When Is Too Old To Be Gaming?

[Dave]

Today, whilst I was thinking about some ideas for making some threads, I started to examine the very root of why I started to play games. As a child, it is pretty obvious as to why you would want to play them. However, you would think that as you got older, you would have grown out of the trend. One of my friends is extremely addicted to gaming. He is the same age as me (19) and spends the majority of his time playing all of his new games. He constantly buys new games and probably spends about 600-700 pounds a year on new games. The basic versions of games are not enough for him and he constantly buys the limited edition versions of games. Now, this is not something that I do. A few years ago, I was the exact same. I was buying a new game every week and playing it constantly, sacrificing my social life in place of gaming. However, I think I have grown out of that period of my life in the last few years. I put my job and my social life first and then gaming comes when I have a little bit of time to kill.

My friend’s parents are very worried about him. He does not go out and the only time that he leaves his room is when he goes to work. It really is a shame because he is genuinely interesting person. His parents have tried to get him off of the gaming habits that he has embroiled himself in but to no avail. He seems set in his ways that he will play games until he dies. Maybe that is not true but I would have thought that he would be too old to be playing games in the sheer quantity he is. Like me, I thought that he would grow out of this habit and would come out of his shell. I am 19 now and gaming is taking more and more of a backseat in my life. I know that a lot of people here are older than me but what are the opinions of gaming when you are later on in life. Should gaming still hold a place in your life or should it come after everything else.

More importantly, should gaming remain in your past at a certain point of your life. Is there an acceptable age at which you decide that gaming should be left behind?

 

[The Doctor]

I don't see why gaming should ever be left behind. You don't leave behind movies or music or television, do you? Videogames are just another fun past-time, an escape from the real world. Why should they be treated any differently from TV or movies?

We need to get rid of the notion that videogames are for kids. There are games out there for all ages and creeds, and there is no reason to give them up unless you simply don't find enjoyment in them anymore.

As for your friend, the problem isn't his age, or the videogames. One needs to have the self-control to get out there and do something else.

 

[Leafy]

Video games are a form of entertainment. Can you ever be too old for entertainment? No, but as you get older you need to conform video games for your life not the other way around.

The only reason you should be forced to stop gaming if others around you are concerned that gaming is ruining your life. When you don't leave the house and are devoted to your gaming there is a problem. So you don't have to leave gaming as your age rises, only change the way you play it.

 

[Coco]

Your friends seems to have fallen prey to a sort of cyber addiction. This is a serious issue and it can get in the way of one's ability to function efficiently, but I don't think all video games should be judged by those who become addicted to them.

I don't play video games too often (and I don't own any), but more and more I've come to see that video games have their place in the world. Obviously, they make a decent pass time for some people. However, we've also come to see that video games may allow the elderly to retain reflexes and ward off dementia, something that is sure to be a point of much research in the coming years and decades as video games are still a relatively new a growing phenomena. Certainly, if this theory pans out than the stigma surrounding the aging investing their time in video games will require a major overhaul.

 

[DigitalNight]

If this is any credit to "Age Doesn't Matter:"

My mom, who has advanced MS has been known to pop in Platoon on the NES or Vegas Kid and play for a while.

Age is just as they say in the dating world, just a number. If you feel "too grown up" for video games you are more than welcome to stop. The need for hand-eye coordination NEVER goes away no matter the age. So yeah, feeling old and played out so to say? It's your call.

 

[Dagger Dias]

More importantly, should gaming remain in your past at a certain point of your life. Is there an acceptable age at which you decide that gaming should be left behind?

I think that every human being reaches that point at a different time. Some people never like games to begin with. Others grow out of them when they hit adolescence and discover new things like being interested in forming relationships. Still others keep on liking games until they are in their 20's. Then finally you have your lifelong gamers who have been playing ever since the day of Pong or Pac-Man and never stopped. When you stop enjoying games anymore and grow out of them depends on who you are as a person.

I believe that I am VERY close to that stage in my own life. I'm 23 years old. Most people my age right now are either working, in college, getting married, starting families, or any combination of the above. I am at a point where I would like to shift my long-term focus onto things like that rather than pay attention to what games are coming out.

I will never outgrow my favorites from SNES, NES, Game Boy, N64, PSX, and Gamecube. I was also around for the beginning of the Wii and most of the PS2's time. However, when it comes to new games.... I'm basically done. I want to finish Division Blade (RPG I'm creating) and beat a couple that I never got around to finishing (Dragon Quest 8, Arc the Lad 2) but then after that, I'm not against "retiring" from gaming because I'm more interested now in finding the right woman and finishing school.

