Mine is video games. Like, I’ve sworn to myself that I was going to cling to that until at least 10 or 15 years while I still have the cognitive ability to play them. But it’s mid-30s and they say the 30s is generally where your love for video games go to die unless you’re in the industry or having some working part involving games.
I’m having a harder time picking up a controller and getting excited for any game. I know I’m isolated by choice which is part of the problem, but, I can’t even get that worked up for nostalgic games that I grew up with.
Ditched video games years back, partly because of RSI issues, partly because getting in to other things. For a while it was mountain biking, currently is music. Also a move that was sort of RSI related, but brought its own RSI issues which I got over eventually. Music is pretty social which is good, but also bad lol.
I was into making for a while there, but have faded from that scene since I moved during the pandemic. Now all the makerspaces are 30 mins or more away and that’s kind of a dealbreaker. I don’t have the space or the funds for my own CNC or wood shop, plus not as motivated without the social aspect.
Other one is skiing which I used to really be into. I’m kinda barely hanging on with that, one or two times a year. The traffic has gotten terrible and the whole thing is super expensive and hassly. I’m bored with local resorts and backcountry is somewhat deadly. It does give me a little motivation for fitness since this years trip will be pretty strenuous.
I used to love writing little short stories and whatnot as a cathartic emotional outlet, but over the past couple years I just… haven’t. I think it’s coupled with my decrease in reading, since a good, well written book usually inspired me, but I just haven’t been reading like I used to either. I keep telling myself I’m going to get back into both, but that hasn’t happened yet.
Who says you stop playing video games in your 30s? I’ve never heard that and it’s not true. If you like games, the number of years you’ve been alive won’t change that. You also seem to be expecting some serious reduction in cognitive ability at an early age. Go and play Stray and Inside. I challenge you not to enjoy them.
Totally! So videogames didn’t exist a 100 years ago, much less 10,000 years ago, the rules aren’t written yetand there is no evolutionary reason to think by 30s you can’t. Do whatever you want and challenge yourself often
Mine is Magic: The Gathering, except I fully realize that I am pulling away from it and why.
The game sparked an immense amount of joy when I picked it up in high school. Now I barely recognize the game anymore. It doesn’t truly have an identity of its own and exists in this permanent state of limbo where 3rd party IPs are taking over the demand for new product and the rules are becoming so bloated that they can’t fit them on cards anymore.
This is such an “old man yelling at clouds” moment for me, because I heard just about every reason under the sun for why people quit the game when I was playing from power creep to changing art styles to just getting priced out of the hobby in general. I realize now that those people were not wrong, they were just not the target audience anymore. I am no longer a profitable demographic to pander to. I never buy packs anymore, and I’ve even stopped buying singles and I don’t attend tournaments or collect anymore, so why would Hasbro/WotC make products for me? Especially when there are deep pocketed whales out there who will pay top dollar for their favorite crossover set, no matter how silly or out of place it might seem.
I wish I could enjoy the game the way I used to, but I just can’t be bothered to hop back in when it doesn’t feel the same anymore.
i am well over 40 and still play games. The “problem” is that gaming now compete with lots of more important stuff like: kids, family, dogs, home repairs, sport activity, wife, work, errands to run, and sure I am leaving out many.
So, forget sitting on a computer or console for even half hour. I consume quick mobile games, where reflexes are not decisive (that’s age, thanks).
I even bought a real Nintendo DS Lite with the cracked cartridge to load games on microssd, and my kid loves it, but even New Super Mario Bros takes too long between saves for the free time I have, so you get the idea.
Would I still do hours gaming sessions even if I could? No, too many hobbies and ideas that pop up all the time to work on… Maybe this is because I cannot for the sake of life get closed to modern games. AAA are cashgrabs, indie require too much time researching them, and anyway I need mobile gaming, that sucks overall.
I’ve got one of them miyoo minis running OnionOS on the crapper.
It goes into deep sleep and resumes my gameplay in seconds. With my toilet time the battery lasts months. I’ve finished four games in the last year split into 700 poop sessions.
