Older gamers, have you noticed a decline in your gaming skills? 30+

[payton]

I used to play multiplayer FPS games a TON when I was younger and was pretty decent at them, starting from the original CS and Battlefield but recently I feel like my pace/style of play is a lot slower now. My hand-eye coordination is no longer what it once was. I’m no longer able to focus too much on “twitch-style” gameplay.
I think past a certain point, your dexterity and reaction time and vision do get worse. Specially reaction times. Evidence has shown the eye-hand coordination speed decreases with aging. It starts increasing latency around 25 years old and goes “down” from there. Ofc not everyone goes down at the same rate. Some people are still on top at their 30s-35s but still are slower than they were at their teens.

 

[Fuzzybabyducks]

Not yet, not in games I like anyways .. but when I try to pick up fifa or mlb the show and try to remember all the buttons and combos and shit I have to go back to simple or classic mode on those type games

 

[iNoScopedJFK]

I recently got back into the FGC and my reaction time definitely isn't what it use to be. I doubt I'll ever be as good as I use to be in a lot of these fighting games I use to play but I think a big part of it is not having the time to grind out getting good like I use too. I'm not a young single 20sum year old putting hours learning match ups in ranked. I'm in my 30s married trying to focus on online matches while having 3 kids running around in front of me.

 

[My Spot]

I miss being a kid and not caring about stuff like resolution and frame rate.

 

[MTT]

Nah, mid-30s and better than ever @ counter-strike. A consistent 150-160 ms reaction time.

 

[Pizza Werewolf]

I dont think my skills are the issue. I just dont have 8+ hours a day to piss away on videogames anymore and even if I did Id prefer to spend more of my time better.

 

[Goldentrophy]

I recently got back into the FGC and my reaction time definitely isn't what it use to be. I doubt I'll ever be as good as I use to be in a lot of these fighting games I use to play but I think a big part of it is not having the time to grind out getting good like I use too. I'm not a young single 20sum year old putting hours learning match ups in ranked. I'm in my 30s married trying to focus on online matches while having 3 kids running around in front of me.

Sounds similar to my life lol I used to purchase so many fighting games especially Namco/Capcom fg, but the time to learn the game while having young kids, world, and marriage life is damn near impossible. I just play simple-ass-ranked Pocket Fighters on Fightcade for fighting games these days.

 

[Brampton_Boy]

I'm terrible at games now (I'm 40) - my reaction time has slowed considerably. Admittedly, I don't play games nearly as often as I used to, but it is almost laughable how bad I am at games that require a quick response time.

 

[blopdak]

I would absolutely wreck my 21 year old self at guitar hero. Used to struggle at medium. Now I’m running a train on expert.

 

[ROKKO]

I'm 43 and I don't play too Many first person shooters because I do feel my reaction time has slowed down however a lot more games are now PC and console cross play. I'm strictly a console guy trying to play against cats using a gaming mouse to merk me while I'm using a joystick. So I think it's a combination a slow reaction time and people having a mouse versus controller.

 

[Zer]

I would say (At 39) my skills haven't declined a whole lot and my reactions are still sharp. The thing is I have way less patience than I did when I was younger and am quicker to get pissed off. Lack of patience is the main thing that throws off my game. Also in my teens I could play Counterstrike or Day of Defeat for 10 hours straight no problem, and invest hundreds of hours into them, whereas nowadays for the most part I play games for like an hour or two hours before I take a break to do something else.

I blame the Steam backlog mentality where I want to get games finished quickly so I can move on to one of the 30 other games I have lined up, so that I can work on my 200+ game wishlist. In a way it kind of makes gaming feel like a chore

 

[Osculater]

Do you drink and smoke a lot?

 

[Jesus X]

I quit gaming in 2013 I think Xbox 360 was around then.

 

[RichardHarrow]

100%

 

[KeepingItReal]

No, I've gotten better. I've also noticed players older than me are good. I've heard some players take Adderall which helps apparently.

 

[deviake]

I'm 38 and I feel like my reflexes are as sharp as ever though my body has accrued some damage. In fact I'm surprised by how good my reactions still are. I just don't have the time nor inclination to put in the kind of time it takes to stay sharp.

 

[moreorless87]

The funny thing is last time I took it seriously enough to really know in the early 00's playing Half-life TFC I was considered the "old man" being in my mid 20's, generally played back line solider defence tactically picking off what got past the front line teenagers.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

I like Rocket League and pro gamers are shot by their mid 20s on that game so it's definitely a thing.

 

[Tone C]

I miss being a kid and not caring about stuff like resolution and frame rate.

Lol , I just got a PS5 and am now looking to upgrade the TV to 120hz refresh rate and the TV has to have 4k HDR and be at least 42 inches ( more likely 55 it seems,) and be cheaper end of the market and not have lag or black smearing or something.

Kinda miss the huge crt TVs that you just got the biggest one you could afford in the brand you wanted.....



And yes , my gaming skills have dropped off ( but I don't play like I used to). Was playing God of War on the PS4 or 3 and I could get 3/4 through one section and couldn't make a specific swing and jump . Various expletives were issued and in the end my 17 year old came over and I told him to have a fucking go. He did one run on the section to work out the controls and then on his first proper run cleared the whole lot.


Fucking cunt.

 

[payton]

Do you drink and smoke a lot?

No alcohol or tobacco but I almost died from the Covid vaccine (AstraZeneca) and I'v not been the same ever since.