Yahoo says if you're over 35 you shouldn't be playing computer games

Games Domain has got absorbed into Yahoo. Sigh a lot of links I had are now history.

Yahoo seems full of yahoos - they state that computer games are youth's unofficial pastime and think no-one over 35 will have heard of them.

Well, I have 5 more months to play 100+ games :-)

Woops! Guess I never should have "started" playing computer games! Glynn

That article must have been written by the same clueless person who took down all the GD reviews....

What if we STARTED playing before 35? Are we allowed to keep playing or do we have to stop?

I sure am glad they didn't mention seniors, or I would have been in trouble, whew! I guess it's just you 35 year old's, who should worry. LOU

Guess who just sent them some stinky feedback..... Theres life in the old cat yet!!

Tig

Hey Tigger, you and I were on the same wave length - I hopped over there and read it, and immediately sent them a not-so-happy message. With many exceptions of course, I think almost all of the Adventure Game community exceeds their age limit.

Once again proving that all you need is "pencil and paper" (or in this case keyboard0, brains and facts are optional

Guess it just shows you how little they know.......and how ignorant they are. That's obviously a statement made by an uninformed person!!! Someone should link them over here!

Ah. I'm too young, and 3 years left!

I don't know about you guys, but my 22nd annual 18th birthday is coming up so I must be OK for that site

I set them straight with an email!

How rude is that I ask..
So yahoo thinks they know it all?
I'm going to let them have a piece of my mind-what's left is right now hopping mad and I won't miss this feeble mind after all I'm 55 and no not what I'm doing.
Ingie

I also sent them a letter. I started playing PC Games well over 35 and have spent more years in computer gaming then most of them have out of diapers.

I had to send an email to Yahoo. I was insulted by their opinion that the under 35 are the game players. I'm 41, but I still enjoy playing games.

Hi

Hah !!

Am I so old I don't even aspire to be a "statistic" now ??

Well....YAHOO to them !!

Cheers.

Mad

I didn't even know about games until I was 50, for pity's sake. The article was obviously written by an 18-year-old who thinks people are over the hill when they turn 30. Sheesh!

Lady K.

Oldman - Us Oldmen got to stick together. I started with PONG so I am sure we have both been gaming since before those editors were born. (Hate it when that happends.) Howard

The Only way we can actually make them 'think outsie the box' is to Tell them we exist and are NOT happy with their generalisations!!!

Maybe then they will actually realise there are people out there who play games, FPS, RPG, Strat, Adventure etc who are Over their ageband and Umm Duh, usually those folks pay the bills so IF they want us to continue using any of their services, they should think long and hard!!!

Hugs

Tig

Did they change the text or something?
All I see is a sentence that says

I don't see anything at all about whether games are a pastime for people over 35 or not.

In any case, the following statement which they made displays astounding ignorance:

As if all games had some dumb boss at the end of every level. Most genres don't. It isn't just adventures that don't. And as if walkthroughs and cheats had never been invented before.

They also say

I can only hope this means that they simply haven't gotten their old reviews and patch links back online yet. But I'm not holding my breath.

I sent them a quick e-mail letting them know that this "old timer" finds playing games one
of her favorite pastimes too.

Its true that most younger people play games now but I think the reviewer forgot (or was too young to know) that this has been true for a couple of decades plus.

I guess he/she thinks that at some magical point you wake up one morning and say. "okay, thats it! no more Mario/ King's Quest/ Zork for me! I am now officially too old to have fun" or something...

'tis sillyness. Thats for sure

Susan

Well I'm 68 years old so I guess I had better throw all my comp. games in the garbage and start thinking up a new hobby while I still have my memory.
Richard

Sent an E-mail asking them how old the producers and developers are.

How dare they make that kind of assumption.

We should make a "gray brigade"; telling Yahoo to
YYYYaaaahhhhhoooooooooo! this!!!!!

Oh dear - I knew I should have taken up knitting instead of computer games as a hobby

Bwahahaha! I started at 45 and now I'm 53, and just as addicted as ever.

