Similar to games and gaming platforms, there’s a variety of types of gamers, too. Understanding their types is essential for different contexts, including game development, marketing, and community building. This blog discusses types of gamers by motivation, platform, engagement, and more to assist you in determining the specific group of gamers you’re going to target.
There are different types of gamers available out there, each with unique gaming choices. These gamers can be classified into casual gamers, hardcore gamers, professional gamers, armchair gamers, and many more. Besides, Richard Bartle’s Player Taxonomy separates gamers into four different types, including Achievers, Explorers, Socializers, and Killers.
If you want to develop a game, understanding the types of gamers is crucial for game development, marketing, and community building. It helps businesses determine a certain group of gamers to target for strategic game development and ensure optimized ROI.
This blog explores different types of gamers categorized based on gaming platforms, genre, engagement level, and motivation, along with insights from Bartle’s Player Taxonomy. By the end of this blog, you’ll get a crystal-clear understanding of the type of game players to direct your game development project.
What are the Different Types of Gamers?
Mentioned below are the types of gamers that you should know before you plan a game development and hire game developers.
1. Casual Gamers
One of the types of gamers is casual gamers. These gamers enjoy playing games occasionally to pass the time or as a way to relax. They prefer games with simplicity and accessibility, with simple game mechanics, shorter playtimes, and limited commitment. For example, Candy Crush or Animal Crossing are excellent games from these gamers’ perspectives.
Causal gamers play games on a recreational basis, during short bursts, or between other activities. These gamers are less likely to be invested heavily in the game’s mechanics, depth, and competitive aspects.
Detailed Breakdown of Casual Gamers:
- Emphasis on fun and relaxation
- Simplicity and accessibility
- Lower time commitment
- Enjoyment of various games
2. Hardcore Gamers
The next type of gamers is hardcore gamers. They are individuals who are passionate and deeply invested in games. They dedicate a significant amount of their day-to-day life and effort to explore game mechanics, improve their skills, and engage with the gaming community.
Hardcore gamers have a strong desire for challenge, competition, and excitement, and seek fast-paced, skill-based matches. They value mastery, high performance, and competitive edge in games.
Detailed Breakdown of Casual Gamers:
- Intense passion for the game
- Competitive drive
- Commitment to skill improvement
- Invest time
- Maybe completionists
- Prefer community engagement
3. Professional Gamers (Esports)
Professional gamers, also known as esports gamers, are the type of gamers who compete in games at a professional level, often in structured tournaments or leagues. They receive proper training, work with teams, and earn sponsorships or salaries.
These gamers dedicate a significant amount of time and effort to training, thereby refining their competencies in specific video games. Besides, they may also earn income via streaming their gameplay, sponsorships, and additional game-related activities.
Detailed Breakdown of Professional Gamers:
- Competitive skill
- Intense training and practice
- Have a sense of competition
- Enriched with professionalism
- Triggered for income generation
4. Armchair Gamers
Armchair gamers don’t actively participate in games themselves but are deeply interested in and have knowledge about games. They often engage in activities like reviewing, critiquing, and discussing games.
Armchair gamers are likely to be fans of specific games or genres and prefer to follow the gaming industry; however, they are less likely to be the primary players.
Detailed Breakdown of Armchair Gamers:
- Not active players
- Knowledgeable and interested
- Engaged in discussions
- Reviewers and critics
- Often driven by a love of gaming
5. The Observer
The observer is the type of gamer who loves watching games and specific shows related to the gaming industry. They don’t immerse themselves in games but enjoy watching others play games. These gamers find it entertaining and satisfactory to experience the story, strategy, and excitement vicariously through friends, streamers, or esports events.
The observers often engage via platforms including YouTube and Twitch, following gaming content, walkthroughs, as well as live competitions without actively participating in the gameplay themselves.
Detailed Breakdown of the Observer:
- Prefers watching to playing
- Enjoys strategy, storytelling, and commentary
- Follow streamers and esports
- Often active in gaming communities
- Low or no direct gameplay involvement
6. Online Gamers
Online gamers are individuals who love playing video games over the internet. They prefer multiplayer experiences, often playing in real-time, whether with or against other players in a virtual environment.
