Video Gamers and Age

When was the last time your grandfather asked to borrow your Game Boy? Ever sat down for a round of Mario Kart with your Aunt Edna and her poodle? Ask any gamer these questions and they'll probably double over laughing. Grandpa thinks video games are toys made for kids, while Aunt Edna think they're a waste of time. Opinions range from fanboy love to sneering disgust with a fairly clear line of age drawn between the two. That line is beginning to blur as the video game generation grows up and brings a bit of their childhood with them.

Video Game Nostalgia

The 1980's brought us Madonna, E.T., and the increasingly popular video game console. The Sega Genesis and Nintendo Entertainment System revived the floundering video game world and made a deep impression on a growing youth. Introducing both accessibility and complexity, they became more than just a computer geek's obsession. Kids, teens and even adults were captivated by this new technology and soon almost every household on the block knew of the phenomenon.

Being the ever-demanding consumers that we are, game players wanted more. As technology improved, game designers were given more room to stuff their creative ideas into. Games became more complex, not only in play style but in visuals, a trend that continues to this day. As they became more sophisticated a distinct branch of gaming began to separate from the traditional, often simplistic, game style. This new branch was targeted at the older mind, the one more capable of solving intricate puzzles and navigating larger virtual worlds. Although games were evolving and now fit into two branches, the stereotype that was placed upon them did not change.

Society and Video Games

Games of any type have traditionally been for children. When a youth reaches a certain age, he or she typically abandons hopscotch and skipping rope for more mature endeavors (such as chasing squirrels with a pellet gun). Video games began to break this mold by allowing complex games to be created, targeting the much older age group of 25-35. As gamers matured, the games they played followed suit.

Society's view of gaming remained static. Snickers from older relatives could be heard when video game topics were brushed upon. Anyone over the age of 18 was criticized and treated with less respect for holding onto their obsessions from childhood. The majority of these critics reached adulthood before video games became popular. Their idea of a "game" is far different than the modern concept, blinding them to the depth and range of entertainment video games can cover. Gamers turned the other cheek, confining their game talk to their sympathetic peers.

Video Games in the Future

As a new generation of young adults enter the world they are charged with an important task: to build upon what their elders have created, add what is needed, and trim what is not. This is happening now as one generation comes of age and exerts their paradigm onto society. Old ideas fade, new ideas take hold. The world's first video gaming youth becomes the working force behind society, giving well-deserved credibility and respect to video gaming as a whole.

It may seem comical to think of an elderly person playing a GameCube. But with the current trend in gaming and the pattern established by the lovelorn age of gamers, it isn't as far fetched as you may think. The older generations of today were raised without video games in their life, but half a century from now, nursing homes will be populated by gamers who bought their first NES in 1986 and never looked back. Future generations will not be criticized for playing video games, they will be accepted into a proud tradition of dynamic and respected entertainment.