As an OFWG, I can remember playing war and cowboys and native Americans in backyards and woods. Our weapons don’t compare with anything you’ll find in any videogame. At best, we had Mattel’s finest polymer rifles (which weren’t too fine). Mostly we used sticks. But at least we were outdoors and our combat strategy depended on the character of real people.
I can’t remember the last time I saw a bunch of kids playing pretend with guns in the wild. It’s been decades. Then again, I spent those decades in big cities and blue state suburbs, sheltered from “real America.” Yeah I know: NERF has never been bigger. But do kids play with guns outside anymore? If not, what does that tell you about American gun culture?,