How I Got Addicted to Fighting Games in My 30s

[@davose8756]

I’m 36 and I started taking them seriously 6 years ago, best gaming decision I ever made. So rewarding and engaging

[@Moorethought]

Hell yeah! What have been your favorites? I've been loving Tekken, but I also had so much fun playing SF6 as my first SF game, and I did Guilty Gear Strive for a bit.

[@davose8756]

@@Moorethought I played Strive since launch until sf6 came out, grinded that until now I’m learning my first 3d fighter with Tekken. Also put sometime into Granblue and Darkstalkers on fightcade. Not to mention trying mk1 but the pc port in kinda sad. Hard to say what my favorite is, I’ve definitely put the most time into Strive.

[@Moorethought]

@@davose8756 nice, a true FGC player over here! Super cool. Strive was hard for me, it was my first time using a joystick and I really sucked lol. Plus, the online ranking was tough, I felt like no one was ever one (I was playing before crossplay came out). But I've loved watching high level gameplay at Evo (where I can kiiiind of understand what's going on haha), I made it to the 5th floor online I think. Anyway, thanks for stopping by!

[@davose8756]

ye i almost made it to heaven a couple times, i also play on a custom leverless, and yea man no problem always cool to see more people in the fgc@@Moorethought

[@SubzeroCage]

I just turned 36 today, I feel sad ; ; I wanna stop aging. 36 feels like a fine age to stop aging I want technology to come out to stop me from aging now lol.

[@bonkgiartist]

As someone who has the privilege to take Tekken serious at now 45. You’re spot on about how online ranked reveals a lot about you. It will even expose your mental,physical and emotional well being.

[@Moorethought]

Hell yeah it will! Which I'm grateful for heh. I definitely threw my controller a few times back in the day, being an immature little kid. Now, I can accept losses and learning lessons and be grateful people are out there showing me how to improve at something I love. Thanks for the comment and stopping by!

[@lotharlaishram765]

This I needed to hear this.

[@kylespevak6781]

That feeling you get from fighting games is just the feeling of skill building. Unlike School lead us to believe, learning is actually really fun.

[@Moorethought]

Ha! Great point. Yeah, just building the skills is super fun, and putting yourself to the test and actually executing in a live match...it's just so exhilarating. Thanks for stopping by, loved the feedback!

[@개혁자-k5d]

Except you can't learn tekken so you're wrong.

[@donalddavis370]

Im 58 and still play them, ain't hurting anyone,just my arthritic fingers 😂😂 thanks for the video 😊👊👊👊💯

[@Moorethought]

Hell yes Donald! Wow, that is so cool. Super inspiring to hear that, I truly hope I'm doing that for Tekken 11 when that comes out 😆

[@c16621]

Get a hitbox. It will solve that issue. Controllers are trash.

[@evilded2]

8:45 You REALLY don't need a arcade stick, if you're a beginner just play on what you got. For actual advantage, a leverless may give a little. But, you can just play keyboard. The real money sink is dlc.

[@thirstysquidward3554]

Right? I was cringing the whole time because you DONT NEED IT. He could've just used a dualsense and be just fine.

[@Venkullix]

@@thirstysquidward3554 i sort of agree and sort of disagree while yes you dont TECHNICALLY need a different controller some of us have hands that are way too big for a ps5 or xbox controller i personally had that issue as well as just tekkens combos feeling terrible with it and when i got an arcade stick i felt myself improve way faster it was much more comfortable for my hands and also just felt cooler to press the big loud buttons so i did in fact NEED one

[@huskymajin]

Oh God when he said fighting games were expensive I knew he fell into the arcade stick trap haha You don't need them at all. I feel like that mentality might keep some people from not wanting to play fighting games because they believe if they don't but a 300 dollar fight stick they are at a disadvantage. You're not, a regular controller is more than enough

[@MrSageChannel]

In fact stick may make you play WORSE because you need to relearn controls and specific techniques, for someone stick just can be uncomfortable and they threw money on a thing that they later regret

[@youtubecrack]

I'm in my 40s and I love that these fighting games are making a comeback.

[@Moorethought]

Hell yeah! Honestly, I'm so glad I'm here during this new golden age of fighting games. Which are your favorites?

[@Deltaclaw]

Dude I feel you, staying into fighting games as my free time dwindles is a sign to me just how much I must truly enjoy it. Nice video!

[@Moorethought]

Thank you so much!!! Holy crap, I know your channel man!! I saw your video last month about understanding how Tekken works! Super helpful, I took soooo many notes from your vid. It is incredible you saw this video pop up, as crappy and amateur as it is haha. I'm so pleased you liked the video (my new mic just came in lol), and it's so fun for me that you stopped by! Seriously, thanks so much. Looking forward to seeing more videos from your channel too!!

[@Deltaclaw]

@@Moorethought thank you wow, I'm glad you liked that video! I think it is just as amateur tbf lol; we're all really just enjoying learning the game. I also hope to win a single match at Evo lmaoo. Keep crushing it!

[@Moorethought]

@@Deltaclaw haha! Yeah SF6 at Evo was sadtimes for me lol. But Tekken was so much fun! I forgot my freaking ps4 controller which is all I played on, so for the match I had to use my leverless fightstick I used for Sf6, I was like shit how do I do Paul's demo man on this thing?? Fuck it, deathfist deathfist!! haha, and I somehow won 2 matches that way! My opponents must've reeeeeally been bad to lose to a scrub like me lol. Anyway, great connecting man, love your channel! Loved your Akira video too, man what a loss that was.

[@Deltaclaw]

Likewise, I appreciate it!

[@princedarkly]

Was put off anything competitive multiplayer having burning out hard with League of Legends. I am 32 now, and picked up Tekken 8 late last year. I never thought that spark could come back but it did! And am content now that I am a little older and wiser that I will be able to appreciate the slow process of learning the game and sticking with it way more.

[@Moorethought]

That's so awesome! Super glad to hear that perspective.

[@dimikxx]

Fighting games are the only genre where YOU get better rather than your character leveling up / getting better starts. 38 years old currently, haven’t played one seriously since SF4. Might have to come out of retirement if Sagat comes to SF6… Great vid 👍🏼

[@Moorethought]

Hell yeah! haha thanks a lot! I do love that about fighting games - there's no excuse but you, which is a tough pill to swallow but can also be incredibly rewarding.

