# Adults playing computer games, Normal, Right? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 7, 2004, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adults-playing-computer-games-normal-right/263415 "2004-09-07T00:22:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adults-playing-computer-games-normal-right/263415/1 "2004-09-07T00:22:04Z")
I would have thought most here would agree that these days it’s pretty normal for people as old as 30 playing doom3 or a playstation. Yet I have a colleague at work who I’d guess is in his middle fifties who thinks it’s utterly bizarre. I realize he is just out of touch. But may as well start a thread about it anyway. So what are yours opinions, be you young or old. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adults-playing-computer-games-normal-right/263415/2 "2004-09-07T00:27:02Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > I would have thought most here would agree that these days it’s pretty normal for people as old as 30 playing doom3 or a playstation. Yet I have a colleague at work who I’d guess is in his middle fifties who thinks it’s utterly bizarre. > I realize he is just out of touch. But may as well start a thread about it anyway. So what are yours opinions, be you young or old. Well, I think it is utterly bizarre too and I am 39. But I accept that I and your work colleague are both indeed probably out of touch. ---
**Author:** ![harmless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/2acd7d/32.png) [@harmless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmless)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adults-playing-computer-games-normal-right/263415/3 "2004-09-07T00:32:00Z")
Playstation 2 sucks as it is broken; Xbox now sucks as it is now broken too. I fall back on The Sims for PC until The Sims 2 comes out Friday, September 17th. 28, Female. Normal? 😃 PS I’ll kick anyones patootie at any Tony Hawk, any day. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adults-playing-computer-games-normal-right/263415/4 "2004-09-07T00:33:07Z")
Well, it’s been pointed out elsewhere that as the generation that grew up on the Nintendo Entertainment System and the original Wing Commander games grow up, and as games continue to be marketed towards adults (or at least designed such that only mostly older players can really enjoy them, like non-action RPGs), it’ll become less and less odd. For those who didn’t have that sort of stuff as a child, of course it’ll be kinda strange. Myself, I’m enjoying Star Ocean: 'Til the End of Time on my PS2, and I’m way into adult years. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adults-playing-computer-games-normal-right/263415/5 "2004-09-07T00:34:40Z")
> [@harmless](#): > > PS > I’ll kick anyones patootie at any Tony Hawk, any day. 😛 Tony Hawk! Now there’s a blast form the past. I used to LOVE that game. Spent many hours taking turns with my friend back in England (on _his_ playstation) Funny because I had, and still have virtually no interest in skateboarding. ---
**Author:** ![Tenar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@Tenar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tenar)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adults-playing-computer-games-normal-right/263415/6 "2004-09-07T00:35:22Z")
> [@Laughing Lagomorph](#): > > Well, I think it is utterly bizarre too and I am 39. But I accept that I and your work colleague are both indeed probably out of touch. I accept that it may not be your cup of tea. In fact, I don’t play Playstation games very much at all (too many fighting games and 1st person shooters, though I used to have a HUGE thing for Super Puzzle Fighter Turbo). I did get a pretty severe addiction to the arcade game Derby Owners Club last year, though, and I recently had a several-months-long obsession with some of the games on [Pogo.com](http://Pogo.com) and [Boxerjam.com](http://Boxerjam.com). In any event, what I find kind of surprising is the word “bizarre.” What makes video games any more bizarre than any other kind of useless pastime? What makes them less worthy than passively sitting in front of a DVD movie? That’s not meant to sound hostile, I just don’t see the difference. BTW, I am 43 (and female). ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adults-playing-computer-games-normal-right/263415/7 "2004-09-07T00:36:00Z")
I think it’s perfectly normal to play computer games. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to take out this nest of fyoras. An Agent’s work is never done. ---
**Author:** ![iwakura43](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de0a6/32.png) [@iwakura43](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iwakura43)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adults-playing-computer-games-normal-right/263415/8 "2004-09-07T00:37:34Z")
[[www.forbes.com/business/newswire/2003/08/26/rtr1066768.html+average+age+gamer&hl=en](http://www.forbes.com/business/newswire/2003/08/26/rtr1066768.html+average+age+gamer&hl=en)]This]([http://216.239.41.104/search?q=cache:J3tKzaLaGwcJ:](http://216.239.41.104/search?q=cache:J3tKzaLaGwcJ:)[url) Forbes article claims that the average age of gamers is 29. Whether they’re including 45 year-old managers who plays solitaire during boring board meetings, but no video games to speak of, I’m not sure. ---
**Author:** ![Burrido](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Burrido](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Burrido)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adults-playing-computer-games-normal-right/263415/9 "2004-09-07T00:41:07Z")
I still play computer games, as do all my friends (some in their 40s), even the guys that are married with children. It’s relatively cheap entertainment. Especially if you play MMORP games. ---
**Author:** ![harmless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/2acd7d/32.png) [@harmless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmless)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adults-playing-computer-games-normal-right/263415/10 "2004-09-07T00:41:42Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > Tony Hawk! Now there’s a blast form the past. I used to LOVE that game. Spent many hours taking turns with my friend back in England (on _his_ playstation) > > Funny because I had, and still have virtually no interest in skateboarding. My husband and I like to catch the Xgames every once in a while on ESPN2, but our interest comes from playing the games. He gave me Tony Hawk Underground for the Xbox for my birthday and I had _just_ gotten into it when the damn thing gave out. 95 days past purchase; 5 days past the retur/exchange policy. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![iwakura43](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de0a6/32.png) [@iwakura43](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iwakura43)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adults-playing-computer-games-normal-right/263415/11 "2004-09-07T00:42:06Z")
> [@iwakura43](#): > > [[www.forbes.com/business/newswire/2003/08/26/rtr1066768.html+average+age+gamer&hl=en](http://www.forbes.com/business/newswire/2003/08/26/rtr1066768.html+average+age+gamer&hl=en)]This]([http://216.239.41.104/search?q=cache:J3tKzaLaGwcJ:](http://216.239.41.104/search?q=cache:J3tKzaLaGwcJ:)[url) Forbes article claims that the average age of gamers is 29. Whether they’re including 45 year-old managers who plays solitaire during boring board meetings, but no video games to speak of, I’m not sure. Teach me to use preview, but I can’t figure out why that link didn’t work. Can’t fix it either, because Firefox crashes–so just take my word for it :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adults-playing-computer-games-normal-right/263415/12 "2004-09-07T00:46:26Z")
