So, I had been wondering when I was going to give up on WoW or MMOs in general. I'm an adult and adults aren't suppose to play games like this, right? For some reason I was using my parents and in-laws to gauge what I would be like when I got to their age. What would I enjoy or do? Part of me thought, well, they don't play video games so eventually I probably won't either.However, they didn't grow up with video games either. They did grow up with TV and they still do that. So, why would I eventually stop doing something that I grew up with? We aren't the previous generation. We evolve.
So, now I realize that I probably won't grow out of this form of entertainment. I like it a lot more than TV because its more interactive and more social. If I were a betting man I would bet that our brains do a whole lot more when we are playing video games than when we are watching TV. We have to think, make decisions, plan, strategize, etc, etc. When you watch TV you have to ... sit, and ... watch. We also do more socializing with MMOs. We have guilds, we play with friends, family, etc. We meet new people, make new connections. That doesn't happen when you watch TV either.
Don't get me wrong, I love TV. But I really only watch my favorite shows and nothing else (The Office, Scrubs, LOST, Grey's Anatomy, Simpsons). But I'd rather watch my favorite shows while playing WoW (unless its a new episode of LOST then everything stops).
Sorry about the TV tangent. Anyway, So, when I'm old and grey I'll proably still be playing some kind of MMO. Weather that may be Starcraft Universe 3 or World or World of Warcraft 2 I don't know. But I'm not likely to stop playing just because I reached my parents age. I may play less because of more family responsiblities, but I think in the years to come we'll see the average age of people who play MMOs will go up. Do you think you'll still be playing MMOs in 10 years?
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I played Nintendo as a child (sorry, no ATARI days here) and moved up from there. I love PC gaming and when the world moves on into virtual reality (if ever), I'll probably do that as well. So I'll be the 90 year old granny one-shotting you from the cliffs.
^_^
Since I am such a specialized gamer (I've only ever played WoW) that I think that once WoW dies, I'll move on. Not because that's what I'm supposed to do as I get older, but because I don't think that I would be interested in other games.
Good point about still watching TV though, hadn't thought of it that way.
Too old to play!?!? NEVER!!!
BTW - In case you didn't notice. You've been tagged. http://www.brigwyn.com/2009/02/i-got-tagged-what-oh-man/
I had to add this, I got this from an email in regards to this post in response to me preferring WoW to Tv. (he's a little bit older than I am).
oh yes you are from the technologically advanced generation so of course you think that way you and your blogging role playing gamer friends of yours
just wait till the machines rise up and are no longer your friend then we'll see what rocks..........not enough paint fumes last night I'm not coherent
I didn't really grow up with video games (strict parents) but it's something I've been thinking about too, and I definitely agree with you that for those who play games a lot, it's pretty much the equivalent of TV for older folks. I know that for my husband and I, playing WoW just replaces the time we would spend watching TV and I bet it's that way for most people who play. (Side thought--maybe that's what the people who complain about gamers
"wasting time" don't realize, and they think we do both? Then again, I've heard my hubby's parents calling from in front of the TV to get off the darned game and do something useful.)
Of course, it would be pretty hard to sit there knitting a sweater or something during a raid, so it may be a slightly less productive use of time after all.
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