losing interest in games as you get older?

Great thread and a lot of interesting responses.

I'm 30 now, been gaming since I was very young in the early 80's. I found that I go through peeks and valleys in my gaming habits that usually coincide with the amount of quality titles being released, naturally.

Over the past few years, I actually spend more time following the news about gaming and tech, hitting message boards, reading mags, etc..than I do actually playing games. I've always been a news junkie, even back when I was in college but I do game a lot less than I used to. I still have a huge interest in Gaming, mostly PC Gaming with a little console gaming sprinkled here and there, but as some of you have said, work and family takes a whole lot of time, and are obviously more of a priority. Owning a business can be great, but often times can require a lot more of my personal time than I would like.

Oh well, after hearing that the Crysis demo is hitting on September 25th, how much better can it get? I can't wait....

I am 27 and I really have definitely lost interest in games as the years have gone by. I have been a gamer since I was 7 or 8. From games like Metroid and Kid Icarus to SNES RPGS (FF seiries, Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana, and whatever other memorable RPGS) and Genesis sports games. I even use to hit up the Arcades with Killer Instinct, Mortal Kombat and Samurai Showdown. Then I moved on to DOOM and Duke Nukem and the like. Shortly after to the PS with classics like Tobal, Metal gear solid, tekken, techu, and the infamous "Thrill Kill" and then the Dream Caste and PS2. I have definitely lost interest in the past 5 years or so. Maybe I am just burned out or I am looking for something that breaks out of the mold. I REALLY liked S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and I think if games take that direction with freedom and atmosphere then I will get back in to gaming like I use too. I am looking forward to Assassins Creed aswell. I think the reason some people aren't into games as much as they use to is because the industry is mainstream. Before programmers made games that they would like to play...now a lot of games are made so anyone can play. It's just like Pop music it's made for everyone not for music enthusiasts. For example anyone can listen to the latest Pop hit and understand the meaning and feel the beat BUT not everyone can listen to a Mars Volta song and feel the same way. Same with a game like S.T.A.L.K.E.R., one has to know how to play an FPS to play that game. People who have played games from the beginning have "evolved" to the point that some games are just too easy or boring because the game mechanics seemed to be "dumbed" down. However, the game mechanics have stayed the same and "our" skill at playing these games have enhanced. Thus making most games unappealing....Does that make any sense?arangadillo

Makes total sense and I totally agree, which is what made me drop consoles and go back to pc, because the pc tends to be more hardcore friendly with games like stalker and classics like sc and cs that are still regularly played.

[QUOTE="arangadillo"]I am 27 and I really have definitely lost interest in games as the years have gone by. I have been a gamer since I was 7 or 8. From games like Metroid and Kid Icarus to SNES RPGS (FF seiries, Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana, and whatever other memorable RPGS) and Genesis sports games. I even use to hit up the Arcades with Killer Instinct, Mortal Kombat and Samurai Showdown. Then I moved on to DOOM and Duke Nukem and the like. Shortly after to the PS with classics like Tobal, Metal gear solid, tekken, techu, and the infamous "Thrill Kill" and then the Dream Caste and PS2. I have definitely lost interest in the past 5 years or so. Maybe I am just burned out or I am looking for something that breaks out of the mold. I REALLY liked S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and I think if games take that direction with freedom and atmosphere then I will get back in to gaming like I use too. I am looking forward to Assassins Creed aswell. I think the reason some people aren't into games as much as they use to is because the industry is mainstream. Before programmers made games that they would like to play...now a lot of games are made so anyone can play. It's just like Pop music it's made for everyone not for music enthusiasts. For example anyone can listen to the latest Pop hit and understand the meaning and feel the beat BUT not everyone can listen to a Mars Volta song and feel the same way. Same with a game like S.T.A.L.K.E.R., one has to know how to play an FPS to play that game. People who have played games from the beginning have "evolved" to the point that some games are just too easy or boring because the game mechanics seemed to be "dumbed" down. However, the game mechanics have stayed the same and "our" skill at playing these games have enhanced. Thus making most games unappealing....Does that make any sense?Dr_DudeMan

Makes total sense and I totally agree, which is what made me drop consoles and go back to pc, because the pc tends to be more hardcore friendly with games like stalker and classics like sc and cs that are still regularly played.

