Gaming = Childish?

[Schnippshly]

Adults didn't grow up with them but kids did (well adult shad Atari and arcades) and since games have no creativity to them, they seem to anyone who doesn't enjoy them to be a waste of time. But those people who call games a waste of time like to waste time enjoying their own hobbies.

 

[Zildjin81]

Because in the early day of games, they were seen more as toys than being more than that. That stigma still holds.

But are games not toys?

I don't know, do you sit around having tea parties with them or make them fight ninja's with your G.I. Joes?

Nope, I pop them in the 360 and have play them. Just like I used to do with other kinds of toys when I was younger.

 

[oktalist]

Because in the early day of games, they were seen more as toys than being more than that. That stigma still holds.

But are games not toys?

Is your television a toy?

 

[Sev72]

... I have another question. Why do you care what other people think?

Why do you care what they think? If you didn't care why comment?

I can't truthfully say I don't care what other people think, I do. The reason is I want people that I respect (the ones I value the opinions of) to respect me as well. I was curious what his reasoning was for caring about what other think. The second question I just answered...

 

[Zildjin81]

You need a field to play soccer but that doesn't make the field a toy.

 

[lozzab]

I think a lot of games are childish. Likewise, buying a big sports car is childish (your hardly using it for transport really), as are most forms of entertainment. But what's wrong with that? We should embrace that side of our nature, it's what keeps people sane, it keeps us questioning. As they say, childhood should be the happiest days of our lives, so why not prolong that.

 

[TheRockNRolla]

Because in the early day of games, they were seen more as toys than being more than that. That stigma still holds.

But are games not toys?

I don't know, do you sit around having tea parties with them or make them fight ninja's with your G.I. Joes?

Nope, I pop them in the 360 and have play them. Just like I used to do with other kinds of toys when I was younger.

You put your toys in a 360 when you were younger? How old are you?

GASP! You have a time machine!?!

 

[dnnydllr]

The answer is clear: they are non-gamers who have not been lifted to the enlightened state that we have. They apparently don't understand that the world sucks, and alternate universes are oh so much better =D

 

[Gamine]

When you game-speak like theres no tomorrow thats childish to me.
I know too many professionals who game and i wouldnt even want to marry a non-gamer but i gotta admit a 30yr old man who spends 14hrs gaming is childish.

 

[Jurassic Rob]

When you game-speak like theres no tomorrow thats childish to me.
I know too many professionals who game and i wouldnt even want to marry a non-gamer but i gotta admit a 30yr old man who spends 14hrs gaming is childish.

I wouldn't call that childish. Just very, very sad. Gaming is, or should be a hobby. Something to help you unwind after work etc, but 14 straight hrs is a bit much.

 

[Zildjin81]

Because in the early day of games, they were seen more as toys than being more than that. That stigma still holds.

But are games not toys?

I don't know, do you sit around having tea parties with them or make them fight ninja's with your G.I. Joes?

Nope, I pop them in the 360 and have play them. Just like I used to do with other kinds of toys when I was younger.

You put your toys in a 360 when you were younger? How old are you?

GASP! You have a time machine!?!

Sarcasm + changing the subject = admitting defeat.

 

[TheRockNRolla]

Sarcasm + changing the subject = admitting defeat.

When did I change the subject? Sorry, I just pointed out how dumb your post sounded.

 

[Zildjin81]

Actually you may notice that I wrote the word "play" after the word (well number really) "360".

When someone does not specify which word they are referring to they are generally talking about the last one (as opposed to a random one which would make it sound funny).

Back on topic, if games aren't toys then what are they?

 

[Goldbling]

It's not gaming that is childish, its the children that want to game that are the problem

 

[Barry93]

not only are videogames not childish but i hate the idea that all videogames are bad that destroy your brain. Most require you to actually think

 

[Squarewave]

2 reasons

1) People think anything animated, or looks animated is targeting kids. This comes from a century of people only experience with animation being things like bugs bunny, micky mouse and superman.

It took a long time for most people to understand that southpark wasn't for kids, and some still think it is targeting them

2) People thinking that any activity that doesn't revolve around sports or getting laid is meant for kids. Don't really see this much anymore except around hardcore jock types

 

[Puppeteer Putin]

I beg to differ. A lot of my non-gaming friends still give look at me as if I'm a slave to my inner child when I mention my hobby. I try to explain to them what I do, but they don't see the sophistication.

Hmm...actually now that I think about it, I have an answer for this issue in particular.

The reason why this happens is because -most- (mainstream for ex) video gamers play in a 'child-like' matter. Whether you're the screaming frat-boy or the internet-live fanboy, the majority of gamers are childish (or just young), and this creates a stereotype. "Sophisticated" games/gamers are by no means the majority. You (and I) sometimes may think this is wrong, but I'm talking macro-scale. In our 'communities', this is just not true, but we don't represent most gamers probably. And thus, why most of us are labeled. I hope that made sense.

That does make sense. Those non-gamers are for the most part going to be exposed to the casual and, as you say, frat house gamers. We are not those types but because the non-gamers experience is with man-children who happen to play the odd round of Gears of War shouting "FAG" into their mics on Xbox Live. So twithin their personal context it's understandable. Now, they really SHOULDN'T pass judgement, but they're going to anyway.

 

[kat-24]

People assume its childish because today's generation of gamers started when they were children, and have continued, while older generations were adults when gaming started...

Also, as a teenage gamer, (and I'd like to think I'm a rather mature one) I find it irritating when people assume I'm not a gamer, however, I am, I don't have a PS3 just to play Madden or NBA Live, I have it to play Flower and Resistance, and I find it hard to be viewed as a gamer, instead of a stereotypical 13 year old on XBox live, despite the fact that I'm actually contributing to the team with my high pitched voice...

 

[Neurowaste]

The early video game industry was marketed to kids, just look at the difference of the old nintendo powers to the new ones, this notion that video games are just a childish hobby that will be outgrown has stuck. What most people fail to realize is that video games have developed into a much more mature form of media with complex stories and themes being told and explored such as in Mass Effect, Alan's wake, Heavy Rain, or even man hunt. I think most serious video games scripts are on par or even better than some movie scripts and people have just failed to realize that it is much more mature form of media than the earlier days, i mean, sure, you have stuff like the wii which is just a fun, casual toy for the most part, but, there is other types of video games out there made for a much more mature audience than the past. This is also the reason why sex and drugs and all socially taboo things are seen as a shock in video games but not in movies or television or other forms of media, because people have not adjusted to a developing market with much more complex themes.