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Is It OK to Play Video Games into Your 30s and 40s? (It Depends, Of Course)

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Is It OK to Play Video Games into Your 30s and 40s?

Pew Research made some interesting findings.

Young folks below 30 years hold the lion’s share of the total video game viewership and engagement.

The second most active group of players are people aged between 30 and 49 years.

However, this survey also reveals that the interest in video games starts to wane once a person turns 40 years.

Hence, Is It OK to Play Video Games into Your 30s and 40s?

Yes, but it can depend. It’s perfectly OK to play video games not just in your 30s and 40s but at pretty much any other age if you don’t have a lot of other important commitments. Playing video games on a computer, console, or smartphone is very much the same as any other form of entertainment. It is somewhat similar to reading a book, watching TV shows, films, and related materials. Still, there are differences, they are not identical activities as they may sound, even though they are all in the niche of personal entertainment.

Video Games As An Adulthood Hobby

Most adults – those between 30 and 50 years – still playing video games were avid gamers in their teen years.

They pursue it today as a hobby.

So dividing your time between your career, family, and video games in your adulthood isn’t as bad as it may feel if it’s a hobby.

There’s nothing wrong with pursuing your hobby full-time either.

With the advent of such platforms as Twitch and Discord, numerous older gaming hobbyists make four to five-figure salaries showcasing their gaming skills to millions of viewers.

Felix Kjellberg, of PewDiePie fame, is 31 years and doesn’t even appear like stopping anytime soon.

The video game industry is projected to be worth $300 billion in 2025.

If you are a committed video game hobbyist, there’s no way you’re going to shy away from this wealth-making event just because you’ve turned 30 years old.

Some Video Games Are Family Friendly

There is absolutely nothing bad with doing your favorite video game at any age – as long as it is not overdone.

For instance, a typical 40-year-old has lots of bills to pay, a family, and maybe kids to spend time with.

It’s also around this time that you are more likely to have a career, meaning you’d want to spend more time at work or furthering your professional skills instead of sitting in front of a flashing screen.

So, while there’s nothing wrong with playing video games past your 30th birthday, everyone assumes that you will be careful not to indulge in it to the point of neglecting your family and related responsibilities.

However, the beauty of video games, more so console-based video games, is that they support groups of players and not just one player.

In fact, to get all the juice from some franchises like Call of Duty, Fortnite, and FIFA, you need to play them with another closer individual, preferably a friend or family member.

It is not uncommon for parents to take over the gaming console after their kids have left for bed.

It’s not by chance that some games can be played by a family, some of these games are actually targeted at families.

Here are few examples of parent-child video games any 30 – 50-year-old-parent can play at home with their kids:

Source: CNET 

A Nostalgic Trip Back To Childhood

It is normal to see friends aged between 30 and 50 years, even older, meeting and playing video games they grew up playing as kids.

My uncle has a bunch of old video games downloaded from Stream, Monkey Island 2: The Revenge of LeChuck, and several copies of GTA from San Andreas backward.

Related: Can You Use a Gaming Laptop While On a Road Trip?

When Is It Inappropriate To Play?

Of course, there are situations when playing video games at 30 years old would come across as weird and straight inappropriate.

1. When You Are Supposed To Be In A Committed Relationship

One such situation is when you are in a relationship that demands a great deal of attention.

Overwhelming evidence suggests that video games are among the top killers of relationships among dating youngsters and young couples.

Indulgence in video games is a major red flag for some people and chances are your potential romantic partner won’t take you seriously once this becomes apparent to them.

Their fear is justifiable – you’ll certainly have a hard time dividing your time between the screen and your partner.

And since this is the age bracket (30 and 40 years) you should be planning to settle down and even start a family, video games can be a serious bottleneck to making progress in life like your peers.

2. When It Interferes With Your Productivity

You know you are too old for video games if they start to negatively affect your productivity and even the most basic responsibilities at home.

It is time to quit if:

  • Your job performance and attendance has been poor lately
  • Your kids seldom see you without your controller
  • You don’t regularly groom and bathe
  • Your grass is now 3 feet high
  • You never change your engine oil
  • The electric company is thinking of turning off your lights
  • Chances are you are playing way too many games, even if you are fully aware it’s always 1 hour or a whole 24 hours

3. When You Are Addicted And/Or Have Poisoned Your Mind

Any addiction is one of the hardest things you will ever try to beat once you sink in it.

More and more young folks continue to get hooked to video games and some carry it into adulthood.

If you are still playing video games at 30 or 40 years, chances are you are addicted to them and you aren’t even privy to it.

Gaming in adulthood is bad if it starts taking over your life.

Just like anything else that’s addictive, too much gaming ends up becoming a negative force in your life.

It is worth mentioning that too much screen time, not just video games, is still bad for young players.

Conclusion

So is it OK to play video games into your 30s and 40s?

Yes, but it can depend. It’s perfectly OK to play video games not just in your 30s and 40s but at pretty much any other age if you don’t have a lot of other important commitments.

Playing video games on a computer, console, or smartphone is very much the same as any other form of entertainment.

However, if you are gaming at the expense of carrying your family responsibilities, committing to a relationship, or your gut feelings aren’t in it, chances are you have outgrown it.

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References

17 awesome video games to play with your kids 

Are Video Games Negatively Affecting Marriages? 

Video Games Could Be a $300 Billion Industry by 2025 (Report) 

Can People Still Play the Same Games as They Get Older? 

Distribution of video gamers in the United States in 2020, by age group