To say men playing video games is childish?

[PampersNotPampered]

My DP is the most wonderful person, and the video games don't annoy me to an extent of anger, but they do raise my eyebrow a lot.

DP is only 22 but I think this is still too old to be playing games, although I understand men more than twice his age do. I once asked DP ''aren't you a little old for those?" And his reply was a very calm 'no, it's a stress reliever and my boss plays it too' (his boss is 44 with a wife and 2 DCs).

What cringes me out the most is him swearing and talking to other players over the zombie games etc, who are mores often that not less than half his age or not much older than half his age! Yes, really.

I understand that I'm lucky he's the type to ask 'do you want me to come off this?' And often I just say no darling. This is because I can get on with other things. Even I ask him to come off, he will and you wouldn't have known he even liked playing because he acts so normal once he's off.

My DP is a 'normal' bloke in all aspects apart from the silly video games. I just wish he'd stick to fishing instead lol.

AIBU to say grown men playing video games is a little bit eye brow raising worthy? I understand it is a stress buster, and perhaps I'm just a moody cow and need to be put in my place by fellow MNetters.

Saying having an active hobby is better is very small minded, there are many people who can't do active hobbies due to illness or disabilities, there are many people who need an escape for a short while.
I have cancer and have very bad insomnia, I often play games in the middle of the night (like right now actually) as it stops me dwelling on things.

mother there is obviously exceptions, but if a man is fit an healthy it's definitely better to have a active hobby than just playing games. If a person can do both then great. My opinion is targeted at those people who sit all day through choice and play games (and there is many of them) What I'm saying isn't unfair? it's so simple.

I think it's everything in moderation, isn't it? My brother is on course for all As and A*s in his GCSEs, despite gaming religiously pretty much every day. I graduate next week with a first class degree despite spending about an hour every night on the Xbox or PS4.

Kids need to be taught moderation, it's not something that comes naturally.

There's nothing wrong with people doing that if they want to. I find people who spend all their free time in the gym mind numbingly boring. That doesn't mean there's anything wrong with that hobby, it's just not my cup of tea

www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Hardcore+Gamer

Here's another (lighthearted) link for you hardcores

That it is why they have great appeal to some people. You can walk around 15th century Italy, Colonial America, futuristic space station or a world of different landscapes.

It can be an immersive experience and even educational.

The study said that children who game for more than 4 hours a day had worse results.

But anyone doing something for 4 hours a day, to the exclusion of everything else including revising and homework, would have worse results. It's a flawed study.

DP and his group of friends all came together from a shared love of gaming, then LAN parties/tournament organisation on a large scale etc.

What is interesting is how over the last 15 years as they have been settling down / developing their careers / starting families, some of them have kept on gaming and others not. I think it's definitely the case that most of them still play, but a LOT less than they used to. And they are all lovely people, no more or less childish on balance than any other cross section of the population.

I understand the appeal of video games, I got really into Dragon Age myself a few years ago! The thing is it ate my time up, and was certainly rather addictive. Video games are also not 'physical' so good for health like some other hobbies. But they really help DP de-stress from his demanding job. He also does a sport every week and has lots of other side projects (coding etc). I don't think he's childish just because he plays video games, and I don't think your OH sounds childish either OP.

Video games are also not 'physical' so good for health like some other hobbies.

They keep your mind active which has some benefits

I think people who spend all day in the gym are boring and childish, but hey.

I don't think I would have got through the early weeks of breastfeeding nearly as happily without playing computer games. Didn't actually have a console then (and would have been hard to work the controller one-handed), but I now do, and I'm 37. I also regularly go outside, both as part of my work and for running/canoeing/walking/orienteering. One hobby is not mutually exclusive of another, unless you have very limited time (which actually I do- but I can't go and do outdoor hobbies in the evenings as a single parent without being neglectful). I don't like very violent games, but I like the Elder Scrolls series, Dragon Age, etc, as well as more strategy type games. They appeal to the same need to explore as outdoor hobbies, but are more accessible for example to people who can't get out easily or who have physical disabilities.

Isn't it more childish to bitch about other people's interests than to have an interest, however trivial?

Oh, also, I do read books. Some of us just need more mental stimulation than others, I suppose. I can't stick watching telly for any long period, so I play games instead for relaxation.

I agree jorah when people get obsessed with anything it can be very boring to hear about all the time

Thing is finally, if you're playing multiplayer games you are making connectuins with real people. Got some good irl mates that i've met in-game, and it's pretty widely accepted that they are a fantastic form of mental exercise.

I met my partner through an online game.

I'm a gamer. Always have been. I have an excellent Oxbridge degree and postgrad and a pretty decent career, so apparently it hasn't ruined my life. And I've had poetry published too so I guess I can manage more than a grunt.

And if I want to be active I can sink further down the geek hierarchy and slap some facepaint and costume on and spend a weekend running around the woods engaging in duels with evil elves.

I don't hurt anyone. I'm happy. My OH is happy to be with me, no matter how weird I am and I'm looking forward to the time we can join the bonkers families we know who play equally silly games with their kids and have a great time. Life is too short to worry about fitting into some kind of 'proper' template of adulthood. I pay my bills, I take care of my health, I love the people around me and I hope that's what matters. And if I want to be odd on the side, eh, it makes me and mine happy.

PS - DP is a lot more sociable when he is playing Witcher 3 than watching Wales lose at rugby.

Playing sport is also a great mental exercise that also keeps your heart/joints healthy I just feel like active hobbys are a more rounded hobby

Sport isn't particularly good mental exercise as far as I'm aware. There's nothing wrong with it, but to claim it's "better" than someone else's hobby is a bit silly

Why on Earth does it matter what someone else does as a hobby? I often think that some hobbies attract unnecessary vitriol, its very odd .

So isitchristmas do you ever sit down?

By the way, putting smilies in your sneering, insulting posts don't make them any less sneering and insulting.

You can do both isitchristmas. I swim and play ps4. Why do people always seem to think its one or the other.

The smilies make them extra insulting actually. Incidentally, not everyone can (for many reasons) hurl themselves into sports. And most people (especially those posting on mumsnet) are likely to have a balance between Games and Real Life.

Stop repeating one rude "opinion" over and over, you've made your point! (see what I mean about the passive aggressive smilies?)

I'm currently marathon training, I also play destiny on ps4.

It's kept my mind active enough not to sneer at people based on their hobbies, whilst talking to strangers sitting on my arse on my phone. Not very active is it?

Oh for fucks sake isitchristmas. People like different things- it doesn't make anyone better than anyone else. The world would be utterly boring if we all enjoyed the same thing. You sound so utterly boring and small minded.

You do realise that gamers do other things? It's not gaming and nothing else?

I attend a book group, until my ds went to a different preschool I was Secretary of his PTA and I run 5k several times a week. My Partner is similar in the spread of his interests.

Incidentally, I also like spending time playing a bit of black flag or arkham knight of an evening when the kids are asleep.