A question about adult players

[fantasyjunkie]

I have a question for you guys and gals. I'm 38 and have been playing video and computer games for almost 20 years. I started with the original Atari system back in the 80's and have played on every system till now. I aways read PC gamers and EGM to look up on the latest games. There's nothing better I think than comparing tactics with my daughter. I'm a Final Fantasy nut and I LOVE San Andreas. But some of my inlaws and co workers think that I'm too old for that kind of stuff. I just say the hell with them and look forward to the PS3 and Microsoft's 360. What do you guys think?

[black orb]

>>> Once my very old uncle told me i was to old for videogames, well he has a foot in his grave so I can understand him..
In the other hand, my parents and friends doesnt have problems with me playing videogames..

[Sephex]

I am 23, and I have been playing games pretty much my entire life. I actually wish I was older so I could have been there for the arcade explosion in the early 80's (yeah, I was around, but not old enough to, you know, go to an arcade myself at my incredibly early age) and playing an Atari, colecovison, Commedore (sp?) 64, or even the Odessey before the NES came out.

Anyway, I don't think your too old to game. The reason why other adults give you crap for gaming is becuase, sadly, gaming is still viewed as children's entertainment by the mainstream public. On an even more sadder note, I don't think the public will get around to acknowledging the fact that games are made for EVERYONE for another ten or twenty years! Total bull****. Anyway, never stop gaming unless you feel like you want to.

I find it funny that the most adults who say we waste time playing video games are the same adults who spend many more hours watching TV. At least gaming has you DO things, instead of just sitting there.

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

Gaming is becoming an increasingly popular tradition amongst men and women, and while mainstream media and pop culture still seems to wish to reject it as nothing more than a children's medium, most of society has already advanced beyond that level. If you love your games, play them, nothing's stopping you from doing what you enjoy.

[nik0tine]

I'd tell you to ignore everybody, but it seems like you are already wise enough to know that. :)

[escobert]

My dad is 45 and plays medal of honor liek it's his freaking job.

[Channing]

I don't see anything wrong with it until it begins reflecting on important things in life. My dad is 41 and he plays Nascar-online for Playstation2 religiously. But he keeps it limited so he can rest and go to work.

I think it's great. Age shouldn't matter when you're having fun.

[udsuna]

I was hooked by 9. Final Fantasy, Legend of Zelda and a little-known game called Archon, all on the Nintendo, had me for life. I STILL play all three of those games on a semi-regular basis. All emulated, nowadays, because the cartridges are corroded and I don't know where I'd find a functional NES.

[Big D]

Anyway, I don't think your too old to game. The reason why other adults give you crap for gaming is becuase, sadly, gaming is still viewed as children's entertainment by the mainstream public. On an even more sadder note, I don't think the public will get around to acknowledging the fact that games are made for EVERYONE for another ten or twenty years! Total bull****. Anyway, never stop gaming unless you feel like you want to.I agree. There's this silly preconception that games are somehow a children's medium - that's perhaps the reason game companies prefer to call them 'electronic entertainment' rather than games.

Imagine how silly I'd look if I criticised somebody for enjoying books.

"But books are for children! See? They've got books like The Very Hungry Caterpillar and the Mr Men series. This proves that books are meant for children, so it's ridiculous for an adult to read books."

Games are, and should be treated as, another medium. Television, films, print, games - they're all just ways of communicating ideas. Whether it's a story, or sports, or just mindless entertainment, each medium is capable of delivering any kind of message.

Plenty of games are mature stories, intended for mature people. There are plenty of kids' games as well. Same goes for TV, and all other media as well.

Now, if a man in his thirties was addicted to Super Magical Shiny Kitty's Marshmallow Fun Land then I'd be concerned... but not if they're playing a "grown-up" game like one of the Medal of Honour or Final Fantasy titles.

[ljkkjlcm9]

let's see, my mother who is 50 this year plays zelda... pre 64 cause it got too complicated for her.

My dad.... 58 this year plays dr. mario, tetris, wario's woods, tetris attack... pretty much all hte puzzle games, and honestly he's a lot better at dr. mario and wario's woods than I am.

My cousin, same age as my dad plays soul calibur 2 with me, time splitters, advance wars, all sorts of those fun fighting themed games, granted I always win, but still it's fun.

I also have a friend where I used to take karate before college who's in his early 50s who plays all those war games, so no, you're not too old for games. I mean think about it, the average age of a video game player is late 20s, and we all know plenty of people 18 and under who play games, so there are definitely older people to balance it out

THE JACKEL

[Light Mage]

How many of us were in our early teens when video games first came onto the market?

You know the age-old saying: hook 'em while they're young.

I would be surprised if the average age of a video game player WASN'T mid-30's!

[Old Manus]

I've been playing since 1645

[Dreddz]

Your not odd
But your one of a rare breed......

[Lindy]

I'm sure you'll just grow out of it.

[Sepho]

Video gaming has gone from a strictly nerd thing (small demographic) to being accepted as a mainstream activity alongside film. You are still going to find people with the "Video games are for kids" mindset, and I doubt that'll ever change, but I don't personally know too many people with such an antiquated train of thought - everybody plays games here - so I couldn't really understand how aggravating it would be. I feel like it wouldn't bother me at all, though.

I have memories (some of them vivid) of spending a significant amount of time a day playing NES from way back when my family lived in a trailer, and we didn't move out of it until I was about three years old. I'm sure I didn't actually beat any games back then, but I know it was fun.

[Rusty]

Video games are for everyone. My Dad is 47 and he still plays video games - he introduced me to Final Fantasy. He loves video games.

