Started when I was 6 years old, not stoping ever.

My overall enthusiasm for gaming has diminished a lot over the years. New games simply don't excite me the way they used to-- probably because my standards have increased at a faster rate than today's game quality.

Personally, I don't think that the future of gaming is very bright. The industry seems to have stagnated-- and, in my opinion, is running out of ideas... because we've already seen pretty much everything that makes for an interesting game.

You know when you start a relationship and you don't fart around her for a few months? Well I didn't play games for about a year untill I sliped back into them. Now she dosent seem to care; she's not thrilled about how much time I invest into them, but it's not like it is causing a rift between us. So, as long as it dosen't bother anybody, I will continue untill I get bored with them - which I occasionaly do.

i started when the sega came out :P
yeah, ill be playing forever, when im 40 ill be playing dynasty warriors 15 and yoshi's casino XD
and when im 68 ill be playing the "old retro games" like nintendogs, on my supershinylite ds with built in microwave

been a gamer since SNES and Genesis, and I haven't looked back.
can't stop, won't stop. btw anyone know when genesis and SNES made their first appearances?

I'll play games as long as I physically can. If they ever get the hang of true motion sensing control as opposed to the wanky, it sort of works effort that Nintendo put into the Wii, I'll even be able to play at least some video games if I get bad arthritis in my fingers. That's the only barrier I can see coming up some day, not being able to hit controller buttons or keyboard keys fast enough anymore. I guess there will always be turn based games like Warhammer, Final Fantasy and Age of Empires where you can take all the time you need to move your guys around and decide what you want them to do without getting wiped out by your opponent. As long as games like that are around, the only thing I can see stopping me from playing is becoming so senile or crippled that I simply can't control the console any more.

HSIAMetalKing:
My overall enthusiasm for gaming has diminished a lot over the years. New games simply don't excite me the way they used to-- probably because my standards have increased at a faster rate than today's game quality.

Personally, I don't think that the future of gaming is very bright. The industry seems to have stagnated-- and, in my opinion, is running out of ideas... because we've already seen pretty much everything that makes for an interesting game.

well the stagnation of the mainstream might be a good thing, because this might force newer, more creative, and quirky games to be made. and then I can try this... "Psychonauts" thing that everyone seems to love so much.
(I'm not done with the current-gen stuff yet)

i've been playing video games since i was 8 and i have no intention of stoping now

The Escapist now dominates the time I used to play games. So I already don't play very much, but I like games, so hopefully I do.

Not the best place to ask this particular question. The demographics for this board, I am willing to bet, I don't have the figures in front of me are likely older by a couple years than other forums, more aware and intelligent gamers. An industry foundation population.

A gamer that is likely going to stop gaming upon marriage, career, or growing up is not the kind of person who signs up for an account on the escapist.

Barring the trolls and the fifteen year olds who think that they are all grown up and will never change their priorities.

I will be a gamer for life, but my career is in the industry I need to keep appraised. And given the gigantic waves in this particular form of entertainment and its position in the market place it is hard to predict what will happen in the future.

With advanced style gaming coming to different platforms (say cel phones) how long before there is A New York ADA playing a shooter level between dockets when he hasn't gamed since University?

ive been gaming since i can remeber but ill have to stop it for some time now (demanding studies).
but if i ever get old im so gonna play games.

I've been gaming for about 16-17 years, the vast majority of my life, so why would I stop?

I dunno, I like gaming and all, but I assume at some point marriage, kids, and you know, life will pull me away. I may get back to it when my children reach the age where they themselves want to try it, but I don't think I'll ever be as into it as I was in my younger days.

I've been gaming since I was two years old (no lie, I started off with Might and Magic VI for the PC), and I don't really intend to stop any time ever. I'm sure many people stop playing video games once they get married, but I think that's part of who I am, and I won't even consider anybody that doesn't like the fact that I can beat them in video games.

Besides, if I ever have kids, I'm already going to be the nerdiest mom I'll know. What's wrong with throwing a little geek in there too?

Playing since I was six I think, been gaming for 9 years baby.

Been gaming for 20 years now, and I don't see myself stopping any time soon.
My new girlfriend is a gamer as well, so definitely no hindrances there.

I saw some poor schmuck in the store with his significant other stopping to look at games, and his gal whined "don't you have enough games!?" He had a look on his face like a sad, dejected puppy that just got kicked as he hung his head and moved on.

Don't let this happen to you!

20 years now. Started on the C64. You know, the device that took 64 minutes to load anything.

