Just something that randomly occurred to me, and in the age of the internet was pretty easy to get some (hopefully fairly accurate) numbers...

For years I've seen fellow Avsim forum members mention, usually with pride, that they don't play videogames; or that their computers are completely devoted to flightsims, which many have vociferously (and even angrily) denied are games, despite any contrary evidence.

Many adults I've known especially females also claim not to be that interested in videogames, at least not on computers, though contrarily, almost all have an Xbox or Playstation connected somewhere in the house, and are quite handy with those controllers when they find themselves in front of the screen.....

In the back of my mind, I've always kind of assumed that the expressed aversion to gaming here was due, at least to some extent, to the generally older age demographic.

But checking some general population data on gaming shows a wide age demographic of video gamers in the US, ranging from 5 to 90

So.... Just idle musing, do you think there might be something about Flightsimming that tends to invite hostility (or indifference) to general gaming, or is my perception of an aversion to gaming/gamers here just incorrect?

 

Quote

 

Approximately 190.6 million Americans aged 5-90 play video games, according to the Entertainment Software Association (ESA). This represents roughly 61% of the population in that age range. The average player is 36 years old and has been playing for about 17 years. 

 

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

 

• Social aspect: Many players (80%) play with others, and 88% say games help expand their social circles. 

• Mental stimulation: A key reason cited for playing is to keep their minds sharp. 

• Diverse motivations: Adults play for fun, relaxation, and mental stimulation.
• Adults are a significant portion: In the US, 72% of video game players are 18 or older.
• Gender balance: Approximately half of all video game players are female (46%) and half are male (53%) according to the ESA.
• Age diversity: Video games are enjoyed by people of all ages, with a substantial number of players over 50 (29% of players).

 

 

4 minutes ago, HiFlyer said:

So.... Just idle musing, do you think there might be something about Flightsimming that tends to invite hostility (or indifference) to general gaming, or is my perception of an aversion to gaming/gamers here just incorrect?

 

To be honest, I think quite a sizable number of simmers play games, too, and plenty of older people. If PC gaming kicked off in your younger days and you are into tech, then continuing to game in your older years is likely. 

I'm currently just playing chess, haven't played any games in a  while, but as soon as I get my new bedroom set up properly and my PC sorted out, I'll be once again diving into COD and other titles. 

I used to play first person shooters, but I actually prefer first person exploration and discovery games. In other words, use stealth instead of combat as much as possible. This is why the original Deus Ex is my favourite game of all time. My problem is that I have become more and more fussy as the years have passed, so "bog standard" first person shooters do not interest me anymore. However, there is one game in the pipeline that I am really hoping will be the immersive and atmospheric adventure that I crave. It is called The Lost Wild, and is a first person game set on an island populated by dinosaurs.

What I am looking for is the game that I wanted Trespasser to be a quarter of a century ago.

Edited July 25, 2025Jul 25 by Christopher Low

I play video games. These days I watch video games more than I play due to time constraints.

 

I've been liking city/empire builders, so I've been doing a lot of Galactic Civ 4.

I used to be really into fighting games. Mortal Kombat 1 was too much of a DLC cash grab and it turned me off. Although I completely love the series and lore. Street Fighter has one of my favorite characters ever and SF6 will introduce that character in early August (Sagat). Next up is to finally commit to Baldur's Gate 3 and finish it!

Not into Souls=like games, but I did sped some time watching Wu Kong, Lies of P and recently Wu Chang Fallen Feather.

In summary, I play and watch a bunch of video game content and enjoy it. Especially when simming to an enroute destination.

3 hours ago, Christopher Low said:

but I actually prefer first person exploration and discovery games.

Same here.  I love the Elder Scrolls games, for example.  I can't wait for the Skyblivion upgrade to be released which merges and improves Oblivion and Skyrim.

Another great game, albeit not a "shooter", is Alien Isolation.  

For simple, casual gaming I like to play online Risk.

Dave

I'm currently working through the remake of Half-Life, "Black Mesa". Thoroughly enjoying it.

I would have played Half Life : Alyx if there was a non VR version of it. I sometimes wonder how many other Half Life fans without VR headsets would have done the same....

14 minutes ago, Christopher Low said:

I would have played Half Life : Alyx if there was a non VR version of it. I sometimes wonder how many other Half Life fans without VR headsets would have done the same....

Same - it's supposed to be excellent, but I don't have any VR hardware to try. I suspect it would be mildly terrifying 🙂 

3 hours ago, Christopher Low said:

I would have played Half Life : Alyx if there was a non VR version of it. I sometimes wonder how many other Half Life fans without VR headsets would have done the same....

Flat variations of that game have been out for quite awhile.....

 

I play some subsims and computer (historical) wargames, but very few "mainstream" games. The most recent would have been Fallout 3. I have also played Fallout 4, Oblivion and Skyrim, but Fallout 3 is my favourite.

 

New World Aerternum, No Man's Sky, The S.T.A.L.K.E.R series, Madden NFL, Horizon series, Need for Speed series. All the Fallouts, FEAR series, Skyrim, the new Oblivion. The list goes on, and on. I am a video game addict.

Edited July 27, 2025Jul 27 by Penzoil3

If I buy a new PC any time soon, I may consider Stalker 2. The first game in the series was quite atmospheric at times, although a lot more restricted than I had hoped it was going to be. Would you recommend Stalker 2 for someone who prefers the stealth approach to first person games (rather than going in all guns blazing)?

4 hours ago, Christopher Low said:

If I buy a new PC any time soon, I may consider Stalker 2. The first game in the series was quite atmospheric at times, although a lot more restricted than I had hoped it was going to be. Would you recommend Stalker 2 for someone who prefers the stealth approach to first person games (rather than going in all guns blazing)?

Grab Gamepass and you can play those and more, including flying MSFS on your phone/tablet. 🙂

My current installed games are:

Airport CEO
Airport Sim
Derail Valley
Farm Sim 25
Fishing: North Atlantic
Railroader
Railroads Online
Transport Fever 2
UBOAT

I do have MSFS but not using it that much these days, mostly train sims as I get older. Steam Trains relax me 🚄

I read that the new GTA could amass $7 billion in the first 60 days.