Middle-Aged Gamers

[mkline]

I guess it is a matter of perspective. I don't doubt there are many experienced middle aged gamers who have been at it a long time. It makes sense that many of these would be involved with The Escapist. I live and work in a very different environment. Some of my peers and colleagues can barely use email. I know of many folks who came to gaming late in life and have faced some of the challenges I described--I am one of them.

 

[Vault101]

Is marketing the reason we feel the need to categorize everyone nowadays? Where's the need to know what older gamers play come from? Can't we just accept that people play the kind of game they enjoy, no matter their age, race, gender or economic status? Why do we have to have games for old people, young people, adolescent male, young adult female? Perhaps I'm a little touchy on this subject since I play the kind of games I'm not supposed to play and am tired of being considered a freak or anomoly. I can see differentiating games based on sexual or violent content for little kids, but once a person reaches adulthood I'm assuming they play whatever they consider fun.

well said.. very well said and i completely agree with you.. as a female who is 38 the weird looks i get when i say i like turn based stategy and simulators is disturbing to say the least.. people like what they like .. get over it people

shame on you! you should be into sex and the city, and ummm....GIRL things....

haha anyway yeah, it can be pretty surprising when you find out somone is a gamer, and they are FAR from the steryotype

 

[Silverfox99]

I am 35 and my generation does not look at gamers in a positive light (overall). They don't understand it. Most people my age didn't have access to computers or if they did it was seen as a way to work better not to play better. Many did have the NES but that was seen as a toy for kids. So when I spent my teen years playing MUDs, NES, SNES and spending all of my money at the arcades I was not well received except by other gamers. Now I can't go to get coffee without hearing people talk about games. It is a nice change. It is also nice to see the quality of games increasing. I know there are many complaints about games but overall the games of this generation are so much better and they are cheaper in comparison. As games get more accepted and less expensive the types of people playing them will also increase.

 

[Ann Kilbride]

I am 62 (female) and I love playing games! I get the sort of 'should know better at your age' look when asked what I'm playing! Why do people assume because I'm older, I should stick to Hidden Object and puzzle games for the PC! We have always had one or the other 'Game Consoles' in our house, hell, I still have a PS1 and PS2! Always handy to have around when your PS3 isn't backwards compatible! Having played Red Dead Redemption (SP & MP) then Batman: Arkham Asylum, I am now 'swinging' round Arkham City (and I sure do love beating up all the bad guys!!) I class it as Therapy, because using a PS3 controller keeps my Arthritic hands moving all the time, and stops them ceasing up!