Granny Gamers - The Over 50 Gamer Population Increases

[Jetherik]

Yahoo News (http://news.yahoo.com/s/bw/20051019/bs_bw/id20051018173699) has a story how the over 50 gaming crowd is getting larger.

Barbara St. Hilaire spends about 50 hours a week wielding a machete, dismembering demons and battling a slew of thugs, zombies, and other nasties of the video-gaming world. Having recently nailed a 100% score in Outlaw Golf 2, she's now focused on mastering the top levels in God of War. It's a passion that has earned St. Hilaire, 69, the moniker "Old Grandma Hardcore."
"If you saw her in a grocery store, you would see an old, Midwestern diabetic with thick glasses leaning on a crutch or shopping cart," says her grandson Timothy St. Hilaire, who launched a blog recounting her gaming exploits -- and her colorful expletives. "She's a polite mother of five and grandmother of 12but get her in front of a game, and she becomes a monster."
Instead of doing crossword puzzles, older folks are now hacking zombies. How great is that? Which is worse, to get owned by a 12 year old, or a 69 year old grandma?

[hund_]

i think everyone takes it for granted that gamers are mostly young.
people forget that us old folks have the money to buy anything we want[quake4 tonite,fear tomorrow;)].

[Klade]

I've often wondered if video games is the type of thing one could eventually grow out of? I'm well aware that there are quite a few gamers over 40 but this is the first time I've heard much about gamers over 60.

It warms the heart to know that no matter how old I become, there will aways be a mouse and WASD to keep my active ;-). Heres to Quake 37, Tomb Raider 53 and Half-life 3.

[nonchalance]

Nice.

I wish my grandma liked gaming.

[UnderHero5]

Heres to Quake 37, Tomb Raider 53 and Half-life 3.


lol, nice one

I hope my old wrinkly hands are still able to play games by that age.

[EternalGamer]

Isn't this story a rerun? I believe the exact same thing was posted and discussed several months ago. Fascinating topic and all, but I am not sure what else there is to say that hasn't been said before.

Dan

[F3nyx]

My grandmother attempted King's Quest 6 at the age of about 75... I think she lost interest in the catacombs.

[Liquidize105]

Give the gift of games this holiday season to your gramps.

[Dirty Harry]

my 75 year old granny is a diablo 2 addict, she has a few chars in the 90's.

[copasetic]

hehe...69...

[Deadend]

I wonder how many of the older gamers started with the newer games?

Or how many just started at the dawn of time and are still going.

[Taco]

Well my father's over 50, but he's been playing since before I was born. Atari through current day PC FPS games.

[steve]

Well all my friends who play games (we're approaching our mid 30s, oh noes!) - I doubt they will stop that behaviour in the future. If you grow up playing computer games, it will probably continue to be one of your pasttimes, so it's just naturally that the computer playing demographic becomes older.

This grandma is just an early adopter ;) At least she should have enough time to try all those new releases. Darn work!

[King Drewsky]

I moderate for a website forum designed exclusively for older gamers, 2old2play (http://www.2old2play.com). We have 2700 current members and the average age of our members is in the low 30's. We do have our fair share of 40 year olds and 50 year olds as well. We recently held a Halo2 Over 40 Invitational in which 16 of our grayest competed to see which old fart could pwn n00bs for breakfast or something like that. We still like to game but we hate gaming with the whippersnappers.

link to over 40 invitation news item (http://www.2old2play.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=127&mode=nested&order=0&thold=0)

[NoName]

Just wait until the revolution comes out. Then the older generations can play a game orchestrating some music ;).

[Stormwatcher]

I wish my grandparents were alive, so that they would become gamers. But Alas, no more grandparents for me. I miss them.

Anyways, hooray for the dear grannies and grampas.

[XenonCJ]

I've often wondered if video games is the type of thing one could eventually grow out of? I'm well aware that there are quite a few gamers over 40 but this is the first time I've heard much about gamers over 60.

It warms the heart to know that no matter how old I become, there will aways be a mouse and WASD to keep my active ;-). Heres to Quake 37, Tomb Raider 53 and Half-life 3.Don't forget Duke Nukem Forever...

[amusedtoe]

Well I would rather get owned by the grandma. Even if she starts spewing a half hour of profane trash talk at me aftwerwards the voice won't be as annoying and cracking every five seconds.

[Paltry]

heh heh heh... 69

[GunnyMo]

Freakin' awesome! I think senior gamers are the best! I love it when old timers (and I'm getting there myself...heh...) come into my store looking for the latest and greatest. It's even better when they say it's for their "grandkids" but they know a little too much about the game to be the dodering ol' codger they seem. A little prodding and we're talking the best places to frag in Halo 2! I love it

[Rommel]

If you want a clearer example that video games will continue well into a person's golden years, go to a table-top gaming convention. I have played D&D with people from ages 9 (A girl playing a Druid, most complicated class in the game, with a better understanding of the rules than most everyone at the table) to old men and *the blind* (With better grid tactics than most DMs I know). I see no reason why gaming, which exists in our homes and in some cases requires no additional equipment than what we will all own would not continue to gain popularity with age groups as we all age. After all, kids will always game. We'll just be counted differently as we replace grandma here.

Another benefit is that wives and girlfriends are starting to take an interest in their men's passtimes again, culturally speaking. My girl has a 60 Mage and a 40 Warlock in WoW. She is not as good as me, and she does demand I explain what we're doing in intimate detail, but she certainly does love the game - possibily more than I do.

Now if I could only get her to play D&D and flaunt her ass to distract the DM...

[amusedtoe]

Now if I could only get her to play D&D and flaunt her ass to distract the DM...

And that my friend is what it's all about. ;)