Viewpoint How old is too old or too young to RP? Does it really matter?

[monxmiracle]

Lately, I’ve been feeling kinda old as an RPer. But I think it’s cause the community I was roleplaying in (Amino) was full of younger people between 12 to 16. And for me I had a hard time finding people my own age to RP with. On here, I find myself surprised that compared to everyone else, I am fairly young. Like I see many people in their 20s and 30s. On this site, which makes me wonder. At what age, would you say you’re too old or too young to RP? Or is it different for every person? For me personally, I still feel kinda old despite being only 19. Though, I am reminded there are so many older people on here. That I feel okay, maybe I’m not old. Thoughts?

 

[DisneyGirl]

I’d say 10 is probably the youngest since that’s when I—and a lot of other roleplayers I know—started. As for being too old, you are never too old to roleplay. I’m 24 and still roleplaying and don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. The oldest roleplayers I’ve seen are in their 50s. There’s definitely different percentages of the amount of roleplayers in certain age groups depending on the site and whatnot. Amino has mostly teenagers. Other roleplaying communities are mainly adults. RPN’s got a good mix of both. Just depends on the community. But I don’t think anyone can ever be too old for roleplaying, because nobody is ever too old to write stories (:

 

[Idea]

When you are you too young to RP? Can you read and write? Then you can RP. So I’d put the age at 7 (though naturally one shouldn’t much expect much from anyone that young, but I do think it’s an age when one could reasonably start rolepalying).

As for too old...eh, is there such an age even? Like D DisneyGirl said nobody’s ever too old to write stories, and I’d add to that that no one’s too old to enjoy the idea of being somewhere or someone else, or even wish for it.

As for social acceptance, only acting and something which shouldn’t be mentioned in a PG13 site are socially acceptable roleplaying so... yeah no worries there either.

So I guess old or young, as long as you’re actually physically capable of it, I say come and enjoy the hobby!

 

[Akasha Grimm]

I think it is a matter of personal preference. Only you can decide whether roleplaying is right for you.

On the other hand, if it were me I would say yes, of course! I may be 20 years old but in my mind age is irrelevant.

Its just a number. A label. And labels are lame. You don't need them.

 

[Onmyoji]

Its just a number. A label. And labels are lame. You don't need them.

Couldn't have said it better.

Roleplaying doesn't have to be writing, so even younger children who can't write can still roleplay. So ehh as early as one can create a story, written or oral.
And can rp for as long as you enjoy it.

 

[ashwynne]

I mean... how many kids played with dolls/stuffed animals/imaginary friends and literally invented worlds and stories while little? I'd venture to say that was most of us! From the moment I was old enough to have toys I was making up lives and stories for them, when I went to Kindergarten my friends and I "roleplayed" as pirates or horse riders or whatever else. When I discovered roleplaying forums on the internet I moved it there.

I've always felt that roleplaying via writing is just an "acceptable" continuation of the make-believe games we played as kids. So no, I don't think there's an age limit on any of it beyond being able to imagine something and translate it into text.

As people have said, age is really just a number. All that matters is imagination, the ability to write at least a little, and the desire to tell stories with someone else. If you fit that criteria then RP away c;
For my part, I plan on RPing until I die xD

 

[Crayons]

I am on the older end of people here, and I don't plan on stopping any time soon. RP world is one place you don't have to worry about how your physical body impacts your interactions, whether its gender, ability or age, and that is a great thing.

Waits to be "OK Boomer"ed

 

[sloime]

i definitely don't think there's such a thing as too young or too old to be roleplaying. as kids we kinda do it -- playing pretend with our friends n whatnot. i think older folks should be allowed to rp too, i mean, we're all here just tryin' to have fun and write stories together!

i think what's important about rp and age though is who you rp with. is it weird for someone in their 30s to be roleplaying with a teenager? is it appropriate? or does that sort of thing even matter when it comes to rp? it all depends.

personally though. age doesn't matter when it comes to roleplay. i think its in our nature to want to be creative and that doesn't go away when we're old!

 

[monxmiracle]

I am on the older end of people here, and I don't plan on stopping any time soon. RP world is one place you don't have to worry about how your physical body impacts your interactions, whether its gender, ability or age, and that is a great thing.

Waits to be "OK Boomer"ed

I haven't been OK Boomered yet. Okay maybe I have been, but honestly I'm not even that old but some like younger teens think like people in their 20s are like boomers lmao

 

[Spookkat]

I don't think age really matters. Roleplaying is for fun! But you should probably stick to roleplaying with people close to your own age group, because a 12 year old is gonna have vastly different preferences and experience than a 22 year old.

 

[monxmiracle]

I don't think age really matters. Roleplaying is for fun! But you should probably stick to roleplaying with people close to your own age group, because a 12 year old is gonna have vastly different preferences and experience than a 22 year old.

Yep that is true, although recently I was rather surprised to meet a rather mature and like minded 13 year old. Which was shocking, cause when I was talking to them, they seemed so much older. And had no problem with mature themes, which was a major shock.

