Am I losing my love for gaming?

[superfantastic]

I own a huge number of games on pc and consoles. Today, I was free of work and just felt like doing nothing. I decided to play games all day. Over the last 8 hours, I opened maybe 6 different games that I each played for 15 to 30 minutes. And a lot of dead time in between. I scroll through my gigantic list of games and I feel bored at the thought of playing any of them. I am having these types of days more and more and more.

 

What is going on? I used to easily lose myself in games like Skyrim, or be super competitive in games like League of Legends, or play racing sims after watching Formula 1. I would play strategy games for hundreds of hours, horror games with the lights off, and I could do these things all day. But it seems to be gone.

I still have some days where I can play a game for multiple hours, but these are growing increasingly rare. Am I becoming too ''old'' for games? I'm nearing 30. Did I spend so much time gaming that I've gotten all I can from them?

I still spend most of my free time behind a computer, but I am very bored. And it's getting borderline depressing. But I can't seem to think of anything else to do, all I did for many years was game.

Anyone else feel this way?

[Poinkachu]

8 minutes ago, superfantastic said:

I own a huge number of games on pc and consoles. Today, I was free of work and just felt like doing nothing. I decided to play games all day. Over the last 8 hours, I opened maybe 6 different games that I each played for 15 to 30 minutes. And a lot of dead time in between. I scroll through my gigantic list of games and I feel bored at the thought of playing any of them. I am having these types of days more and more and more.

 

What is going on? I used to easily lose myself in games like Skyrim, or be super competitive in games like League of Legends, or play racing sims after watching Formula 1. I would play strategy games for hundreds of hours, horror games with the lights off, and I could do these things all day. But it seems to be gone.

I still have some days where I can play a game for multiple hours, but these are growing increasingly rare. Am I becoming too ''old'' for games? I'm nearing 30. Did I spend so much time gaming that I've gotten all I can from them?

I still spend most of my free time behind a computer, but I am very bored. And it's getting borderline depressing. But I can't seem to think of anything else to do, all I did for many years was game.

Anyone else feel this way?

Sometimes yeah.
I just do other activity when it happens.

 

Losing love? nah. Just bored of it for now. Brain wants other kind of entertainment.

[WereCat]

Yes, that's pretty much how I spent my day today... luckily I picked up electric keyboard and I spent few hours learning to play instead as I could not find anything to play on PC.

 

For me though I see it not as an age but I am just so tired of games being so bad these day. If game hooks me it's usually a 10+ year old game and not a new release. I think I've spent most time playing Stardew Valley than anything else in the last 2 weeks.

I've tried to pick up CS:GO again as I haven't played it for so long but I just play like one game per day and I feel tired after I finish it. I don't enjoy it as I used to, I'm also tired of constantly tryharding in multiplayer and I feel like most FPS games I play online are just the same game in different skin and can't really get myself to enjoy it. And it's not just because of gameplay but all the issues with servers, bugs ,etc... no matter which FPS game I pick I run into some issues that drives me crazy because it's the same issue I have been dealing in online games for years and nobody is fixing it.

 

Last Single Player game I finished is Dragon Age: Origins (still need to go trough DLCs) and I pretty much only enjoy old games I haven't played before. I have a huge backlog of games I want to go trough, also mostly old games.

From new games the only game I'm waiting for is Baldurs Gate 3 which I am certain I will finish as I am also in middle of replaying Divinity Original Sin 2 but anything else that is releasing may as well not exist.

 

I keep upgrading my PC and I keep checking HW prices each day and yet I keep playing older and older games... it's nuts.

 

And I think most of my gaming passion was dampened by playing online. I had this same feeling after I quit WoW, I couldn't find anything to do. Same after I finish reading a great book, I feel like world has stopped. It's just a transition period mostly, once I find something of interest I usually stick to it until I get exhausted again and cycle repeats. Perhaps that's similar to you?

[emosun]

10 minutes ago, superfantastic said:

I'm nearing 30

there's your issue , welcome to your 30s.

That being said , your brain doesn't want to solve boredom or depression with video games all the time. It needs something else. More human like tasks/challenges/experiences

[Poinkachu]

11 minutes ago, WereCat said:

Yes, that's pretty much how I spent my day today... luckily I picked up electric keyboard and I spent few hours learning to play instead as I could not find anything to play on PC.

