Picture this: It’s the Fall season of your 7th-grade year. You’re young, you’re full of energy and you want everything that you see on TV, in magazines, and in radio commercials. You can’t fully express why you want everything you see, it’s just that you have that deafening calling inside that says “Wow, this new video game is amazing! How did they know I like this, it’s perfect!”

    You’re susceptible to target marketing, and it won’t stop until you reach your mid-20s.

    As a 30-year-old gamer, I’ve grown accustomed to seeing the fads come and go (some just stick around in new names. I see the resurgence of House music, Beyonce’. I’m totally here for it!) and I know when it’s time to hang it up. I also know that I cannot come into certain circles and complain about genres that don’t test well in my target demographic and demand change. Companies aren’t looking to create for a diminishing group like us and it’s a well-known fact we have to face. Sure, it’d be nice to feel like we’re being directly advertised to again in our old age, but that’s not the true case anymore. We’re too opinionated and pushy with demographics and it’s way harder to manufacture anything for a group like that. 

    Accept that fact. You’re too old for them to listen to you make small bitching noises over inferior concepts. We no longer know how to convey what we want without it “not being perfect enough to purchase”.

    But learn that it isn’t the end of the world.

    You don’t like the popular state of media releasing? Have you considered looking elsewhere for your entertainment or perhaps learning to accept and try new things?

    Indie developers have been making YOUR types of games for decades, but don’t have the backing or support of a Capcom or EA and that’s entirely your fault. Bigger companies might not give a damn about you, but Indie Devs desperately do and it’s up to YOU to feed that demographic the money it deserves to grow. 

    Want an RPG that has black culture undertones and amazing storytelling that doesn’t come with the “fake representation” companies have been giving us for years? They have those.

    Want an action game with multi-cultural characters and bright colorful visuals in 3D akin to the late great Capcom games of yesterday? They have those.

    Want an NSFW dating sim with a great story and Bejeweled gameplay added? That too!

    This is what being out of the target demographic is for me. I no longer have to be told what I SHOULD be playing and can go out of my way to try new things. No, it’s not dedicated to just the older generation and honestly, everyone should be doing this, but when you’re no longer marketed to by bigger corporations then it’s time to give the small guys the chance. 

    Now let me get this out of the way before I further hurt someone’s feelings: Yes, video games are for everyone. They are generally making video games for all ages still and you’re not being ignored. However, you are not the true market in the end. Yes, you can be 40 years old and still enjoy Call of Duty year-round, but you’re not the people they want to constantly spend money in-game on because you have an “inhibitor” that stops you called RESPONSIBILITIES. (Editors note: If you do not have responsibilities OR do and choose to be a whale, this doesn’t apply to you. In fact, none of this does, go spend your money freely and enjoy life.)

    However, I’m also for Remasters. Just lemme play the game of yesterday with a fresh coat of paint. Besides, we haven’t done anything “new” in over 20 years, let’s stop acting like we really need innovation.

    Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to play the new Capcom fighting collection just to add another Super Street Fighter 2 game to my already expanding collection of Street Fighter 2 games.