They are the types of gamers who thrive on teamwork, social interaction, and competition in the lobbies or persistent worlds. They often play MMOs, MOBAs, or battle royale games and value adaptability, communication, and community-driven gameplay.
Detailed Breakdown of Online Gamers:
- Focus on multiplayer experiences
- Competitive or cooperative play
- Strong community interaction
- Often involved in clans or guilds
- Requires a stable internet connection and communication tools
7. The Storyteller
The Storyteller is one of the types of gamers, motivated by immersive narratives, emotional depth, and character development. These gamers are drawn to games with enriched storytelling, moral choices, and cinematic experiences.
Storytellers enjoy games, such as Life is Strange, The Last of Us, or Red Dead Redemption 2, where the game character and journey matter more than competition and scores.
Detailed Breakdown of the Storyteller:
- Seeks emotional and narrative depth
- Prefers story-driven single-player games
- Enjoys role-playing and dialogue choices
- Often reflective and immersive players
- Values character development
8. The Competitor
The term “Competitor Gamers” doesn’t refer to a specific, established entity or group in the gaming world. The term is likely to refer to those game players who are competitively driven and actively seek to perform well and win in video games, specifically in competitive gaming (esports) settings.
The competitor thrives on winning. They’re driven by skill, performance, and leaderboard rankings. Irrespective of game type, like PvP matches, speedruns, or tournaments, the competitors are always striving to improve and outperform their rivals.
They play games like Call of Duty, Street Fighter, and Fortnite with increased focus and strategy.
Detailed Breakdown of the Competitor:
- Invested in skill mastery and rankings
- Driven by victory and achievement
- Enjoys high-stakes matches
- Participates in tournaments or esports
- Competitive mindset
9. Console Gamers
Console gamers refer to the individuals who prefer playing video games on dedicated gaming consoles like PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. These gamers value plug-and-play simplicity, exclusive titles, as well as couch co-op experiences.
Console gamers are likely to enjoy a balance between hardcore and casual experiences, oftentimes prioritizing community, comfort, and an exclusive ecosystem.
Detailed Breakdown of Console Gamers:
- Prefer exclusive and optimized titles
- Use playstation, xbox, or switch
- Enjoy many game genres, like RPGs, sports games, and shooters
- Often, social or family-oriented players
- Balance between casual and competitive
10. PC Gamers
PC gamers play video games on personal computers (PCs) either as a hobby or a pastime. They prefer PC games for superior graphics, flexibility, and customization. PC gamers may vary in skill level, experience, and the types of games they play, however, they all share the common practice of utilizing a PC for gaming.
These gamers enjoy a wide range of games, from indie to AAA games, and high-performance esports. They benefit from platforms such as modding communities, Steam, and multitasking capabilities.
Detailed Breakdown of PC Gamers:
- Use desktops or laptops for gaming
- Focus on performance and graphics
- Access to broad game libraries and mods
- Often invest in hardware upgrades
- Active in forums and online communities
11. Mobile Gamers
Mobile gamers are gamers who enjoy playing games on mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. They include a wide range of people, from children to adults, and the demographic is diverse. These gamers appreciate convenience, short play sessions, and accessibility.
Mobile gamers span all age groups and enjoy games like Candy Crush, Clash of Clans, Bal Hanuman, or PUBG Mobile. They often like free-to-play models and social gameplay elements.
Detailed Breakdown of Mobile Gamers:
- Play on phones or tablets
- Prioritize convenience and accessibility
- Enjoy casual, puzzle, or social games
- Often engaged in short sessions
- Low hardware barrier
12. Cloud/Streaming Gamers
Cloud or Streaming Gamers are the type of gamers who access games via platforms like Google Stadia, NVIDIA GeForce Now, or Xbox Cloud and play games without downloading or requiring robust hardware. These gamers value accessibility and gaming on the go across devices.
Cloud and streaming gamers enjoy instant access, game streaming, and seamless cross-platform experiences.