 

For me though I see it not as an age but I am just so tired of games being so bad these day. If game hooks me it's usually a 10+ year old game and not a new release. I think I've spent most time playing Stardew Valley than anything else in the last 2 weeks.

I've tried to pick up CS:GO again as I haven't played it for so long but I just play like one game per day and I feel tired after I finish it. I don't enjoy it as I used to, I'm also tired of constantly tryharding in multiplayer and I feel like most FPS games I play online are just the same game in different skin and can't really get myself to enjoy it. And it's not just because of gameplay but all the issues with servers, bugs ,etc... no matter which FPS game I pick I run into some issues that drives me crazy because it's the same issue I have been dealing in online games for years and nobody is fixing it.

 

Last Single Player game I finished is Dragon Age: Origins (still need to go trough DLCs) and I pretty much only enjoy old games I haven't played before. I have a huge backlog of games I want to go trough, also mostly old games.

From new games the only game I'm waiting for is Baldurs Gate 3 which I am certain I will finish as I am also in middle of replaying Divinity Original Sin 2 but anything else that is releasing may as well not exist.

 

I keep upgrading my PC and I keep checking HW prices each day and yet I keep playing older and older games... it's nuts.

 

And I think most of my gaming passion was dampened by playing online. I had this same feeling after I quit WoW, I couldn't find anything to do. Same after I finish reading a great book, I feel like world has stopped. It's just a transition period mostly, once I find something of interest I usually stick to it until I get exhausted again and cycle repeats. Perhaps that's similar to you?

Just so you know, now I am expecting you to play moonlight sonata 3rd movement in 2 months.

 

MMO pretty much an AIO, there's action, there's planning, there's chatting, there's fooling around.

So I'm not surprised if it actually dampened your gamer soul.

 

There's also the part where playing so many games throughout the years made me quite picky now, or atleast harder to impress.
Heck, when I first started gaming every game looks like damn current AAA games or something, even the shittiest graphic or shittiest game mechanics was fine.

[WereCat]

6 minutes ago, Poinkachu said:

Just so you know, now I am expecting you to play moonlight sonata 3rd movement in 2 months.

 

MMO pretty much an AIO, there's action, there's planning, there's chatting, there's fooling around.

So I'm not surprised if it actually dampened your gamer soul.

Not sure about Moonlight sonata. I'm working on Leaving Earth from Mass Effect 3 and Luffys Fierce Attack from One Piece (I can play half of each for now... slowly but with both hands at least ).

I'll give Moonlight Sonata try as well but not sure if I'll know it within 2 months, perhaps it will be easier after I learn those 2 first.

 

(Also I am on sick leave because of RSI from work so I shouldn't be really playing but oh well... )

 

Yeah MMOs are great when you also got good group of people to play with, I've enjoyed FFXIV a lot but I just can't get over the monthly sub so I haven't played for a while... I've reached beginning of Endwalker at least but that was in December.

 

EDIT:

 

nvm.. I just checked 3rd movement.. I have better chance learning U.N Owen Was Her  

[Poinkachu]

6 minutes ago, WereCat said:

Not sure about Moonlight sonata. I'm working on Leaving Earth from Mass Effect 3 and Luffys Fierce Attack from One Piece (I can play half of each for now... slowly but with both hands at least ).

I'll give Moonlight Sonata try as well but not sure if I'll know it within 2 months, perhaps it will be easier after I learn those 2 first.

 

(Also I am on sick leave because of RSI from work so I shouldn't be really playing but oh well... )

 

Yeah MMOs are great when you also got good group of people to play with, I've enjoyed FFXIV a lot but I just can't get over the monthly sub so I haven't played for a while... I've reached beginning of Endwalker at least but that was in December.

 

EDIT:

 

nvm.. I just checked 3rd movement.. I have better chance learning U.N Owen Was Her  

Non non non, it's music therapy for the RSI

 

Damn it... I was hoping you'd promise me you'll do it within 2 months before checking it.