[@PikaPenny17]

...I mean, that's just not true? My first thought as counterpoint was platforming games like Celeste, but really most genres of videogames involve the player getting better themselves at it. Even a lot of games where your character does level up or you get better starts still have some skill involved, which you can improve.

[@AlgaeEater09]

I started playing fighting games in my 30's as well. Mainly because All your friends you grew up with and played shooters with.. all grew up and stopped gaming. So here I am still gaming with nobody to game with. So I decided to play fighting games, as you don't need friends to play it. It's literally just you and YOUR skill, and that's a lot of fun.

[@Moorethought]

Hey, thanks a lot for sharing. Yeah, I've been toying around with a video script about how gaming in your 30s can be pretty lonely, because a lot of people stop gaming. But you're right, I can hop on and play Tekken (and odds are I'm playing against other 30-somethings lol) and have a great time all by myself. Thanks for sharing!

[@LuckyRaphi]

I also got addicted in my thirties. I think i never played fighting games much because i didnt understand them. And we didnt have tutorials for everything like today. As soon as i understood the systems like frames or whiffs i had much more fun.

[@Moorethought]

oh man, yes! Just like the concept of "whiff punishing" simplifies fighting games soooo much. they can be so complicated, but learning the fundamentals has been great. I liked this video by PhiDX, pro Tekken player, he was just saying you should learn your small punish (like your fastest, weakest one) and a big punish (your slower, stronger ones), then just try those over and over after blocking, which helps you learn what opponents moves are punishable and which aren't. That was like a freaking epiphany for me haha. Anyway, thanks so much for stopping by!!

[@cbfour4441]

What a great video. I’m 43 and I’ve been playing fighting games all my life. It’s so hard to describe to someone who doesn’t play fighting games how cerebral and how rewarding they can be.

[@dt7202]

Same thing happened to me at 34. I bought Tekken 8 just because I was bored. Ended up becoming addicted. Bought a leverless controller and really putting in the time to get better. I haven’t had this much fun gaming in years and I never stopped gaming.

[@Moorethought]

hell yeah! which leverless, like a snackbox?? I tried lever for Guilty Gear and SF6, and I just couldn't do a double qcf fast enough lol, but I can with a leverless! Who's your main? I'm rocking with Azucena!

[@dt7202]

I got the Razer Kitsune. It takes some time to get used to but my inputs are super clean and it’s comfortable and super satisfying to play on. I’m main Dragonuv, Azucena is so good enjoy bro!!

[@Romezguide]

Welcome to the FGC man loved the video I’m in my 30s falling back into it. But loved the video and encouraged me too keep at it to do a tournament next year

[@Moorethought]

hell yeah, I'm so glad!! Man, I did not think anyone in the world besides me and a couple buddies would watch this video with my crappy mic and 720p quality gameplay haha. to know that someone like you saw it and despite all the jank still found encouragement and liked the video? geez, it's like so inspiring for me as a total beginner to KZbin. thank you so much, I truly appreciate the feedback! which game you gonna enter for the tournament??

[@Romezguide]

@@Moorethought there’s a San Antonio one every year not that crazy but I want to go just to get better at my craft but evo would be amazing!! And yeah you did you told a really personal story very well and as a KZbinr myself it takes passion that’s what people look for the most man you have plenty of it!! But I think I’ll take a page out of your book and make a video why I love the genre as well

[@Moorethought]

Wow, thank you so much@@Romezguide !! Seriously, I really appreciate the feedback and just being able to chat with other FGC fans like you. Good luck in that tournament, hope you win lots of games!!

[@Icipher353]

I'm 47 and just getting back into fighting games after about 20 years of not playing them. It's like starting over from scratch, but it's a great mental challenge.

[@HughAnthonyEdward]

I only learned to appreciate fighting games in my early 30s. Arcades were a thing growing up, but my peers were nt into fighting games so i never got the chance to learn fundamentals as a kid. A few full price fighting games later (bbcf ,samsho, kof xv, sf6, unist) it finally clicked for me. These are the best multiplayer games. The style, music, snappy gameplay(especially snk titles) just make it so satisfying to improve at. It took me a long time to learn to enjoy the genre because I was going at it alone. It made me realise that the best way to get into fgs is to have at least one friend who can teach you the fundamentals. Fighting games are meant to be a social passtime unlike most online games these days, its just too overwhelming to go at it alone. I dont want to compete in tournies or reach top rank, i just enjoy landing new combos in a match, improving at neutral, etc in the little free i have after work.

[@Moorethought]

Thanks for all the insights! I really appreciated reading it. Great points. Honestly, I only have 1, maybe 2 friends who are also into fighting games, and I wish it was more. I've had a hard time connecting with people at locals and tournaments and stuff too, because I have a wife and kids and other stuff, where it feels like for lots of FGC fans they're just obsessed with the game and that's all they do. But yeah, pressing buttons is fun haha. I love doing combos online and doing my best, and when I'm over it, I just stop playing. Anyway, thanks again!

[@vacantseaofplanets]

I've played SFV and 6 online and the experience is horrible without voice chat, private messages, or any kind of chat in private lobbies. I grew up playing SOCOM and Halo online and had a blast. Beating a bunch of silent randos is a miserable lonely depressing waste of time. And I used to play with lots of people IRL but I got so much better than them they stopped wanting to play with me. Like ten people I could name. Anyway my point is they need voice chat. It is not a social experience at all without voice chat.

[@DiegoRivera-he4kw]

Wow this video is so well put together and thoughtfully done. As a fellow person in their 30s who has just gotten into tekken 8 after not playing one for going on 15 years, this video is gold.

[@Moorethought]

Wow thank you so much! To be perfectly honest, I really thought no one would watch this - I just threw it together with duct tape and bubblegum haha. It's really encouraging to hear that even with this low quality video (I just bought a new mic! heh), people like you can get something out of it. So thank you so much, I truly appreciate the feedback! Hope we can run into each other in ranked sometime!!

[@DavidRamirezmusician]

Same here bro. Love tekken 8 now.

[@Moorethought]

Hell yeah! Who's your main? I did Paul all throughout T7, now I'm an Tenryu rank with Azucena!

[@DavidRamirezmusician]

@@Moorethought I’m a Claudio main dude, lol. This my first Tekken, but I’m stuck on Garyu/Shinryu.

