Ask The GameGirls: Is There An Age Limit?

Jun. 13 10:56 PM by The Game Girls

This week we received a question from one of our biggest supporters and he definitely got us thinking. The question of the week was from Scarecrow_Zero:

Should there be a time or age to stop playing video games? How do you picture yourself at the age of 55 years, still playing video games?
Read on to see our answers!

I do not think there is an age to stop playing video games. My father is a PC gamer, and has been since he started on the Commodore 64. Which is actually the first computer I started playing games on as well, because he gave it to me and my brother as our first computer. He also bought us a Nintendo for Christmas that same year. So we started play games on PC and Nintendo all at a young age. My father still asks me about different PC games that are coming out, to find out when they will be released, if there any good, etc.
Many people continue to play throughout their lives, while others slowly quit playing. But in the last 6-8 months, I have started seeing people take it up at a later age. I have seen people my grandparents age who play the Nintendo Wii, and they love it. They just started with the Wii, but they began gaming at the age of 68 or sometimes even more. I think that's awesome. To me, there is no age limit or time frame that you should play games. I think it is when you want to play for however long you want to play. You should play them as long as they make you happy. I may have to cut back on the amount of time I play when I am older, but I will never quit playing video games.

I'd like to think that gaming is getting better and better, and I see myself following the hobby and playing games for some time to come. As an avid player of MMOs , it's not unusual to play with others who are in their 40s and 50s! Older gamers are not as rare as one would think. I think we are apart of a generation that will be the first where parents (aka us in the next decade) are actually "in the know" about the latest games, and either play with or alongside their children and foster the same interests in them. I wholly believe I will always have a keen interest in playing games, and I think I stand to inspire the same passion for the hobby into any children I have in the future.

Video games are a hobbie, a past time, and for the lucky few, a career. Like any hobby I don't think you should ever grow out of it. If it makes you happy and you have fun while doing it then stopping because you reach a certain age seems silly and a little self loathing. My dad is in his 40's and he still plays Battlefield every weekend. I highly encourage anyone and everyone to keep gaming. Do it until your arthritis act up, then take an Aleve and keep going. Now more than ever people are gaming at all ages. The Wii has brought every age group and demographic in front of the tv. 7 out of 8 old people agree, Wii Golf is just as fun as the real thing.
When I'm 55 I think I still will be playing games. I can't think of any plausible reason I would stop. I guess the argument would be I will grow out of them but I honestly think if that were the case it would have happened already. However with age your gaming habits will change. You just won't have the same amount of free time you once had, but on the bright side you won't have to wait until Xmas or a birthday to get the game you wanted. You can game the rest of your life, just balance your time.

Hey Scarecrow!! Hope you enjoy your summer vacation! Any plans?
To your question regarding if there should be a age limit on gaming and if I see myself gaming even when I am much older. I do not believe there is or should be an age limit on gaming. Games are meant to be fun, they are a source of entertainment...there shouldn't be an age limit on fun! :) I absolutely see myself gaming no matter what my age is, I may not be able to play the same games due to the decay of hand and eye coordination, but there are still many many other games out there for the older crowd to fully enjoy. Games are the ultimate source of entertainment, they allow the player to be anything their imaginations can dream up, I believe games keep us young and loving life, and it keeps our minds open. I think gaming is for anyone of any age and any background. I am gonna keep on gaming until my last days. :)

Funny you ask this great question... It's been popping into my head a lot lately, and it scares me a little. I just cast it aside, tuck it into the back of my mind, and try not to think about it. But... I often wonder what I'll be doing in ten to fifteen years, who I'll be. Am I going to be too busy for games? Will I 'grow' out of them?... I don't think there's a time or age to stop playing games. I just think that when people get married, have children, start a career, etc... Games aren't on the 'very important' list, and can sometimes fade out of ones life.
I'll be starting school in September, and fitting in a full time job on top of that. I'm finding it hard to fit in game time right now! I hate the thought of not playing games at all, of not being involved in this industry... I'm hoping I can find a way to balance everything out. There are games that cater to all demographics, all ages... If someone is passionate enough about video games, they'll find a way to keep them in their lives, and balance game time accordingly...and that, Scarecrow_Zero, is my plan.

