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[RetroGamingUK]

Entirely anecdotal and purely based on observation mainly with work colleagues and family members

As always, all people are different and there's always anomalies, but these are just general observations)

Baby boomers (aged 61-79)
To them, gaming seems to be something a child does. Largely born in the 50s they didn't experience them at all until they had children and may have had a child who owned an Atari or a NES. Gaming is something you should "grow out of". Outside the likes of Royal Match (which their daytime TV presenters) advertise to them they largely play nothing.

Generation X (aged 45-60)
To them gaming seems to be a thing that only "nerds" and "geeks" do. Largely born in the 70s, they experienced Pong and PacMan as a kid, but as they approached adolescence they "grew out" of gaming. Apart from one of the older guys in IT I've never seen anyone in this age group discuss games at work. Huge stigma there.

Millennials (aged 29-44)
The first generation to grow up with gaming and, conversely, conversely have gaming grow up with them. Once they approached adolescence PlayStation arrived to keep providing games to match their changing tastes. To me it seems that once we all started having kids half of us dropped gaming while the other half stuck around for the likes of COD, EAFC, Ass Creed, Resi etc.

Gen Z (aged 13-28)
By the time they were born gaming had overtaken the music and movie industry in terms of revenue and was truly mainstream. And boy does it show, at work they all seem to be really into gaming and will chat all day about the games that they're in to, to them it's no stranger than watching Netflix. Also, there doesn't appear to be any gender divide whatsoever, they all seem enthusiastic about gaming across the board.

I think that as millennials have started to replace the retiring boomers the media outside of gaming is showing real respect to the medium. We're now getting top quality TV shows and movies based on games that respect the source and are insanely popular. eSports is getting mainstream recognition and respect.

I remember whenever you'd see someone playing a videogame on TV it was always some child, even on Coronation Street in the 00s you'd see kids with PS2 controller's with the TV making Pong bleep bleep sounds. Yet in the last decade we've seen the likes of Frank in House of Cards (the president) kicking back and playing COD as if it's nothing.

How things have changed.

I wonder if this is just a British thing, is it the same in America and other countries? What are your observations and experiences?

 

[Days like these...]

Wrong. I was born in 73. I and many people my age have been playing videogames since the 2600. Seems to me your just trying to be dismissive and discredit those of us who were playing videogames before the term "gaymer" was ever uttered.

 

[March Climber]

Gen Z and Gen alpha are trying new things, and Gen X and Boomers are happy just seeing how far things have come.

Unfortunately Millennials are currently hardstuck in the nostalgia phase.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

An example from 2000 of where we finally started to see games getting a little bit of respect from non-gaming adults in the media

 

[Artistic]

Can't based it off generations or age groups, but it was always something of a status symbol or nerd/geek culture growing up(born in 1993/African American).

My family, more so my dad didn't necessarily accept gaming in the household as he felt it was a detriment to education but was big on all other kinds of technology ironically. My mom on the other hand pretty much bought me every game console I ever wanted, I think in a sense to keep me off the streets and away from danger.

No kids of my own, but I do watch my older sister and my nephew kind of adopt that same philosophy my dad had as well when it comes to gaming so only time will tell how effective it truly is.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

Wrong. I was born in 73. I and many people my age have been playing videogames since the 2600. Seems to me your just trying to be dismissive and discredit those of us who were playing videogames before the term "gaymer" was ever uttered.

I'm not saying that your generation doesn't play games, I'm saying that the vast majority doesn't and likely your peers "grew out" of games while you stuck with them.

 

[LavitzSlambert]

Can confirm it's generally the same here in the US. As a millenial I do feel fortunate to have grown up along with gaming, it's been an extremely exciting ride watching it's rapid evolution from 8-bit to where we are now, and I'm happy younger generations aren't feeling the stigma the rest of us felt having to be more reserved about having gaming be a top hobby.

The internet and forums like these really helped connect us and legitimize gaming as a respected form of art. I remember when there were constant debates whether games could even have artistic value. We have come a long way from the arcades - that's not to say arcade games don't have artistic value, but not in the same way most people view it.

 

[Skyfox]

I grew up not far from the UK and peers, parents, siblings, teachers, bosses, cousins, pretty much all had disdain for games.

Thankfully I had a couple of friends who were into it over the years, one friend who still games regularly with me and now (thank God), I've a kid who is a gamer like me.

I've never felt comfortable gaming on a bus, in a canteen, even on the plane all because of the odd looks you get. I'm glad it's no longer an issue for me because I have a car and can game there when I'm out and about or waiting etc.

My sense is that the newer generations have evolved and it's becoming more culturally acceptable. They set up a console in our work break area for example.

