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I don't think a person falls off mechanically with age. If you stay sharp you can perform the way you used to without problems.
When that'a said I do believe in progressively losing the competitive edge the older you get, and the more experience you obtain. A lot of what drives people to perform is competitiveness, and once that is lost and you're not trying as hard, your performance will drop.
I retired as the undefeated video game family champ when my 13-year-old daughter began to surpass in my early 30s. I brutally crushed my kids at every opportunity before then. My reaction times just weren't up to snuff.
Now I'm in my 50s and just don't sweat it - I play for fun at whatever difficulty is challenging and fun and never play competitive multi-player anymore.
Fun fact, that same daughter probably could have competed professionally, but now that she is 31, stated she is simply too old to compete.
I am 38 and I play on easy for years now.. I do not have time and nerves to play on any harder difficulty..
I'd say it's more down to devoting less time to it than ageing. I'm 42 and still manage a good 5 or so hours a day. Can't say I've noticed I'm getting worse
I can't even get past the third stage of Super C after using all 10 lives and continues. I was able to beat it without dying many times as a middle schooler. Then got the NES Classic and after repeatedly failing to get past the third level I realized I'm a has-been.
Im amazed it took you till 41 to fall off. The moment I started college at 19 was it for me. I havent had time since to actually play any game requiring skill or a lot of time. I used to love league of legends but havent played in like 5 years now and definitly do not have the time it takes to maintain my skills.
Much like pro athletes, gamers will also have a decrease in abilities. I cannot play fighting games or shooters or mobas, but I can still play all sorts of other games.
Maybe a new hobby is in order? I chose magic tricks. XD
Yep, 41 here, don't have the time to spend into every game to get great.
44 here and I'm experiencing the opposite. Games that used to frustrate me to no end just seem to be a little easier for me. I don't know if my hand/eye coordination has improved or what (I was a fat and admittedly clumsy child), but it makes gaming more fun for me than it used to be.
Now if I only had the time to actually do it...
Yes.
I've accepted I don't have the time to be amazing at games like I did when I was younger and single and honestly I stopped 'letting' my kid win long ago and he beats me anyway because he can spend hours per day gaming while if I'm lucky I'll get to play an hour on the weekend.
Depends on what you play. I (46) mostly play single player games now though I do still buy call of duty every year. I'll get a few moths casual gameplay out of it then drift back to single player. My reactions aren't even close to what they used to be.
It's far more likely you just aren't spending as much time playing games and so your skill has wained:
This and other studies show that the 'reaction time' decrease when aging that gamers like to site is mostly inconsequential and has almost zero real impact (certainly not any impact that can't be overcome from just practice), even in reaction heavy games like Counter Strike.
Video games are one of the most 'elastic' forms of competition there is aside from playing cards. Muscles wane, physical ability wanes but your mind mostly stays building upon itself (unless you suffer from an illness/disease).
35 and I just don't have the time to dedicate to being really good at anything competitive anymore. I'm mediocre at best now, with the occasional flash of brilliance, and that's just the way it'll have to be. As much as videogames are for fun, it does get a little depressing knowing you were once pretty good and now you're behind the curve by a good bit and getting stomped by teenagers who are currently doing what I used to do as a teenager.
40 here. Play on normal 95% of the time. Just don't have time or desire to do harder modes.
I haven't really gone to easy yet but might to clear some backlog or mod the game to get OP early and run through games.
Yup. I can’t play fighting games anymore. Just can’t handle the combos and moves. I’m also slower in shooters like cod. Gone are the days when I could jump in the air and snipe someone in the head with a sniper rifle. But I still play games everyday and I’m still good. Just not nearly as good as I was in my 20’s. It’s honestly not that big of a deal. You get used to it.
34 and I definitely feel like my ability in competitive shooters is getting worse, im finding I lose quite a few 1 vs 1 in Apex just because I'm missing my shots at times. When I was younger more often than not I would have made those shots (I was a very good at Halo, Unreal Tournament, Gears of War and even COD in my twenties).
On the plus side I do feel I'm a smarter player now, relying more on tactics to get the drop on people and timing my fire fights whereas I used to rely on reflex and aim.
Regarding solo games, I still tend to play normal difficulty as a first playthrough but I'm generally far more chilled about things like challenge, my game time is more limited these days so I'm just looking for the odd hour or 2 to have a bit of fun
41 here. I suck now at COD but man has that opened my eyes to indie games and ARPGs. So glad I got off the competitive shooters.
