I’m a 47 year old guy and I’m not ashamed to say that I enjoy video games. I always have, from playing Head over Heels on a Speccy +2 to ESO and Valorant on my self built PC.
Due to various life circumstances, I’m also on the dating scene and to most women I meet, around my age, video games are anathema. When I say that I like them it’s usually meet with an “oh dear” or a “my son would probably love to talk to you about them, I find them really boring”
I have two boys, both teenagers, both play all the time and sometimes we all play together (although they are better as they have more time to apply to games). Their friends are amazed that I will talk about games with them, that I know someone about games and that I play games. None of their parents want to talk with them about what is effectively their main hobby that they do all the time (big sad).
So the question, there must be some sort of cut off age at which video games are no longer an acceptable pastime. Is it absolute age based (nothing after 35) or is it something to do with the progression of games into popular culture and people born after, say, 1986 will not see it as unacceptable?
I don’t have an answer, I just think it’s an interesting question. Thanks for reading, let me know what you think!
Edit to add: I’m not planning on stopping through peer pressure, just wondering about the phenomenon!
I’m closer to 40 than 30, and I play video games basically every day. My spouse is super supportive. The only thing that’s changed is that I don’t play PC games unless it’s on my steam deck, because I already spend too much time at a desk working. But I have a PS5 that I finally bought a racing wheel for, and Ive been logging tons of hours on TOTK.
Basically, find someone who appreciates you and your hobbies. Being a gamer isn’t a bad one, despite what those of us that grew up adjacent to Gen X might think.
Depending on the person, it’s not acceptable at any age. However, why would you want to be with someone so judgmental? It’s easy to be accepting of hobbies other than your own if you’re a decent person. After all, it’s not like you would have all of your hobbies in common with your significant other, right?
My dad is 66. He still games every day. Go dad! He’s just about to fully complete fallout 4. Fuck anyone who doesn’t get it, their opinions don’t matter. Do what makes you happy.
I used to love video-games when I was 10-18yo. It was fun. Growing up abit more(21yo), saw the magic die. Can relate to the ones that “don’t get it”. There opinion does matter. I’d rather read a book than play a video-game any day of the week.
I take it more as “their opinion doesn’t matter to me since I’m still having fun”. I definitely get the magic leaving though, as I don’t play as grind heavy games as I used to. I enjoy more story driven games now though. As long as you still get your stuff done and don’t let it become an obsession, gaming is a valid hobby
So our discord regularly has friends and family in the age range from 17-59 currently who all game and socialise together. I don’t think there is a limit.
I have wildly diverse hobbies, so I usually manage to mention something that people around me find weird. Gaming is one of them, and since I am not just your age but also female, I have received tons of strange comments over the years. At least my being somewhat fluid in English isn’t making me stand out anymore!
I think computer-related activities are seen different by our age group since we didn’t exactly grow up with it, or at least most of us didn’t. I know I was already a teenager when my parents bought us kids a computer, and that one needed inputs in BASIC and was textbased only. And while several of my classmates had similar experiences plus parents who insisted this was useful to know for our futures (and boy, where they right!), most of us still preferred to spent our time elsewhere. I see the difference in my kids, who grew up with not only computers and related technology, but also the internet. My son occasionally played board games via an internet platform by the time he was five (under supervision, of course), and as such, video games are much more part of daily life for that generation.
In my eyes, the decades-long discussion on when to give your child his/her first mobile phone has similar roots: We were used to a slower pace of life, that as a child you carry a few coins so that you can call your parents from a pay phone in an emergency, and otherwise you had to be at home at a specified time. Play dates with school mates were discussed in person at school, and so forth. Our children are dealing with far faster pace, discussion with class mates only occasionally take place eye-to-eye, and their schedules have become much more complex and fluid. Also, they grow up knowing everybody and anybody carries a phone in their pocket, and of course they want the same. Technology is integrated into their lifes from the start, and that means gaming is far more acceptable as a pastime.
I’m 33/m and also dating. From my experience, women my age vary around attitudes to video games but generally appreciate that it’s a valid form of entertainment alongside movies and TV. I don’t think it’s an age thing as much as a generation thing - nowadays they’re part of popular culture whether you’re into them or not, so most people up to mid-30s grew up around them.
