Casual Gamer?

I've had a subscription to Play magazine for just over a year now and I really love it. A few months back (maybe it was longer ago...) the magazine, but mainly the editor, got into a Wii bashing mode. It was actually really interesting what they had to say about it and I also agreed with them a lot a lot of points at first. One thing they said was that thy were tired of all these gimmicky controls and just wanted a normal controller again. I have to say that at some points I feel like this also when I play some games but other games feel great with the Wii's controller.

Now ever since they started bashing the Wii it's only gotten worse with every issue. At first I really didn't care because attacks on the system don't hurt my feelings but after awhile it started turning into a bashing of Casual Gamers.

I don't want to put words in their mouth so I will say that they have never openly come out to say anything bad about casual gamers (that I've noticed), they just seem to associate casual gamers with games that are poorly made or with less popular games.

I didn't really get upset until I read this in the latest February issue "...the limited success of casual games in America still pales in comparison to the continued strength of serious-gamer franchises like Halo, Zelda, and Call of Duty, and even original hardcore titles like Assassin's Creed, Mass Effect and Bioshock." (Play Magazine, Volume Seven Issue Two, page 61, Casey Loe-Editor)

The reason that made me frustrated was because they continually talk bad about games they call Non-Games by saying that they are bringing down the industry and Japan is turning into a place where only Non-Games sell. So since I enjoy games like Tetris Attack, and Phoenix Wright , as apposed to playing Halo or Call of Duty, I can be called a Casual Gamer instead of a Hardcore Gamer.

I can't recall a memory of me ever not having some sort of video game system but ever since the PlayStation made gaming "cool", mainstream games are now the hardcore games and the games that don't fall under the action adventure category are just games for the casual gamer.

Not everyone on the Play staff thinks this way but it makes me sad the the magazine that's supposed to be on the cutting edge of everything has an editor and editor in chief that would classify me as a casual gamer who is bringing down the market.