[QUOTE="Dr_DudeMan"]

[QUOTE="arangadillo"]I am 27 and I really have definitely lost interest in games as the years have gone by. I have been a gamer since I was 7 or 8. From games like Metroid and Kid Icarus to SNES RPGS (FF seiries, Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana, and whatever other memorable RPGS) and Genesis sports games. I even use to hit up the Arcades with Killer Instinct, Mortal Kombat and Samurai Showdown. Then I moved on to DOOM and Duke Nukem and the like. Shortly after to the PS with classics like Tobal, Metal gear solid, tekken, techu, and the infamous "Thrill Kill" and then the Dream Caste and PS2. I have definitely lost interest in the past 5 years or so. Maybe I am just burned out or I am looking for something that breaks out of the mold. I REALLY liked S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and I think if games take that direction with freedom and atmosphere then I will get back in to gaming like I use too. I am looking forward to Assassins Creed aswell. I think the reason some people aren't into games as much as they use to is because the industry is mainstream. Before programmers made games that they would like to play...now a lot of games are made so anyone can play. It's just like Pop music it's made for everyone not for music enthusiasts. For example anyone can listen to the latest Pop hit and understand the meaning and feel the beat BUT not everyone can listen to a Mars Volta song and feel the same way. Same with a game like S.T.A.L.K.E.R., one has to know how to play an FPS to play that game. People who have played games from the beginning have "evolved" to the point that some games are just too easy or boring because the game mechanics seemed to be "dumbed" down. However, the game mechanics have stayed the same and "our" skill at playing these games have enhanced. Thus making most games unappealing....Does that make any sense?arangadillo

Makes total sense and I totally agree, which is what made me drop consoles and go back to pc, because the pc tends to be more hardcore friendly with games like stalker and classics like sc and cs that are still regularly played.

Hellgate london, starcraft 2, and hopefully an amazing shooter will come along...

[QUOTE="Dr_DudeMan"]

[QUOTE="arangadillo"]I am 27 and I really have definitely lost interest in games as the years have gone by. I have been a gamer since I was 7 or 8. From games like Metroid and Kid Icarus to SNES RPGS (FF seiries, Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana, and whatever other memorable RPGS) and Genesis sports games. I even use to hit up the Arcades with Killer Instinct, Mortal Kombat and Samurai Showdown. Then I moved on to DOOM and Duke Nukem and the like. Shortly after to the PS with classics like Tobal, Metal gear solid, tekken, techu, and the infamous "Thrill Kill" and then the Dream Caste and PS2. I have definitely lost interest in the past 5 years or so. Maybe I am just burned out or I am looking for something that breaks out of the mold. I REALLY liked S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and I think if games take that direction with freedom and atmosphere then I will get back in to gaming like I use too. I am looking forward to Assassins Creed aswell. I think the reason some people aren't into games as much as they use to is because the industry is mainstream. Before programmers made games that they would like to play...now a lot of games are made so anyone can play. It's just like Pop music it's made for everyone not for music enthusiasts. For example anyone can listen to the latest Pop hit and understand the meaning and feel the beat BUT not everyone can listen to a Mars Volta song and feel the same way. Same with a game like S.T.A.L.K.E.R., one has to know how to play an FPS to play that game. People who have played games from the beginning have "evolved" to the point that some games are just too easy or boring because the game mechanics seemed to be "dumbed" down. However, the game mechanics have stayed the same and "our" skill at playing these games have enhanced. Thus making most games unappealing....Does that make any sense?arangadillo

Makes total sense and I totally agree, which is what made me drop consoles and go back to pc, because the pc tends to be more hardcore friendly with games like stalker and classics like sc and cs that are still regularly played.