Not as an artifact of aging, but as a result of the fact that we tend to play less as we age, and like with anything else in life, the less you practice, the worse you'll be.
This will sound like cope but I think we get such a better perspective in life as we age that we can’t really summon that drive we had in our teens to try and outplay my friend to prove I’m “better” when you later realize how silly that pursuit was to begin with. The way I see it a game is an interactive story. The gameplay is what keeps me busy as I consume the story. The moment the mechanics take time from the story progressing I have no problem lowering the difficulty. Nobody cares. It’s not worth the time.
Depends really, most people only get worse because they play less overall hours.
42 here. Tried Starfield on normal. Cried. Switched to easy. Got too much shit going on in my life for two hour boss battles or grinding.
EVERYBODY IS USING CHEATS BRUH. OPEN YOUR FUCKIN EYES.
I understand.
I'm a few years older than you. Used to be a hardcore WoW raider in years past. Found my way back into MMOs in recent years, and just did not have it. I've come to rely on a level of modding some would call unfair in order to keep enjoying that content.
I definitely find myself easing the difficulty settings more than I had in the past. And I rarely, if ever, finish a game and think "Let me play through again in 'The developer has a personal grudge and wants you to suffer' mode." I don't find that struggle as rewarding as I once had.
Same boat love gaming play on mid or ez I've 80% 95% of the game I played just cuz I start one and mix it up. RN main deadisland 2(seriesx max out set up) and mario rpg I might finish both. Both are top notch
48 here
Your reflexes definitely get worse. We are talking a fraction of a second but the whippersnappers have that fraction of a second advantage.
In a lot of sports, including e-sports, experience will compensate for that up to a point. There's a sweet spot of reflex to experience as well. In some sports it's around 30yo.
I find myself trending to more thinking, strategic, but turn-based games nowadays. If I'm playing a reaction (twitch) -based game it's probably not going to be against other humans.
I mean, I don't suck or anything at all, but I used to absolutely dominate and now I just kinda own.
It's not that you're worse, it's that you don't have 8 hours in a day to play to keep being good. There are some games that I "retired" because I don't have enough time to stay good at, looking at you Counter Strike. I have switched to the survival/crafting game genre since it's easy to pickup and play for a couple hours. No real skill involved.
I just turned 37 and I feel like I'm still improving, so, that sounds like a skill issue, bruh
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/s
You'll probably have a tougher time at competitive FPS/RTS/etc games.
I am still quite good at single player and co-op FPS though.
I don't feel like my reaction time is slower, but measured, it seems to be slower than I thought it was.
However, I also changed how I value my time. I'm more likely to choose a normal difficulty than the absolute hardest because I don't want to spend my time replaying stuff. I do want a challenge, but not a punishingly hard one.
43 here. You’re probably just as good at the games you’ve always been good at; my skill with games from the ‘80s and ‘90s blows my son’s mind. It’s just harder to learn new things the older we get. You probably also can’t just spend a whole day trying something over and over like we used to when we were kids.
Have your gaming habits stayed the same from before you "fell off"? If the answer is yes, then sure, there is something there.
I am in my 40s and feel like I have never been better at games—but I have also kept them a priority in my life. Just like any activity that requires skill, if you aren't actively doing it, you will lose your sharpness. Play more and I am sure it will come back.
At the same time, there is nothing wrong with playing a game at a difficulty that gives you the most enjoyment. There are those options in place for a reason.
Yes and no. My gaming is more focused now. I'll play on easy or normal or hard depending on the game. If games are well designed enough, I'll put in the effort to master the hand-held coordination and timing. I gave up competitive FPS though, just can't compete with the raw twitchy speed of teenagers .
Also if a game has way too many combat mechanics, I'm out. This is an issue I have with God of War... Too many combinations and mods. Mixed in with short taps and long presses.
Getting worse how? Reaction times will get worse. But not at a dramatic rate. You will likely have less time to practice or play so that muscle memory skillset won't be as strong.
But for example, I'm far better at puzzle games. But I'm not even going to touch a game like valorant. Last really competitive game I was into was probably overwatch when it came out. But part of that is just not wanting to sit there grinding out parts of my play to get better. And not wanting to voice chat with really... Annoying people.