[@Moorethought]

Nice!@@DavidRamirezmusician Yeah, I've been at Tenryu for a while, I saw some video somewhere saying like red ranks are the limbo of Tekken lol, everyone's there and everyone's stuck! Good luck to both of us getting to purple 😅

[@goldenspiral6008]

This video is really encouraging. I'm getting into fighting games in my 20s and, honestly, even then I've felt like I'm late to the party.

[@zeroroque3433]

Dude I'm in the same boat. I'm so glad I came across your video. I'm 35 and just got back into the fgc since middle school and while I don't plan on giving up, your video gave me more motivation to keep it up. Im just super socially anxious sometimes to where I'll miss events at times and I don't know where that comes from because I wasn't like that before. Anyway thx for the inspiration

[@Moorethought]

Holy crap thank you so much for the comment! Wow, I'm floored, thank you so much for your honesty and vulnerability here. Honestly, these events can be really intimidating! It was weird, at Evo 2023 everyone was introducing themselves by their gamertag, not their actual name, which was really weird for me lol. And I've definitely let my anxiety and nerves get the better of me at these things, during games and even just at the events. But in the end, there's a whole lot of great people who are gonna love seeing you show up, because that means you're just as a big a fan as them! Have fun playing the games, thanks again for stopping by!

[@RomnysGonzalez]

The best thing and what i love the most about fighting game is how all the responsibility is on you. I always loved it since i was a kid and had been playing them since forever. If you're bad is on you and you only you got no teammates to blame, but yourself and if you're good is on you. You worked hard for it and you get the reward of seeing those results growing up with you. FGC is a battle against yourself. Is a battle of improvement,discipline,resiliency and mental fortitude. FGC is the greatest genre of games of all time

[@Moorethought]

Hell yeah brother! Love that ideology. It's also why I freaking love fighting games so much. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

[@jestermagez2196]

I'm 43 and still play fighting games. I used to get frustrated because it took me forever to get good at most combos and get mad when I lose but after years of playing fighting games I now have fun playing them (and yes I still I'm still horrible at fighting games but still play).

[@Moorethought]

haha! yeah it's funny how much we love them despite how infuriating they can be. thanks for sharing!

[@Shieldclock]

The whole thing about feeling the need to get a stick, and then using it as the main argument that fighting games are expensive (You can play fightcade for free on a shitty laptop with a keyboard and have access to 100s of fighting games) was a little silly, but the rest of the video was really good Your speech at the end about self discovery, I LOVE hearing that kind of shit

[@Moorethought]

Hey thanks a lot! I really appreciate that feedback. You know what, a lot of people have been commenting and telling me things aren't as expensive as they seem, which is nice. I have heard of fightcade, which is awesome. Anyway, thanks so much for your insights and encouragement!!

[@MattyDates.]

Thanks for making this. I grew up in the 90s playing SF2 on my family’s SNES. Years passed and I spent more time playing shooters, platformers, sports games, and RPGs than I ever did fighters. For whatever reason, when SF6 came out last year I decided to go all in. Got a leverless controller and now I’m playing almost daily when I can find the time. I’m kicking myself for not playing more fighting games in the past, but I’m in my 30s and loving it now like I did when I was a kid. It feels so rewarding to see myself progressing. Other games can’t replicate the feeling. The high skill floor and ceiling really make it an unparalleled experience. I too wish more people would give these games a shot.

[@PlatinumBro]

amazing video! I just started trying to beat all the tekken games for a video. I'm 30 so a little late to be a pro but I totally get everything you said in this video

[@jameji_phd]

I'm getting back into fighting games at 26 in the middle of a PhD. I definitely feel the time crunch, I'm currently trying to balance finishing a slightly overdue midterm paper and prepping for my first beginner competitive Tekken bracket tonight.

[@Moorethought]

Hell yes! What are you studying? I have an MA in psych, and video games sure as hell helped me through grad school lol. That is so awesome about the tournament tonight, you gotta tell me how you do!! Good luck!

[@jameji_phd]

@@Moorethought ironically enough, I'm working on a PhD in game design essentially (though it's really half game design and half game studies). I'll let you know how the bracket turns out! It starts in like an hour and a half but I have a bye round 1 cause I signed up yesterday and it's seeded by signup time I guess.

[@Moorethought]

Wow, that's awesome@@jameji_phd , I want to play the games you design! Heh. How was the tournament???

[@jameji_phd]

@@Moorethought Got my ass handed to me but the guy who beat me won the whole thing so the cope is easy lol

[@Moorethought]

Dude that has happened to me several times! It's like...well, that guy won it all, so...haha, great work showing up though!@@jameji_phd

[@DualWieldingDad]

34 here and I’m using the few hours I have a week to stream my progress of street fighter 6! LETS GO!

[@Moorethought]

Dude that's awesome!!! Who's your main??

[@jpVari]

Holy shit this is me! Ahaha. I played mk and sf in the 90s,i played and loved mk9 when I was into starcraft, so I had fallen in love with competitive gaming but fighting games didn't click with me then Then at 33 mk11 came out and since 2019 all I've played are fighting games. Currently grinding sf6 every day, fantasizing about being the best. My wife is supportive of my hobbies thankfully. Can't believe how excited I was to see this video recommended to me

[@Moorethought]

Ha! Wow, I loved this comment so much. As you can see, this is only my 2nd video ever, with a crappy mic and 720p footage and it's all so amateur - and to see this comment, just wow. I'm so inspired by this, thank you so much. Thanks for the insights! I loved Starcraft too (Terran all the way), and I've just loved competitive games my whole life. Congrats on having a supportive wife! Haha, I have one too, it's great. Who's your main in SF? I got to Gold 5 start with Zangief (those SPD's are hard on my WASD keypad!), then I got Manon to Platinum 5 start, been having fun with Ken, and I think I'm gonna pick up Ed soon! Anyway, thanks again so much for the comment. Take care!

[@jpVari]

​@@MoorethoughtI play jp and Ryu! Would love to play sometime. I'm watching this again and only just saw this response, glad if it gave you a smile!

[@IsakuItou]

I’m 52 and I just bought an arcade stick.

[@Moorethought]

Hell yeah!! What kind??