What email address are you all using to email them? Do I have to be a Yahoo member to access their comment screen?

Oh, and I almost forgot to add. Recently I read somewhere that playing computer games can help elderly people keep their minds sharp.

So there, Yahoo!

Jean

Yes what e-mail addy are you using? Im not going to use the tell us option it wants my Yahoo ID wouldnt mind the e-mail addy but not my ID.

Yeah Jean...I hope this is what is keeping me from getting "senile" LOL Syd...Knitting is dangerous, you could get hurt with those needles!! Glynn

When you go to the page link given, click on reply to editor, fill in information-you do not need a yahoo id-
then write what you think..
I got a message thanking me for my email and a response would be forth coming-yeah right.
I was offended and down right dumb struck at the lack of writing something that comes from this person's head. Where is he/she getting the facts??
Ohh, I don't often get this angry..but there you go I was and am.
Told them to go to gameboomers/Mr Bill's adventure land and see the age groups and who is playing what.
Ingie

ok, thanks.

P.S. I dont see any reply to editor, all I see is tell us in the reading, and when I sent it it went to Yahoo. games. Is that it?

Josie

Thanks, Ingie. That article reminds me of the salesteens at gamestores.

Jean

I'm 39 but very immature. Does that count?

I was going to make that same comment but also that I think a good many people over age 35 probably know that "games are now youth's unofficial pastime." As I read further it was also clear that the author wasn't even considering the genre dear to GameBoomers. He is clueless!

Read an article recently about online gamers. Can't remember where I saw it, but most are women over 40 some staying up until 5 a.m. to play such.
I could try and refind the article. It's too statistical in nature to be a phony, probably!
Me? 58 years old. Geeesh...we retire and they forget us in the stats! We start learning what we want to learn. We go to the web. We wander until we find suitable things.
Adventure gaming, skin care and this bedding frenzy, I am presently pursuing, grabs my interests! Travel is in there and shoes.
Ebay browsing is always fun and I even have been a seller there.
What's up with not really following up on baby-boomers and retired folk? Our interests change as we are no longer "job defined nor limited" as much as one who works might be.
Bravo to those still in work force and finding time to do some self discovery!


To add>>>I filled out the comments to the editor with this biting critique:
http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/fun.games/02/11/video.games.women.reut/
Duh!

Your editor isn't doing basic research.
What's Yahoo's problem/policy that such would be allowed???
There was a list of sites for "over 40 gamers."
Do your homework or don't post your editorial! It's not good practice to mislead nor program gamers to fit a profile.
Geesh. What happened to researching on the web???
Does this person have a degree in journalism or a degree in guessing and opinion?"
Don't mess with Mary or my fellow gamers over 35!!
Just don't go there!

well according to them i never should have started playing gmaes as i was just around 34-35 when i started.

don't they realize they are missing out on a large portion of gamers.

What is amazing is that Yahoo's games protal is filled with people over 35, playing games like Chess, Literati, Bridge, etc. A whole community of gamers of every age.

Quite true AP I have often nipped in there for a quick game of Cribbage or Backgammon!!

Hugs

Tig

I guess I'll be a kid forever

Well if that don't take the biscuit.
My 2 sons (one 40 the other near enough) are both avid on line gamers, I have been playing games on and off but not on line and I am 63 - according to an article in our local paper the games market for games has just realised that its us 'older' generation who play the games because we can afford them!!!!

So it would seem that we are a complete family of idiot gaming folk

Nanjoan

You know what...that idiotic statement (on Yahoo) isn't even WORTHY of a response. I don't have time to waste my mental energies on saying how ignorant it really is. Oops...I just did. Hmm...must be all of the intellectual stimulation that I'VE received from gaming causing me to refrain from idiotic statements that drip in generalization and ageism. Bwahahahaha. I'VE been accused of ageism before...proof positive that what goes around comes around.

