Hardcore literally means to be completely dedicated to something. It has nothing to do with skill. That's why people on these forums are always in a fight. They seem to think Elite and Hardcore are the same thing. They are not.

Elite means to be the best of the best. Elite players are the ones who can take on any fight and win, no matter how difficult the Devs make it. Elite players are the ones who beat Raven Hard Mode in less than a week. These players are undeniably the best at the game. Anyone who tries to deny them this is just jealous or hating for the sake of hating.

Hardcore means you are 100% dedicated to the game. You play all the time and never want to run out of content. People who complete all relics and all achievements and all quests. These are the Hardcore. They are not the ones who tackle all the most difficult content the fastest, but they will not stop playing this game regardless of what other people tell them. They will not submit to allowing Casual players getting the same rewards without the effort. Hardcore players are the ones who complain about things going into easymode.

Elite does not Equal Hardcore and Hardcore does not Equal elite. Yes, there is significant cross-over. Most Elite players are Hardcore players. Very few Hardcore players are Elite.