Mine is biking, it was very hot for a few weeks, and so i stopped, but now that it’s getting to be the fall and perfect biking weather… i can’t. They found a cyst aggressively growing inside my jaw and i have lost 1/3 of my jaw bone mass. The surgeon installed a marsupialization and said it will take me 10 months to grow the bone back…assuming it even can. In the mean time, the surgeon is afraid of me even eating chicken, let alone doing anything that could have me fall.
I recognize and sympathize with the energy of this comment. I have also had a medical setback recently that is making it really hard for me to exercise. I had a tumor removed and they took my thyroid out with it, and something is not right with the replacement meds. It is tough to make people understand just how awful it can be to feel exhausted and irritable and confused every single day. What happened to you sucks, and it isn’t fair, and it’s okay to not be okay with it. For what it’s worth, I hope your bone does grow back.
Man I’m in my mid 30s and really loving gaming more these days. Lots of independent shit that’s had me hooked.
In the past few years I fell away from cars/motorcycles (building, racing, etc) and am loving sitting on the couch at home. It’s a stark contrast and has been a lot of therapy time, but I did it for years while not enjoying it. I think my takeaway is leaning into what I want and away from what I don’t
We are truly in an indie golden era. So many indie games are coming out with the quality I expect from AAA games. Project Wingman is a good example
If you ever feel burned out from gaming, get a steam deck. It helped me, and probably will help you too.
Probably not a good idea to spend $400 in a piece of hardware OP probably won’t use it they’re not into gaming anymore.
You can always sell it if you end up not using it.
Just turned 40 and I hardly ever game. I have returned to a hobby that I had as a kid but super charged it. I loved electronics as a kid, building and taking things apart. Now I am into 3D printing, home automation, electronics. Lately I have been building sensors and devices that combine all my hobbies. I have over 40 EspHome devices in my house and 25 WLED controlled lights and lamps. Had to upgrade my wifi APs to handle to load.
I love restoring old consoles and gaming things but I just can’t get myself to use the consoles I repair. But I did restore my old GBA SP with an upgraded screen and battery and have occasionally played some FF Tactics on it.
I know I play video games much less now, but it is not because of the lack of interest, just time and energy.
Always hesitated to start playing when all I can think about are my responsibilities. The one time I tried playing the new Stardew Valley-like game, I Loved it but also not, because it was suddenly 3 AM on Monday 🥲
If I suddenly have 1 million in my bank account, I’m sure I’ll find my passion for video games back hah
There are many games that I still can’t wait to play and I’m in my mid 30s too. Then again, I care more about story and characters than (fast-paced) gameplay so maybe that’s why?
The sad reality of adulthood. It’s so hard to get properly immersed in a good story unless you have several straight hours to spare, and those are hard to come by.
If you are on console I can see why there is no excitement for video games. But on Steam especially with a steam deck the indies are fantastic. Animal Well was my personal game of the year. The other aspect is on PC they keep throwing games at me for free between GoG and Epic I have over 800 games without paying a dime not all of them are winners but you can’t beat the price.
Environmental/political activism. I used to be pretty active in local groups. When I had kids, I bowed out to help my spouse. Now that I have time again, I feel unmotivated - news is just so damn depressing.
Mine is video games.
I’m 40 and I’m gaming now more than I ever have before!
Granted, part of that is because I’m retired young and have all the time in the world. But another part of that is because I made a small Discord server with a few close friends from my high school days. It’s how we stay in touch, since we’ve all moved away since childhood.
We game online every Monday and/or Tuesday evening. It gives us time to talk and catch up through Discord while also playing some fun online multiplayer games together. The rest of the week, we share news, memes, videos, and other text discussion through various channels I’ve set up in Discord.
I’ve never heard of anyone losing their love for video games as they get older. If anything, continuing to play games later in life will help keep your cognitive functions strong. Remember the Skyrim grandma? She’s still going strong in her late 80s. It’s never too late to get into gaming again.
they say the 30s is generally where your love for video games go to die.
Such a claim is baseless. Video games have been evolving every few years for their entire existence. Such a claim sounds as ridiculous as someone in the 60s saying that people grow out of watching animated shows in their teens.
Either your priorities have just shifted, or you might be in a bubble where you only see the same old games that have already been done, so nothing piques your interest.
3D Printing: By the time I get home, I just don’t have it in me to tinker around.