STALKER: Clear Skies :P

I've gamed since the early 80's starting with the old Nintendo 8 bits. I don't think it's a loss of interest. I think it is more of a been there, done that kind of mentality. I know I have become WAY more picky about the games I play now. the majority of the games seem to just copy ideas and recycle them. The newer ones that have interesting twists to age old traditions or invent some sort of new gameplay are the ones I look forward to buying. Consoles are getting better in this department but I think most consolers will never see the light (i.e. Plato's Allegory of the Cave) of PC gaming. Which is fine, some people are content with that. Don't get me wrong I do have some console games that I really like/d but PC games will always be my love. In the end, it isn't that I have lost interest. It's more that I have divided time with kids and family and don't have time to waste on old rehashed game mechanics just wrapped a little differently.

Thats actually precisely it. Many of us lose interest because games are becoming a very commercial thing..mainstream etc etc..publishers/developers rarely go for much originality (since not all games are for everybody to play and to enjoy) ..on the other hand of course, people do love to see something new.

In just about every topic i write i am always on and on about Stalker. And this enthusiasm has a solid reason. The game, aside from having some flaws, is an outstanding accomplishment. It actually brought the gaming interest back into me. Now also really looking forward to Assassin's Creed.

Hello, just wanted to get your take on this question. I, personally have experienced a drop off in interest in gaming the past 5-6 years. I'm 34 and I've been playing PC games since high school. How's your interest holding up over the years?rlc-madcat

I'm 16, and I've been doing it for 10 years, at least. I'll say this: There's been a drop in gaming (lack of originality, games that don't really GRAB you and take you to another world, etc), but I honestly think by the end of 2008, we'll all be satisfied.

Interest comes and goes. As I get olderand heaped with more responsibility and it gets harder and harder to find time to have extended sittings in front of the PC. However, my good wife is aware it's a fav pastime (almost to the exclusion of all others, with the exception of playing sport - and she prefers the gaming as I can't get injured) andI doget a bit of slack for that.

My PC collection is likea book collection. Heaps of classics there but not experienced. Though I will get to them all.

I believe I will be gaming in some shape or form until I shuffle off this mortal coil.

8)

Games are starting to look like toys the more i get older, im already losing intreast.

[QUOTE="BounceDK"]I don't necessarily think that age has anything to do with it, but rather the quality of games these days. There's a lack of innovation, gameplay mechanics and good storylines in a lot of games released these days, all because they tend to focus more on making it pretty looking rather than fun to play. Granted, there are a few games which stands out from the crowd and they manage to bring all elements into play which essentially makes them fun & interesting even for old time gamers such as myself.lokstah

You might be right--don't get me wrong--but don't you worry that what seems from your perspective like a shift in game quality might, in fact, be due in part to a shift in your perspective? How can you tell? How do we gamers make objective statements about how games were made when we were 10, versus how they're made now that we're 30?

Again, I don't deny that game standards change. You're probably right, at least in PART. But I suspect it's more complicated overall.

Deffinetly agree with you there lokstah. I sorta feel the same way about games, but I also suspect it has to do alot with nostalgia and the difference of my mentallity towards games from when I was a kid.

Great thread and a lot of interesting responses.

I'm 30 now, been gaming since I was very young in the early 80's. I found that I go through peeks and valleys in my gaming habits that usually coincide with the amount of quality titles being released, naturally.

Over the past few years, I actually spend more time following the news about gaming and tech, hitting message boards, reading mags, etc..than I do actually playing games. I've always been a news junkie, even back when I was in college but I do game a lot less than I used to. I still have a huge interest in Gaming, mostly PC Gaming with a little console gaming sprinkled here and there, but as some of you have said, work and family takes a whole lot of time, and are obviously more of a priority. Owning a business can be great, but often times can require a lot more of my personal time than I would like.

