What makes a game "hardcore"?

With so much talk about the Nintendo flameout at E3, and blowing off the hardcore gamer, I was wondering: what makes a game hardcore?

I've heard plenty of discussion on what people feel makes a gamer hardcore, but what about a game?

• Is there a requisite level of violence necessary that most casual folks don't have the stomach for?
• Is it the genre? Are there "casual" FPS and RPGs?
• Is it mechanics? A level of complexity to play a game that is a barrier to people not willing to invest long hours to master it?

If the play sessions are almost restricted to short bursts or an average play session is 15-20 minutes I would say the game is "casual" Brain Training is the classic example.

In all honesty for me none of the points you have raised are really a factor for me unless by hardcore you mean hentai games

As long as there is no assumption that acessibility=casual

When you shoot someone in the face and there head explodes thats pretty hardcore.

Steep learning curve, and a balanced competitive online mode.

Well, it's a combination of lack of appeal to a younger audience, high levels of play, and gametype.

My perception of a hardcore game is one that requires skill and can be mastered. so e.g Most RTS's, games like BF2 (its not hard to play but is hard to master) some turned based games, Civ 4 and so on

Hardcore has nothing to do with its ESRB rating or what content is in the game. For a game to be hardcore it needs to have a level of complexetity that requires skill and practice to master the trade. Hardcore games are also not limited to only online gaming, but that is how they're popularity is mainly spread. A novice or casual gamer would have greater difficulty playing these games than simpler titles.

Counter-Strike Source, Team Fortress 2, Halo 3, Gears of War, Metal Gear Solid 4; these are hardcore games.
PGR, Forza, Grand Tourismo; these are hardcore games.
RPGs not really, RTS not really.

Personal opinion makes them hardcore nothing more.

IMO a hardcore game has to be difficult and/or require lots of playing time to master. It also (especially in this day and age) has to have a good competitive online mode like the person above me said. Team Fortress 2 and Call of Duty 4 are 2 classic examples. Most casual games are meant to be played for short amounts of time, while you can play a hardcore game for hours. You never hear about people pulling an all night brain-age marathon, because no one will ever play that game for more than an hour or so at a time before it gets repetitive.

To me, hardcore is any game that a non-gamer would scoff at.
Mario Galaxy is hardcore, for example (my parents like to watch it but they would never play it, they say it's too hard >_>). Halo is hardcore.
Pinball and Wii-Sports, for example, are casual.

"To me, hardcore is any game that a non-gamer would scoff at.
"

A non-gamer shouldn't be able to play it better than a someone who plays video games every week.

Enemys have 100% health and you die with one hit.

"If the play sessions are almost restricted to short bursts or an average play session is 15-20 minutes I would say the game is "casual" Brain Training is the classic example.

In all honesty for me none of the points you have raised are really a factor for me unless by hardcore you mean hentai games

As long as there is no assumption that acessibility=casual

"

In my opinion hardcore games are stuff like: Mario, Zelda, Gears of War, etc. Games that gamers play for higher meaning than just quick fun. Like nostalgia and competition. IMO casual games are games that people who usually don't play games play for  like I said "Quick fun". Games like Brain Age, Nintendogs, and Wii Fit. Hardcore games don't have to have over-the-top violence or cursing. They just need a following of serious gamers.

lbp is hardcore

when each level of the game seems like hell on computer.

what makes a game hardcore?

the demographic that plays it.

Games which feature the hardcore demographic generally are deeper and slightly harder than their counterparts. I think its generally the depth of mechanics that define it.

Voilence etc is generally irrelevant.