"Expert" on the today show says playing video games in your 30s is not normal

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

It's close to the end of the video. The guest, Donny Deutsch, says it is NOT normal for men to play video games in their 30s and 40s. He said at that age, there should be something more on their minds than video games. Kathy Lee also said that it was weird. Then there was the usual cracks about men in their mother's basements.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/290543...4965/#43674965

My posting of this thread is not about "I can't believe they insulted my hobby." It's more about the negative perceptions older people have of gaming. Where is comes from. Where it's going.

What's interesting is, if the question for Donny had been, "Is it normal for men in their 30s and 40s to watch TV or see a movie?" the response would have been different. Obviously, older people see a MAJOR difference between "watching something on TV" and "playing something on TV." Do you think this attitude will just die off when that generation dies off, or do you think their attitudes will change over time?

With the Wii and the DS, it seems that Nintendo was able to make inroads into the older crowd. I have an older sister in her 40s and she actually started playing a few Wii games in the past few years, the first video games she has ever played. It's not a total transformation (she's not going to buy a Genesis), but there was definitely a change in the perception of gaming for her.

If companies are able to penetrate the walls of the older generation, then I wonder how their inclusion would effect gaming as a whole. More family-based games perhaps?

If you have any thoughts on the matter, feel free to express them.

[jupitersj]

Donny Deutsch?

..More like Donny Douche.

[Vlcice]

Donny Deutsch?

..More like Donny Douche.

Just FYI, you're not helping things.

[jupitersj]

Just FYI, you're not helping things.

When journalistic integrity returns to the USA, I'll take your advice. This is just an entertainment show and I immaturely poked fun; I apologize.

However I take no media seriously that panders to the common populace for ratings. Adding fuel to the fire or not, these groups will always find something to complain about if it's not what every other mundane person does in their daily life. People can watch their Jersey Shore and Nancy Grace, I'll continue to play games until the day I die whether or not it's socially acceptable.

[Duke.Togo]

Being rich and appearing on network morning TV shows isn't normal. Can't think of the last time anyone I know was in that situation. I'm sure he is just fine with being abnormal in that sense, and so am I in another.

[Drixxel]

First of all, I wouldn't really expect a solid anti-video gaming message from a 30 second chunk of throwaway daytime TV and I wasn't surprised by what I saw. I suppose there's the assumption here that video games would be taking time away from the family, that it's some kind of unhealthy distraction or that it's just overall too childish. These folks were fine with the idea of a 30-or-40-something dad playing games with his kids, but not as a solo activity? Video games have as wide an age range of appeal as any other entertainment medium.

Bahh, whatever, as was said above, it's just a hobby. Someone in their forties has seen the evolution of video games and is in the best position to appreciate them, anyway. It makes sense why there'd be criticism in a video like this, though. I can't imagine many people in Kathie Lee Gifford's circle being retro game collectors or really open about any possible "nerdy" interest, they're probably as conformist and as fearful of rejection by their elite clique as the shallowest of highschoolers.

The stance taken by segments such as this crapfest "The Other View", that there's some impossible divide of understanding between men and women, cracks me up. Maybe if you have the communication skills of a mollusk, then sure, helplessly complain about the mysteries of "the other side".

[Twin Paradox]

First of all, I wouldn't really expect a solid anti-video gaming message from a 30 second chunk of throwaway daytime TV and I wasn't surprised by what I saw. I suppose there's the assumption here that video games would be taking time away from the family, that it's some kind of unhealthy distraction or that it's just overall too childish. These folks were fine with the idea of a 30-or-40-something dad playing games with his kids, but not as a solo activity? Video games have as wide an age range of appeal as any other entertainment medium.

Bahh, whatever, as was said above, it's just a hobby. Someone in their forties has seen the evolution of video games and is in the best position to appreciate them, anyway. It makes sense why there'd be criticism in a video like this, though. I can't imagine many people in Kathie Lee Gifford's circle being retro game collectors or really open about any possible "nerdy" interest, they're probably as conformist and as fearful of rejection by their elite clique as the shallowest of highschoolers.

The stance taken by segments such as this crapfest "The Other View", that there's some impossible divide of understanding between men and women, cracks me up. Maybe if you have the communication skills of a mollusk, then sure, helplessly complain about the mysteries of "the other side".

What he said^

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

I can't imagine many people in Kathie Lee Gifford's circle being retro game collectors or really open about any possible "nerdy" interest, they're probably as conformist and as fearful of rejection by their elite clique as the shallowest of highschoolers.

Yeah, but I think the "gaming is immature" crowd is a pretty large group. I run into the attitude a lot when I'm talking to older people (40+). I did see some changes in that attitude when the Wii was at the height of its popularity. The Wii even made its way into nursing homes.

[Zing]

There are people who think there are much more important things to spend time with than watching television. There are people who think the Internet is a complete waste of time.