Yeah it doesn’t seem like an age cutoff so much as a generational cutoff. People born in the 1950s obviously didn’t grow up with arcades and consoles, so few of them would pick up the hobby later in life. Someone born in the mid 1970s like OP would be coming of age right as consoles and PC gaming were hitting the scene so more of that generation would have gamed as kids but still not an overwhelming amount like kids today.
As far as OPs date’s go, they’re probably just envisioning the stereotypical guy who is addicted to gaming and ignores other responsibilities even though that doesn’t seem to be the case. Perhaps he should frame it in a different way like pointing out how he bonds with his kids over them if it’s an issue or just ignore it all together. My wife and I are late 30s and she doesn’t play games outside of a small amount Animal Crossing but she doesn’t care that I enjoy them and I have no plans on quitting as I get older.
This is exactly what I say, that I bond with my son over video games. He is 6.5 now and I am 42…I never want to stop playing games, but I do say that after having a kid I have a lot less time to actually sit down and play.
Do what you enjoy, I’m nearly 30 and I plan to game until some pries this mouse and keyboard or my controller from my cold dead hands! Have fun and don’t worry about it!
Nah. If you enjoy it, and your kids like spending time with you gaming, then who cares?
Life is too short and kids grow up too fast to care what some grumpy old people who wouldn’t know fun if it hit them in the head will say about what you enjoy.
It might be an age thing - I’m 32, game as a hobby, and work in software. 80% of my coworkers play games to some extent, and most are in their twenties to mid thirties.
But when I used to work in healthcare, I think only a few of my coworkers shared the hobby.
Generally, I think the younger the generation is, the more acceptable and “normal” gaming is. It’s not a guarantee, but it’s definitely more common.
Edit: I’d just be yourself and do as you like. There’s definitely people out there who share your hobby. Some of the older members of a long-standing guild I’m a part of are in their 50’s or retired. I will say that the gender ratio skews mostly male for older gamers though. The women I know who are interested in games are all sub 40 (this is just a personal observation, your results may vary)
what i see today is games are super accessible and everyone owns a portable gaming device, my parents are over 60 and they both play games on their phones, although they would’t consider themselves gamers or anything close
i think the barrier to entry on core games gets higher with age so casual games on phones fit nicely within that demographic
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I’m closer to 40 than 30, and I play video games basically every day. My spouse is super supportive. The only thing that’s changed is that I don’t play PC games unless it’s on my steam deck, because I already spend too much time at a desk working. But I have a PS5 that I finally bought a racing wheel for, and Ive been logging tons of hours on TOTK.
Basically, find someone who appreciates you and your hobbies. Being a gamer isn’t a bad one, despite what those of us that grew up adjacent to Gen X might think.
There isnt one. Its a stupid stigma. Keep looking until you find someone who isnt a dipshit about it. Age gating fun is always stupid.
Depending on the person, it’s not acceptable at any age. However, why would you want to be with someone so judgmental? It’s easy to be accepting of hobbies other than your own if you’re a decent person. After all, it’s not like you would have all of your hobbies in common with your significant other, right?
My dad is 66. He still games every day. Go dad! He’s just about to fully complete fallout 4. Fuck anyone who doesn’t get it, their opinions don’t matter. Do what makes you happy.
Ultra based dad
I used to love video-games when I was 10-18yo. It was fun. Growing up abit more(21yo), saw the magic die. Can relate to the ones that “don’t get it”. There opinion does matter. I’d rather read a book than play a video-game any day of the week.
I take it more as “their opinion doesn’t matter to me since I’m still having fun”. I definitely get the magic leaving though, as I don’t play as grind heavy games as I used to. I enjoy more story driven games now though. As long as you still get your stuff done and don’t let it become an obsession, gaming is a valid hobby
Why should there be a cut-off age? JM Pescado was playing and modding Sims 2 in his 80s wasn’t he?
So our discord regularly has friends and family in the age range from 17-59 currently who all game and socialise together. I don’t think there is a limit.
I have wildly diverse hobbies, so I usually manage to mention something that people around me find weird. Gaming is one of them, and since I am not just your age but also female, I have received tons of strange comments over the years. At least my being somewhat fluid in English isn’t making me stand out anymore!
