In an age dominated by technological advancement, constant notifications and endless scrolling, many young people are beginning to feel the effects of digital overload. Short-form content and fast-paced entertainment have contributed to shrinking attention spans and a growing sense of disconnection. However, a surprising trend is emerging. Gen Z is turning back to retro technology in search of something more meaningful.
For Southeast sophomore Hazim Fadhil, retro gaming has been a part of his life for as long as he can remember. Introduced to older consoles by his father at a young age, what started as a simple activity quickly became something more.
“I started playing Sega when I was six with my dad because we had two controllers,” Fadhil said. “It’s more fun to share the experiences of what my dad had when he was younger.”
For Fadhil, retro gaming is not just about entertainment, it’s about connection. He feels that the slower pace and simplicity of older games create an environment where he can fully focus, free from the distractions of modern devices. This draw has led to sales numbers in 2025 across the global market netting $3.8 billion in sales revenue.
“It makes me forget all of the worries and stress,” he said. “I just put my phone down and play, and I don’t think about anything else.”
Unlike today’s high intensity games filled with constant action and stimulation, retro games offer a more controlled and intentional experience. Fadhil believes this difference has a real impact on his generation. Some of the most popular games such as Pac Man, Super Mario Brothers, and even Tetris are characterized with their simplistic 2-D art style and low resolution graphics which show less mental and physical strain when compared to the games of today. Now 54% over half of users of modern day consoles experience some form of physical discomfort.
“Games now are so full of color and movement that you’re not really focusing on one thing,” he said. “Retro games are slower paced, and I think they help with attention span and stress.”
This shift away from modern technology isn’t limited to gaming. Sophomore Hayden Bolzer has noticed a similar trend through the use of digital cameras, which are becoming increasingly popular among teens, despite the convenience of smartphones.
“It feels better than using your phone,” she said. “The pictures have a different quality; it’s kind of vintage.”
For Bolzer, the appeal is largely aesthetic, but it also reflects a broader cultural movement. The digital camera market has seen a particular boom where as in 2025 sales revenue matched up to $8 billion dollars and increase in the product has been seen to have grown interest year after year proving it to be not a trend but a rising lifestyle for the people who use them.
“I think it shows that our generation is kind of obsessed with nostalgia,” she said. “People want to go back to what feels like better times.”
While retro technology offers unique benefits, it also comes with challenges. Older devices can be unreliable, require maintenance and lack the convenience of modern tools. Despite this, many teens continue to embrace them.
“You have to mess with wires sometimes or clean them because they’re old,” Fadhil said. “But it’s still worth it.”
Many point to overstimulation from modern media as a major reason for this shift. The constant stream of short form videos and highly stimulating content, often referred to as “brain rot”, can create a cycle of instant gratification that is difficult to break.
Retro technology, by contrast, slows things down. Whether it’s inserting a game cartridge or transferring photos from an SD card, these processes require patience and intentionality, qualities that are becoming increasingly rare.
Ultimately, Gen Z’s return to retro tech may say more about the present than the past. It reflects a desire to reconnect with simpler experiences, with creativity and even with family.
“I think it’s good that we’re going back to older technology,” Fadhil said. “It helps people understand what things were like before, for others, and it’s less stressful.”
As technology continues to evolve, this trend suggests that sometimes moving forward means looking back.
