I think that there will be plenty of people in the 40+ range. PAX seems to attract all ages of gamer and I know that my friend group has a handful of people 40 and up in it. I'm sure it's not the only group with that makeup.
Plenty of us old folks at PAX South for sure. I grew up in the golden age of the NES so video games have been at the center of my entertainment and social interaction for most of my life. I think the old idea of games just being for kids is pretty much done at this point, for anyone actually paying attention anyways.
It'll be my fifth PAX South. I see a fair amount of people our age in the boardgame end and at a lot of the events. I think any lack of people in their 40s and 50s has less to do with our age's enthusiasm for games and more to do with our enthusiasm for stand or walking all day.
I started PAXing in my 30's and continued well into my late 40's. And I was often the spring chicken in the groups I spontaneously hung out with. The prior comment about tabletop being a good place was spot-on. I have a bad back, so just grabbing a seat anywhere often leads to conversation with other older gamers who are also taking a break. I don't recall the specifics, but I remember waiting in a big line for a company event at an off-site club, and somehow two guys in their late 50's and I got deep into reminiscing about "BattleTech: The Crescent Hawks Revenge". Totally rando, but that sort of thing happens all the time at PAX. PAX-goers of all ages tend to be friendly.
41 here, wife is 40. we've gone to every Pax South since they started it and we went to a few East's back when we lived in Boston. We've been taking our son, he's turning 13 this year and I'll admit it's getting harder and harder to kind of follow him around the show floor. I definitely take as many chances as I can get to sit down. Table top, console free play, the concerts, and any is lounges on the second floor.
I'm in relatively good shape but actually standing in line for longer than 20 minutes is really uncomfortable. I think my favorite part of PAX is sitting down for a beer in the afternoon.
41 here and its my second PAX (Pax East 2010). This time around I'm bringing my 12yo son. The tabletop gaming sessions tend to have a great mix of seasoned and younger gamers. You'll probably find us there.
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Pinny Lanyard
...no. But I'm getting darn close to that at 36. I'm going to be content by being the giant bastard walking around as Jason Voorhes.
Bah. You have to pay for it. That sucks.
-- Vroomfondel
I'm in relatively good shape but actually standing in line for longer than 20 minutes is really uncomfortable. I think my favorite part of PAX is sitting down for a beer in the afternoon.