 

[Spookkat]

Yep that is true, although recently I was rather surprised to meet a rather mature and like minded 13 year old. Which was shocking, cause when I was talking to them, they seemed so much older. And had no problem with mature themes, which was a major shock.

Yeah, it's cool how people like that exist. Like, when you see someone say "Here's my art, don't judge too harsh I'm only 9" and then they post literally the Mona Lisa. It's always a wtf moment for me.

I'm not that much of a stickler for age when I look for roleplay partners, but if a 13 year old wanted to roleplay with me I sure as heck wouldn't feel comfortable using mature themes, no matter how skilled or mature they were.

 

[BeautifulLoser]

I started roleplaying on a website whenever I was like 7 or 8 I believe. My characters were super lame as I didn’t understand concepts of character development. They were all like “she’s super rich but she isn’t snobby and she has so many friends. “. It was super young to be RPing though and I got cyber bullied a lot (may have deserved it as my spelling and plot lines were atrocious lol). That being said I agree with the poster up above. If you can read and write I think you can RP. You just can’t expect much haha.

Once you reach that point I kinda feel like there is never really the category of “too old to role play”.

 

[Jet]

Too young? Under 14



Too old? Death.

RPs require more than kids can manage & often contain adult themes even in non-adult forum. I'd be tweaked if an 11 year old pulled up in my RP. Go outside and play manhunt.

 

[Crayons]

I'm fine RPing with minors in a group setting. Age =/= maturity, but I would not be comfortable in a private 1x1 with a minor or playing any kind of romance between our characters. I feel like it's not appropriate, and dangerous to encourage kids to rp privately with adults they don't know, never mind the fact that there's the possibility it can be considered grooming and the adult might get in trouble.

 

[kibou]

As soon as you can read, write, and use the internet. If someone is very young they should probably be rping with an age appropriate group and etc but that's it. And you're never too old to write!

 

[chillin]

outside of make-believe and "oral" rp as one person here put it, its a bit different for people whose first language isnt english.
i only became able to start text roleplaying when i was about 11-12 years old because thats when i first had a basic grasp on the english language - now im a C2 speaker and i want to study in the UK (screw brexit btw). weird how time flies. before that, most media was inaccessible to me so i had no frame of reference for how one "should" rp and all i could do was copy the other kids there.

"too old" for rp would be - never. just like star trek fans and moms are never too old to create fandom content, one is never too old to be able to rp. eventually though, due to ageism i think, the older people get the harder they'll be able to find suitable partners for themselves.

 

[FoolsErin]

I mean... how many kids played with dolls/stuffed animals/imaginary friends and literally invented worlds and stories while little? I'd venture to say that was most of us!

For me it was the little accessories the dolls came with and curled up pieces of paper rather than y’now, actual dolls. Because I was and still am a very weird person.


Anyways, I think it’s a case by case thing. A younger person may be perfectly fine in a romp through fairyland, but maybe not acting out an abuse-filled toxic relationship.

 

[Jannah]

Age is just a number. I'm 28 and still enjoy RP. I'm on another site that has a few RPers in their 40's.

 

[NesyCelvestian]

I guess age is also about life-experience and a label to show how much you've lived in life.

 

[BlackoutThieving]

There might be niché situations where you could roleplay someone below the age of 13, but it's typically not needed nor interesting in the vast majority of settings and people who obssesively roleplay young characters, "lolies" or characters who look like children creep me out. Whether that is a just and rational response I am not sure.

 

[Jannah]

There might be niché situations where you could roleplay someone below the age of 13, but it's typically not needed nor interesting in the vast majority of settings and people who obssesively roleplay young characters, "lolies" or characters who look like children creep me out. Whether that is a just and rational response I am not sure.

I rarely RP anyone below late teen's myself unless I'm doing like a Hunger Games RP or something where younger characters fit the setting.

 

[ListlessEvie]

I started roleplaying when I was around 10, so I could be biased, but honestly I think that RP is for everyone. Why do young children play with dolls and action figures? To make stories of their own with characters of their own! Personally while I do find my old RPs to be worse than average, I still appreciate the fun time I had making them. Although younger RPers should probably stick to people around their age group.

 

[Jannah]

I started roleplaying when I was around 10, so I could be biased, but honestly I think that RP is for everyone. Why do young children play with dolls and action figures? To make stories of their own with characters of their own! Personally while I do find my old RPs to be worse than average, I still appreciate the fun time I had making them. Although younger RPers should probably stick to people around their age group.

I think things are better generally overall when RPers stick to their own age groups, especially if romance heavy plots are being played. For me, being in my late 20's, it would feel wrong to write that stuff out with minors.

 

[ExtraExtra]

I agree with y'all, it's great for kids to be writing and exploring character creation and the stories they want to tell, but it is very, very strange to be writing with them online. It's healthy for kids and younger teens to write, just not so healthy or comfortable for them to be writing with people twice their age.