Is gaming a hobby?

Soldato
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Just had an interesting thought. I notice some people class "gaming" as a hobby, but others would laugh or raise an eyebrow at the idea.

An online dictionary says:

an activity or interest pursued for pleasure or relaxation and not as a main occupation: Her hobbies include stamp-collecting and woodcarving.

So why do so many people think this is ridiculous? People never bat an eyelid when I've mentioned what I consider to be my "hobbies", I suppose because I do them with achieving something tangible in mind (ie: being productive). However, if I were to mention gaming, which I've got back into recently and am enjoying, they'd say I need to get out more. ;)

I think that these days, gaming is on a par with watching films. So what's the issue?
 
I always thought of it being a hobby, a pastime etc... I don't need gaming to get me by in life but it helps to get rid of the hours i've got spare, or when I do have spare time..

Playing games means you have to do something, and many PC gamers tinker a lot with their systems and this is a hobby... Like those who build custom PC gaming rigs etc...
 
Yes, it is. Unless you're one of those using gaming as a profession and getting paid fairly handsomely to do so.

For those saying "you need to get out more" tell them to head over to shoryuken.com or eventhubs and point them out to the recent 5000 dollar money match... some of the prizes are worth far more than that too!

But for a hobby, yes it is. I'm afraid the days where gaming is 'geeky and uncool' are long behind us. I know a lot of WoW players (since I am one too, though far less these days). A few of the women who play WoW who I know (one is actually a model) would make those saying you need to get out more want to stay in more!

In the end do what makes you happy. Gaming is a hobby, and I'd rather play with a large group of other players on WoW, or even just beating my best friend senseless on Marvel Vs Capcom than stamp collecting! :p
 
Generally there doesn't seem to be a satisfactory distinction between a hobby and a pasttime activity.

I associate a hobby with being something creative, but this clashes directly with something like stamp collecting, for instance, which no one will disbute, is classed as a hobby. Gaming is more creative than that, I would think.

Then again, what makes collecting something a hobby and not a pasttime?

I'm also not comfortable with watching movies as a hobby for the same reason.

So, in the end I would say that no, gaming is not really a hobby but a pasttime activity. To my mind programming games would be a hobby.
 
By the definition given in the OP i'd say i class gaming as a hobby, i certainly game to relax and because i enjoy it.
I tend to think of gaming as being better than most common 'hobbies' or activities people use to unwind such as:

Watching TV: This is in my opinion such a boring way to spend time, atleast gaming requires interaction, depending on the game it can be quite mentally challanging, TV is not.

Drinking: Ok i do this as well as gaming but i've known people who go to the pub evernight intent on getting drunk simply because they have nothing better to do, i wont deny it can be a fun way to spend some time but it's so damn expensive!

Something i've often wondered... i've always been told to list some hobbies and interests on my C.V. do others do this? or do you try to gloss over your gaming in situations like that?
 
Kind of ironic though that a person does a hobby to relax, yet gaming seems to create more frustration than relaxation. Frustration at trying to get a game working, frustration about the bugs, frustration about crashing and performance, frustration because player X just killed you for the umpteenth time. Seems its more frustrating than relaxing :D
 
A lot of people still cannot comprehend that just becasue something is done on a computer does not mean that it by default produces anything less tangible than a 'real world hobby'. You are still moving binary (electric signals) around afterall.

I know this firsthand, out of my group of friends, I am the only one who goes anywhere near PC games. The look on their faces is priceless when I say I am watching an online tournament etc.
 
It is on my CV. Not been asked about it yet but a nice reply stating that I often command 6 squad leaders who in turn have squad members in a large scale real time battle can only look positive. :D
 
i'd say PC gaming is a hobby but not so much console gaming. I use games in the same way that most people use the TV.
 
It is on my CV. Not been asked about it yet but a nice reply stating that I often command 6 squad leaders who in turn have squad members in a large scale real time battle can only look positive. :D

I've been in a similar situation, tempted to put it on my CV but I fear it won't be seen in the same way I think it should :D
 
gaming/playing games, in most peoples minds, is probably deemed childish.
atleast thats my idea :p

I used to be of this opinion - then I grew up :p

Seriously though, I think gaming (and computer use in general) shed much of its stigma during the noughties. Plenty of people at work (30s mostly, including women) openly talk about gaming and that isn't something you would often see 10+ years ago except amongst people you knew were like minded.

Haven't got anything about gaming on my CV although maybe I should as (to people that 'get it') it would illustrate a range of skills. I've done live commentary on major finals to hundreds of listeners, travelled to events overseas, run leagues and been involved in coverage websites etc. Just can't see it being taken seriously by most employers though.
 
Gaming is very competitive now. Its still a hobby. But its more like a sport/hobby which is were the competitive comes from.

Surely that is only if you play competitive games?

All my gaming is single player or multi-player co-op, I stopped caring about beating people years ago. (possibly because I wasn't as good as others :p)
 
YES! its mainly the older people who complain about it 'not being a life'

but theres always the classic, anyone who games more then me has no life and anyone who games less then me is a n00b :D
 
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