If the "average age" of today's gamer is mid-thrities, how come....

[Susan Arendt]

Because if you're in your 30s, the last thing you want to deal with is a bunch of entitled asshats ruining your good time. You're likely trying to squeeze in some good gaming on the weekend, or maybe for an hour or two at night after the kids are in bed. Gaming as an adult is, generally speaking, a lot different than gaming as a teenager, simply due to the time available. So either you don't play multiplayer, or you just leave off the headset.

 

[MetalMonkey74]

As a 30+ year old, I deal with enough stress and aggro at work and in my personal life. So the choice to mute / not bother with pre-pubescent kids that shout obscenities at me while they completely ignore any sort of communication from my end, is a welcome choice.

Also, i tend to play with the same set of people, and we all have Skype in a private call.

 

[Zantos]

I hear plenty of people in what I'd assume to be their late twenties and early thirties. Swearing like twats across the mic.

 

[The Funslinger]

Simple. The loudest voice usually rarely belongs to the majority.

 

[Hollock]

there are a lot of 40-50 farmville/bejewelled players.

 

[ZombieGenesis]

I suppose because most online FPS adrenaline shooters cater to the 15 year old demographic?

 

[BlazeRaider]

most gamers are indeed young teens around age 15, the average is being brought up every year by the same 50000 year old ghost playing counterstrike

 

[MetalMonkey74]

Yeah, same.

 

[bdcjacko]

Speaking as a 29 year old male. I usually play single player games when I can squeeze them in. The only multiplayer games I would play are Red Dead Redemption, and I would only play with dudes I knew in private session and Monday Night Combat, and there wasn't a lot of kids playing that.

But now, I only play single player games again because I want to have as much fun as possible in a limited amount of time. And waiting to get online, connect to a server and find the guys I want to play with just cuts into that.

 

[LGC Pominator]

I always go on party chat when I am online, so I only tend to hear myself and 6 o 7 mates that are in the game with me, however its also worth noting that most older players would likely leave the mics off unless they are actually looking to socialise with friends online.
Kids tend to leave their mics on all the time because they have something to say and they want you to hear ot

 

[BloodRed Pixel]

I am 40. I mostly play single player games because I grew out of multiplayer games in the 1990s and haven't really gone back. When I play online, which is rarely because I don't have the free time of a 15 year old - I play with my close friends who are mostly my age. I doubt I would bump into most people online.

This...

 

[Valksy]

I've been playing games for 30 years or so now and don't see myself stopping any time soon.

I don't play online because I cannot tolerate the screeching hateful bullshit squealed down the mic by stupid little children. I wouldn't socialise them in the "real" world, so why in the hell would I spend my leisure time with them online?

While I know that not all online players actually are stupid little children - they are the loudest and most tedious and I can't be bothered with it.

 

[intheweeds]

I think the Peggle/Farmville crowd speaks for itself. That's obviously an older demographic. I was mainly referring to the Xbox Live/PSN crowd.

Humm, i know it will sound trollish and that people might disagree, but maybe switch to PC if you are looking for old farts? I have the impression that the average PC gamer is older, but it might just be because the console gamers i know are 24 yo kiddos and the PC gamers are my age or older.

Meh, I'm not really looking for anyone. To be honest, I'm on my way out of gaming. It was cool when I was a kid, but now it's just lame, not to mention the stigma that comes with being 26, married, and still playing video games. Some gamers won't admit it, but it DOES affect how people perceive you.

As for the gaming itself: the tethering of all things to an online account, the constant DLC, $60 games, etc. No thanks. I miss the golden-age of gaming (aka the Sega days).

haha try being 38 and still playing games, yeah i wont usually admit i play them to people. you immediately get the "they are toys look"

Oh, trust me, I've gotten "that look" before.

You guys make me sad, being all ashamed of gaming like it's a bad habit or anything. Do you feel shy telling people you watch movies or read books? Games are just the same, they're an art form. Those folks will never open their eyes to their greatness if you agree with them through your conduct that all games are indeed for kids.

No one is saying we don't stand up for ourselves. The fact is though, we have to deal with a lot of stigma from others in our age group. It really is a lot of misdirected hate and bias. I have to tone my gaming down around my g/f quite a bit. We have had more than one 'serious talk' about my gaming. Apparently she hides it from her family, which is strange because I don't so I'm sure they know. The only reason I am still gaming is because she can't think of a logical reason to dislike it (we are very reasonable and logical people).

Most recently she has tried arguing that it isn't creative and that it keeps people from doing creative things. Which is complete bullshit and is easy for me to dispute since I am at once a musician and artist and computer programmer. My art is on our walls. I create more in one day than she creates in a year and she doesn't play games. Right now I am waiting for the next bullshit argument.

The thing is she is more or less fine with it because she cannot think of a logical reason, but there is one logical reason that i cannot dispute: the fact that without any logical reasons, a huge number of people in our age group look at gamers like they are immature idiots. Despite the fact that one must be a very skilled and intelligent individual to create one and despite the fact that many of us are very successful in other areas of life. This is a problem for her and therefore a problem for me.

There are far more important things to a good relationship than the two people understanding each others hobbies. I can't change the world all by myself. You can stand up for yourself and your beliefs, but unless you want to be a gaming activist warrior all the time (whatever that is), you will probably find yourself hiding it sometimes because you don't want to deal with the reaction.

Can you be a smart CEO with a mohawk? Of course, but be prepared to defend yourself every day. It gets tiring.

 

[MurderousToaster]

People in that sort of age group normally only play with people they know in multiplayer. They'll normally be in a party with them on Xbox Live or whatever other form of private chat.

 

[castlewise]

everyone acts like they are 13 years old in forums?

Edit: Oh I get it. I thought we were supposed to complete the sentence.

OT: I find as I get older I play with a set group of friends. I imagine most 30 year olds aren't rocking the public servers.

 

[ascorbius]

Also 38, My XBox has never been online and that is how it will remain.
I'm happy with RPG, Driving games or Story based Shooters.
I do not need to involve others in my post work unwinding.
If I wanted to do that, I'd go to the pub.

I get annoyed with recent XBox games assuming that I have an internet connection on my xbox for me to get all of the achievements (Fable3 I'm looking at you: There's a Demon door which will only open if I kiss another hero! WTF!!!)

If I want multi-player, I'll use my PC.

 

[GonzoGamer]

Very few people online seem to use their headsets. I'm guessing most of the older demographic are in that crowd.

Got that right.
I have a headset that I use when playing specific games with specific friends but for the most part I leave it out.
Another factor is that many of us older gamers prefer our multiplayer to be on the same couch. Sure I play some games online but when it comes to a fighting game or something co-op, I?d rather play with my wife or a friend. So yes, we?re out there and no we don?t want to talk to you...or hear the new Kanye song you fell in love with either.
I?m on the ps3 and we get obnoxious kids sometimes but that isn?t the majority of headset users in the games I?ve played. I notice that it?s mostly people with southern accents.

 

[flaviok79]

I am 32. I mute everyone, except when I find my real life friends online. Too much talk is distracting, specially during Halo Reach nights. Unfortunately, people rarely use the mic to communicate strategy wise. Mostly is to call everyone else noobs (even though I have been playing since most of them were not even born).

 

[Lionsfan]

I think it's because a lot of people at that age don't want to deal with the rampant douchebaggery you get Online. So they probably play on the weekend, later at night, and unless they play with friends they probably have their mic's off.