Oh well, after hearing that the Crysis demo is hitting on September 25th, how much better can it get? I can't wait....

mismajor99

Yup, same here. It seems I read about games more thenI actually play them these days...

I'm almost 28 now, I think when I first started gaming back in the nintendo duckhunt days I was less picky. I would play pretty much anything and beat it. Now.. I have MUCH less time, and a girlfriend who doesn't like me playing video games. I haven't lost interest at all, but my taste has changed. I now only play AAA games that don't require a lot of time (ie.. WoW is off limits)

Gaming will always be my escape, it would be disaster if I lost interest!

Well I'm 20, I still play a lot but games just don't excite me that much. I mean I can't get the feeling I had when I played CoD, the bridge mission, british campaign, when huge nazi forces attack and you fight to survive. Games are nice but not mind blowing. In the past games were an adventure, there was no tutorial, no explanation, just some new ideas. Now games, IMO, are recycled and tweaked versions of the games in the past. Heck I can't get myself finish games any more, I just get bored. foggy666

That reminds me of Stinkfist by Tool:

Something has to change.
Un deniable dilemma.
Boredom's not a burden
Anyone should bear.
Constant over stimu lation numbs me
But I would not want you any other way

It's not enough.
I need more.
Nothing seems to satisfy.
I don't want it.
I just need it.
To breathe to feel to know I'm alive.

[QUOTE="mismajor99"]

Great thread and a lot of interesting responses.

I'm 30 now, been gaming since I was very young in the early 80's. I found that I go through peeks and valleys in my gaming habits that usually coincide with the amount of quality titles being released, naturally.

Over the past few years, I actually spend more time following the news about gaming and tech, hitting message boards, reading mags, etc..than I do actually playing games. I've always been a news junkie, even back when I was in college but I do game a lot less than I used to. I still have a huge interest in Gaming, mostly PC Gaming with a little console gaming sprinkled here and there, but as some of you have said, work and family takes a whole lot of time, and are obviously more of a priority. Owning a business can be great, but often times can require a lot more of my personal time than I would like.

Oh well, after hearing that the Crysis demo is hitting on September 25th, how much better can it get? I can't wait....

dnuggs40

Yup, same here. It seems I read about games more thenI actually play them these days...

Lol, true for me as well.

Wow; it seems alot of us share the same feelings; man I remeber playing lunar on my old sega cd and just getting so wrapped in the story that I could actually wind up squeezing out a few petulant tears; But now nearing my 30's I just can't invest that kind or emotion into these games; I mean is it me? or is it the games? That's a tough question; a child can more easily immerse themselves in the game; but as you get older realism becomes a much greater factor of course;

I got bored so damn fast with games like oblivion; but a game like STALKER really brought me back to where I used to be emotionally in a game; There was just something old school about it; yep more games need to be like that.

Im 50 years old and still playing. I do tho get really bored with Mmorphs. And I have played everyone thats out.:P I dont know why but I love WW2 games. Im retired military anyway, but mordern war does not thrill me as much. In WW2 it took more skill and luck without the gadgets today.HeadHunter_Reborn

I am only 18 and am feeling less interested. But to put it in a better way, the more we get older, the more we mature and realize how much responsiblities and potential we have in life, and thus do more non-gaming activities/work.

I love gaming, but I dont think its as neseccary as it was to me before.

i've been gaming since i was 5, i'm now 23 and my interest has dropped quite a bit in that time (it peaked in my early to mid teens)as new interests and people and responsibilities have entered into my life

i don't think it's possible to "grow out" of games any more than it's possible to grow out of television, film or literature - but all forms of entertainment will tend to take a back seat to the responsibilities and limitations of adulthood, and if they don't, you're doing something wrong

i like to think i'll game my entire life, but as i grow older and hopefully have a family, i imagine i will naturally want to game less... but i like to think it will remain a strong element of my life, because i take far more pleasure, satisfaction, stimulation and education from gaming than i do from any other form of entertainment

right now, i have a great deal of interest in gaming, but my life no longer revolves around it as it did when i was under 18, and i imagine it'll bea downward curve of interest as i continue to grow older, just hopefully not a very steep one...