I think computer-related activities are seen different by our age group since we didn’t exactly grow up with it, or at least most of us didn’t. I know I was already a teenager when my parents bought us kids a computer, and that one needed inputs in BASIC and was textbased only. And while several of my classmates had similar experiences plus parents who insisted this was useful to know for our futures (and boy, where they right!), most of us still preferred to spent our time elsewhere. I see the difference in my kids, who grew up with not only computers and related technology, but also the internet. My son occasionally played board games via an internet platform by the time he was five (under supervision, of course), and as such, video games are much more part of daily life for that generation.
In my eyes, the decades-long discussion on when to give your child his/her first mobile phone has similar roots: We were used to a slower pace of life, that as a child you carry a few coins so that you can call your parents from a pay phone in an emergency, and otherwise you had to be at home at a specified time. Play dates with school mates were discussed in person at school, and so forth. Our children are dealing with far faster pace, discussion with class mates only occasionally take place eye-to-eye, and their schedules have become much more complex and fluid. Also, they grow up knowing everybody and anybody carries a phone in their pocket, and of course they want the same. Technology is integrated into their lifes from the start, and that means gaming is far more acceptable as a pastime.
Very thoughtful response, thanks!
I’m 33/m and also dating. From my experience, women my age vary around attitudes to video games but generally appreciate that it’s a valid form of entertainment alongside movies and TV. I don’t think it’s an age thing as much as a generation thing - nowadays they’re part of popular culture whether you’re into them or not, so most people up to mid-30s grew up around them.
What do you play? Different circumstances, but same age.
All sorts, recently mostly RPGs and fighting games
Do what you want!
Assuming you aren’t ignoring other obligations, gaming is completely acceptable.
Anything else is pretentious.
As someone born after 1986 I would consider it weird that there could be an age at which I wouldn’t play games. Just do whatever you enjoy
Yeah it doesn’t seem like an age cutoff so much as a generational cutoff. People born in the 1950s obviously didn’t grow up with arcades and consoles, so few of them would pick up the hobby later in life. Someone born in the mid 1970s like OP would be coming of age right as consoles and PC gaming were hitting the scene so more of that generation would have gamed as kids but still not an overwhelming amount like kids today.
As far as OPs date’s go, they’re probably just envisioning the stereotypical guy who is addicted to gaming and ignores other responsibilities even though that doesn’t seem to be the case. Perhaps he should frame it in a different way like pointing out how he bonds with his kids over them if it’s an issue or just ignore it all together. My wife and I are late 30s and she doesn’t play games outside of a small amount Animal Crossing but she doesn’t care that I enjoy them and I have no plans on quitting as I get older.
This is exactly what I say, that I bond with my son over video games. He is 6.5 now and I am 42…I never want to stop playing games, but I do say that after having a kid I have a lot less time to actually sit down and play.
Do what you enjoy, I’m nearly 30 and I plan to game until some pries this mouse and keyboard or my controller from my cold dead hands! Have fun and don’t worry about it!
I think our generation will definitely have consoles set up in nursing homes when we are elderly. No doubt about it.
Nah. If you enjoy it, and your kids like spending time with you gaming, then who cares?
Life is too short and kids grow up too fast to care what some grumpy old people who wouldn’t know fun if it hit them in the head will say about what you enjoy.
It might be an age thing - I’m 32, game as a hobby, and work in software. 80% of my coworkers play games to some extent, and most are in their twenties to mid thirties.
But when I used to work in healthcare, I think only a few of my coworkers shared the hobby.
Generally, I think the younger the generation is, the more acceptable and “normal” gaming is. It’s not a guarantee, but it’s definitely more common.
Edit: I’d just be yourself and do as you like. There’s definitely people out there who share your hobby. Some of the older members of a long-standing guild I’m a part of are in their 50’s or retired. I will say that the gender ratio skews mostly male for older gamers though. The women I know who are interested in games are all sub 40 (this is just a personal observation, your results may vary)
Thanks for the observations, I think you’re right it’s generational.
what i see today is games are super accessible and everyone owns a portable gaming device, my parents are over 60 and they both play games on their phones, although they would’t consider themselves gamers or anything close
i think the barrier to entry on core games gets higher with age so casual games on phones fit nicely within that demographic
bruhhhhhh… 40somethings folks is what created the booming gaming industry. We can’t stop now it’ll crumble without us!!!
Finally got the money to be able to afford them 😂
Right? $25 cosmetics? Eh probably not, but how cool are they? Because it’s not completely out of the question…