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[Bluecondor]

I'm 52!!!! I've been playing games since the mid-1970s (Atari 2600 and Commodore 64 started me off).

The next frontier for me is the golf simulator that I am having custom-built at my house right now. It's the perfect combination of gaming and exercise.

 

[dreamcastluvr]

Gamers 50-Plus Are a Growing Force in the Tech Market

The number of gamers 50-plus has grown to 52.4 million, according to a recent AARP survey, and they're ready to spend on games designed with them in mind.

www.aarp.org

Makes sense as gamers of the 70s/80s are now in their 50s. Gaming is proving to be something that a lot of people do not outgrow.

From the article: "Older gamers invest both their time and money — on average, 12 hours of play per week and $49 within a six-month time frame — on their gaming."

I'm lucky if I get half that time in a regular week. I do take a few days of staycation every couple of months or so to indulge in some extended gaming time. I also spend a lot more than $49 within a six-month period. But it's mostly on retro-gaming and emulation rather than new releases.

 

[Chiggs]

GAF is old fart land. And to think, we still need console war warnings from the mods.

Old habits die hard!

 

[Jemm]

47. So, in about half-way of my gaming career.

 

[gimmmick]

38, a wife and one son.

Not OG , but the forum posting game has been going strong since 98 with the ign boards era.

Only game I’ll be playing is Diablo 4 for the next couple of years.

 

[Heisenberg007]

 

[Ultra Donny]

45 this year, have been gaming all my life and I don't see me stopp any time soon.

 

[Nydius]

GAF is old fart land. And to think, we still need console war warnings from the mods.

Old habits die hard!

Pfffft, I have no idea what you’re talking about.

 

[Mobilemofo]

I wonder how many people there are like me who have been gaming since I was 11 and never stopped. 45 years old now, and the passion remains...

 

[Unknown Soldier]

I knew GAF was old but damn. No wonder none of you guys have phones or play phone games.

The first generation of gamers ever are definitely 50+ now and the ones who kept gaming are the subject of this article.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

http://[URL]https://www.aarp.org/re...lus.html?CMP=EMC-PRI-NLC-RSRCH-TECH-042123-F1

[/URL]

Makes sense as gamers of the 70s/80s are now in their 50s. Gaming is proving to be something that a lot of people do not outgrow.

Except this study clearly points out all the F2P mobile thrash that makes the most of the market, as evidenced by mobile devices being the preferred platform and women gaming more than men.

So in the end worthless study.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

Except this study clearly points out all the F2P mobile thrash that makes the most of the market, as evidenced by mobile devices being the preferred platform and women gaming more than men.

So in the end worthless study.

Or maybe you're just too old and aren't the target market anymore LMAO

 

[Cyberpunkd]

Or maybe you're just too old and aren't the target market anymore LMAO

It's fine if I ma not, I don't care. But it's misleading to have every study lump F2P Candy Crush together with dedicated gaming consoles and hardcore gamers when we know the target group and audience are very different and have different habits. Hardcore gamers probably dabble in mobile gaming much more often (when they have nothing to do) than Candy Crush fans.

Let me put it this way - it's like doing a study on what car appeals to you the most, the features, etc. and lumping Fiat with a Lamborghini and Ferrari.

 

[Robb]

Feels like GAF needs some young blood.. Not sure how the site will survive long-term with all us dinosaurs. Although I guess online forums are a thing of the past, I’ll enjoy the ride for as long as it lasts.

 

[SteadyEvo]

Going on 37. Was expecting 30-39 to be the majority. I’m surprised but if I’m still living I’ll be in the 50 crew when the time comes.

 

[Sp3eD]

41 here. Was playing intellivision when I was 3 and still remember to this day when I was 5 and got the original NES and how blown away I was.

We are going to be having lan parties in the old folks home gentleman.

 

[mcmanic]

54 here and still going strong, spent thousands over the years!

 

[_Ex_]

Gamers 50-Plus Are a Growing Force in the Tech Market

The number of gamers 50-plus has grown to 52.4 million, according to a recent AARP survey, and they're ready to spend on games designed with them in mind.

www.aarp.org

"Mobile continues to dominate game play, accounting for over half of all 50-plus gamers’ preferred devices. Even though smart speakers and smart TVs join the ranks, the No. 1 gaming device for those 50-plus is still the smartphone, with 84% identifying it as their gaming device of choice and three in ten (30%) exclusively using their smartphones for gaming."

The "gamers" described in this article are not let's say NeoGAF kind of gamers. Sure Granny playing Wordle on her iPhone makes her a "gamer" technically, but she's not playing the next Zelda or Armored Core. No wonder these "gamers" spend less than $100 a year on gaming. They're just buying shitty little apps.

Edit: I'm 44 btw, started gaming back in 1983... so I've got 40 years of gaming in now. I average 8-15 hours of gaming a week, depending on how excited I am about whatever I'm currently playing. Most recent game I beat was Fortified Zone on Game Boy yesterday. Currently playing the Xbox 360 version of Risen because fuck me I guess.

 

[OceanicWaterHorse]

I (not quite 60) will need to play well into retirement to even begin to dent the PC, PS4 and Quest 2 backlog I have accumulated, let alone what's on the phone or family Switch.*

* Who am I kidding when Epic, Amazon and Sony give away so much, not forgetting the occasional gifts from GoG and Humble.

 

[avin]

If you read the article, most of those over-50s are playing on phones, and playing brain games, like Wordle. Ease of play ranks highest on their list of needed features. The so-called immersives, which would probably correspond closest to those posting here, are the only group to prefer even console over phones, and are a tiny minority.

I'd guess these people have tons of money which the gaming industry is now chasing. I'm not thinking this is going to work out so well for the enthusiasts.

avin

 

[Lupin3]

42.

Damn! Time sure flies. In just a week, it was 17 years ago I first joined GAF. What the hell happened? Feels like yesterday. Although this place is a lot better now!

 

[Diseased Yak]

48. Been gaming since the Atari 2600 and C64. Taught myself BASIC programming on that bad boy.

I spend just as many hours gaming now as I did back then, the only differences are that these days I'm coming home from work instead of school, and I can now blow stupid sums of money on it.

 

[Humdinger]

61 here.

 

[ReBurn]

54 here and still going strong, spent thousands over the years!

I have so much "retro"stuff I bought new stuffed in boxes it's ridiculous. Thousands worth for sure. Almost all of it still works.

 

[killatopak]

In 10 years we'll have this news again but for 60+

 

[kyussman]

I'll be 50 in July(mental age around 16 though,lol)......I've not gamed this gen yet though,I'm not feeling it at all right now.I hope something can get me engaged again cos I've gamed since Pong and the C64.