Anyone could make a huge list of activities they feel consume time that could be better spent thinking about more important things. Hell, my typing right now is time badly spent.

This sounds like someone who just doesn't like a certain activity and is trying to bad-mouth it.

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

There are people who think there are much more important things to spend time with than watching television. There are people who think the Internet is a complete waste of time.

Anyone could make a huge list of activities they feel consume time that could be better spent thinking about more important things. Hell, my typing right now is time badly spent.

This sounds like someone who just doesn't like a certain activity and is trying to bad-mouth it.

Yeah, but the level of disdain those people showed toward the older gamer was much more than people show against the older Internet surfer. I know it's just a stupid show, but I think the segment reflects a larger sentiment out there. Gaming has a tough time separating itself from its toy roots.

[Cass]

I still attribute it to a generation gap. Mind you, this generation was raised on far different types of games... casual games, if you will (and I don't mean the entire Wii library- read: every FPS in the last five to ten years) and so it's not seen as such an involved thing as it was when gamers were "nerds" as recently as ten to fifteen years prior.

[tom]

glad i'm 50+ (they did say 30s and 40s :-)

and there's more on my mind besides video games, for example Kathy Lee ...things I could do with her :-)

[Jorpho]

The ESA says that the average game player is 37.
http://www.theesa.com/facts/pdfs/ESA_EF_2011.pdf

[goatdan]

I still attribute it to a generation gap.

Ding ding ding!

Yup. It happens every generation. There is *something* that is going to kill everyone or make them all stupid mindless morons, and the older generation fears it because they don't understand it.

Movies were supposed to destroy the world.
Radio was supposed to destroy the world.
Comic books. TV. Video games. The Internet. Now, it's social media. All going to destroy the world.

So they don't play video games. So what? They use it as a way to make fun of people who do because they are scared of the fact they don't understand the generation gap. To me, it just means they aren't smart enough to embrace change, and honestly, most people aren't. They just don't usually put it out there so publicly.

[pixelsnpolygons]

Well if Kathy Lee thinks its weird there has to be some weight to the argument.

[TonyTheTiger]

What do you guys think?

I think that the video game constituency really has to grow up and stop throwing a hissy fit every single time somebody out there says something remotely negative about the hobby.

I'm not singling out this topic, since it was particularly even-tempered, but whenever I see this kind of stuff happen in general, a common response is flagrant posturing and anger indicative of a huge inferiority complex on the part of the entire industry. As if video game players have the most easily hurt pride of any sub-group in modern culture.

Some people don't like your shit. Big fucking deal, am I right?

[Icarus Moonsight]

Pretty much. The guy is on daytime TV. Consider the source, move along.

[binici]

Pretty much. The guy is on daytime TV. Consider the source, move along.

Do you know how many people have no jobs right now and are watching this? Thousands of people, so their brains are being filled with this junk, which we all know can have a deep impact.

I feel like when I play at least an hour that I have ful-filled my gaming and any more time spent would be a waste (I tend to play easier games now). Ah, sooooo many games, soooooo little time!

[TonyTheTiger]

and I think it was used casually.

Thank you. Why that wasn't obvious from the post is mindboggling considering the context. My overall point is that there isn't a reason to get bent out of shape and I just like saying "fuck" a lot.

Do you know how many people have no jobs right now and are watching this? Thousands of people, so their brains are being filled with this junk, which we all know can have a deep impact.

But you know, I'd rather have most of the planet hate the hobby and have the niche fanbase actually not care about that and do their thing than what we seem to have now where we watch Kotaku or IGN turn into the Crucible whenever Roger Ebert opens his mouth. Besides, I think that whole "games are under attack" thing is generally just fearmongering. Rock and Roll was under attack once, too. I'm sure motion pictures had similar experiences back in the day. Television went through it. Hell, at the time, Shakespeare was considered low brow by his contemporaries. And he actually was. Part of the reason he's so popular today is because if there's one cardinal rule it's that throughout the ages nobody ever gets tired of dick jokes.

This is just a drop in the bucket.

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

Besides, I think that whole "games are under attack" thing is generally just fearmongering. Rock and Roll was under attack once, too. ...

Yes, Rock and Roll was under attack and survived, but Disco came under attack in 1979 and was destroyed very quickly.

But anyway, I think you've read too many threads here at DP and you're starting to generalize everything. We all know that the gaming industry is too large for anyone to take down. However, there are negative perceptions of the hobby and I think it's okay to discuss those perceptions without being labeled as having a hissyfit or fearmongering.

This kind of stuff interests me because I use to work in market research. Since video games are rooted in the toy industry, I've watched over the years how the industry has slowly shed that toy image and placed itself as an adult-oriented medium. But I think there are still challenges that companies face if they want to crack that over 50 crowd. There's a lot of money to be had if they do.