I hate the word ‘Consumer’ or I mockingly call it ‘CONSOOMER’. Because that’s to imply everyone in the world is just cattle, but with wallets. We’re no longer customers. We’re consumers now. And a consumer’s purpose is to consume shit, whatever is put out there. Got money? Shut up and consume, it’s what corporate interests and capitalism itself thrive on. Consume and consume.
I don’t think it refers to effort level alone. It’s about doing obnoxious, unfun things to get marginal (at best) advantages.
For example, the only game I really still play multiplayer is Madden. If I hold a dude to 4th and 15 and they go for it, I know damn well it’s going to be a boring shitshow of a game until they rage quit. They’re going to turn it over on downs because that’s not a convertible play, I’m going to get an easy touchdown, they’re going to be even more stupidly aggressive on the next possession because now they’re behind, and it’s going to be a blowout where I’m just waiting for them to quit because there’s no way they’re going to play it out for a whole game.
That’s a try hard. Someone just winning and making intelligent gambles isn’t.
Nearly every time I’ve seen someone using the term, it’s against someone who isn’t even talking and just playing the game better than the dude who cried “try hard.”
It’s only more recently I’ve seen a trend of younger gamers giving it this other definition, which I’ve never actually seen used in a game session.
It’s been a thing forever (well over a decade). You’re playing a casual pickup basketball game and one dude is diving on the ground for loose balls near other people’s legs and playing really grabby defense? People will notice and say shit.