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By Chris Pereira, 07/11/2011
Playing games when you're over the age of 30 is "weird," The Today Show has declared. Friday's show hosted a segment called "The Other View: Getting a Guy's Perspective on Love" where women send in questions about men to be answered by advertising exec and television personality Donny Deutsch. The final question read, "What's up with men and videogames? Do you think it's OK for men to play videogames in their 30's and over?"
The woman reading the question could barely make it through without laughing at the notion, and it was immediately met with another of the show's hosts declaring, "That's weird." Deutsch said, "The answer's no. ...When you're in your 30's, there should be something more on your mind or attention than videogames." The consensus was that it's acceptable if games are being played with a child, but it was agreed that wasn't what was being asked.
You could say I have a slanted view on the subject as someone who both plays videogames and writes about them, but were this question asked about watching movies or reading books -- as if it ever would be -- you can bet it would be found perfectly acceptable. Playing videogames, however, continues to have a stigma in many people's minds despite the fact that Wii, DS, Facebook, and mobile games have all gotten more people playing games than ever before.
And, as GameSetWatch notes, a recent report (PDF) by the Entertainment Software Association shows the average age of someone playing games is 37 -- well into that "weird" 30+ category -- and 29% of gamers were over the age of 50. The question also seems to imply that only men play games, yet the ESA's report shows that 42% of game players are female.
How weird.
Originally posted at 1UP
Sources: Digital Press, GameSetWatch
Playing games when you're over the age of 30 is "weird," The Today Show has declared. Friday's show hosted a segment called "The Other View: Getting a Guy's Perspective on Love" where women send in questions about men to be answered by advertising exec and television personality Donny Deutsch. The final question read, "What's up with men and videogames? Do you think it's OK for men to play videogames in their 30's and over?"
The woman reading the question could barely make it through without laughing at the notion, and it was immediately met with another of the show's hosts declaring, "That's weird." Deutsch said, "The answer's no. ...When you're in your 30's, there should be something more on your mind or attention than videogames." The consensus was that it's acceptable if games are being played with a child, but it was agreed that wasn't what was being asked.
You could say I have a slanted view on the subject as someone who both plays videogames and writes about them, but were this question asked about watching movies or reading books -- as if it ever would be -- you can bet it would be found perfectly acceptable. Playing videogames, however, continues to have a stigma in many people's minds despite the fact that Wii, DS, Facebook, and mobile games have all gotten more people playing games than ever before.
And, as GameSetWatch notes, a recent report (PDF) by the Entertainment Software Association shows the average age of someone playing games is 37 -- well into that "weird" 30+ category -- and 29% of gamers were over the age of 50. The question also seems to imply that only men play games, yet the ESA's report shows that 42% of game players are female.
How weird.
Originally posted at 1UP
Sources: Digital Press, GameSetWatch
I don't believe in any of this studies that they are always doing on video games. The first time I saw a NES in my cousin's house in the early 90's I fell in love with video games ever since. I always find it relaxing when playing and not thinking about the problems of real life
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