Is age really an issue

[sidaorb]

Been reading through a few threads on here and just recently the age of the poster has been mentioned, got me thinking is there a magic age when we are supposed to give up? Accept our reaction times are as good? Or is it just an excuse?

Personally I love blowing st up and remember the great PH groups on COD playing various maps and pissing off foulmouthed 13 y/o yanks, especially when we switched over to game chat and hammed up the Britishness, cucumber sandwiches, tea and cake, ruggers and how Tarquin was doing at Eton. Hope we can get some of that on WWII

Carl (49 3/4)

[vonuber]

No. I know of people in their late 60's who play.

[Evilex]

If gaming ever held any "magic" for you, then it'll be eroded as you get older. I think it's for a number of reasons.

Games becoming less casual in their nature.

Interruptions from other aspects of life that didn't exist when you were younger (partners, kids)

Increasing emphasis on online PVP.

Incremental generational improvements in quality. Before, it was leaps and bounds. I played for YEARS on a black and white CRT and a dial (no presets!) Colour was a huge improvement for me.

Rose coloured spectacles. When you revisit titles you enjoyed in your youth, you often wonder how you played something so basic for so long.

There's no upper limit, some of the wow factor just gets worn off over time.

The rise of micro-transactions

[Hub]

It isn't specifically age for me, but the changes in lifestyle that age brings. For me it is a case of both having limited time for it now (or less free time and competing activities to fill it with), and the fact there isn't a lot on the current console generation that has drawn my attention. I'm still working through PS3 games and haven't got a PS4.

I don't like the punishing world of online gaming. I would begrudge having to have a 'subscription' for something I don't use much. All the games seem like rehashes of previous prequels with few new ideas. PS3 was the peak for me. Equally I am nostalgic about the old stuff, but if I do a spot of retro gaming that also disappoints!

[Steve Evil]

I can't see myself ever quitting, still have the same love for it now at 35 as I did when I was a kid. Will still be playing into my old age when my reactions have gone to pot, don't really enjoy competitive multiplayer anymore, but still dabble here and there, love co-op multi, so doing the Destiny raids are a great way to play with mates. My main love is single player games though and I think although the fashion these days is for multiplayer (EA cancelling that Star Wars game is worrying). I think single player will always have a place, even if it's just as part of a larger multiplayer platform, Destiny being an example, as I can do most of it on my own at my own pace, but the presence of other players is always there and you can lean into or away from that at your preference.

[bigandclever]

Let's hope age isn't an issue because, as I look around the office, most of the people making decisions on what games are actually getting published are all in their late 40's and 50's

[Ikemi]

Hub said:

It isn't specifically age for me, but the changes in lifestyle that age brings. For me it is a case of both having limited time for it now (or less free time and competing activities to fill it with), and the fact there isn't a lot on the current console generation that has drawn my attention. I'm still working through PS3 games and haven't got a PS4.

I don't like the punishing world of online gaming. I would begrudge having to have a 'subscription' for something I don't use much. All the games seem like rehashes of previous prequels with few new ideas. PS3 was the peak for me. Equally I am nostalgic about the old stuff, but if I do a spot of retro gaming that also disappoints!

Same.

I used to play nothing but online gaming throughout my teenage years - mainly Counterstrike and Team Fortress. I'm now 31 years old and I haven't played an online game in many years. I think the last game I played regularly online was Call of Duty Ghosts. It simply doesn't interest me anymore. I still play single player games every now and again, but as others have said, there are now higher priorities in life that require my time.

I've also found that the majority of new games are unappealing, or just regurgitated copies. For example, I love the Forza franchise, but each variation is becoming too similar. I haven't played FM7, but I reckon it's not to dissimilar to FM6. By not playing, I've saved some cash and I've saved myself a lot of time! If I want to start again and build up a collection of cars, I might as well just delete my save game! :P

Same with Ubisoft games - it doesn't matter if it's FarCry or Assassin's Creed - the game mechanics are very similar. Played one, you've played them all! Red Dead Redemption 2 and FarCry 5 are out soon(ish). Not hugely excited for either. I think the next time I'll be hugely excited and queuing up outside Game at midnight would be for another Fallout/Skyrim, or the next Grand Theft Auto!

[Zod]

I'm 50 and started playing video games when I was in single figures. No, I ma not going to give up.

[Mr E]

I struggle with time, and I think my reactions aren’t as good as I tend to lose reaction battles.

Just means I have to out think the children instead.

[chris285]

I've been playing for around 25yrs now and I am 34 currently, and I have to say over the past few years i've found myself spending less time gaming than I have before

I the it is partially down to when I get in from work and as I work in IT sometimes i just want to veg out in front of the TV, but i have found myself over the last few days loosing hours to Civ5 again so i think for me it's about the type of game i am playing as well

[born2bslow]

Racing Games - the new ones are superb, wheel, pedals, seat, VR, the kids can't afford that stuff so it gives you an advantage, plus they're usually more hotheaded in a close battle

Gave up on shooters a long time ago because I was just cannon fodder...

