Steep learning curves == Reason (Score 0)

My personal reason for not playing videogames is that most games released today are way too time consuming to extract fun out of. My idea of a good game is something that I can sit down with some friends, all have us learn it in 2 minutes, and have some fun. While I did find it fun playing 8-16 person Halo tournaments, there would always be the guy who devoted his life to Halo and much better than anyone else, and then the people who play video games once a year and could hardly walk around let around shoot. This discrepancy in ability has led to less interest among those of us who are on the bottom of the curve. That is why game playing is declining.

I sincerely doubt the reason is that kids are "growing up" and moving on to other things. At the same time there are kids who are growing up and finding girls, there are kids gaining motor skills to pick up controllers and start playing. Normal flucations wouldn't lead to a big drop. I can see the price of video games leading to some of the drop, but I think the main reason is what I described.

This is why I'm extremely excited to see what the Revolution is going to do to the video game market, with it's online arcade or whatever and non scary controller, I think it could shake things up and gain interest outside of the video game stereotypical male 10-25 market. There will be games that have small learning curves, and everyone can pick up quickly, and I think it will be great for casual gamers, the market that is shying away right now.