Qu'est-ce que l’identité gamer ?

Abstract

The goal of this text is to show that playing video games is not enough to consider oneself a true gamer. To do that implies a whole set of attitude and discourses about the practice and the constructions of norms of authenticity. Theses norms are based on a double temporality: synchronic (having been there first), and diachronic (to spend a long time gaming); and also on some references which shape the good (and bad) taste in what we can call a gamer subculture, growing with the democratization of the practice. The social construct of this subcultural category is explored here with the analysis of a corpus of interview about geek culture in which the issue of gamer’s identity became central.