming communities, others are specific to genres and categories, such as FPS titles. Let’s take a look at some of the most specific habits and trends in various gaming sectors, focusing on the most unique and memorable.
Poker Tells: Fidgeting & Avoiding Eye Contact
Poker is one of the world’s most popular card games. It’s been around for well over a century and moved online as early as the 1990s. Because most people play online, they aren’t face-to-face with other players. However, there are still plenty of live games happening—and picking out tells from other players remains a highly nuanced skill.
One recent study found that some of the most common tells in the UK are fidgeting, avoiding eye contact, touching their face, and tripping over their words. Oddly enough, these apply beyond the poker table, as well, such as during important talks at work or when someone suddenly becomes the center of attention.
Full Reset in Simulations: The Urge to ‘Get it Right’
Simulations are a super popular category of games that allow players to step into an immersive world. Sim titles cover a large range of themes, from flight simulators to city-building simulators to empire expanders like the Civilization franchise. In these cases, many gamers report the urge to start over as they advance further into the game.
The goal is to reset all the game’s settings to match their first round, then engage in a second round in order to ‘get it right’. Uniquely, the opposite is true for other simulation gamers. Rather than restarting the game to hit a perfect stride, they abide by the rule of ‘never restart’ in order to reach their goal in a single go.
RPGs: To Minigame or Not to Minigame?
Role-playing games, just like simulations, cover a range of themes, from space operas to Wild West adventures. RPGs let players step into the shoes of a character—and fans of these games have more than a few wacky habits. For example, many gamers refuse to act in a way that the titular character wouldn’t; rather than play as themselves, they’re role-playing their playing character at every stage.
One of the most divisive RPG habits is whether or not to engage in minigames and side quests. Some players like to keep things direct, while others refuse to move on to another level or portion until they know they’ve uncovered every game and quest. For example, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt includes the card game Gwent—but some players were so focused on finding Ciri that they didn’t even notice.
Series Conclusions: The Art of Letting Go
As outlined by these examples, gamers can become highly involved in the fictional worlds and games they love. For games with ongoing narratives, this creates a lot of pressure for developers to finish off a series well. When it comes to the art of letting go, gamers are notoriously opinionated and hard-headed.
Let’s look at the conclusion of two highly popular series: Final Fantasy 14 and Mass Effect 3. The former was a critical flop upon its release. Final Fantasy 14 included bugs, gaps, and other issues that turned players off—almost for good. To reboot the series, creators released an update that saw the game’s villain nuke the entire premise. It was then relaunched—without bugs, and to great success.
Mass Effect 3, on the other hand, saw three games’ worth of decision-making, which should have steered the end of the game for every player and resulted in dozens of unique endings, leading to three choices. These three choices on how to conclude the game left players so angry that multiple campaigns were launched to voice dissatisfaction and call for a remake.