 

[Cena's Little Helper]

Gaming never has to be left behind, like Doc said. However, it shouldn't consume as much of your time when you get older. Ultimately, I think this is the problem people (read: women) have with games: they're addictive, and can take away time that we could be using towards more productive *and meaningful) endeavors. As a teenager, there was nothing wrong with me playing Resident Evil for 5 hours straight. Hell, there wasn't a problem with this when I was in college. But, now, with bills to pay, and the possibility of a family to support and spend time with in the future, gaming should be low on my list of priorities (as it is).

 

[Ty Burna]

Tdigs hit it spot on. I don't see why gaming has to be something you "grow out of", but just like all other forms of entertainment, when you get older you just don't have as much time to donate towards gaming. This is true in my life, between 8 hours of work, taking care of my daughter, and doing everything else with my family, I can't sit down and play a game for hours on end. I would love to as I have so many games that I haven't finished yet. But there's nothing wrong with enjoying video games when you reach your adult life. It is a form of entertainment, something to take your mind off the stresses of life for a moment and give you a period of peace.

As far as your friend goes Dave, that is something I would call an addiction. I hate to say that but it's something that may require professional help in order to get him out into a social realm of things. Take no offense of course I'm saying this from a neutral standpoint and as a gamer myself.

 

[Blade]

You're really grasping at straws for thread ideas now Dave, cause there's only one correct answer. It's never too old to be a gamer.

I mean, how could you be too old to be a gamer? Games can be just as mature an entertainment form as movies or music. And just like movies and music, you start off by getting into less mature forms of those entertainment forms. As a gamer you get into games aimed at kids, like Mario and Sonic. But as you get older, naturally you start to like more mature games. It's just how things work. It's saying stuff like you can be too old for games that stops gaming from being an equal form of entertainment in the general public.

Did you the average gamer age today is about 32? That should speak for itself.

As for your friend, that's got absolutely nothing to do with age. Obviously if all he's doing is playing games, then that's a problem he has. Nothing to do with age. I mean, I didn't play games like that when I was younger. Like I said, that's a problem your friend has, absolutely nothing to do with age.

 

[One Punch Doug Crashin]

I'm actually learning disabled (shocking I know) and I also have a heart condition that prevents me from actually doing any sports. I'm also 26. games have always been an avenue to release stress for me personally and its actually helped my hand-eye coordination a LOT over the years. when I was a kid I couldn't even hit a baseball in the batting cage but from years of playing video games its helped me hit the baseball. I could actually hit the ball with power last time I went (which was a few years ago as a matter of fact). so for me games have been important. Fun Fact: when I was a kid the average age was mid-20's late teens

 

[Lancer]

I think it all comes down to self-realization. When you're 30 years old, and have a screaming hungry baby and a pissed-off wife, and you're more concerned about finding all the Enemy Intel in "Call of Duty," you've got a fucking problem.

It's less about age than it is necessity and maturity. I used to have a PS3 and a bunch of games but sold it all a year or so ago because I realized I was sitting on my ass all day and not getting my college homework done, and locking myself indoors away from my friends and the outside world. Needless to say, I'm confident I made the right decision. While I definitely haven't "outgrown" games, my interest in them is extremely limited compared to what it used to be.

So it all depends on what you have going on in your life and/or whether or not games interfere or coincide with it. For me, they were a burden, so I cut them out. But I still haven't given up on them altogether.

 

[Skorpiunz]

My friend i hope you get to my post in your weeding of the thread...
There is nothing wrong with your friend. It is his hobby and your friend happens to really like his hobby. Why are video games shamed upon? It isn't fair. Is it because they are rather new? If his parents grew up with video games they would understand. No one seems to complain when someones hobby is a sport.. Well video games for the most part stimulate the mind!

Social life.. i hate this word.. If you two are friends then he has a social life. Plus social lives are overrated now a days.. I don't know what social life is like where you live but around these parts a social life is considered "parties, clubs, drugs, drinking, stupid immature crap" i dont personally like or wouldn't want anything to do with this... 19 in still pretty young too.. be glad he's up to date with today's hot tech.

 

[Blue Chipper]

Everyone here is correct. You're never too old for gaming, just like you're never too old for other entertainment outlets. I think you should be able to leisurely enjoy the pleasure of gaming at any age. As long as you have an adequate amount of spare time, and don't need to do something more important, you should always be able to entertain yourself via gaming. It's the same deal with TV, film, and everything else; you're never too old for any entertainment source. When you get older, responsibility grows, but when you have free time, it's perfectly acceptable to play a video game and relax.