Thread: Ae you too old for video games....

I had a conversation with someone the other day and they threw out the old adage, "Aren't you a little old to be playing video games?" For those that are not aware, I am 35. Which puts me roughly on the edge of old as dirt. But, I am very comfortable with my age. I have been playing PC games for almost 20 years. First console was an Atari 400. My first PC was a Tosiba 486 laptop with 4MB of memory and a 200 MB hard drive. This thought of what age you stop devoting your energy to what some call childish pursuits like video games has been passed around many times. Lets lay it to rest.

When will I stop playing....

1. When it affects my family.

To this day, I have never told my kids or my wife "Not now, I am busy playing TF2!" Eventually I will have to explain to my kids why daddy enjoys popping a cap in someone's ass via the internet so much. Heck, my daughter has already started playing flash games and she is only 5. Its only a matter of time before she is talking smack to the T's on Dust2. As far as my wife, she uses my play time to watch all the useless television she can pack in to 2-3 hours a night. Something that puts me into a coma within 30 minutes.

2. When it affects my job.

I make a pretty decent paycheck as a network administrator. And the ability to abuse my power is ever present. But, I don't have a CS server loaded on my companies Global Catalog. At no point have actually skipped work to play video games. Not to say I have not been home puking sick and still willing to wrap myself in a blanket at the desk for a few rounds.

3.When it stops being cheap!

Dollar for dollar, if your going to get "hooked" on something. Gaming is the best. A few hundred dollars a year, keeps you pretty up to speed on gear. And your "toy" is also used to read the news, find movie reviews, research your presidential candidate, do your taxes, pay your bills, along with a 100 other useful activities. Honestly, video games "keep" me from spending my money on all sorts of other more costly and/or dangerous pursuits. Don't get me wrong, I still have a boat load of other hobbies, I homebrew, I karaoke, I garden (don't laugh, I make great salsa), I am a street artist, I go camping, I take vacations, and still have a full social life. All of which are made easier by my PC. Eat that consoles!

4. When it stops being fun.

Honestly, I can't think of a point when gaming stops being fun. Other persuits such as physical sports, can wear you down. Its gets your blood pumping, drinking actually improves the experince, and its social without all the baggage. Besides....

• At no point in the forseeable future will my body ache after a good night of gaming game. Maybe, my head! But, thats my doing.
• I have never heard of anyone complain about their knees from a old BF2 injury.
• I will never be required to perspire to the point where I smell like a foot.
• I am never "required" to show up. I am on X's time.
• The time I chose to bail, is whatever time I please.

So, for all you quickly approaching middle age like me. If you every feel you are getting to old for it. Keep it in check and your best years will still be ahead. Gaming is a part of our generation. Don't sweat it and keep fragging!

hey man, im 18 and have been playing games for like 13 years now, i'll probably still be playing when i'm in uni or further, it's nice to get home from a stressful day and just have some laughs in a game, as long as it's not taking over your life who cares

and i agree with scrum, there is way too much crap on tv....family guy is the only tv i watch lol, but i hate shows like csi and house, where people think they are smart but they are just throwing big words the general public wouldn't know UUUGH that makes me mad, "this show is so sophisticated" NO IT'S NOT! STOP! GAWD! or even worse those like reality tv shows where people have to live in the same house, except it's not really reality, it's people with scripts put into a "reality" setting show, aw man, no wonder the kids of today are so messed, they need to play some unreal tournament and shoot razor blades at peoples heads...

your never to old to play games :1

im only 14 but when i have a wife and kids my son will be right next to me keeping the generation alive.

Originally Posted by dex71

Citizen,nice post,but you forgot 1 thing...

We are the pioneers of the gaming world.We are the first generation of gamers.We remember Pong,Intelivision,Atari,and Colecovision.Hell,we remember pinball!(still love pinball btw,though good machines are getting harder to find)
I'm sitting here half way thru my 37th year on the planet,and I still love video games.I loved Pac-Man when that came out.I spent a small fortune playing Super Mario Bros..I loved my Sega Genesis,PS1,2.
I only got into the computer thing a couple of years ago,and I love that too.
When people ask me the same question,I ask them why I shouldn't.We are the very first generation to grow up with gaming as a viable option as a passtime.I love gaming because I have always loved gaming.The only difference is now the games are better and I don't have to stuff some machine with quarters.

Thats right, before guys like ME/US, there were no computer games... I pioneered getting late to school (missing the entire first period) cause I was playing too much Defender.

I pioneered taking all of my Mothers quarters cause I was addicted to Phoenix.

I was one of the first in my small circle of gaming friends, who had completed the first Doom game, making it the end to fight the Large Demon/Devil in his star shaped Lair.

One thing for sure, we are not our Father's gamer, we are Gamers like no others.