Im 22! What is good in life? Women , beer, music and games!

For ultimate pleasure do all 4 at the same time ^^ lol

im 35 and *gasp* LORD am i tired of 'war games'. meaning im tired of having to fight something in every single game i play. either outright war or fighting a clock , or fighting a 'senario'. but im mostly tired of fighting wars. i dont mind games with combat IN it. like a city builder with a half arsed army and combat as part of it. but even in most games like that you are still fighting the clock. i guess what im most tired of is the stress that most'games' put you under. i get enough stress, REAL stress in real life that i dont think that every single game i play in my down time needs to add too it even if its only contrived.

when i was younger i didnt mind fighting anything and everything. now days i look for games without stress. like for instiance im playing evil genius again for the first time in ayear and im totaly enjoying it all over again. the game certianly has aspects of fighting but you totaly set your own pace between fights and the game is interesting enough that fights are what you do to get back to the fun stuff, not the POINT to the game itself.

all in all id say very certianly that its MY tastes that have changed and the gaming world hasent changed nearly enough to keep up. the only game on the horizon that im even looking forward too is SPORE and depending on what aspects of that that are pushed i can see that being a let down too. im really looking forward to the early game as described but i can see myself simply quiting once it gets to the mid game and war becomes the focus.

i wish more games would take a page from real world history and depict war as it really has been. something that last a short while and while can totaly change the face of the planet, im more interested in playing games that deal with the long LONG periods of the world that DIDNT involved rush building armys and invading your neighbors. the Total war series would be my ideal game (ironic i know given the title of the series) if it increased the 'building and diplomacy' aspects and cut out (or atleast back) the pressure to war.

then again war can be fun if the makers can tell a story and give me a real reason to fight one. Homeworld II stunned me with the way it sucked me in and made me totaly invested in fighting the war. wareas a game like Rome : Total war bored me to tears after the first few hrs or so of playing and you relize that there is nothing to the game than fighting pretty battles. i want to play a game where im the emperor not just a general. and there is far far far more to playing an emperor than just declaring war and fighting battles.

ive had an idea for an ideal game kicking around in my head for years now. its a combination of RPG and well i guess RTS. you play the first 40 hrs or so in an RPG mode basicaly ending up becoming a king over one of the standord RTS 'provences', then the game moves on to the RTS mode where you try to improve your kingdom, not JUST through wars and conquest. but rather through making the land you DO own grow and prosper. the RPG portion will invest you in the game because you actualy took a hand in creating your avitar on the 'world map' . it would first of all answer the question of what happened next after the end of every RPG ive ever played and at the same time it would give me enough motivation to see my 'kingdom' as importiant and that i was truly the King not just first general of the mob. combine 'Diablo' with 'stronghold' and a good world map like the total war series and you would have it all.

start out on a farm someplace that gets attacked by 'raiders' , fight your way RPG style untill your a 'king' of a given province, build that province ala Stronghold style. where you actualy build the economy as well as your towns and castles. then have the world map to expand your domain with BOTH civilian and warlike paths.

anyhow im sick of games that are stuffed full of war and fighting anything that moves just for the sake of fighting. the first game that lets me play as a REAL emperor and not just a high commander would be heaven for me. ive been playing as the army commander long enough. i want the final promotion to emperor after 25 years of gaming. ive ate enought pellets, dodged enough space bugs, blasted enough enemy bases, killed a whole planet full of orcs, wolves, elves, agents of chaos, hords of barbarians, researched enough tech to replace any 4 'gods' of the various universes, spent enough cash/credits/nobles.gold coins to buy those 4 universes right down to the last asteroid in the smallest star system.

but still the highest rank i can ever reach in any game ever is simply the top general my record after 25 years of gaming proves im ready to actualy rule the universe not just command its armys in never ending battle. game makers if your reading this ,change that and you will have a customer for life.

