I don't think games are entirely to blame though, I personally did grow up with them, I built a gaming rig when I was 13 and have owned all sorts of consoles etc, but I have always found myself drawn to something that acctually shoots a projectile.
Rewind to the early 00s, in my Town I couldn't buy an air rifle, the only time I'd see them was when I was visiting Yarmouth and walking by Pownalls etc, but what I did have everywhere was various sellers of 'BB' Guns which were basically Airsoft but not marked as so as the sport hadn't really got here, some kids weren't allowed near them (even mine weren't that thrilled when I brought my first Beretta home) but the odd few of us did get them and had a bloody good laugh using them, most of us played games, heck a mate was always pinching my Desert Eagle to mimic Counterstrike but we did shoot what we could.