Gaming = Childish?

[Avatar Roku]

everyone assumes that we are still playing pokemon games. nothing wrong with that though. But because of that series many believe it is childish to play games. Personally i would like to sit these people down and play Mad world or God Of war 3 in front of them and then ask if gaming is childish

Odd that you say that, as those games (more Mad world, but a bit GoW), what with the shock-gore and such, are the most childish. Cursing + gratuitous blood/gore + shallow sex appeal(not specifically these games, just in general) =/= mature.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

Just wait. Another generation or two from now, and gaming won't be considered childish. Because we'll be the same age as the people who generally frown on our "hobby"

 

[iggyus]

Whenever I hear someone calling me childish for playing games I just go berserk

 

[Mrsoupcup]

Because in the early day of games, they were seen more as toys than being more than that. That stigma still holds.

But are games not toys?

The Wii is a toy, A game like Falout, gears and Resistance are not toys, they are a form of media not just a electronic devices. Its far more than that. Games nowadays not just party games and simple thigs like brawl but games that are an experience.

 

[Avatar Roku]

This thread gave me an idea [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFywW99Uvwc]. Enjoy.

 

[K_Dub]

It is a bit of a misconception that games are meant for just kids. Games have never really been commercialized for just children. Except maybe the Nickelodeon and Movie-to-Game adaptation, but I don't think those actually count as games.

 

[AeroZeppelinSevenfold]

Games are just really expensive toys. They are childish, and they are completely useless besides entertainment. They are my favorite form of entertainment, but my parents think they cost to much. They are a little pricy, but it is a great form of entertainment.

But I will admit that some games are not meant for kids, and no, those are not made to be childish, but still playing games is childish. Thats just how it is.

Don't flame me.

edit: Forget that. What I just said was stupid. I wasn't really thinking. And I read the other replies.

 

[Jurassic Rob]

Games are not childish. Is playing soccer or other sports childish?

 

[Erana]

everyone assumes that we are still playing pokemon games. nothing wrong with that though. But because of that series many believe it is childish to play games. Personally i would like to sit these people down and play Mad world or God Of war 3 in front of them and then ask if gaming is childish

No, its not pokemon's fault. That is another misconception of society that assumes that a kid-friendly anything is actually meant only for kids.

 

[Meado]

Hey, we've come up with a way to keep ourselves entertained using a small amount of space, little physical effort, and is in a form that's very easy to move. While playing you will get to compete with people on the other side of the planet and talk to people you'd never normally meet. If you eventually get bored you can simply change discs and within five minutes you're doing something completely different.

Childish, or smart?

 

[Deleric]

Anything that involves imagination and fun is deemed childish by people who just don't like imagination and fun.

 

[cherimoya]

someone's been cherry picking george f. will's column...

 

[teisjm]

Many fun things are seen as childish, which doesn't really matter, because you/we should just not give a fuck about whether people look down on us for doing something fun (unless it's criminal, i swear she said she was over 15 officer!)

 

[Zildjin81]

Because in the early day of games, they were seen more as toys than being more than that. That stigma still holds.

But are games not toys?

The Wii is a toy, A game like Falout, gears and Resistance are not toys, they are a form of media not just a electronic devices. Its far more than that. Games nowadays not just party games and simple thigs like brawl but games that are an experience.

Consoles are still toys, they are just being used to run increasingly violent software.

 

[munx13]

I bought GoW:Chains of olympus a few days ago. My parents criticized me for buying a "toy"

Oh, and something on a side note - in the line, right behind me a mother was buying the same game for her 6-8 year old son, a game that has a big 18+ slapped on the front...

 

[cherimoya]

the more times i read the posts in this thread, the more confused i get.

video games are toys. toys are items that provide creative diversion, distraction, downtime, playtime, non-productive fun, etc.

whether or not people judge you for playing with toys at whatever age you are, that's up to you to ignore.

i just dont see how it matters that people call video games "toys" or "childish", anymore than it matters whether or not something is an "action figure" or a "doll".

 

[Spyre2000]

Not WILLFULLY ignorant mind you, but ignorant about the subject nonetheless.

LOL all ignorance is willfully. You can choose to do the research and find out about something or you can choose to stay in the dark believing whatever stereo typical thing you want. Ignorance is not excuse in law and the same applies here as well as in all other matters.

 

[LINKXIII]

well people are stupid

Exactly!

 

[Altorin]

Because in the early day of games, they were seen more as toys than being more than that. That stigma still holds.

The only way Nintendo could revive console gaming in the US was to market directly to kids, and label their NES as a Toy.

Tack onto that, the Commodore 64 was marketted to parents specifically for their kids, so that they could learn and go to college.

There's a lot of social inertia to gaming, but it is slowly changing.

 

[RH3INLAND.]

Really annoys me when people say things like that. Most games aren't even made for kids anyway.