I'm 57 years old and will be 58 in Oct of this year. Both my sons (grown and married now) had all the games stuff, they went through atari, commandor 64 and 128 and the PC.

I bought my first PC in 1990 and started playing Wolfensten 3D and became immediatly addicted to gaming. This was followed by DOOM which really impressed me. I have been gaming ever since. So I guess you're looking at 17 years 1990 to present 2007.

I simply enjoy the hell out of them. I recently retired and have plenty of free time to enjoy my hobby. My sons have slacked off as they now have children of their own and more important responsibilities. I never get tired of playing. I'm finding that it's good for stress and relaxation. It also helps keep my mind alert and active.

I have always had an interest in art and graphics. When younger my dream was to become a commercial artist. But, unfortunately that didn't happen. When I play the games, MOH,COD,Doom3, FEAR, Halflife 2, GTA, Oblivion, etc. I'm impressed by the talent and know-how that has gone into their development.

To immerse yourself and take part in the action of this new technology fascinates me, and I'm in awe of the young talent out there who create these products. If I was young now, I know what I'd be doing I'd get my degree in gaming art.

We hear so much negative from the media about gaming causing violent behavior. PLEASE - give me a break. I salute the talent of theyounger inviduals out therewho create this entertainment. Asyou allknow, when everyday life gets you down, it's nice to know that you can immerse yourself (for just awhile) in a whole nother world away from the chaos and termoil of everyday life.

Game on till youdrop. skeeter

well..honestly,im 14..live in malaysia..and here,not many adult (30+ years old) play games..

my dad sometimes play Need for Speed,CS,etc..and i gotta admit it,i respect ppl who played computer more than ppl who dont..maybe bcoz i feel a connection btween gamers..out passion..

so,ppl in this forum,eventhought u all have responsiblities,never stop...bcoz gaming is a passion..(im trying very hard not to sound like a weirdo or a geek)

games as i see it have become alot like movies. they have become 'main stream' enough that indy developers just cant make games of the tecnical quality of the big houses so despite their ability to 'take chances' with new ideas for game play that doesnt translate very well to what can be seen as a quality finished product. so what we are basicaly left with now is big publishers not taking ANY chances at all and just making the same games over and over again either in sequil form or just a slightly different version on a theam.

from my point of view. a game has to bring something really new to the table before i get even slightly excited about it. for the most part my game buying now is just a matter of wating for 6 months or a year till the 'buzz' is over and the prices come down then ill pick up a game and try it out. that way, not only do you get the lower price but you can also get the 'finished game' meaning all the patches are allready out and you dont have to deal with the huge bugs that seem to be almost required of any new game now days. plus it gives you the chance to avoid any games that start out with the intention of shiping half finished games in order to finish them with 10 'expantions' later on. just wate for the 'gold version' and get the WHOLE game all at once.

lest you get me wrong, its not about the money for me either. unless SPORE goes totaly off the rails ill be buying THAT one day one. but there really isnt any other games around that i dont look at with a jaded eye and say to myself "didnt i just play this game a year ago under a different name'? i dont look so much at the games themselves any more either i tend to look at the developers behind them now days since there really isnt enough of a change in game styles to attract my attention then if i must play basicaly clones of games ive been playing for 20 years now then atleast i can pick out the clones of games ive enjoyed before by choosing the developers with care. meaning that i enjoyed Never winter nights (not to mention the KoToR series)so i bought NWN 2. while i hated morrowind so i skiped oblivion. even though they are all RPGs and are basicaly the same game.

my whole point is that once you get older and have enough experiance with gameing you tend to totaly shut out the 'hype' and develope a bade case of 'been there done that' and it takes a really special game to break that natural armor. the OMG i MUST HAVE THAT GAME, turns into hmmm that looks semi interesting ill add it to my get later list