97% of kids now play video games

[fiddlepaddle]

Of the youngest generation, teens age 12 to 17, almost all (97%) play video games, according to a new survey (http://pewresearch.org/pubs/953/teens-video-games-and-civics).

 

Even when Pong and Space Invaders were everywhere, most of my friends didn't play video games. This means in about thirty years, gaming has gone from being a new technology to essentially permeating our culture. Recently, when we had an extended power outage, even my wife kept a Game Gear in her hands for over an hour, astonishing me. My Mom, though, is still in the minority who would rather eschew anything that even looks remotely like a computer.

 

How much of your family has embraced video games, or alternatively, wouldn't touch them with a sixteen foot pole? Does it bring you closer together, or drive a wedge between you? Would they say life, and love, is better because of video games?

[nathanallan]

Of my family, myself, wife and child, only I play any kind of video games. Hooray 3%. I've tried everything to get him interested.

[VideoFever1982]

Of my family, myself, wife and child, only I play any kind of video games. Hooray 3%. I've tried everything to get him interested.

I know. I was the only one that would have anything to do with video games, except maybe for a couple of cousins. All my friends play video games. My mother always called them Devil games and said they were the work of evil rotting peoples minds. I guess its too late for me.

[nathanallan]

Of my family, myself, wife and child, only I play any kind of video games. Hooray 3%. I've tried everything to get him interested.

I know. I was the only one that would have anything to do with video games, except maybe for a couple of cousins. All my friends play video games. My mother always called them Devil games and said they were the work of evil rotting peoples minds. I guess its too late for me.

Learning programming = devil rises. Just as interesting and funny now as it ever has been! I guess as long as the Preacher is on the cable TV there's hope yet!!

 

My cousin had a Tandy CC back in the day, I had the Atari!

[VideoFever1982]

Of my family, myself, wife and child, only I play any kind of video games. Hooray 3%. I've tried everything to get him interested.

I know. I was the only one that would have anything to do with video games, except maybe for a couple of cousins. All my friends play video games. My mother always called them Devil games and said they were the work of evil rotting peoples minds. I guess its too late for me.

Learning programming = devil rises. Just as interesting and funny now as it ever has been! I guess as long as the Preacher is on the cable TV there's hope yet!!

 

My cousin had a Tandy CC back in the day, I had the Atari!

Lol. My first system was the 5200, then the 7800.

[AtariLeaf]

I play, of course. My wife will pop in a game of frostbite or frogger once in a while. My 9 year old doesn't play atari but loves that Webkinz website, which I guess has games that she plays.

[VideoFever1982]

I play, of course. My wife will pop in a game of frostbite or frogger once in a while. My 9 year old doesn't play atari but loves that Webkinz website, which I guess has games that she plays.

My 3 yr old daughter like her leap frog portable. She seems to be into games for the most part.

[nathanallan]

I play, of course. My wife will pop in a game of frostbite or frogger once in a while. My 9 year old doesn't play atari but loves that Webkinz website, which I guess has games that she plays.

My 3 yr old daughter like her leap frog portable. She seems to be into games for the most part.

They got it right with the leapfrogs! I wish they would make one that was readily hacked for adult use. I'm sure they made them, great use for tech!

 

Nathan

[VideoFever1982]

I play, of course. My wife will pop in a game of frostbite or frogger once in a while. My 9 year old doesn't play atari but loves that Webkinz website, which I guess has games that she plays.

My 3 yr old daughter like her leap frog portable. She seems to be into games for the most part.

They got it right with the leapfrogs! I wish they would make one that was readily hacked for adult use. I'm sure they made them, great use for tech!

 

Nathan

True.

[carmel_andrews]

only me, my younger and older brother were into computers/games

[godslabrat]

I'm 27, and a few of my older cousins got into video games before I did... maybe three of them. Of them, only one continues to game on a regular basis. My younger cousins (by at least five years) are regular gamers, and I predict all subsequent generations will be too.

 

My parents don't get the appeal at all. My grandmother has asked to play once or twice, but was too overwhelmed by all the buttons. Still, she made the effort.

[vrocko]

I'm 43 and have been playing since the 2600 was hot. I still love games and have a great time playing unfortunately it seems I play less and less due to other obligations. Both my nephews and my one brother play extensively. My oldest brother is more of a PC strategy fan as is his son. He plays a lot of Civ War, War of 1812, Napoleonic, etc. games. His son, my older nephew, is a big WOW fan and Star Wars fan. My younger nephew is a big Halo and Gears of War fan. His Dad, my middle brother, hates video games! He used to own a 2600 but now looks down on them as a total waste. My brothers wives play some games, mostly logic games or card games online. Mom never got the PC or video game bug. She doesn't dislike them and knows the value of a PC, especially the internet, but never got the hang of using PC's and isn't a big video game player. I know my younger nephew is a part of that 97% as he plays constantly. My older nephew and I talked about how bad we were back in the days of NES and Genesis, SNES and other systems but we are nwb's in comparison to how much my younger nephew plays. He's done 24 hr marathons that I could not match in any way shape or form. I think the longest I've played a game was 10 hrs straight on the Xbox with KOTOR. That game was like reading a good book. I could not put it down! I had to know what happened next.

 

Rich