32 years old - time to hang up the video games?

[LambertandHam]

Re: 32 years old - time to hang up the video games?

We all grow older but we don't have to grow up in certain aspects . There is nothing wrong with being a little older and playing video games. It's your leisure time spend it how you want to. Don't think about other people's opinions. If you enjoy something than you should do it.

This x100. Hey, at least now you have disposable income to buy tons of games

[DJ]

Re: 32 years old - time to hang up the video games?

A lot of great posts here, so I won't rehash what has already been said. I do sympathize with the lack of gaming time and free time, for that matter. When 2014 started, I had some goals in mind:

read more books, exercise more and get back to writing. I've done one of the three (exercise) so far, but I'm not beating myself up over it. I just need to re-evaluate my schedule when I'm out of work and if that means playing less of my 360/PS3 to read or write, then so be it ... If that is what I am in the mood for. Some days, I'm in the mood to call in sick to work and play video games until my wife gets home from her job.

In the end, just do all the things that make you happy. If you can't play games as often as you'd like that is OK, just wait for when that window of time does open up.

Plus, you know if you sold off all of your consoles/games you'd wind up like FootballForever and buying them all back a few months later.

[KingV2k3]

Re: 32 years old - time to hang up the video games?

This topic has stuck with me today...

Quite provocative...

Which leads me to further assert:

I truly believe that keeping your imagination active is a BIG key to staying young at heart...

Franchises / Associations and Dynasties, etc. help with that, for this guy!

[Bullit]

Re: 32 years old - time to hang up the video games?

I'm 46 years old life time gamer. I am a veteran, retired Chef, husband and father.

I have owned every major video game console of every generation. I have seen this wonderful hobby go from $.25 pinball at the local pub to multi billion dollar epics that span 100's of hour of gameplay. I have laughed, cried and cheered, through hundreds of seasons of baseball, flown planes in World War I, traveled to countless dimensions of space and time. Slain dragons, defeated evil in all of its forms. Made friends, lost friends and stayed up way too late for too many nights in row to just finish one more level.

I have been blessed with a wife who and kids who enjoy gaming. It is a family thing that is shared across the board. Some we share, some are held to that private place in our hearts that we all have. To give up gaming would be to give up part of who I am.

[LingeringRegime]

32 years old - time to hang up the video games?

I am 39 and I stopped playing for ten years. I was burnt out and that might be what you are feeling. At this point in my life they will have to pry my controller from my cold dead hands.

Good thing is that my wife would rather me play than going to the bars. Luckily for her I have no desire to drink.


Sent From My Personal Electronic Device

[mgoblue]

Re: 32 years old - time to hang up the video games?

Unless gaming is keeping you from taking care of something that should be first and foremost(family....work....looking for work...etc).....I don't see any reason to give it up.
Unless you simply don't enjoy it any longer.

M.K.
Knight165

Yep. This is why I got the Xbox One. I can justify that it's a better streaming device and integrates with TV better. I have my wife using it more now, and she's kinda likes it.

My son's due date is March 11th (first child), and I'm 33. I don't game as much now. I don't play online gaming much (if ever) anymore. I'll find time at night when I can, but don't have the hours in a row like I used to. I can't burn a whole weekend on a game.

That just means that I buy games later on, when they're cheap, and enjoy them over time. I'm not that far into Dead Rising 3, but I'll beat it eventually.

I figure when I'm up at weird hours after taking care of the baby I may have random gaming times too.

IMO you just adapt your gaming. I still enjoy playing games. I may even enjoy following games online (here, website news, etc) even more, so just roll with whatever's fun.

I don't go out and get trashed at a bar with friends every Friday/Saturday night, so this is way cheaper of a hobby overall.

[tribefanisu2003]

Re: 32 years old - time to hang up the video games?

This has been a fun thread to read through, which honestly is not what I expected when I read the thread title. I'll throw in my $.02:

I'm very lucky with my wife / situation as well. She is an avid reader, maybe even more addicted to reading than I am with gaming. She always reads for fun, and it sometimes does come at the cost of higher priority items. Just some extra work stuff, things like that. Sometimes she'll stay up very late when she has to get up for work the next day. Nobody has ever said anything to her about enjoying her hobby. And to me, gaming is a hobby like any other. As long as it's not interfering with your priorities, it's not "wasted" time - it's time that you get to enjoy, that makes you happy.