Never stop playing. I think as long as you are happy doing something and are able to do it, why would you stop? I have run tournaments and seen 50 and 60 year olds play in tournaments. I think that it is amazing to see. There are not many things we can love as a child that we can continue to love as adults. One of the many things about video games is that is something for everyone at any age. What's not to love about that? My parents got me in to gaming with their love for games like Pitfall, Space Invaders and then the Legend of Zelda and Super Mario Bros. It have evolved beyond that. I just started playing the Xbox 360 a year and a half ago. I think there will always be something we can find to enjoy in video games. I plan to game until my thumbs fall off!

Well Scarecrow, a couple months ago this question was also on my mind. Where would I see myself in about 20 or 30 years? Would I still have this much passion for video games as I do now? My answer: YES. My passion for not only video games but art has been with me for most of my life. Not doing either as often or not at all would take away apart of myself that has that inner child at heart. I mean I got really excited when we received the copies of Disney's The Sword in the Stone (which comes out on TUESDAY!!), I was like a kid in the candy store. Some people end up having to give up things they love and enjoy because they have other priorities to deal with, others play every once in a while when they want to amuse themselves. My dad is almost 50 years old and he still plays video games, he kept me up most of the night wanting to challenge me in Wii Sports! My plan is to never quit the things I love and enjoy but to keep on pursuing them, games will never fade and there will always be new and exciting adventures to go on and I plan on taking them head on.

We would like to know everyone's thoughts on this so please leave us your thoughts in the comments!

Got a question of your own for the GameGirls? Send an email to them at Tips4GameGirl@gmail.com. Your question may appear in the next segment!

Comments

Excellent question and excellent answers. :)

I think I'd still be playing games even if I were 70 years old.

I agree wiff wut the ladies said, playing games is just great. My mom claims games have ruined my life, pffffft, wutever, i dew wut i want!

wow! those are some great anwsers, very inspiring, they inspire me to keep up gaming with more enthusiasm, i really appretiate your anwsers and i like the way you all girls think, besides, there are a lot of series that i must keep on gaming (like the silent hill and resident evil series, and i love RPG´s and adventure games). So i will keep on gaming ti´l the day that the Grim reaper pays me a visit. Thanks Gamegirls, you are all awesome, Game Girls is an awesome and excellent site as well as the Authors. Keep up the great writing.

And thanks for asking @Raychul, i just finished my first semester at collage and next week im off to Acapulco (YAY), i hope you all have wonderful summer.

Viva la Game Girls.

As long as it's still fun there's no reason to stop. It's going to be fun when i'm 90 in diapers kicking some young punks ass at Halo 20.

One of my Uncles who around 70 still plays his SNES and N64 on a daily basis. I soo pwn him in Smash Bros.

From the womb to the tomb, gamer 4 life

I dream a lot about beeing old and playing great games, because i know they will help me to feel alive, and thats the most important thing when you get old.

i maybe pyshically 16 and 1/2 but really i'm mentally about 5

Great answers ladies. For myself I got out of playing console games (still played on the PC) a few years ago but have gotten back into it. I may not always play a certain category (console, PC, handheld) of game but I'll always be a gamer.

I find that being dead could make gaming rather impractical. Otherwise, ones age doesn't matter.

To quote somebody on tv "From the womb to the tomb"
Im a Gamer for lif

I've noticed a trend in older folk getting out of touch with modern technology. I'm sure you all know what I mean. I remember when my family got my grandmother a cordless phone, and she just didn't understand.

Anyways, my father used to play Nintendo and such with us as kids, I don't think he ever played a lot on his own though. My brother got him a Blu-Ray player for Christmas, and he didn't even know what it was. He used to be one of those gadget junkies, and he just ran out of interest of something.

Anyways, to get on topic, no I don't think there is a "limit". But.. once life takes a hole of you it's hard to say if you'll have the time or desire to keep gaming, among many other of life's activites.