patient gamer
/ˈpeɪʃənt ˈɡeɪmər/
CommonA gamer who deliberately waits months or years before buying new releases, trading hype for lower prices and polished patches.
Self-identified label, usually worn with pride. The r/patientgamers community on Reddit made it into a recognizable identity. Can also be used as a mild self-deprecating joke about having a huge backlog.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | just started red dead 2. I'm a patient gamer, don't judge me | Playing a game years after its release without shame. | reddit, 2024 |
| 02 | patient gamer life: $8 for the complete edition with all DLC. you paid $100 at launch | Celebrating the financial advantage of waiting to buy games. | reddit, 2024 |
| 03 | being a patient gamer is great until everyone you know has already finished the game and you can't avoid spoilers | The downside of waiting: missing the cultural moment and risking spoilers. | reddit, 2023 |
| 04 | I became a patient gamer after Fallout 76 launch. never again at full price | A bad launch experience converted someone into a patient gamer. | reddit, 2023 |
Use it when
- Someone intentionally avoids buying games at launch, preferring to wait for price drops and patches.
- Describing your own buying habits when people ask why you have not played a recently released game.
- Referring to the r/patientgamers community or philosophy.
Do not use it when
- Someone cannot afford games at launch due to budget constraints only.
- Someone just hasn't gotten around to a game yet with no deliberate strategy.
Patient gamer vs day one buy
patient gamer
A patient gamer waits months or years for the right price and a polished version.
VS
day-one-buy
A day one buyer purchases the game immediately at launch regardless of price.
Origin and context
Coined and popularized by the r/patientgamers subreddit, which launched around 2012 as a community for gamers who intentionally wait before purchasing new releases.
- First seen
- 2012
- Confidence
- medium
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/patient-gamerUpdated: 2026-08-29License: CC BY 4.0