And...I COULD make an age-prejudiced statement AGAIN here...but we all KNOW that Yahoo would ONLY hire seasoned, mature, adult GAMERS to write on such a thing. So...I won't insult that very obviously college educated, politically correct, possible MENSA member with my childish 40 year old gamers views and opinions. I won't DARE.

Oh brother....

Girlgeek and others: I couldn't let it go. Look at the compy generated Yahoo response following....hahahahaha:


Yahoo!Games <games-feedback@yahoo-inc.com> wrote:
Hello,

Thank you for writing to Yahoo! Games.

Thank you for your feedback. We value your comments and suggestions. We
will review your request and information as we continue to add more new
features.

Thank you again for contacting Yahoo! Customer Care.

Regards,

Yahoo! Customer Care

For assistance with all Yahoo! services, please visit:

http://help.yahoo.com/


Original Message Follows:
-------------------------

Name: mary

Subject: Letter to the editor

Type your feedback here:
http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/fun.games/0
2/11/video.games.women.reut/
Duh!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4235270
http://www.gamespot.com/all/news/news_60
89226.html
Your editor isn't doing basic research.
What's Yahoo's problem/policy that such
would be allowed???
There was a list of sites for "over 40
gamers."
Do your homework or don't post your
editorial! It's not good practice to
mislead nor program gamers to fit a
profile.
Geesh. What happened to researching on
the web???
Does this person have a degree in
journalism or a degree in guessing and
opinion?

While Viewing: http://gamesdomain.yahoo.com/editors_note

Yahoo ID: unknown : no amt link
Browser: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1)
REMOTE_ADDR: 209.166.81.142
REMOTE_HOST: unknown
Date Originated: Saturday February 21, 2004 - 01:05:23
-------

I deleted my email addy from this letter. That's all the editing I did.
I find that at times I feel like replying to such articles and info that I find online....and other times I just don't have the energy!
Kind of an energy level thing. Who's ever got the energy at the time responds to such things....

[Off topic: While teaching I once stopped about 100 kids in their tracks from rioting with my voice and what I said. The other teachers dropped their jaws. It's who has the energy at the time. We all learned that important lesson that day. Other times, it's another teacher who'd respond and take control. I stopped two girls on the floor fighting while a male substitute stood in wonder trying to figure out how to stop them. Again with my voice! Other teachers would stop fights and I'd just stand there...too tired to work up the needed adrenalin!]

Yahoo editor is under educated and probably under THIRTY-FIVE. S/he is "agist" too!

I'll be 52 in July and I'll give up my gaming when they pry my dead cold fingers from my mouse!!

I really don't think that's what the guy was saying. I think you're all being pretty hard on him. He didn't say that NO ONE OVER 35 would know about games, he simply said it was likely that everyone UNDER 35 would. And that's true. I myself and months and months over 35, but it's very predictable that the younger a person I'm talking to is, the more likely it is that he or she will "speak games."

Hmmm.... ray has a point. But the paragraph [ To visitors who have just discovered Yahoo! Games Domain, welcome. As everyone under 35 knows and as the mainstream press is discovering, games are now youth's unofficial pastime. We think it's about time someone made it easy to get all the information 'you' need to decide which games to buy and how to get past the boss at the end of the first level. ], I can only interpret the 'you' as 'the people under 35.' The context is widely open for negative interpretation. This is a prime example of inconsiderate and inconsistent writing. The writer must have just used spell check and didn't go over his/her writing.

Well, I'm 75. Probably your oldest member and I've been playing computer adventure games since the 1st Myst came out. Now playing Broken Sword 3!

And who says it's a "he"

Maybe people were a bit harsh with a short editorial. But what the heck did they do with all the WT's and patches archive??? Would have at the least appreciated some sort of warning, Hey we are going to erase a huge resource listing. Grab them while they still exist.

As for the text. Well it is on the pandering side of things. Take a devisive tone and things can get.. well.. devisive.

