Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Gaming

Note: This topic is for discussing games and gaming.

Original poster

Is 40 too old to start gaming again?

81 replies

DragonmotherKhaleesi · 28/11/2023 11:54

Hi,
I'm a 40 year old mum of 3. I played all the time as a teen (SNES with Mario, SIMs and Theme hospital on PC) then a couple of years ago got a switch lite to play animal crossing.
I haven't touched it for about a year after constantly being on it for about a year.

I think id like to play Hogwarts legacy, the Disney dreamlight valley, sims and the new avatar game when it's released. Would o be mad to buy a new generation console for my lounge to play on? ( with ds11)

My DS 15 has a series X in his room and my DS 14 has an Xbox one. I'm thinking about a ps5/ series x/s.
Am I too old? Do other women my age still play online and chat?

My DC think I'm too old!

OP posts:
Fairymother · 28/11/2023 22:08

I tried getting into it again a couple months ago. For me it wasnt the same anymore. I used to always meet people online like that and would develop actual friendships and meet some of them as well.
But now when i played again it just really shows, that lots of players are younger and it just wasnt the same. People are rude to each other in group settings and it was just a weird vibe. I got bored of it really quickly.
No harm in trying if you want to, but i wouldnt buy a console just for that in case you discover youve outgrown it.

BonjourCrisette · 30/11/2023 10:37

I'm 55 and have recently played Skyrim, Elder Scrolls Online, No Man's Sky, Civ, Slay the Spire, Dorfromantik and quite a few more. My Steam library probably runs to hundreds of titles. I don't chat though and would not enjoy it!

Never too old.

MrsSkylerWhite · 30/11/2023 10:42

Not my cup of tea at all but I understand it’s good for the older brain.

Andr0meda · 04/12/2023 23:03

Theme hospital! I used to love the queueing Elvises! 🤭 43 here, gamer since my teen years and still going strong. DH and both our boys game instead of TV, not at the cost of life and other pleasures but we are geeks and happy!

TurquoiseHexagonSun · 04/12/2023 23:05

Never too old. I'm not a massive gamer in general but have been hooked on Sims Mobile ever since lockdown. I'm 56.

Mayaingam · 26/03/2024 08:11

Never too late to play games! I'm 41 and I'm still loving FFXIV adventures, LoL/.

DoAWheelie · 26/03/2024 10:40

Try two point hospital. It's made by a lot of the people that made the original theme hospital back in the day, and keeps that sense of humour.

HumanRightsAreHumanRights · 26/03/2024 10:44

I was gaming as a teen back when you loaded a cassette up onto your computer to play, and I'm still gaming now in my 50s.

If you enjoy gaming, you are the right age to game.

Cocothecoconut · 06/04/2024 23:17

I’m 60 and play Pokémon go and games on a switch
Never too old 👍

Nosejug · 20/05/2024 19:31

My nieces got me into Fortnite. First online game I've ever played, it's kinda thrilling knowing it's real people you're up against. I end up laughing a lot.

Played sims and theme... all the management games as a teen. And point and click adventures as a kid, and gameboy. Never had a console till moving in with SO age 36 (now 38) He has PS, so I tried The last of us 1&2. Terrifying and incredible. Then we chipped in for a switch, and wow Zelda. I didn't know I was into games but I really am. Currently playing Two Point hospital on switch a bit tooooo much.

SilverShadowNight · 20/05/2024 22:18

@Nosejug which Zelda's have you played?

I enjoyed Link's Awakening and am currently working through Skyward Sword, but I don't know if Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild might be a bit beyond me at the moment.

MyOtherCarisAVauxhallZafira · 20/05/2024 22:25

I've just got back into Pokémon go, kid myself it's to encourage me to walk more 😁
I also long for a day to myself to play Tropico
You're not too old

AtomHeartMotherOfGod · 20/05/2024 22:26

Fuck age; honestly. If an 80 year old was tempted to start gaming, I'd say go for it.

If this is something you'd like to do as a hobby, why shouldn't you?

BTW Theme Hospital! We saved it too close to a huge earthquake and never managed to finish, since we could never get prepared enough in time to prevent massive amounts of damage. I loved that game though; what was that weird cabinet thing you walked through - was it to cure radiation?

FromEden · 20/05/2024 22:30

I've just finished red dead redemption 2. Wow, what a game. A totally immersive world where you actually care about what happens to the characters. Highly recommend it. Starting the first one now.

Cocothecoconut · 20/05/2024 22:44

im 60
play Luigi’s mansion -PoGo - Mario kart - zelda - donkey Kong
all on my switch

ninetieseyebrows · 20/05/2024 22:44

50 year old with her own VR headset here - I love it! (no pre gaming experience)

stayathomer · 20/05/2024 22:49

N way, never (ever ever ever ever ever ever EVER!!) too old!! (Tetris is my happy place and dh weren’t back playing Pac-Man today and I was so happy, we’ve both forgotten how to chill lately!)

Jeannie88 · 20/05/2024 23:06

Of course not! My Mum was gaming in her 60s. I'm not a gamer but part of me wishes I was, looks so much fun. Go for it. X

Nosejug · 21/05/2024 22:06

@SilverShadowNight links awakening was my first, during lock down we found my sisters teenhood gameboy and bought the game on eBay. The music on it was so good! I was planning to write an essay about it haha. Then more recently tried breath of the wild. I was waiting for a job to start and so had time to get obsessed. I let my 5 yo niece have a shot once to calm her down after a very bad bump. She's still asking me to tell her about Zelda and link a year after having one shot! Haven't tried tears of the kingdom, gonna wait a while. I get overly absorbed like a teenager!

weaselwords · 23/05/2024 22:40

FromEden · 20/05/2024 22:30

I've just finished red dead redemption 2. Wow, what a game. A totally immersive world where you actually care about what happens to the characters. Highly recommend it. Starting the first one now.

I love this game. It got me through lockdown. It’s my horse riding simulator 🤣

And I’m 56 years old.

burnoutbabe · 23/05/2024 23:06

I just finished lake. A story of a middle aged woman suffering a mid life crisis so takes 2 weeks off and becomes an ups driver in her old home town!

(In a break between finishing 2 run of uncharted 4 and trying to finish assassins creed odyssey-playing as the female assassin of course!)

FFSNorman · 23/05/2024 23:08

56, played mobile zombie/strategy games for around 10 years, on a break but will no doubt return! Once a gamer, always a gamer!

FromEden · 24/05/2024 00:56

weaselwords · 23/05/2024 22:40

I love this game. It got me through lockdown. It’s my horse riding simulator 🤣

And I’m 56 years old.

Show quote history

I'm thinking about starting a new play through and just stopping the story around chapter 2 so I can just explore the world as Arthur again

bluetopazlove · 24/05/2024 02:15

Of course your never too old for gaming as long as you can visually see what you are doing you can relate to your children (big bonus) And of course you can have loads of conversations with your kids while you are doing it .
Nothing is a worst position than being disconnected from your children , we should always try to be connected to them in some way , always .
The same goes for them of course we should never think we so over and above the last generation that we can't communicate any more .

istara · 07/10/2024 03:38

Goodness no! I'd recommend getting an Xbox Series X and GamePass (not sure about family subscriptions which might be cheaper for you all?)

I highly recommend the Elder Scrolls series (Morrowind, Oblivion and Skyrim) and the Dragon Age series (wait until you meet Alistair and Cullen!) All of which should be free to play with a GamePass Ultimate subscription.