[@icemagefullbusta]

As a dude who's about to hit his 30's soon, this is great encouragement! 😅

[@Moorethought]

haha absolutely!

[@Doyoulike4]

Got into fighting games in my 20s after playing smash in my teens. Truthfully, I think a lot of the "Smash isn't a fighting game" stuff isn't really true so much as "The Smash Community and the rest of the FGC are separate entities." Smash didn't go through the FGC Dark Ages, they were at MLG/Dreamhack next to Dota 1, Halo 2/3, Counter-Strike 1.6/Source, and Starcraft, and even the origins of smash competitive is different than the arcade tournaments and money matches the FGC was formed from. Really the smash/fgc connection started from them getting into Evo that year from the charity stuff where Melee ended up beating Skullgirls for the slot. Plus when they were at Evo was opposed to the PS3/PS4/360s and HDMI 1ms refresh monitors, Smash was on gamecubes, with gamecube controllers, with CRT TVs, they were using completely different equipment and resources than virtually every other game at Evo mainstage.

[@Moorethought]

Those are great points! You obviously know your history, haha. I also think Nintendo has had some really terrible intentional blocking between Smash and the FGC as a whole, shutting down grassroots tournaments, sending cease and desists to locals, allowing Smash to leave Evo, etc. Regardless, I love both games and I hope they can all keep growing and developing and getting more players of all ages. Thanks for your insights!

[@anarkyink1943]

I'm 35 and went hard into fighting games a few years ago. I've always loved fighting games because of the cool and colorful characters but could never actually play them with any competence. I didn't know how to make a plan or what the pros were doing differently so I get pretty much frustrated and suffer buyer's remorse from purchasing a fighting game with no one to play with. Then I saw some great videos about the FGC community and how to actually learn the game. For me, it was all about learning how to express yourself with your character. Your control over the situation is the test of the game. Every match up, every scenario, every challenge poses a choice for what you want to do next. Therein lies the rythm of the game. It's like learning any new skill. You want to be able to do it your way and see how it matches up with an opponent's way. I think that's why it's addicting :D

[@DatOneGuy901]

I'm 40 now and started attending tournaments in my early 30s. i've competed at a pretty high level in both Street Fighter 5 and Skullgirls in a couple regionals and i was super proud of myself for training and getting good enough to not be 0-2'd in most tournaments

[@joeblooda]

You managed to express what I feel since started playing more seriously: I play Tekken since the first, but started online only with 7 some years ago; then I tried every 2D I could, and became addicted like you said. I was almost in my thirties, now I am 33. Even though I get frustrated a lot, trying to be better and pass my plateaus, I can't stop. Like you said it's a marvelous journey. Thank you for this video and have a nice day everyone!

[@Moorethought]

Hell yeah, thanks so much for the comment! I really appreciate that feedback, and it's super great to meet other 33-year olds who love fighting as much, if not more than I do. Thanks for stopping by!

[@joeblooda]

@@Moorethought we should do a sort of community for people of our age to spar with each other 😆

[@Moorethought]

Haha, we don't talk about fight club@@joeblooda ! 😂

[@kumadoken]

I starting Tekken again after a long hiatus and I am 42….was tough to remember moves and doing long combos remembering combinations… the brain and hand took a while but is been a month I think I am getting the hang of it again. Currently in purple ranks in Tekken 8 I know there are ppl who only been playing for weeks and are in purple but I’m good happy about where I am so far looking to improve

[@Moorethought]

Damn, hell yeah!! I'm at Tenryu, almost at Mighty Ruler! So cool you've been playing for so long and can still kick ass (purple ranks are freaking tough to get into). I have been playing this whole time and I'm not there yet haha, I think you should be really proud of getting up there. Who's your main? I'm rocking Azucena right now. Anyway, thanks for stopping by and for the comment! Maybe we'll brush shoulders at some Evo someday heh.

[@kumadoken]

@@Moorethought really appreciate your video and is true playing fighting games you learn a bit more about how you react emotionally. And can really analyse how you behave to come out on top. I find that relaxing and being calm… your fingers can move faster and more accurately rather being tensed up from being angry and frustrated . This was something I didn’t think about as much when I was playing sf4 online all those years ago. Is such a different world now playing Tekken 1 as a 14 yr old I had to get a guide. As we didn’t get moves list in game and the instructions only had a handful of them. And of course you can only improve so much playing against the PlayStation. Now everything is online etc… lol I am starting to sound like a grandpa playing Tekken. Still I enjoy it and I hope to attend Evo I don’t care where I get to but I feel like is something I have to do and hope for the best.

[@TehStuffEditor]

You've earned a like and subscription. I'm 27 and had the privilege of becoming addicted when I was 22. However I can still relate to a lot of this. Welcome brother

[@Moorethought]

Haha, "the privilege of becoming addicted" is an excellent phrase. Thanks so much, glad you liked the video!

[@dommafia]

Old man reporting in. Been playing since 2007. Who would have thought I started as the greatest comeback in fighting game history was about to unleash. Sf4 was my start to it all. Sf3 was my first game, but only played my cousins at home. Sf4 ranked was a totally new world, and I got addicted

[@Moorethought]

Damn, you had some great timing! Yeag, wasn't like the early 2000s a pretty bleak time for the FGC and fighting games? It's been so cool seeing such a wave of popularity in the genre since then!

[@MrGaskmask]

I'm 34 and totally relate to your video and what you are saying. And now I'm obsessed with Teeken and o my! If that have put my might to test! I have learned a lot and also feel frustrated too. But still want to get better at it, and continue to push myself self to improve. I was thinking that was to late to join but thanks to you, I see that is not a problem that

[@zhaf]

I've been playing fighting games since Street Fighter 2 world warriors and been part of the FGC since Alpha 3. The train of thought that Smash is not a fighting game haven't been a thing for a long time now. Last time I heard someone arguing about that was during SF4 days. Nowdays I'm more of a spectator as my irl life don't leave me with enough time and energy to play fighting games at a level that I enjoy anymore. But it's always to have new people start playing regardless of age.

[@eugeneenyaosa6397]

Subbed!!! Awesome story bro. I think everyone that comments is experiencing the same situation as yours...although your's is much more unique with two kids/wife and a full time job. Im 38 and just got my PS4 back after having it locked away in a storage unit for over a year....so not having played videogames at all in over a year is one thing but then trying to get into figthing games and their unique commands is a whole other kettle of fish.