[WereCat]

8 minutes ago, Poinkachu said:

Non non non, it's music therapy for the RSI

 

Damn it... I was hoping you'd promise me you'll do it within 2 months before checking it.

how the hell did a deaf person compose that... my hands hurt from looking at the sheet

 

Also 1st movement would be doable I think  But don't take that as a promise!

[Poinkachu]

1 minute ago, WereCat said:

how the hell did a deaf person compose that... my hands hurt from looking at the sheet

 

Also 1st movement would be doable I think  But don't take that as a promise!

I've wondered about that myself. Luffy-like willpower + Gear 2nd ?  Enlightenment ?  or (puts on tinfoil cap) ALIEN ?!

 

I'm glad you got something else to do for fun aside from gaming. Me myself ended up picking up a rather a hobby with ever increasing cost, DIYing stuffs <_<

Want to learn machine learning but can't even use Linux proper, well.... also lack of willpower too.

[WereCat]

Just now, Poinkachu said:

I've wondered about that myself. Luffy-like willpower + Gear 2nd ?  Enlightenment ?  or (puts on tinfoil cap) ALIEN ?!

 

I'm glad you got something else to do for fun aside from gaming. Me myself ended up picking up a rather a hobby with ever increasing cost, DIYing stuffs <_<

Want to learn machine learning but can't even use Linux proper, well.... also lack of willpower too.

I've also picked up Sculpting in Blender but despite enjoying it I find it difficult to force myself to do it. I think I've not launched Blender for the last 3 months... despite almost finishing my 1st model. At least I spent time on music though otherwise I would curse myself even more for not continuing. IDK why am I like this...

 

I have a whole movie like scenarios in my head for 2 of the models I want to make and animate but my brain is just a procrastinating champ.

 

 

Machine learning is cool. I've tried some in the past but it was so slow on 1080ti and I couldn't use my PC for a long time during model training so I stopped... results were also weak back then. But building / programming that stuff is not for me. I was studying IT and abandoned it as I dreaded programming.

[Poinkachu]

5 minutes ago, WereCat said:

I've also picked up Sculpting in Blender but despite enjoying it I find it difficult to force myself to do it. I think I've not launched Blender for the last 3 months... despite almost finishing my 1st model. At least I spent time on music though otherwise I would curse myself even more for not continuing. IDK why am I like this...

 

I have a whole movie like scenarios in my head for 2 of the models I want to make and animate but my brain is just a procrastinating champ.

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

 

 

 

Machine learning is cool. I've tried some in the past but it was so slow on 1080ti and I couldn't use my PC for a long time during model training so I stopped... results were also weak back then. But building / programming that stuff is not for me. I was studying IT and abandoned it as I dreaded programming.

I am guessing it's just a bad ratio of incentives to efforts.
At least that's what I think about me and learning machine learning. Hahahah.

In your case, it doesn't help that the model in blender looks so unimpressed. Making you lose some level of willpower every second you look at it.

Kidding man, it looks great. I'm pretty sure if I attempt to do that I'll end up with something that look almost like Freddy Krueger.

 

I always wanted a personal AI. Here I am now hoping they will sell one to public for cheap soon.

At that point Imma ask for your help to create a 3d model for the AI. So you better get back to blender nao !! If you give me the model like the one you posted that's gonna be one hella depressing AI !!.

[WereCat]

11 minutes ago, Poinkachu said:

I am guessing it's just a bad ratio of incentives to efforts.
At least that's what I think about me and learning machine learning. Hahahah.

In your case, it doesn't help that the model in blender looks so unimpressed. Making you lose some level of willpower every second you look at it.

Kidding man, it looks great. I'm pretty sure if I attempt to do that I'll end up with something that look almost like Freddy Krueger.

 

I always wanted a personal AI. Here I am now hoping they will sell one to public for cheap soon.

At that point Imma ask for your help to create a 3d model for the AI. So you better get back to blender nao !! If you give me the model like the one you posted that's gonna be one hella depressing AI !!.

There you go, you can call her Heartattackana

 

[johnt]

It’s normal. Gets worse as you get older and have other responsibilities. It’s funny bc some games will continue to pique your interest. For me it was Far Cry 5 and Assassin’s Creed Origins. But I couldn’t get through the DLC for either game and it took me months and months and months to finish Origins. I have 2 kids, a career, and other hobbies that just take over all the free time (and desire) I had for gaming when I was younger.