Got an NES when I was 3... between 17 and 18 years now... long friggin time, haha. I'll probably keep on gaming, but who can say really? The amount that I do game has gone down considerably since starting University... maybe once I'm out in the work force I'll have more free time? haha

been gaming for 16 years and the plan its to continue... that way

One of my earliest memories was my dad teaching me how to use the 2 commands he knew on the commodore 64. I was in my late 3's then. I was a genius kid. It was pretty awesome.

I'm 25 now, and no less of a gamer.

35 years. Hell of a time, and I ain't quitting yet - or any time, so far as I'm concerned. BTW, it's "lemmingmeister" because, among other things, I was Psygnosis' Lemmings Product Manager. Should have been my dream job, but wasn't.

Until I die, or they figure out a way to implant human minds into computers then I'll be playing games for the rest of eternity or until the power runs out.

I think I started about 12-13 years ago gaming, and I think my first ever game was Warcraft: Orcs and Humans, which was all the rage back then in my parts.

My take on gaming? Always will play games, as one of my goals in life is to become a professional game designer. I can also put my thoughts on gaming in another way:

Never gonna give you up
Never gonna let you down
Never gonna run around and desert you
Never gonna make you cry
Never gonna say goodbye
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you

I've been playing for a long time, probably 18 years, would be a fair guess. My first gaming experiences were on a 286, playing shareware versions of Jill of the Jungle, Wolfenstien 3D and Commander Keen, etc. So I'd like to that my babysitter, for sitting out there with me in her son's study, in the freezing cold with blankets wrapped around us, letting a five year old kill nazis and use a magical flying knife to kill wildlife. I think everyone was just glad I wasn't watching TV anymore.

Forever? I'm not immortal.

Until I die, yes!

I'm 19 now and gaming since 5.

since i was 2 and a half. 13 years later (ALMOST) and I'm still playing games a lot. From the NES to 360

I've been a gamer for 26 of my 31 years. I've been a hardcore PC gamer for 8. I've written for GameFAQs and contributed to the Escapist because I like writing about games almost as much as I like playing them. My wife complains I spent more time in Tamriel than with her over the course of three months and she was right.

Yeah. Pretty sure there will always be something worth playing that keeps me in this hobby until I drop dead of a heart attack during a boss fight.

It's the same as asking whether I'll listen to music forever or watch movies forever, and the obvious answer is: Yes, of course!

Intensity is a completely different thing, though. I know, I just "returned" from a hiatus of several years - although I always did a bit of gaming, at friends or something. But being a PC gamer through and through, and lacking both the rig necessary rig to really play AND the will/money to buy one, I haven't really been into it for about five years. A console never came in question, don't ask why, I don't know. (Ok, I do know: I mostly play FPS games, and I couldn't ever get used to controlling them with a pad. That's why.)

mark_n_b:
Not the best place to ask this particular question. The demographics for this board, I am willing to bet, I don't have the figures in front of me are likely older by a couple years than other forums, more aware and intelligent gamers. An industry foundation population.

A gamer that is likely going to stop gaming upon marriage, career, or growing up is not the kind of person who signs up for an account on the escapist.

Barring the trolls and the fifteen year olds who think that they are all grown up and will never change their priorities.

I will be a gamer for life, but my career is in the industry I need to keep appraised. And given the gigantic waves in this particular form of entertainment and its position in the market place it is hard to predict what will happen in the future.

With advanced style gaming coming to different platforms (say cel phones) how long before there is A New York ADA playing a shooter level between dockets when he hasn't gamed since University?

let`s get real here for a sec. I`ve been gaming my whole life, even won a PC (part by part) at a few competitions. Now, after a 22 hour Heroes 3 match, i came to post here. Don`t get me wrong, i was at a point when i was getting money out of gaming, but now ... when i`m looking for fun, i find clones, and when i`m looking for competition all i get are nice graphics and low AI/Gameplay.
hope i`ll play forever, heh, i don`t need a life, i`m a gamer, i have many lives.

Since the dawn of the first xbox

I've been gaming for about 12 years now. I'm not sure if that's realistic, but I think Dark Forces is about that old and that was my first real big gaming experience that turned me into a gamer.

When im very old and probably senile, i'd play video games :)

I been playing video games all my life, ever since me and my dad finished the first half life together. Cant say i agree with MMO's though, i stopped playing WoW last year and it was probably the best decision i made in my life

Well, I've started playing since I was six and the year was 2000. I've been gaming ever since and I don't plan to stop.

i've been gaming sice before i was born (according to my scan). and im going to keep it up till my death in fact i might get buried with my first handheld the gameboy (NOT the gameboy colour)