Don't play to be good, play to have fun.
Yes.
I went from playing and enjoying: RTS, Platformers, jRPGS, Strategy 4X, Fighting and Sports Games. (Teens-Mid-30s)
In the last decade I moved to: Rogue-likes, aRPGs, wRPGs, Strategy rPGS, Tactical Shooters, Survival and Sandbox. (Mid-30's-40+)
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Example: When I played Super Mario Bros. 3 10 years ago, I could ace it and finish the game in a day. I went back to play it a few years later and had trouble even finishing a level. My timing was off, and jumping has become more difficult.
These days: When I play a Souls/bullet hell-style game, I'll have the combat down like riding a bike in no time. It's still a challenging experience, but I can get through it with little to no struggle.
I just turned 37 and got the metal gear master collection. It was embarrassing on how hard it was for me to beat Cyborg Ninja on normal mode. How did I do that at 8 years old?!
It's a harder fight than we gave it credit for back then lol
Yes and no. Games get a little harder but still manageable. Im 47 and playing Sekiro and really enjoying it. My reflexes arent what they used to be, but Im still able to parry and dodge when needed.
As I get older two things are happening. Firstly I sometimes browse the PlayStation store for twenty minutes and realise that absolutely nothing interests me anymore. I find maybe one or two games a year. Secondly, if I do play something, it’s on easy. With the little time I get to play, I just want a nice story and some fun. Not looking to slog through something difficult and get annoyed.
I play my kids games on easy mode, they try and mock me for not trying the harder difficulties, but I actually beat the game and get some satisfaction. they just eventually give up. when I was younger I had endless time to keep trying and fewer games. so I was never actually good at games, and have settled for the low hanging fruit of easy mode satisfaction.
I’m only 31, but feel the same. Played a lot of games and most of the new ones are pretty boring to me. I was extremely happy to buy myself a retro handheld for mostly GBA games (not nostalgia as I discovered and played my first GBA game when I was 27). I enjoy some indie games quite a lot. Lately I have spent a few night with Islanders. Previously Kingdoms, or Al ost a thousand hours on Battle Brothers (throughout several years). I find myself getting back into games I already know as I am lucky when I have an hour for gaming.
don't care about it, or you are a competitive gamer? It's normal to get bored with games after some time, I'm a indy dev I love games but in in the right amount , persona 5 took me more than 1 year to finish
40, I will only play multiplayer if I’m super relaxed. I’m fine with losing, I have plenty of practice.
I just don’t have the time to sink into getting competitive. I’ll play Chivalry 2 duels for 20-30 mins at a time and that almost the only multiplayer I do.
I still got called a “try hard” by a level 12 that I beat. Despite the fact that I’m only a level 51 and I get my ass handed to me frequently. God forbid a level 12 not instantly destroy me?!?
It’s just the toxicity that has slowed down my gaming. I’ll play when I’m in a good mood and I’ll avoid it altogether when I’m actually having a bad day. There are far better escapes than having a gen z tell you “complete ass fr fr”.
When you're a working adult or a parent, it's natural to be sleep-deprived or just generally tired, resulting in less energy for performance while playing videogames.
The only difference at 40 to me is that I get bored WAAAY faster and will not stick out a mediocre game to the finish like I could years ago. It's definitely more about the quality of the game for me anymore, I don't wanna waste my time.
I have definitely felt like you though OP, especially with FPSs.
Agree. 40. With limited gaming have definitely gone more casual now. Enjoy the experience, escapism, atmosphere more than hardcore gaming. Games like skyrim, starbound, v rising, i play on easier setting to enjoy. Kids, career life hard enough dont need to get repeatedly beat down by a video game. I got wife and kids and boss for that.
Most importantly, enjoy. Screw what others think.
Not really, for me it’s been the other way around
I'm with ya. 45 here. Over the past 10 years I've come to realize that my real life tasks are like side quests that have to be done. Some games nowadays feel like work. Go fetch this, learn this skill, accomplish that task. Like, it's work. I cut my teeth on simple Atari 2600 games. Now I play games like Starfield and I'm like, "get your own damn copper mined."
It makes me not want to increase my skill because it's all for naught. With no skill, the games feel harder.
If it's story driven, I still try to play at normal difficulty but if the learning curve is too high, It won't keep my interest long enough. I got businesses to min/max and vendors that need me to side quest some payments.