Well guess what, Yahoo- I'm happy to admit I'm 62, retired and have recently discovered(2yrs ago) the world of computer games. And there are lots more like me out there with the time and money to support this new hobby

I play adventure, action, 1st person and 3rd person, mouse or keyboard, it dosn't matter as long as it's a good game that takes me into an imaginary world.

to boomers you two!!
Mary,
I got the same reply as you and nothing to date concerning a personal response-I didn't expect one, but they are the ones that said tehy would.
In our society today the babyboomers are now the approaching or at retirement age-WE are the largest age group in this country and I would think a few others. This generation has more time and may I add began and continued with the "computer age". Very rude to leave us out of any demographic that involves computers or age.
(I was thinking of unless you include diapers, however...Depends )
Ingie

Ellie to the madhouse You can give us youngsters (under 50's!!!) a great insight into gaming.. from a players perspective over the years.

Look forward to your contributions,

Hugs

tig

What's a Yahoo
Bob ( made 71 last week)

Hey Tig, My kids are "Babyboomers" I will hit the big "7..oh" in Aug..not too pleased about that but it's better than the alternative!! I have played lots of computer games and plan to keep on keeping on! Glynn

I am over 60 and have played more pc games than most 15yr olds. Started with pong did all King Quest.
and any adventure game I can get my hands on. Just finish WatchMaker.

PLGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!! to them!

Alaska,
I like the way you think!

Ingie

uh-oh, some of use may have to become closet gamers! I thought it was bad enough that I've been a closet baager for years....

Alaska, that has me in Stitches!!!

Hugs

Tig

I think it's clear Yahoo is getting senile.Yahoo has all the symptoms. And you keep on writing angry letters. How dare you all. Why not sending them a nice postcard with a glitter fairy on it?

Well, at 72 I guess I'm way too far out to play computer games according to Yahoo. Since I've been playing before there was even access to the Internet or a Yahoo, playing Dungeons and Dragons on ARPANET, I guess I've outlived my time according to them.

Well, accordong to me, I enjoy the games, am as good as any at it, and will keep doing it until they plant me, not Yahoo my kids. Keep gaming you old foggys and kick ass.

to Boomers Kenny!!
Aren't we such a kind and gentle group of folks, until you rile us that is
Ingie

Magicscroll, Ellie, & Kenny!

I'm as old as my tongue and a little older than my teeth which puts me around 50.


*********************************

Ray:
Sorry, but I've held that tongue long enough regarding this subject.


**************************************


For my Fellow Boomers


I'd like to share with you my "letter to the editor:

**************************************


An Open Letter to the Editors at Yahoo/Games Domain

My Dear Sirs or Madams (as the case may be):

I'm writing to you today to strongly object to an opening welcome article, which had been written and published announcing your new merger with Games Domain.

First, let me say: "Congratulations", "All the Best!" and "Many Good Wishes on Your Latest Merger". I truly hope that you do well.


"...To visitors who have just discovered Yahoo! Games Domain, welcome. As everyone under 35 knows and as the mainstream press is discovering, games are now youth's unofficial pastime."

...that said, the scolding will now begin:

Well, pardon me (and the silent many of whom I represent), but I suggest to you that before you claim youth and age “cutoff tallies”, and then publish it for all the gaming world to see ... you should have run better and more accurate surveys to establish your paradigms, else you alienate a growing prominent group: "Adventure Gamers".

We are strong, we are here, we are over the age of 30, we play adventure games (and love it!)...AND we're not leaving any time soon…that is… of course, unless there's a new game out there. One that we simply must have…. even to the point of attacking our poor postmen…as we lie in wait for them to deliver our “treasures” that we’ve carefully awaited with “preorder from the internet”. (And just let me tell you…there’s nothing more hilarious them an old lady like me running down my local mailman with my arms outstretched in the middle of the street shouting “but what do you mean …you don’t have my new issue of Syberia yet? Here, open up! Just let me have another look in the mail truck! I know it’s in there somewhere!!!)