Where I'm lucky is that, if I find the right game, she actually enjoys following along with the story. (Used to be Final Fantasy games - I have played through a lot of XIII, but we kind of burnt out. It hasn't grabbed me like X and XII did.) But even if I'm playing a sports game, or BF4, or whatever the case may be, she's perfectly content to sit on the couch and read, while I sit on the couch and play. We are both spending time enjoying what we like to do, and it just works. Now, don't get me wrong - we still have our shows that we record and watch together, we'll have some wine and watch a movie on Netflix, go out on date nights and with other friends plenty. But usually during our quiet weeknights at home, I game, she reads, and we're happy.

I know everyone's situation is different in that regard, and I know I'm very lucky. I will echo what's been said several times in the thread now: As long as it makes you happy and is not interfering with priorities, enjoy your hobby.

[SuperBowlNachos]

Re: 32 years old - time to hang up the video games?

I'm probably rehashing what has been said, but it sounds like you just need to cut down on the amount of time you play. No more eight hour sessions. She obviously wants to spend more time with you. Don't give up video games if you are just going to devote that extra time to some other hobby that you two aren't doing together.

[Altimus]

Re: 32 years old - time to hang up the video games?

I used to play daily back in my late teens/early 20's but as you grow up life's responsibilities take priority. Plus I have patches where I just don't feel like playing but I would never turn away from gaming. It always has been and always will be a hobby of mine.

I also agree with the burn out posts... sometimes you just need a break.

[KG]

Re: 32 years old - time to hang up the video games?

Yep. This is why I got the Xbox One. I can justify that it's a better streaming device and integrates with TV better. I have my wife using it more now, and she's kinda likes it.

My son's due date is March 11th (first child), and I'm 33. I don't game as much now. I don't play online gaming much (if ever) anymore. I'll find time at night when I can, but don't have the hours in a row like I used to. I can't burn a whole weekend on a game.

That just means that I buy games later on, when they're cheap, and enjoy them over time. I'm not that far into Dead Rising 3, but I'll beat it eventually.

I figure when I'm up at weird hours after taking care of the baby I may have random gaming times too.

IMO you just adapt your gaming. I still enjoy playing games. I may even enjoy following games online (here, website news, etc) even more, so just roll with whatever's fun.

I don't go out and get trashed at a bar with friends every Friday/Saturday night, so this is way cheaper of a hobby overall.

I have a 2 month old (first child) and I find myself playing the same amount. Video games are just like anything else as you get older. It's a prioritization game. If you have stuff you need to care of, do it. The video game isn't going anywhere, especially if you're an offline player. I've paused games for hours and gotten back to them. Everyone needs their own down time and it should be up to you to determine what to do with it.

[Stormyhog]

Re: 32 years old - time to hang up the video games?

I will be turning 42 this month and still love playing games and will continue to do so. It is my enjoyment just like when my parents would play cards with their relatives and friends for many hours. Plus gaming is good for eye and hand corrdination. They're going to have to pry the controller from my hands before I will give it up.

[Brandwin]

32 years old - time to hang up the video games?

I play less as I've gotten older, married and a small child, not because I don't have time or like gaming any less, I just sometimes don't have the energy and I am just too tired.

I play a few nights a week. My wife will watch a show or read a book and I will game once the kids go to bed. I don't start on weeknights until 9 or 10. So it's a balancing issue. Stay up and game and be tired the next day or go to bed.

I also have to balance time with my wife as well. So I limit it to a few nights a week. We both need our alone time to unwind though. I have been playing a bit more lately because she is in grad school at night and she usually falls asleep pretty quickly after. So I make sure laundry is done, dinner is cooked, kids bathed etc... While she bunkers down in the room doing school work.

It's all a balancing act and making sure you take care of business first. My wife doesn't care that I game. I think she is glad I would rather stay home and game than go to the bar.

I've said it before when topics like this come up, but I plan on being the grandpa that is still gaming and hopefully gaming with the grand kids.

[AUChase]

Re: 32 years old - time to hang up the video games?

I'm not that old and I didnt read the thread, but I know what everyone has said and they are right.

Do what you love, love what you do.

If it doesn't interfere with responsibilities, why stop ?

[cusefan74]

Re: 32 years old - time to hang up the video games?

You know what? I find the last couple of months I don't play as much as I used to either. Even though I have all the time in the world to do it(I'm disabled, I messed up my back and neck). I just don't feel like playing as much anymore, but I have never thought of getting rid of my PS3. For one I know I still will use it a couple of times a week, and two, my son whos six would be pretty mad at me.

If you get rid of it you will regret it. Maybe not for a couple of months but at some point you will want to play something, or see a new game coming out and will be like "WOW that looks awesome." It never hurts just to keep it.

[Picci]

Re: 32 years old - time to hang up the video games?