Detailed Breakdown of Cloud Gamers:
- Like game streaming via the internet
- Prioritize flexibility and mobility
- Prefer cross-platform access
13. RPG Gamers
RPG (Role-Playing Game) gamers tend to immerse themselves in games’ expansive worlds, character progression, story arcs, and types of RPG weapons. They make choices that influence the game’s story or outcome. RPG gamers play games, for example, Final Fantasy, The Witcher, Final Fantasy, and Skyrim.
Detailed Breakdown of RPG Gamers:
- Focus on story and character growth
- Deep engagement in world-building
- Enjoy exploration and customization
- Often play solo or cooperative campaigns
- Invest time in long-term progress
14. PFS (First-Person Shooter) Gamers
FPS Gamers are those individuals who enjoy action-packed, reflex-based gameplay. They are types of gamers who prefer a first-person shooter game perspective and excel in fast-paced combat scenarios.
First-person shooter gamers prefer games like Call of Duty, Overwatch, and Counter-Strike.
Detailed Breakdown of FPS Gamers:
- Play from a first-person perspective
- Prioritize precision and reaction time
- Competitive multiplayer is common
- Often use headsets and team communication
15. Battle Royale Gamers
Battle Royale gamers are individuals who engage in online multiplayer video games. They start with limited resources and eliminate all other opponents, striving to be the last one standing.
Battle Royale gamers enjoy survival, fast-paced gameplay, and adapting to continuously changing scenarios in large and shrinking arenas. These gamers play games like Apex Legends, Fortnite, and PUBG.
Detailed Breakdown of Battle Royale Gamers:
- Enjoy large-scale, survival-based matches
- Prioritize strategy, looting, and combat
- Highly competitive and dynamic
- Engage in quick thinking and adaptability
- Often social or team-based
16. Bartle’s Taxonomy for Multiplayer Games
Bartle’s Taxonomy is a model developed by Richard Bartle to classify game players in multiplayer games based on their motivations and behaviors. It demonstrates four main player types: Achievers, Explorers, Socializers, and Killers. This separation of gamers’ categories enables game developers to understand their player base and the specific design that appeals the most to different player preferences.
Achievers
Achievers are the game players, motivated by their desire to master the game’s systems. They are more likely to be fascinated to enjoy collecting items, raising game levels, and unlocking achievements.
Explorers
Explorers are those game players who are curious and enjoy discovering the game world as well as the game mechanics. These game lovers are driven by a keen desire to obtain hidden items and secrets and learn the way things work in games.
Socializers
Socializers are game players who prioritize community and social interaction within the game world. They prefer forming connections with other players, chatting with them, and participating in group activities, elevating the game experience.
Killers (or Competitors)
Killers are the type of gamers who thrive on competition and dominance. They enjoy player-versus-player (PvP) encounters and are more likely to engage in aggressive or disruptive behavior inside the game.
Wrapping Up!
Right from casual to console gamers and PC to mobile gamers, there are various types of gamers in the video game industry. These gamers are differentiated based on different aspects, including gaming platform, genre, motivation, and many more. Understanding these categories helps you to determine the type of gamer you’re going to target, ensuring optimized game success and ROI.
Now that you have become aware of the types of gamers, you can turn your unique idea into a high-performance gaming app and monetize it. As a leading game development company, 300Mind helps businesses with comprehensive game development services with precision.
Be it a mobile game, console game, PC game development, or building a game of another type, we provide comprehensive game development services to assist you. You just have to share your unique idea, and rely on us to turn it into a high-performance game app.
Frequently Asked Questions on Types of Gamers:
One common model, Bartle’s Player Taxonomy, separates game players into Achievers, Explorers, Socializers, and Killers. Other categorizations distinguish game players as casual gamers, mid-core gamers, hardcore gamers, and many more. There are many types of game players out there, however, it isn’t a definitive number for types of gamers.
Hardcore gamers are often referred to as the opposite of casual gamers. They are deeply involved in gaming, oftentimes dedicating a considerable amount of effort and time to practicing, playing, and improving skills. Casual gamers, on the other hand, enjoy playing games occasionally, to pass the time, or as a way to relax.
As categorized by the Bartle Taxonomy, the different gaming personalities involve Achievers, Explorers, Socializers, and Killers. These gaming personalities are categorized based on how game players are motivated to play a game and interact within a game.