Our group is vast and growing in numbers. We range in age anywhere from our late 20's to 80's… and yes, Virginia, even into our 90's. My older gamer friends have told me time and time again that Adventure/Puzzle games are one of the best ways to exercise their minds and relieve stress. These types of games may not offer dizzying action or visual bloodbath sequences… and “bosses” to destroy at every turn, no… they’re better and more intricate that that…These games require logic, thought and determination. They offer the player a form of entertainment and escape, which many times can only be offered curled up with a mesmerizing book or favorite movie.

If you bothered to look at Games Domain reviews and patches in its entirety, you would have come to realize that there are many types of computer games available, some for purchase in “brick and mortar” stores and still others which one can only order from the internet through independent developers, still other “treasures” which are known as “legacy games” can only be found through exhaustive searches (trust me on this one, gentlemen…I know about these.) of Yahoo Auctions, Ebay, GameTZ, Second Hand Book Stores, your father’s garage…your mother’s garage……and even your local Church’s fire sales.

While it is true that the larger Console and Computer Game Publishers gear there marketing dollars toward males between the ages of 9 – 35, creating those “lets-shoot-and-blow-the-bejesus-out-of-everything-we-can-in-sight-while-we’re-riding-through-dessimated-towns-in-our-stolen-cars-and-maybe-stopping-by-to-play-volleyball-with-thos e-neat-looking-cyber-chicks” type of games. And it is also true, that most “brick and mortar” store clerks who ARE mostly male and under the age of 35 (…ok, come’on, fess up …that’s who you surveyed!) will look at the adult adventure gamer with eyes all askew wondering what the heck they’re talking about when those poor souls (such as myself) wander into their establishments daring to ask for the latest game from TAC only to be told with an attitude of abject boredom,

“Sorry, ma’am but we never carry THOSE games”

“Never heard of it… are you sure there’s a game like that?”

“I’m sure your son wouldn’t like that game!”

“Why don’t you try knitting something?”

You are still missing “the slider puzzle” if you think that theirs is the only type of computer game or computer game player out there today.

I’ve run a small website for the past year providing “Set Up Walkthroughs” on how to get these adventure games to run on Windows XP…some of them can be sticky little buggers! I’ve received over 300 emails per day for the past year (with no let up in sight, may I add) requesting help on various adventure games… those request all come from adults… and most of them are women. There are many other Adventure Gaming Sites as well; far larger and more professional than mine and their members are legion!

My name is Inferno and for far too long I’ve been one of the silent few. Your article has pushed me over the edge into the “twisty little passages all alike” far below. You have discounted us; you have left us out. It’s time I speak out in behalf of my fellow gamers! Adventure Games and Grownup Gamers are NOT dead…. we’re just busy playing our Adventure Games….


Submitted with all due respect:
Inferno

"ATTA~BOY" Girl!!! Get'em! I love it! You said it the "bestest" Glynn

Good letter to the Editor.

Josie

I am also of the opinion that it's not entirely there fault that things are the way they are today in the gaming world. Though our masses are growing ...we are albiet a moderately small piece of the pie, we still are relatively a quiet lot.
The silent minority as it were. I think it's good that responses were sent to the editiors in these regard. How else will they know we're here if we don't tell them? If we don't voice our opinions no matter how small? or large? As long as we are respectful they can't help but hear us... now whether they listen is another matter and not in our control ......but still.

It will be interesting if I get a response. We'll see, won't we?

Inferno

Update

Well......I'm stunned..I recieved a response from them, which at first I thought was just a "form" auto response.....at the very bottom there was a reference to something that I had written in the body of my "letter to the editor"

...and I quote:

ROTFALMAO!!!!!!!!!!!

Inferno

Bwahahahaha!! I'll bet they've checked your site out, as well as this one. They'd be smart to.

Jean

Inferno,
My small statement to them did not draw a response other than the standard, nor have I heard anything more from them as they promised I would...I really do not expect to hear more from them. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Razz]" src="tongue.gif" />
They have tackled a tough bunch when they missed us old ladies&gents...I would defy gravity to get to my games..
Ingie

Hi all,

Way to go Inferno !!!!!

