Gaming is an amazing thing because it transcends generations, it's been here for years and it's definitely here to stay. With the rise of technology, gaming in general is only getting more and more interesting and realistic which is good because it creates a more immersive gameplay. We've already covered one side of the coin, let's dive into the other side!
How old is too old?
There's a saying that goes: "You're only as old as you feel". I've seen and met some people who were in their 80s and almost looked like they were in their 60s. Healthy life habits and choices will help you 'stay young' even though the age might be creeping on you. However, one thing is sure, time doesn't lie. You can stay active as much as you can to stay in good shape but the physical body has its limits that sometimes you can't avoid. For example, at some point, you won't be able to kick a soccer ball as far or shoot a basketball as strong and that's normal. You'll find a bit of the same issues in gaming where age will play a role in someone's performance because of the reduction of their reaction time. On top of reaction time, age might bring some issues like arthritis or carpal tunnel. Problems that are not usually present in a young person's career.
What game are you playing?
Some games do not require that much movement or input to be really good at and are mostly about strategy. These are the games where you might find a lot more older people play because you can play for a very long time before feeling like age is restricting you from being relevant. If you take a game like Starcraft, for example, not a lot of older people will enjoy playing it, especially competitively, since it's a pretty high input per minute type of game. So could someone be too old for this game? Yes. But quite honestly, you could be early thirties and that could be 'too old' because of what it requires.
How can I make sure I can play competitively for a long time?
As mentioned above, a lot of the issues that come later in life as you grow older are problems related to the movements of the joints and articulations. The best way to prevent these is to stretch. I know it's boring and nobody really wants to do it (even in traditional sports) but they are essential to a long successful career. Other than stretching, maintaining a good and healthy life balance is really what's going to benefit you on and off the game! Without that, you'll see your skills slowly get reduced over time more than others.
So do you still think you're too old for competitive gaming?
How old is too old?
There's a saying that goes: "You're only as old as you feel". I've seen and met some people who were in their 80s and almost looked like they were in their 60s. Healthy life habits and choices will help you 'stay young' even though the age might be creeping on you. However, one thing is sure, time doesn't lie. You can stay active as much as you can to stay in good shape but the physical body has its limits that sometimes you can't avoid. For example, at some point, you won't be able to kick a soccer ball as far or shoot a basketball as strong and that's normal. You'll find a bit of the same issues in gaming where age will play a role in someone's performance because of the reduction of their reaction time. On top of reaction time, age might bring some issues like arthritis or carpal tunnel. Problems that are not usually present in a young person's career.
What game are you playing?
Some games do not require that much movement or input to be really good at and are mostly about strategy. These are the games where you might find a lot more older people play because you can play for a very long time before feeling like age is restricting you from being relevant. If you take a game like Starcraft, for example, not a lot of older people will enjoy playing it, especially competitively, since it's a pretty high input per minute type of game. So could someone be too old for this game? Yes. But quite honestly, you could be early thirties and that could be 'too old' because of what it requires.
How can I make sure I can play competitively for a long time?
As mentioned above, a lot of the issues that come later in life as you grow older are problems related to the movements of the joints and articulations. The best way to prevent these is to stretch. I know it's boring and nobody really wants to do it (even in traditional sports) but they are essential to a long successful career. Other than stretching, maintaining a good and healthy life balance is really what's going to benefit you on and off the game! Without that, you'll see your skills slowly get reduced over time more than others.
So do you still think you're too old for competitive gaming?