Changing My Video Game Interest at 30

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I felt the same way at one point, because when I was a kid, video games were for kids. Well, those kids rule the world now. Muahaha! Seriously though, my girlfriend's father, who is in his fifties, I believe, is an avid video gamer. So long as you like something, you shouldn't feel pressure to give it up. So long as you're doing all the other things you're supposed to do, I don't see any problem with it.

I wouldn't bother quitting. Just budgeting time to other fun things. There's nothing horrible about a bit of time spent on games.

That said...my other favorite timewasters...
(a) children
(b) cards
(c) board games
(d) books
(e) programming
(f) gym

There are also fairly amusing exercise bikes and treadmills that regulate a power outlet, thereby letting you combine gaming and exercise.

When I quit, I basically got bored with MMOs, moved towards casual games (angry birds...), and then solitare. Then solitare got so boring that I ended up spending lots of time reading.

--Argyle

What about working with your interest in video games to help you get the other things you want/need?

For example, fitness - you could play some active video games like Dance, Dance Revolution; Walk it Out; Wii Fitness, and so forth. They can be a lot of fun!

For social - join or start an adult video gamer club in your area. We have some that meet at our local game store and at our library. You will be able to meet people who share your interest.

Also, everything in moderation is a good motto. Instead of giving up your hobby all together, make a set time for it. Say you will play your game for three hours in the evening a couple nights a week for relaxation. Or say "I will do X (thing you need to do), then come home and play my game" - using your game as a positive reward.

Video games are my escape from this nightmare of a real world. When I am 80 I will proudly still be playing fighting games in some old folks home with drool and spit dribbling down my chin and on to my sweater vest, I don't care!

I agree with the previous poster who says you need to combine game playing with some kind of physical activity.

Personally, I swim. I usually do up to 2 miles of swimming per day, which takes me about 2 hours. Just 2 hours in the pool helps me to burn nearly all the calories that an average person eats per day. So, I can then go home, eat nearly double the calories without gaining an ounce, and still play video games for a significant portion of my day. Win win baby, win win.

I can relate somewhat. My main interest has always been music. From the time I was a child to the point I moved out as an adult I could spend all day just sitting and daydreaming to music. I mean, not just having it in the background. Just sitting and listening to music literally was the activity.

My 2nd interest has been video games. No where near the addiction I had with music, but still my 2nd go to as far as interests and activities go.

I read a couple of times that there have been studies that show that the average gamer is about 34-35 years of age. So basically, people who were children when the NES and SMS came out. We grew up with video games and video games have matured along with us. There's really no shame in loving video games and being an adult anymore. At least not for our generation. Is it the coolest thing? Maybe not, but it's not the worst thing to be addicted to.

If you feel it's really taking it's toll and keeping you from living the life you want, maybe you can take steps to play less and less each day, or maybe set yourself a specific time limit.

If it's something like merely perceived social pressure, but deep down you are happy spending the time gaming then f**k it. Play on!

I am 37. My first consoles were the Atari 2600 and the Odyssey 4000. I have always been a gamer, and always will. I got into computer games in the late '90s and that interest actually spurred me to go to college and put me in the career i'm in now, which is IT (not game development like I wanted). It got really bad in college where I would game all night and into the morning, then stop to go to class and sleep when I got home.
I've gone through many consoles, and even helped my buddy design a mobile gaming theater for his private business. But recently, I began to loose interest. My kids are 10, 8 and 6. They take a lot of time. I started snowboarding and got my kids to ski and snowboard so that's good. But I recently got my 8 year old son to start playing, so I'm getting back into it again. And the new xbox is coming out this holiday, so that will be a big interest. But my Xbox and the new Xbox gets used for a lot more then games. We have movie night with the family using netflix. We stream music to it and dance. gaming on it has become secondary. But we still game...a lot.

I know finding a new hobby that interests you enough could be difficult, but you can use gaming to help you. Get a game like RockSmith which teaches you how to play guitar or bass. We play Rock Band on our xbox as a family a lot. We also play games with Kinect. Those get you tired so you can't play for more then an hour or so at a time. You could also try mobile gaming like on a phone or tablet. Those games are usually less engaging, allowing you to pick them up and put them down without having to "reach one more level".

Someone posted earlier that the games you are playing really have no end, so you just keep going. You don't have to stop gaming, but if you see it as a problem, try switching to a different type of game. Most console games eventually end. Even multi-player games end because a new version will come out and the old version will no longer be supported.

I feel like I'm rambling. Sorry.