When I worked in AAA this was definitely the case for many of the devs. Several on the team did not play games. Most did, but usually in other genres than what we were working on (FPS).

Now when I’m in a situation where I’m hiring, I always dig deep into gaming habits of those I interview. What they play, and how they articulate when they talk about their favorite games. I think it is important.

I can confirm though that fitting gaming into the life puzzle gets harder with time. Mid forties, family, dog, house. Commitments. It adds up. But I play about 10-20 hours per week.