I can tell you the exact moment I quit playing video games with any kind of regularity. It was the day my first son was born. I was 32 years old.

Before that, I had played console, handheld, and “computer games” since I was four. One of my earliest memories was playing a rudimentary, Atari-like soccer game at a friend’s house on a mysterious white console that I was never able to identify.

For nearly 30 years of my life, I was what you’d call a “dedicated gamer,” following every morsel of video game news, buying and playing the latest hardware and blockbuster titles, and even becoming a full-time game journalist for six years—my first gig and beat as a lifelong writer.  

And then I just quit. I’m not the only one. In fact, this “phenomenon” if you can call it that affects many adults (especially men) in their early 30s. What gives? 

Here are five big reason:

1. Changed circumstances and interests. As gamers mature, they often adopt new responsibilities, commitments, careers, families, and hobbies, which (welcomed or not) take precedence over gaming.
2. Increased time constraints. I once wrote an article for CNN (link currently broken) on Why most people don’t finish video games, which found that only 10-20% of gamers actually reach the finish line. That’s because gaming takes a lot more time to finish on average than watching a movie and it’s a lot harder to stop and pick back up than other mediums. As people age, time becomes even more precious, which plays a role in gamer abandonment.
3. New friends and evolving peer groups. “As people move away from childhood peer groups, they may lose the social connection that gaming provided, leading them to seek other social outlets,” says Google AI. That definitely plays a role. As we age, so too do our peer groups.
4. Burnout. This was definitely the case for me. Not only did I increasingly find that many games were all the same, I played a lifetime of games in six years of full-time game writing. So I really had my fill so to speak.
5. Changing tastes. As we age, not only do we pick up new hobbies, but we often find that the suppliers of past hobbies have understandably but off-cuttingly changed their supply to appeal to younger demographics with different tastes and demands. It’s why I don’t enjoy gaming on tiny phone screens, Minecraft, and Fortnite but my kids love it.

Granted, I’ll still play Mario or beat ’em ups with my kids as a timeless, easy way to multiplayer with family. I’ll even watch my boys play an engaging action adventure game from time to time. Overall, however, I’m just not interested.

I had a good run though, and who knows—maybe I’ll pick it up again in my golden years. Never say never.