> [@iwakura43](#): > > Teach me to use preview, but I can’t figure out why that link didn’t work. Can’t fix it either, because Firefox crashes–so just take my word for it :dubious: one too many “” s. {url=url here}text here{/url} replace { with [and } with] (I don’t have access to my special characters page to do away with the need for the 'replace { with [ explanation) ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adults-playing-computer-games-normal-right/263415/13 "2004-09-07T00:50:12Z")
I’ll be 46 in three weeks. I’ve never played a video game. I was at somebody’s house who had Pong when it first came out. Ooh, aah. After that, I didn’t come into contact with anyone who owned any video game equipment. If you were born in 1980 and didn’t play video games, that might be construed as weird. They would have been a part of your childhood. I was already an adult when it became a craze, so I didn’t grow up in the video game culture. I don’t have anything against video games or the people who play them, but they are something in which I have no interest. ---
**Author:** ![belladonna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@belladonna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/belladonna)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adults-playing-computer-games-normal-right/263415/14 "2004-09-07T01:24:41Z")
I hope it’s normal–that is—_I’ve_ always considered it so. Most of the people my age I know play them. And I do too, both computer and Gamecube, because I’m a huge Zelda fan. Female, 26 (for 11 more days anyway) ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adults-playing-computer-games-normal-right/263415/15 "2004-09-07T02:53:23Z")
> [@fishbicycle](#): > > I’ll be 46 in three weeks. I’ve never played a video game. I was at somebody’s house who had Pong when it first came out. Ooh, aah. I’m old enough I could use reading glasses to read the instructions that come with most video games. I can kick _your_ kid’s ass at Mario and probably 12 or so other video games on the Game Cube, PS2 & Xbox. Your kid can probably kick _my_ ass at oh… about 1,076 other video games, but who cares? It’s all good. I’ll quit playing video games when they pry them out of my cold, dead hands. ---
**Author:** ![jhinman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/779978/32.png) [@jhinman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jhinman)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adults-playing-computer-games-normal-right/263415/16 "2004-09-07T02:56:15Z")
I turned 32 Yesterday and have spent most of the day playing Indiana Jones and the Emperpr’s Tomb om my xbox. But some may argue if you call me normal. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f07891/32.png) [@Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Plastic_Ninja)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adults-playing-computer-games-normal-right/263415/17 "2004-09-07T03:08:04Z")
I play (and work with) computer games. So many games are geared toward actual grownups that I’m now a little surprised that so many people think it’s unusual to play them. This ain’t yer daddy’s Pong, and all that. My father has a level 56-or-so gnome druid or something of that stripe in EverQuest. He plays EQ with his work buddies. My father is in his fifties and has played computer games of one kind or another all my life, though EQ is the one he spends 99% of his time on (to the vast irritation of my mother). Consider: grownups _write_ computer games. And it makes less profit than you’d think, since while to me my coworkers SEEM rich (newish cars, mostly, and shiny new cellphones) they likely make less than your average businessman their age, and it’s a remarkably unstable industry. So there must be a reason they’re – we’re – doing it. ---
**Author:** ![Crescent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@Crescent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crescent)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adults-playing-computer-games-normal-right/263415/18 "2004-09-07T03:08:10Z")
I’ll be 46 at the end of the year and I love video games! Mostly silly ones like Crash Bandicoot, Mario, and Serious Sam, but I like Quake or Doom occasionally too. I don’t play them all the time but some days (like today) are fun to waste away a few hours playing. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f07891/32.png) [@Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Plastic_Ninja)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adults-playing-computer-games-normal-right/263415/19 "2004-09-07T03:09:44Z")
Oh – and I’m female, 24 for another month and a bit. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Kaitlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/73ab20/32.png) [@Kaitlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaitlyn)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2004, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adults-playing-computer-games-normal-right/263415/20 "2004-09-07T03:38:21Z")
I’d say we’d need a definition of “normal”. For a behavior to be abnormal, it must be statistically uncommon and socially unacceptable. For example, getting all A’s in school is uncommon, but not socially unacceptable. Drinking excessively may be socially unacceptable, but it isn’t uncommon. There are enough people who play games that I’d say it isn’t statistically uncommon compared to other recreational activities. Sure, it isn’t going to have the same numbers as watching tv and movies, listening to music, or attending sporting events, but after you get past those top four or five activities, the portion of the population participating drops off dramatically. Playing video and computer games (which are two different activiteis) is a niche activity for adults, sure, but so are stamp collecting and painting landscapes and building model railroads and dozens of other activities and hobbies. That it’s unusual doesn’t mean that it isn’t normal. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adults-playing-computer-games-normal-right/263415.md?page=2)