[Zod]

chris285 said:

I've been playing for around 25yrs now and I am 34 currently, and I have to say over the past few years i've found myself spending less time gaming than I have before

I the it is partially down to when I get in from work and as I work in IT sometimes i just want to veg out in front of the TV, but i have found myself over the last few days loosing hours to Civ5 again so i think for me it's about the type of game i am playing as well

I have three kids and a demanding job, so I get very little time to play, but it's a great way to escape for an hour or so.

[tigger1]

Hub said:

It isn't specifically age for me, but the changes in lifestyle that age brings. For me it is a case of both having limited time for it now (or less free time and competing activities to fill it with), and the fact there isn't a lot on the current console generation that has drawn my attention. I'm still working through PS3 games and haven't got a PS4.

I don't like the punishing world of online gaming. I would begrudge having to have a 'subscription' for something I don't use much. All the games seem like rehashes of previous prequels with few new ideas. PS3 was the peak for me. Equally I am nostalgic about the old stuff, but if I do a spot of retro gaming that also disappoints!

It's funny that you mention playing older games (and subscriptions) - it's exactly those old games that made me get an xbox live gold membership, so I could pick up free copies of old games (medal of honour airboure) and some newer stuff too (Turing Test was one this month) - games I wouldn't normally have gone out and bought, but for about £3 per month, if I can get a few hours fun from a game that's money well spent.

I don't play online much though, partly because I'm crap, and partly because I don't want to start caring about trying to play well / tactically. Still enjoy a good thrash on Horizon3 online though.

[Brigand]

I know some of the threads you're on about, and posted on them myself. I'd like to think I'll be gaming for as long as I can, however I think the "age" thing that is being mentioned isn't down to reaching a point where gaming loses interest, but more a case of as you get older most of us get more responsibilities, jobs, kids, wife etc and have to structure gaming around them, normally resulting in doing less playtime.

I'm 34 - two years ago I worked shifts, and most of my days off were weekdays, so with the few people I know in town at work, I did a lot of gaming. Now I have a 9-5 Mon-Fri job I've been doing a lot less gaming - the free time I have is often spent doing other things, chores or going out. In comparison a friend of mine is 39, works a few days in the local Tesco and still lives at home with his mum. He spends a lot of time gaming, mainly because he has little else to do.

Reaction times are a factor as well though. Until BF1 was released earlier this year I hadn't played many online FPS's for several years, so my reactions had slowed and at first I was getting my backside handed to me. After several days of playing though I'd honed my skills and was ripping about like everyone else. I imagine I will reach an age where such games just aren't possible, at which point I'll happily settle for the strategy and simulation titles! (Mind you I already play many of those!)

[Lance Catamaran]

I've certainly got no patience for multiplayer gaming these days - being utterly destroyed by people who do nothing but play said game every evening is not my idea of fun (aside from the occasional blast of Rocket League). I'd much rather play at my own pace, generally at a lower difficulty since I want to experience the game rather than be frustrated by it. The sheer unabashed greed of major modern games really puts me off as well - DLC, season passes, microtransactions and now loot boxes are making games feel like a choice between an endless grind or paying yet more real money to progress.

[vonuber]

The type of games I enjoy has definitely changed as I have aged.

[Brigand]

Lance Catamaran said:

I'd much rather play at my own pace, generally at a lower difficulty since I want to experience the game rather than be frustrated by it.

This is something I've started doing now. I began playing The Witcher 3 over the weekend, and ensured I put it on the lowest difficulty level as I knew I'd get frustrated with protracted battles. I'd much rather sit back and enjoy the story / atmosphere, and have some fairly simple combat at times to give a little more excitement.

[kowalski655]

Been gaming for 30+ years and have no intention of giving up, just never seems to be enough time for all the crap you end up buying in Steam sales.
I wonder how many people in nursing homes in the future will have PS6's or 7's, and XBox god knows what number, as there's no rhyme or reason to the numbering, or PCs

[dvshannow]

Same for me yes life gets busier but I still enjoy gaming and might play nothing then have a phase where I get hooked on something

E.g. starcraft2 6 years ago and currently Overwatch.

I used to enjoy Quake and Command and Conquer and these are the modern day versions. Ok so Overwatch is many things to many people but there is a pretty serious mechanics driven FPS shooter there if you want just no duel mode.
reactions maybe slower as I'm 38 but hey i reckon they would be even slower if i didn't indulge sometimes

[TheGuru]

I don't think age is an issue, but I guess I'm at an age (46) where our generation were the first to really play computer games. So people older than me, certainly 10 years older, never played these games as a kid and didn't grow up with them. So it will be far less common for them to get into them. The exception being people like my 88yo grandmother who has taken to Frozen and Candy Crush like a duck to water.