I agree 100% with everything you said

By Yahoo's description, I have less than nine months of gaming left to me!

Gremlin

Inferno, that is priceless!!! The Good thing is that it Proves they Do read the responses they get and hopefully in the future will address the 'ageist' attitude!!!

Gremlin, I don't think they would change an existing article, but they may look at things in the future... Keep up the good work everyone!! They should check out the Sims site if they think gaming is for the under 35's... I seem to remember when we ran an age poll on the UK site the over 40's category was the biggest!!!!

Hugs

Tig

When you get 35, you can start over with one year.Huppetee, take your bottle and the gamee

Fabulous Inferno, you speak for all of us who love the Adventure genre. I am wondering if we could mention just how many dollars we have sitting on our game shelves (and on preorder).
I can only an approximate figure of 300.00$ and that is without the games I have traded.
I am 77 years old and credit the agility of my mind and fingers to the daily excercise of my game playin. Love you site Inferno and share your admiration of Mr.Bill.
Dawn

I'm a week late but I also think you wrote them a great letter!

I'm over fifty and I love computer game too

Can I just say, "WTF"? LOL They are screwed to the max, along with our whole culture. You're not allowed to do anything unless you're young and sexy and cute, AND below 25 years of age. I hate this culture sometimes. sigh....

PS I'm 34 and Yahoo can kiss my tush.

I guess they never heard of Gameboomers..

They should come and vist...To prove them wrong..

Yahoo


Excellent letter..I couldn't said it any better

I'm so glad someone posted on this thread to bump it back up because I missed it the first time around. And let me tell you I was astounded. It really makes you understand what's wrong with the gaming industry, and I'm sure articles like that just help the C.E.O.'s feel justified in their ongoing marketing strategy.

P.S. I couldn't figure out how I could have missed the original post of this then I saw the thread started on Feb. 20. On Feb. 17 I had my 3rd child at age 38. I wonder what Yahoo! would think of that? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Razz]" src="tongue.gif" />

The real problem with articles like this one, is that game producers read these ridiculous editorials.

There are enough shoot-em-ups don't require brains out there for the young or young at heart with athletic fingers crowd. If too many idiotic articles like this one are published, we may see more games leaning towards adolescents & fewer thinking games that adults enjoy around!

I hope you all told them to go to GameBoomers & see how serious & mature gamers act & what we're playing & how a game site should be handled - in a professional & well thought out manner. Yahoo needs new editors, among other things.

Super letter, Inferno!

Melanie

My thanks also for bumping this thread back to the top - I also missed it first time round (due to the fact that I wasn't a GB member then). I'm astounded over people's stupidity! Perhaps articles like that are written by 18 year olds who think that anyone over 25 should be put down!?

One of my dearest friends bought herself a pc at age 69 and at age 70 started writing computer games, very successfully I might add!

Karen (seething in a wet and windy Yorkshire!)


ps - just checked Peter's original link and the article doesn't seem to be there any more...?

Did the article get taken down? I get an error when I try to link to the page!


Louis

I got the same message Louis!! Must be old news now

Or maybe they got so tired of hearing from us they took it down!

I also got an error message. I figure playing games is better then sitting in the rocker crochting things no one wants. At least my grandchildren like coming to my house and seeing what new games I have.It can be fun at times to see who can get through it first and helping each other out.

Welcome to Game Boomers, Bonnie and Gorillaswife! (Now there has to be a story behind that user name! )

to GB Bonnie and Gorillaswife, hope you enjoy it here

gorillaswife you have the true GB spirit Have you got any of the Nancy Drew games??

How old would any of us be if we didn't know how old we are?

Welcome Bonnie & Gorillaswife!

Does hubby know your screen name, Mrs. Gorilla?

I think they removed the page after deciding that they made a lot of potential customers, enemies instead, because of a lack of research.

Melanie