I'm in a new team at work and it has younger people. Our boss asked us what music we've been listening to this week (as an ice-breaker) and when I admitted I'd been listening to the need for speed most wanted soundtrack the reaction was very positive and heartfelt (and surprised) with the younger team members - especially as I'm an older dude. They were shocked.

 

[Sooner]

Born in 79 and very much grew up with gaming.

 

[clarky]

Wrong. I was born in 73. I and many people my age have been playing videogames since the 2600. Seems to me your just trying to be dismissive and discredit those of us who were playing videogames before the term "gaymer" was ever uttered.

Yup, '75 here. Same as most of my pals and we all still game.

Also never realised I was "Gen X" whatever the fuck that means lol.

 

[Northeastmonk]

That's like following or analyzing a stereotype. It can suck no matter what age you are and it can be awesome at any age. I do see your point so I'm not trying to shut the thought or question down. All I know is following trends and stereotypes in society can make you feel like complete dog . The perception of gaming comes from experience. When we were kids (80's babies), we'd convince our parents to buy us games and violence in games didn't bother us. I feel like I'm lucky to have been playing for over 30 years now. I love it.

Young kids - love them because it's always there.
Teens - chasing trends, don't care, as long as it's popular. Fortnite one day, whatever they think is worth considering the next.
Young Adult - sometimes super awkward/nerdy to the point of being cringe.

Teens and young adults tend to focus on multiplayer and F2P. Not exactly ideal. This whole gen I don't care to think too hardly about but they're paying for F2P to flourish.
Adult - games when they feel like it, won't admit to it (still embarrassed).
30's-50's - either doesn't care whatsoever or is still flourishing. Some stick to retro to relive those golden years. I'm in this group and I love new releases and classic games. I'm still preordering and I've preordered games since PS1.
60+ - I have no idea but the 60+ gamers seem to exist but they're scattered around the earth.

I have some childhood friends of mine and they're on a retro loop. It's cool at times, but it's like they can only talk about games we played over 30 years ago. They played DOOM at my place in the 90's. We still talk about that when I want to talk about 4-5 DOOM games instead of just the shareware version of DOOM I had on Windows 95. I've met dudes younger than me by like 5-10 years and you'd think they were the parents against video games like we had as kids. So it's best not to focus on this trend like it matters. I like this place cause we have people around my age and older. That's inspiration to me.

 

[TKOFromTokyo]

I don't experience this at all besides the Boomers. The Gen X I know are still into gaming and the Gen Z don't really care about video games. They're more into TikTok and Snap. Most millennials I am friends with or work with, myself included (I'm on the older side at 41), don't really game much anymore. They're too busy with work, kids, and other activities. Even my online group from the PS3 COD days have almost all stopped playing games.

 

[Loomy]

You're missing Gen Alpha. These kids will look at the start up screen of a video game and immediately master it. Like Trinity learning to pilot a helicopter in The Matrix.

 

[Fess]

I'm not saying that your generation doesn't play games, I'm saying that the vast majority doesn't and likely your peers "grew out" of games while you stuck with them.

Pretty much everyone who grew up with the Commodore computers are in that group (45-60). I don't agree that we grew out of gaming, I think those in that age group who aren't gaming now never did in the first place. I think all my old Commodore friends from back in those days still play games (and likes to complain that games were better back then…), some grew into very skilled programmers too (C64 was an awesome starting point).

 

[Days like these...]

I'm not saying that your generation doesn't play games, I'm saying that the vast majority doesn't and likely your peers "grew out" of games while you stuck with them.

The golden era of gaming was the super nes. I was 17 when it launched. You're revisionist thread is not revisioning so good. We were there for all of it and still here. Any proof that people in their 40's and 50's just up and quit like your claiming?

 

[No BBC=Anger]

I grew up not far from the UK and peers, parents, siblings, teachers, bosses, cousins, pretty much all had disdain for games.

Thankfully I had a couple of friends who were into it over the years, one friend who still games regularly with me and now (thank God), I've a kid who is a gamer like me.

I've never felt comfortable gaming on a bus, in a canteen, even on the plane all because of the odd looks you get. I'm glad it's no longer an issue for me because I have a car and can game there when I'm out and about or waiting etc.

My sense is that the newer generations have evolved and it's becoming more culturally acceptable. They set up a console in our work break area for example.

I'm in a new team at work and it has younger people. Our boss asked us what music we've been listening to this week (as an ice-breaker) and when I admitted I'd been listening to the need for speed most wanted soundtrack the reaction was very positive and heartfelt (and surprised) with the younger team members - especially as I'm an older dude. They were shocked.

I also grew up not far from the UK and I'm still there. I'm late thirties and this guy at work (mid twenties) IT type was surprised I enjoyed gaming from time to time. He loves NFS Most Wanted. I'm thinking bro that game dropped when I was nineteen. I don't just stop liking it.