[@Moorethought]

Hey, thank you so much for the feedback!! Yeah, stepping back into video games (especially fighting games) can be real tough, heh. But also, there are so many new people to the genre and casuals and beginners (MK1 and SF6 and T8 have all sold like, 2-3 million copies each I think?), meaning that there's plenty of opportunity to learn and grow and just have fun. Anyway, hope you have fun getting back into vidjya games, thanks for stopping by!

[@CodeeW]

Great video. Good man.

[@leoerus]

Lovely video man. Im a but younger but am a few years into falling in love with the genre. This was super enjoyable to listen too and it makes me wana go grind some SF6

[@Moorethought]

Hell yes! Thank you so much for the feedback. fighting games are for everyone, all ages! Man some of these kids be kicking old dude's asses, it's super impressive heh. Have fun on the grind!

[@RickiHirsch]

It's been hard to find time to play as I've gotten older but fighting games are something special. The only thing that scratches the same itch for me has been picking up fencing.

[@Moorethought]

Thanks for sharing! You know what, I've actually heard that analogy before - real life fighting games heh. THanks for stopping by!

[@tomlion0116]

I'm 30 right now and a week ago I started playing Street Fighter Alpha 3 on my Anbrnic RG35XX-H Emulation handheld. And I also got addicted. I casually played Tekken Dark Resurrection on my PSP in the last 3 years but now Street Fighter Alpha 3 clicked with me playing Ken. My goal is if I can't beat the CPU I don't need to buy the newest version (it got anounced in the recent Nintendo Direct) to play online. And the Emulation handheld is great for pick up and play lifestyle and fighting games are perfect for it. Also... I got burned out of modern gaming if it is not Nintendo. I learned to love JRPG's and my next step was to learn to love fighting games. Can't wait to try the other old Street Fighter games. 😊

[@shakenbake7777]

Picked up fighting games again at 31 and it's the most fun I have had gaming in a long time

[@Enderup]

I'm not 30 or 25, hell I'm in College, but this video gives a pretty awesome insight to how people feel coming into Fighting Games. I myself am a Fighting Game Freak and owns/plays them all with my PS5 Dualsense and My personal favorite FG is Skullgirls. This was really cool to watch. Also more people need to play Fighting Games just specifically for the music. Under Night 2 and Guilty Gear Songs are Legendary.

[@Souldestroy199]

29 and just got into Tekken 8. My friend in their 30s was hyped, so I was hyped alongside them, and I fully got immersed in the lore and history videos while at work. Bought it a week after release and can't get enough. Something in your brain changes once you start playing fighting games, that's for sure.

[@Moorethought]

Haha true that! Super cool to hear, hope you have a great time playing!!

[@Monke455]

Good luck on your journey in fighting games and youtube

[@lokeleenP]

I loved fg since childhood mk1,2,3 T3, SF2. Followed till my teens. Now, at 36 i seriously playing fg and work to move past the above average level

[@Moorethought]

Hell yeah that's what I'm talking about! Always great to meet other 30-something FGC fans. Thanks for stopping by and for the comment!

[@RustedCrown11]

tekken 8 has made it so much easier to learn, now is the time to get into it if you really want to

[@GDPanda69]

Hell yeah, brother. PREACH! I've loved fighting games since I got my hands on SFII in the 90s and they're even more fun in my 40s!

[@HeroLAT]

Started this time last year and will be 40 before this year is through. I love speedrunning, but fighting games are easily the most rewarding time I've had in gaming. Thanks for this video, keep it up!

[@Moorethought]

That's awesome, thanks for the feedback! You know, I haven't had really any experience watching (let alone doing lol) speedrunning, what games have you gotten into in that??

[@HeroLAT]

I would say the Mega Man 2, Mega Man X and Super Metroid speedruns are what got me into watching them. Personally, I have run Mega Man 2, NieR: Automata, River City Ransom and a handful of others. It's a ton of fun, but there is something about Fighting games that just hit different. No pun intended.

[@jaserror]

Fighting games is actual shonen/wrestling for regular folks.

[@christopherallan4298]

Massively underrated comment right here!!! 💗💗💗

[@christopherallan4298]

Also: #ItsRealToMeDammit 😅😅😅

[@ultimateblackmanradio]

Nice video. Welcome to the FGC!

[@Moorethought]

Hey, thanks a lot!!

[@Christina_Cage]

Excellent video ❤

[@Hau5test]

I always liked fighting games but since Tekken 8 came out this year I just really dove in at age 32. 30+ hours a week at times and loving the learning curve experience. Connecting with other gamers and learning from them. It’s great :) especially since single matches can be done in a few minutes when I can quickly take breaks in between etc. great stuff

[@Moorethought]

Hell yeah! I do love just being able to boot up Tekken for like 20-30 min, get some matches, and hop back to whatever I'm doing, great for taking a little mental break.

[@freshporkbun]

Genuinely: the best genre of video game.

[@Moorethought]

Hell yeah!

[@CHex.]

1989's "kid" here. I always thought I sucked bad at fighting games. I was bad at Tekken 3 and my friends kept beating me in Smash Bros in college. I decided to try out SF6 a few months ago seeking for a solo competitive game, and I find myself grinding in Plat 1 now, my realistic goal is Plat 2 which is roughly percentile 25%. I'm really enjoying the journey, I'm thinking of giving GGST a go and I'm eagerly waiting for 2XKO! Edit: fighting games are actually cheap on PC. Keyboards are lowkey leverless boards.

[@johnnyguzman6888]

Giving any hobby 2 years of your life will make you very well at it and becomes more rewarding

[@NikolayNikoloff]

I'm in my 30's and I started playing SFV about 4 years ago. I really liked the aesthetic and the combat of SFV and USF4 and just by watching some videos on YT I kinda wanted to give it a try, however I was unsure If I'd even gonna be able to execute any combos or do a super on command, but as soon I got SFV just as covid hit the world, I loved it! After I got into SFV I even bought USF4, but mostly played 5 and ended up playing and learning all combos for at least 20 characters of the 45 final roster. I was first playing at pad, but couldn't get used to it and my finger were getting tired after an hour of play, so I bought myself arcade stick, cause I was dropping combos left and right with the pad, I figured the stick is my weapon of choice, fits me best and gets me the best performance and execution satisfaction. Can't say I'm addicted, but I'm really invested into SF6, currently main's Cammy and I got to Platinum. However, I do not like any other fighting games besides SF4 to 6, Street Fighter style and design is just on another level compared to other fighting games. I'm usually into RPG's, so I didn't get into fighting games, I just got into Street Fighter.

