It's what he really believes. And in my opinion, horrifically flawed.
"Hardcore" gamers have their heads lodged so far up their own asses that the term "colonhat" can't be far behind. The whole elitist mindset that gaming should be some special thing only for them is, well, bullshit. They scream about how casual gaming is ruining the industry when it's their own closed mindset that's fucking it up far, far worse. It's not even ruining, it's
changing, and change scares the hardcore, like sunlight to dracula.
You want to try and get more, as you call, 'hardcore' games in? Use the huge influx of casual gamers and turn them into regular. Uncle Jimmy has one, he likes chess? Introduce him to SRPGs. Start basic, go more complex. Point him to a cheap PS2 and a stack of good ones. Bam, there's a convert. Grandpa was in the Air Force? Point out some of the more politically-flavored Flight Sims. Mouth-breathing brother-in-law likes ultraviolent movies? Throw Madworld at him.
Etc etc etc.
We are all Gamers. Drawing a line across the floor and demanding that the other side never cross it is bad.
...
I need to stop getting so worked up over silly things.