I’ve been playing Grand Theft Auto 5 on my aging PS3 this fall, and I love it. It’s easily the best video game I’ve ever played. And it’s probably my last.
I grew up surrounded by video games, and at certain points in my life, I played a lot of them.
But now I just have one game, GTA5. I don’t anticipate playing another one ever again. I no longer have the time or the interest, and even the hours I spend on GTA feel like a waste. An awesome waste, but still a waste.
As I chronicle my video game obituary, I took a moment to recall all the console systems I’ve owned over the years. With the exception of my Commodore 64, I’m not counting computers or smart phones I’ve used to play games. Here’s my list. If you’re around my age (39), yours may look similar.
- Atari 2600
- Intellivision
- Commodore 64
- Nintendo
- Sega Genesis
- Playstation
- Playstation 2
- Playstation 3
My golden age was probably in the Intellivision and Nintendo era. I played Intellivision until the controllers broke – baseball was so great for its time – and I think I could still beat Super Mario Brothers on one life. By college, I primarily played sports games like Madden and baseball (one year, my version of Greg Vaughn hit 150 home runs). By 2008, when I bought the PS3, I dabbled with Guitar Hero, but I pretty much only used that system for GTA and as a DVD player.
Now, a new generation of consoles is emerging, but I’m not really tuned in. GTA, that franchise that keeps sucking me in, seems to turn out a new title every five years, so I suppose I could be cajoled to pick up a PS4 in 2017. But probably not.
Obviously, video games aren’t just for kids anymore, but at this point in my life, I don’t find them as relaxing or even as challenging as I used to. I don’t know if this is what growing up means, but when I barely can find time to rake the leaves, I probably shouldn’t be devoting hours upon hours to gaming.
So when I finally finish GTA, I’ll sell it on eBay and close that chapter of my life … probably. A small part of me will be sad, too. Video games and I had a lot of fun together over the last 35 or so years. Now it’s time to find another hobby.
Andy is the president, publisher and founder of OnMilwaukee. He returned to Milwaukee in 1996 after living on the East Coast for nine years, where he wrote for The Dallas Morning News Washington Bureau and worked in the White House Office of Communications. He was also Associate Editor of The GW Hatchet, his college newspaper at The George Washington University.
Before launching OnMilwaukee.com in 1998 at age 23, he worked in public relations for two Milwaukee firms, most of the time daydreaming about starting his own publication.
Hobbies include running when he finds the time, fixing the rust on his '75 MGB, mowing the lawn at his cottage in the Northwoods, and making an annual pilgrimage to Phoenix for Brewers Spring Training.