[@Draxx1134]

started getting into them at 29 with project justice, now im hooked on tekken after kinda paying attention to it my whole life

[@kingbae6814]

8:07 that life bar was delayed lmao

[@THESMOZZLER]

fighting games are the most rewarding competitive gaming genre imo. it feels great to overcome your barriers you've been struggling with for weeks or months. also matches only taking a few minutes each is great.

[@Moorethought]

Totally agree, there's really nothing like it, and the experiences it can give you in those small moments in matches.

[@bastinelli443]

41 now but started playing Tekken 7 on release and never stopped. 1100 hours in Tekken 7 and going to put 1000+ more into 8. My time is limited being a dad, I don't have time to play games like RPGs or single player games. I'm not a fps player so fighting games were the next logical choice. With 2 hours, I can grind ranked or sit in the lab and I feel like I accomplished something with my time because I'm constantly improving a skill. Before chasing loot was the reward for gaming but the older you get the less of a dopamine hit you get from it. Working on a skill is just way more rewarding for me.

[@toadmagesage6499]

Just turned 32, probably started really playing fighting games around 28. No experience like any other in a 1v1. Just you two and your skills put to the test. Video was very well said.

[@Moorethought]

Thank you very much!!

[@MarooTK]

I also joined the party pretty late bro. I was introduced to my local Tekken scene back in college in my 20s, but back then Tekken was not released on PC, so I don't get into it that much. Fast forward 2018, I was 28 and T7 released on steam. I played it so much, I placed top 8 at my locals a few times on T7 lifespan and pretty satisfied. The highlight of my FGC so far was traveling solo with train and bus across Europe, from Prague to Lyon (I was visiting my sister in Prague, and this was my first time outside South East Asia) to attend The mixup 2023 last year and meet lots of Tekken personality like Michael Murray, Super Akouma, Rip and many others. Right now I've put 200+ hours into T8 and definitely saving money to fly to EVO Japan in 2025! Quoting the man Tokido himself I just want to say "Fighting game is something so GREAT"

[@Moorethought]

Damn, top 8 hell yeah! I have neverrrrr done that haha, I got to grand finals a few times for Smash Utl but for fighting games like Tekken, I was never even close lol. I love this comment, so cool to hear that story. How many other genres of games have stories like this, players traveling countries and bravely putting themselves out there, I mean wow! This is the kinda story I want to include in future videos. Think it'd be cool if I did mention this in any future fighting game videos I make? I'd love to tell stories of people like you and how fighting games truly changed a lot for you!

[@MarooTK]

@@Moorethought Sure mate, feel free! Looking back, it was really a precious experience I don't regret it one bit.

[@Calyston]

Same as you excepted i was 44 when i started tekken 7. Now 46 and im about to get over red rank in tekken 8. What i love bout tekken is even if i dont have the 20s reflexes in tekken you can outsmart and actually win with your brain!! Keep on at it!

[@Moorethought]

Hell yeah let's gooooo! I'm at Tenryu, almost out of red ranks! Yes, excellent point - I love the mind game stuff and conditioning people. I love like running up after heat dash and grabbing and conditioning them to duck, which I'll like get launched and blown up but as soon as it really matters, I'll run up and launch them when they're crouching for the win. It's like, damn that's so addicting haha

[@JuanBash2k]

41 here & the itch hit me 2 years ago after we formed a little in-person tournament/gathering here in MD.

[@markmessi9020]

Bro its the best genre of video games to play older tbh. You only get a few dew hours to game when theres a wife, kids, family calling you, friends, work, gym, your dog, etc. and fighting games covers two primal urges for, no three urges for men. Learning by keeping your mind sharp in the lab, brutal competition on ranked in the confines of your home, and the satisfaction or dissatisfaction of how you did that day. My friends are all on hell divers 2 right now and i couldnt care less, i have more tekken to learn along with some ed labbing when i get good at Tekken. Happy gaming people

[@Moorethought]

Hey thanks so much for sharing your thoughts! Those are really good points. Honestly, there's really no other place in my life where I can consistently and easily compete with others at a similar skill level in intense and intentional competition. Have fun at Tekken!!

[@drunken_viper]

I started playing during covid .. tekken 7 was 90% off. Started with law ,got beatup badly by a lei and while learning the matchup I ultimately became what I hated a Lei main(Byakko). Later picked up steve and Yoshi too. Tried other fighting games (Silver Ken in SF6, Baiken in GGST) I am in University now and only play when I can ..but as stressful as Tekken 8 is I always come back to it, labbing and trying stuff in ranked (Garyu Steve). I hope I get to do it later in life too just like you..job , wife and kids also definitely go to Evo when I can afford it. Thanks for the video. subbed.

[@Moorethought]

Hahaha that story about becoming the thing you hated make me crack up 😂I never, ever understood at Lei player I ever faced lol, I just tried to do df2 whenever felt right! That's really cool you've played so many fighting games, it's a really cool secret lingo you can learn and you become instantly connected with a massive fan base of the FGC. Thanks so much for the feedback, I really appreciate it!

[@hez1711]

everyday i wake up and thankgod for overwatch 2, the game that finally made me quit team based fps and venture into a completely different genre, Hence my new found love and obssession for fighting games

[@ZyletaSF4]

I've been playing fighting games for 20 years, and what I like most about them is that age doesn't matter, it's the only genre where young people won't catch up with you by grinding, you need to have discipline, which most older people have, to sit in training and the foundations that take years to build, I'm personally age of 40 and I'm getting better every year, if I were to give you the biggest shortcut to being better, it would be to learn in first place after block frames and windows in strings all characters(or the most popular), from this start building gameplan around this knowledge(neutral/options become easier to understand), then learn combos, any-airs, hit confirms, fotsie, zoning etc. all fighting games revolve around this, this will give you the biggest jump, of course I don't mention mechanics and execution because it's obvious, personally I like to spend time in training, I'm happy that I haven't burned out with fighting after such a long time

[@Radec_G]

same here, 31 yo fart, started at 29 with ggstrive, now I don't like it even tho im grateful with the game rn im in love with SF6 and T8 ❤

[@Moorethought]

Haha awesome!! So fun man, I love being able to play all these games. Who are your mains?? I went pretty far with Manon in SF6, now I'm rocking with Azucena in Tekken!