Even if people say to you 'You're to old for video games' who are they to judge? Do what you want. No reason for you not to.

[Sephex]

Man, you guys all claiming that your parents play games are making me me miss my childhood. I remember when my mom, dad, and grandma were addicted to Tetris and Dr. Mario. Sure, just about everyone has played Tetris, but there were other games my parents played too.

For this ancient PC (this was before Windows, people) both my mom and dad played this old D&D game. My dad played an old game in it called "Rockford" (I still wish I had it because it was awesome). In fact, my dad even played and BEAT Mega Man 2! Damn it, I wish my parents still played games now!

[bipper]

I will be too old to play games when I am too old to breath.

I dont care what fuitless, selfdoubting tool tells me until then. I will not succumb to the sterotypes of a dreamless and lifelss world. What else am I gonna do when I am old? Sides my regular work, and house work, and raising kids, grand kids. Games are a great form of entertainment. Ugh...


heh, yeha... when your dead - your too old for games... although I betchya heaven has a sweet arcade :love:

Bipper

[Meat Puppet]

I don't think there's a too old. Too young, perhaps. But not too old. Well, obviously once it starts giving you heart attacks you should quit.
But once you get more commitments in life, obviously it makes sense to play games less frequently than ye used to.
I'm not well educated about the hardcore aspect of things though, so I wont touch on that part.

[Maxico]

Oh my Mum used to play quite a few games when I was little. Tetris, Sonic, Puyo Puyo, Bust-a-move and Tekken to name a few. But she really doesn't have time for stuff like that any more.

I guess thats one of the problems. Adults that play games are seen as people with too much time on their hands.

[edczxcvbnm]

My mom use to game with the Atari and to a lesser extent NES until she went back to work and lost all of her free time between that and keeping the house in order.

I am 23 and I game. As my good friends Sephex said, culture has not yet accepted gaming as a for everyone thing. If people had then hot coffee would not have been such a big deal. People largely still view games as for kids. That is why so many dumb ass parents buy games like GTA for their 5 year old kid. 'Its a game and there for it should be acceptable for him to play' is the mentality of it all.

This mentality will not die until we take control as older people are already set in their ways for the most part.

[KoShiatar]

Videogames potentially have no age. I'm 25, I've been playing for 18 years, and I don't plan on stopping anytime soon.
And I think it would be cool if my parents played videogames, so why bother? ^__^

[fantasyjunkie]

Thanks for the input! Made my day a lot brighter! My wife is the same age as me(38) and mastered Animal Crossing. Nothing like hearing someone say that they ae going to turn on the gamecube because they need to pull weeds! Any Animal Crossing player knows what I'm talking about :)

[Captain Maxx Power]

There's no age limit on football, or crookery, or knitting, or yachting, or mountain climbing, or writing, or acting, or driving, or atheltics. So why gaming? Booya!

[Shoden]

My Nana finished the entire Playstation 1 Crash Bandicoot and Tomb Raider series

[Yuffie514]

don't listen to what they say. do what is ur passion. so, what if they don't like it - it makes you happy. it's either live with happiness, or not, jus b/c ur relatives don't think you should be doing this or that.

[Mirage]

Id on't plan on quitting anytime soon. I can picture my generation at retirement homes, gathering around an ancient console and play multiplayer games.

[Necronopticous]

This reminds me of this experience I had a couple years ago, when I was still attending Victor Valley College. I was at a breakfast diner just down the street from the school getting some bacon and pancakes before a big test. When I'm alone at a diner, I tend to focus in on other people's conversations, in this case an older couple behind me, who were probably getting close to 60 years old. To my surprise, their conversation was about Dance Dance Revolution play pads for your home, which apparently they used as a fun way to stay in shape. It was definately one of the most interesting experiences I ever had in my old city.

There's nothing wrong with playing video games at any age. Sure it's a problem if it's getting in the way of your normal life, but that can be said about any leisurely activity.

[Ultima Shadow]

Bah, I will play videogames until the very day I day. And I'll probably bring a PS14 with me in the grave. :cool:

[lordblazer]

I have a question for you guys and gals. I'm 38 and have been playing video and computer games for almost 20 years. I started with the original Atari system back in the 80's and have played on every system till now. I aways read PC gamers and EGM to look up on the latest games. There's nothing better I think than comparing tactics with my daughter. I'm a Final Fantasy nut and I LOVE San Andreas. But some of my inlaws and co workers think that I'm too old for that kind of stuff. I just say the hell with them and look forward to the PS3 and Microsoft's 360. What do you guys think?
old poeple like oyu make up most of hte revenue of the gaming industry.

You'll be surprised of how many adults*cough*middleage*cough* play video games.

My dad likes all the Civilization games

he also likes Call To Power series,and Rise Of Nations.

[GooeyToast]

"So if you wanna be a playa....but your wheels ain't fly...."

Oh, sorry.

No, you're not too old. Old gamers are awesome. And therefore, you are awesome.

[ultima88]

i think its cool that you still play vidio games, i know for a FACT i will still be playing computer games untill im old and brutally crippled by authritis and my fingers fall off through a lifetime of playing, and even then ill probly attempt to play it with my feet, or get some kind of bionic fingers *cool bionic fingers* :D

[Gameslayer]

No one can be too old for games. I will play them until they bury me! When you think about it, gaming is like dreaming. Everyone has dreams and fantasies. When u play video games, for a few min (or hrs lol) those dreams become real like u are in them and for a moment u feel happy. I say game on. Too old? My dad shed a freakin tear when he saw the ending to FFX, lol! He hates most video games, so if he sheds a tear, its a BIG deal. I think after he saw FFX he has begun to change his perspective of games :D