Forty is the new 30, baby, especially with the new computer games.

Everyone is online

Analysts say new media is bringing the generations closer because age is less relevant online. Ask the generation of lonelyhearts who have lied about their age on Match.com.

"It's not about age or gender, it's about how fast your broadband connection is," said Erin Hunter, executive vice president of comScore's Media and Entertainment Group.

Today's 41-year-old gamer isn't intimidated by technology; he grew up playing Pong. A 42-year-old woman feels comfortable on MySpace; then again, she grew up shopping online. A 64-year-old passes around salacious video he found on MySpace because the application is so easy to use.

Plus, the 35-plus generation has the cash to afford the technology.

"This all speaks to the evolution of where new media is at now," said Heather Dougherty, a senior analyst with Nielsen NetRatings. "The audience for it is comfortable doing a lot of things online, and they're comfortable with the technology.

"A 40-year-old probably has more in common with a younger person these days than may have been the case a while ago. They're adapting to the new media a lot quicker than other generations did."

In the gaming world, many fortysomethings have evolved into what the industry calls "casual gamers," someone who plays for 30 minutes a time, as opposed to the hours a younger person spends in front of a screen.

"Most casual gamers are someone who is very busy, who uses games as a quick diversion, a way to take a casual break," said Shannon Loftis, an executive producer with Microsoft Game Studios Publishing.