 

They MILKED me for Street Fighter 5 and Soul Caliber 6. Literally bought them at bottom barrel prices and played them for minutes each. Fighting games are no longer for me even though I had close to a 1,000 hours on the Soul Caliber game for Wii. Mario games make me want to vomit now even though that’s all I played in my younger days.

 

I can consistently put in about 2 hours a month on Rocket League and that’s about it. It cost me almost $3,000 to build my latest PC and it totally wasn’t worth it. You live and learn I guess. I had a sweet rig for TurboTax this year though… let me tell you  

[SteveGrabowski0]

When I get bored with modern games I'll jump on retro games for a couple of months. Then I get bored with SNES JRPGs or Genesis shooters and jump back on the modern stuff.

[QuantumSingularity]

On 3/14/2023 at 8:52 PM, superfantastic said:

I own a huge number of games on pc and consoles. Today, I was free of work and just felt like doing nothing. I decided to play games all day. Over the last 8 hours, I opened maybe 6 different games that I each played for 15 to 30 minutes. And a lot of dead time in between. I scroll through my gigantic list of games and I feel bored at the thought of playing any of them. I am having these types of days more and more and more.

 

What is going on? I used to easily lose myself in games like Skyrim, or be super competitive in games like League of Legends, or play racing sims after watching Formula 1. I would play strategy games for hundreds of hours, horror games with the lights off, and I could do these things all day. But it seems to be gone.

I still have some days where I can play a game for multiple hours, but these are growing increasingly rare. Am I becoming too ''old'' for games? I'm nearing 30. Did I spend so much time gaming that I've gotten all I can from them?

I still spend most of my free time behind a computer, but I am very bored. And it's getting borderline depressing. But I can't seem to think of anything else to do, all I did for many years was game.

Anyone else feel this way?

Nah, it's not the age. I'm 36 and still have the same passion for good games like i did when i was 15. Keyword - GOOD GAMES. And sadly those are becoming extremely rare. I actually stop myself from launching Cyberpunk 2077 because everytime i do so, i lose 12 hours like it's 15 mins. This is how much i love that game. I still regularly(daily) play ACC, CS 1.6 and 0.61, Lineage 2 and Sniper Ghost Warrior, but i also find it very hard to play them. Not because i don't like them, but because there simply is no time. When i get home from work i have to make myself a dinner, then shower, then eat, check LTT and YT and before you know it - boom it's already 21:00. Just 2-3 hours of gaming are nowhere near enough for soul satisfaction. During the weekend there is so much stuff that has to be done, like cleaning, laundry, cleaning the PC etc..; some weekends i skip this and regret it the very next day cause it start to feel like i haven't cleaned my place in a year, not just 1 week, keeping in mind i usually try to keep clean. So yeah, it's just the lack of time that is stopping you from enjoying your games. This week i took 5 sick days and was home all day - the ability to be able to make yourself a coffee in the LATE morning, sit in front of the computer peacefully with nothing to do but play your favorite game for unlimited hours, till you wrist starts hurting is probably the best feeling ever. Better even than sex. The freedom of not having to worry about the next day and the work that has to be done. And keep in mind that i'm living all by myself. No GF, wife or kids. If you have at least one of those the time for gaming is basically non-existent. 

 

Edit:

Btw today i recalled a video on that topic:

And tbf there is some truth to that. For example not only when i game, but immediately after i get home, my phone is no silent, not even a vibration on. My smart watch has only emergency notification from 4 numbers and 2 apps after 17:00 and i am able to completely zone out from the upcoming day, no matter how little time there is. 

[NekoBubbles]

My suggestion is just RAMP up the difficulty with old favorites and learn to play the games on their developer high diffs. To me one hasn't truely felt what a game has to deliver till you have experinced a game at its quote recommended or masochistic level of diff. Try and master a game before saying okay thats enough of that. Not every game is always about just the glory of speed running sometimes its simply learning the true enginuity of a series. And sometimes its just fun to be like okay I've upgraded everything I can TIME to chase that masochistic achivement and I'm gonna sit down and get that last steam achivement or xbox achievement that I've put off for a decade. Gonna brew up a 2 lieters of coffee and sit down and go one man army that game and live the dream the teenage me wanted to do when I was little. 