[@Radec_G]

@@Moorethought Nago, Giovanna and Baiken in Strive, only Chun-li and Reina in SF6 and T8, waiting for Lidia to get added to T8 cuz she's the literal reason I started playing fighting games in the first place since her reveal trailer, literally love at first sigh, even tho Strive was my first "online" FG, I buy and tried Lidia and T7 cuz I fucking love her in every aspect, design, fight style, voice, everything, but as a Latin American I literally cannot play anything online that does not have rollback, connection is trash down here but good rollback solves everything

[@gUyDyN]

Welcome to the FGC my guy! I'm glad the youtube algorithm did something right and showed me this video. Couple of things you mentioned in this video that I wasn't to comment on. Smash is FGC imo, it's a platform fighter. And all those hours that you've put into it, means that you've had the fighting spirit since ever since! That's awesome that you've got to go to EVO and compete. Just keep practicing when you can. The joy about fighting games is all that training you put and when it pays off. Controlling your emotions in intense situations build character. And mad shout outs to real MVP... your wife. Letting you go to a local while she holds down the fort. I salute her o7! It's always amazing when others support our niche genre. I noticed you play Manon too, if you need some help, I'd love to help you improve. We'll get you out of that 0-2 at your next EVO! Great video btw! Keep up the good fight! ➡⬇↘➕👍

[@Moorethought]

Thank you! That's a good point, I remember watching Smash Ultimate at Evo for years. It's definitely helped me remain poised and to remember to just enjoy the grind, learn matchups, and practice what you can. Ha, thanks for the help about Manon! I haven't played SF much since Tekken came out, but I actually might pick up Ed, he looks awesome!

[@riczz4641]

Fighting games are in the best spot ever right now, many of us didn't enjoy them before because they weren't as good as they are now objectively speaking. things like rollback finally allow you to play online comfortably, balancing is better than ever due to decades of experience these devs have. And of course we can't talk about this fighting game renaissance without talking about SF6. It was the first of the big 3 to release in such a good state. Not trying to say Tekken doesn't hold it's own ground not saying that at all but a lot of people that saw how hype SF& was helped both Tekken and MK (MK blew it of course lol).

[@MrSamuelAdam4]

Same happened to me. I've played fighting games my whole life but didn't know what I was doing. I could do moves that required execution but didn't under why I should use it other than a fireball. I started taking fighting games seriously when Street Fighter 5 came out. I was 26 at the time. I'm now in my mid 30's & I'm decent to pretty good at them depending on the game. It's a long bumpy road but if you have experience friends to help you learn faster then it's a lot shorter.

[@Moorethought]

Thanks for sharing! Yeah, fireball is OP why would you do anything else haha 😆 there are so many life lessons and things fighting games can teach you if you spend time learning.

[@SalveASMR]

Nothing bad with this man. Keep it up. 💚👏 Choose life.

[@evilme73]

As an old man who has just got into fighting games with SF6... great vid :) Would like to make it known to other newbies that you can get cheap high quality leverless controllers for like 30 bucks on sale (for the mini ones) these days, 60 bucks for the full size ones. I played on kb when I started as I didn't want to pay hundreds for a fightstick... then these guys popped up on aliexpress. I played around 80 hours over two weeks to hit my first goal of diamond... but haven't opened the game since :(. As amazing as the adapting to win feels, the frustration of knowledge checks affects me on another level and I need to get my emotions sorted before I re-enter that arena, lol.

[@Moorethought]

Hey, thanks for the comment!! Whoa, that cheap?? That's awesome! How's their quality? That's a great point about the knowledge checks. I once heard someone say Tekken is basically "Knowledge Check: The Game" 🙃 it's really tough. Although it is really cool being on the other side of it sometimes, after putting in like 300 hours in T7, I now know a lot of common high attacks you can duck, which feels awesome when you punish that and pass the knowledge check! But yes, totally feel you on the emotions part - I feel like I've come a long way from that immature little kid who would throw his controller when was mad he lost - now, I try to be thankful for the experience and chance to get better. Anyway, great insights, thanks for sharing them!

[@evilme73]

@@Moorethought quality seems fine to me (though I have no real experience to compare it to, except my brother's FightboxB1 which feels like clunky garbage in comparison to my Haute42 T16... but I think that's purely due to the weird caps on the B1, it would probably be fine otherwise) From what I understand they basically just took what the "OpenStick" (open source fightsticks) community did, refined it a little and packaged it up for retail production. As for the emotions... yeah, I haven't raged at a game for over a decade until I played SF6 lol. It was unlike anything before it, as your player agency is stripped for 10+ seconds every time you fail a knowledge check. it's brutal!

[@Balactus_]

Great video💪🏾💪🏾

[@christopherallan4298]

I grew up playing and loving fighting games, but never because i had any illusions that i was good at them or ever would be. I just always loved how cool the character designs and moves looked, and thought it felt great doing cool shit with a cool-looking character. I also think it's great that even though a fighting game has a set number of modes and characters, the game changes along with you as you play it and improve at it. It's harder to say the same about more narrative-driven experiences, because even if you replay those games, it's still the same content. Growing up, i played Tekken, Street Fighter, Samurai Shodown, MK 2 & 3, and KOF. I mostly play Tekken 8 in the current day. Nothing more than a filthy casual, but still enjoy watching the characters do cool stuff and even learning a little as I play. Won't ever be competitive in any sense, but really don't need to be, as I'm just a 30-something rando.

[@buns9022]

When it comes to fighting games, Anytime in your life is the right time to learn some combos and take 'em to locals/online.

[@eugeneenyaosa6397]

Anyone got any advice for a guy that just bought MK 11 and Injustice 2 on sale for $10 on the PS Store and now is really intimidated by the crazy complex button combinations?? Its so bad that now i come up with reasons not to play MK11/Injustice. I think its a psyche thing now where I just need to force myself to play and get better. I have the same fear of Dragon Ball Fighter Z too. Someone help me

[@NeutralRocker]

Keep up these videos bro 💪

[@Moorethought]

Hey hey thanks! I'm just trying to be a little better each one - better mic, better video footage, etc. Thanks so much for the encouragement!

