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.

[Behold the Void]

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.