[Metaformed]

On 3/14/2023 at 2:52 PM, superfantastic said:

I own a huge number of games on pc and consoles. Today, I was free of work and just felt like doing nothing. I decided to play games all day. Over the last 8 hours, I opened maybe 6 different games that I each played for 15 to 30 minutes. And a lot of dead time in between. I scroll through my gigantic list of games and I feel bored at the thought of playing any of them. I am having these types of days more and more and more.

 

What is going on? I used to easily lose myself in games like Skyrim, or be super competitive in games like League of Legends, or play racing sims after watching Formula 1. I would play strategy games for hundreds of hours, horror games with the lights off, and I could do these things all day. But it seems to be gone.

I still have some days where I can play a game for multiple hours, but these are growing increasingly rare. Am I becoming too ''old'' for games? I'm nearing 30. Did I spend so much time gaming that I've gotten all I can from them?

I still spend most of my free time behind a computer, but I am very bored. And it's getting borderline depressing. But I can't seem to think of anything else to do, all I did for many years was game.

Anyone else feel this way?

Sometimes I think we just need breaks. I get to where I won’t game on my PC for months then I wake up and it’s all I want to so. Take a break. Read a book or go out. Wait until you feel ready to game.

[rice guru]

On 3/14/2023 at 2:52 PM, superfantastic said:

I own a huge number of games on pc and consoles. Today, I was free of work and just felt like doing nothing. I decided to play games all day. Over the last 8 hours, I opened maybe 6 different games that I each played for 15 to 30 minutes. And a lot of dead time in between. I scroll through my gigantic list of games and I feel bored at the thought of playing any of them. I am having these types of days more and more and more.

 

What is going on? I used to easily lose myself in games like Skyrim, or be super competitive in games like League of Legends, or play racing sims after watching Formula 1. I would play strategy games for hundreds of hours, horror games with the lights off, and I could do these things all day. But it seems to be gone.

I still have some days where I can play a game for multiple hours, but these are growing increasingly rare. Am I becoming too ''old'' for games? I'm nearing 30. Did I spend so much time gaming that I've gotten all I can from them?

I still spend most of my free time behind a computer, but I am very bored. And it's getting borderline depressing. But I can't seem to think of anything else to do, all I did for many years was game.

Anyone else feel this way?

it may be time to find another hobby taking a  break from games or just being social has helped my love for gaming. I have felt your exact sentiments as well in previous years I am not as old as you as I am in my early 20s but I have also struggled to keep myself entertained. what helped me out a lot was finding other hobbies and really getting involved in other communities making new friends or straight up going out to bars, clubs, board game cafes with friends or just straight picking up extra shifts at work. I also started to listen to gaming podcasts again and found group on discord to discuss video games with. making myself more busy and made free time dedicated for video games more precious. It started to make me think and really pick and choose the games to dedicate time to. through these podcasts and gaming discussions with people i start to learn about games I may have missed or forgotten and because of my pretty sizable steam library often already have. it also gave me that itch again to just want to go home and play a certain game for a few hours. I also base what games to play entirely on emotion and feel that day. if I just want to chill Im not gonna go home and play anything fast paced I may just start a chill indie story based game and if im all hyped up put on some call of duty or play comp valorant. 

 

Having multiple hobbies really helped me not be bored and also a good way to get connected to new people. hobbies are often expensive but if you spend a little less on video games I found i was able to manage. I am into peripherals and a lot of music so I play music land love discussing gear to listen to music with people and just in general discussing music. but that's me maybe your into photography another expensive hobby but only requires a nice camera and a few lenses a great hobby that can develop into a skill you can practice. photography is a great one I wish I could personally get into. but is a great way to leave the computer screen. But I digress.  I tend to be a very social person so I tend to cling to more social hobbies. 

[Winterlight]

This days games become boring and super expensive need PC that cost thousands for 20-30 hour gameplay max for each game and there is plenty developer who not even care fix bug after game release.