[@punchyrivera]

Hey remember this just keep practicing you will get better and better, I definitely will come this year coming up sf6 is my first fighting game I’m taken super serious. I wanna start competing.

[@ThaShowStopper]

This is wild because our situations are so similar except that I was heavy in the fighting games when I was younger and got stupid competitive! 😏 But as of late I've been waiting to get back into them. I played tge Tekken 8 Demo like it was 1995 & All I had was a demo disc to play😂! Keep it up My G, I'm glad your channel popped up in my feet I definitely subscribed! 💪🏾🤘🏾🫡

[@kingj521]

loved every second of this video

[@Moorethought]

Wow, thank you so much!! I promise the audio and video quality will be better in future videos haha. Thanks again for the kind words!

[@austinyun]

35. Been a fighting game fan for a long time but SF6 is my first Street Fighter. Placed Bronze at the start, now got several characters in Masters.

[@KillaCheeto56]

I've been a fighting game nut since I could hold a controller. So many of my greatest gaming memories are because of them. Of course, back then, I was mainly just playing with friends be it during hang outs or occasionally at arcades. I didn't truly discover he FGC as a whole until around the release of Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Once that happened, my love for the genre exploded even more and the competitive spark ignited in me. Ended up buying my first arcade stick after that...and now own about 6. All of that finally culminated in me going to my first Evo last year. The main goal, don't go 0-2. A goal that I managed to reach. When 2-2 in Guilty Gear Strive. Best weekend ever.

[@Moorethought]

Hey, that's great!! haha nice work at Evo, I probably brushed shoulders with you in that crazy crowd! Yeah, I never played fighting games growing up, people with fight sticks seemed really badass to me heh. Thanks for stopping by!

[@KillaCheeto56]

@Moorethought We just may have. Possibly at the Tekken 8 booth. Who knows, we may have even played each other. As someone who loved going to arcades as a kid, the moment I learned about fight sticks, I lost my mind. And thanks for making the video. I always love hearing people talk and gush about how they got sucked into the genre.

[@Moorethought]

Ha@@KillaCheeto56 I was definitely at that T8 booth and loved it! Got my free shirt and everything lol. Really loved chatting with a fellow FGC fan, thanks so much for stopping by and sharing!

[@KillaCheeto56]

@Moorethought Always a pleasure bub. After I got eliminated I basically lived at the Tekken 8 and Project L/2XKO booths.

[@Moorethought]

"Project L" sounded better haha@@KillaCheeto56 , it was such a great time and I'm bummed I won't be able to attend this year. You going again?

[@STELLARMIGHTY]

I’m about to 35 and it’s the only games I’m really interested in now back in the day I loved them but didn’t study them like I do now

[@shane12435]

ive been diving deep since idk mid 20s and the hardest part was learning inputs i mean i always played them casually renting them here and there but anime fighters really hit me with that competitiveness and since persona 4 arena ultimax ive been just buying most new fighters that release aside from nrs games i just dont like how they move

[@Ness315]

Got into the FGC during COVID in my 30s and DEF got addicted

[@fortunate2341]

Man, this is relatable. I'm 31 playing Tekken for the first time with 8 and trying to get plugged into my local scene. It's intimidating when everyone my age has like two decades of experience, but I'm trying to just have fun with it. Great video! Thoughtful, wholesome, and encouraging 👍🏻 Keep it up! And I love how this comment section has become a little community of 30-something or older FG players. A niche within a niche haha

[@n1lknarf]

Fighting games are the fatherly figure everyone needs but none wants to have.

[@wey2spookisb]

Hello im your 400th subscriber great video man super interesting to hear your experience

[@Moorethought]

Hey super cool you got number 400!! tell you what I'll introduce you to #4000 and #40,000 soon! ;)

[@wey2spookisb]

@@Moorethought better be quick im waiting 😈

[@MrChick86]

It's the same for me as a 30 years old! Except I never liked fighting games with my mind but deep inside I used to enjoy playing them when the opportunity comes .. I am a racing gamer and I always considered fighting games not for me because I suck at that in general! And I don't why how I started being addicted to that! It feels like heaven, discovering and playing all the old school street fighter games from the original to the II editions and so on up to the latest titles.. I still suck at that but I don't still enjoy the experience so much! I never thought that it has such a big community and I wish I knew that before!

[@Moorethought]

Hey, thanks so much for sharing! Racing games, now there's a genre I have really little experience in, although I've heard they can be as intense and focused as many fighting games! Thanks for stopping by!

[@MrChick86]

@@Moorethought Hey thanks for your reply!! Racing games? Yes absolutely!!! Sim racing games have the same concept when it comes to mastering.. You pick a car you are comfortable with that suits your style.. You keep practicing and tweeking settings until you become fast and competitive! And every car had its own behavior and style! Maybe now I can understand afterall why I became addicted to fighting games 😁 Thank you again and keep up your quality work!

[@Moorethought]

Thanks so much@@MrChick86 , really great to hear! I've seen some super cool racing game setups with the wheel and stuff, might have to look into that. Great chatting with you thanks!

[@Petronixman]

I'm 35 today and play fighting games for 30 years.

[@Moorethought]

Hell yeah!!

[@kylespevak6781]

The beginning is the sadest self defestest thing I've heard

[@MainCharacter730]

38 played shooters all my life, switched to fighters at the released of sf6. Landed on mk1 as a main. It's hard but it's worth it. For everyone like us, know that u can teach a old dog new tricks

[@juniordriver487]

Even though im only 23, i can relate somewhat. For the longest time i've been trying to find something that would spark my interest in gaming again, decided to start serious with tekken 8 and 175 hrs later im addicted 😂

[@Moorethought]

Haha hot damn 175 hours!!!! That's crazy, nice work!! I'm probably only around like 60 haha. You been doing ranked? I'm almost at purple, where you at with that time put in?? I feel like a lot of fighting games is really about time put in, and how much you're willing to learn rather just just winning all the time. Thanks for stopping by!

[@juniordriver487]

sadly only orange still but i believe I can get there eventually! you are welcome btw! @@Moorethought

[@monocyte2210]

Im 37 and have been playing fighting games since i was a kid