Support NeoGAF

[envyzeal]

Leave twitter, leave forums, get back to the thing that once got you hooked: playing games. I once had a "gaming burnout" and that worked pretty well for me. We have so many information and media pushing what and how we should play that it can get under your skin if you lose focus. You want to sub gamepass for one month and leave? That's ok. You want to pay any price for a game that caught your attention? That's ok. PC gaming, PC emulation, mobile gaming, anything goes. Just try having fun with it.

If you still not hooked, documentaries are great anyway.

 

[Meesh]

I desire like it's nobodies business... I just don't play as often.

 

[Kssio_Aug]

For me, the desire for gaming is kinda a momentum thing. Generally I have a "cycle" which sometimes I am with a huge itch to play games, sometimes to watch movies and TV shows, and sometimes to read books. Currently, I'm on the gaming phase.

But most AAA award-winning games are not catching enough of my attention for ages now. Sure, some of them still interest me, but I think nowadays I play mostly AA or indie stuff.

 

[NinjaBoiX]

I’ve recently found myself having access to a lot of your threads.

 

[Fbh]

I think the main differences with my younger self are that I can no longer play games for multiple hours (I usually get the urge to do something else after around 2 hours), and I just play the stuff that really interest me instead of playing whatever is available just for the sake of playing something,.

I think it's why subscription services in general don't really appeal to me. It's cool when the stuff I want happens to be on there but a service with hundreds of games doesn't have any value to me if the things I want to play aren't on it.
I feel the same about movies/TV, I almost never watch TV just for the sake of it. So instead of staying subscribed to any particular service I'll just get a month or two when there's a couple of shows or movies on it that I actually want to watch.

 

[Elitro]

I skipped the ps4 gen, so now i'm enjoying my ps5. Also helps that i will be able to play the best titles from the ps4 with retrocompatibility.

Nevertheless i am also more picky now. It helps if you pick up something that you really want to play once in a while rather than going through a big backlog just because.

I actually feel the opposite regarding gaming accessibility. I picked up slay the spire thanks to the PS+ free games and had a blast. Trying out the free games gives you a great chance to take breaks and start fresh from whatever you were playing

 

[Jeeves]

I can't fathom why some people think "gaming" is so special that of course there must be something wrong about fluctuating interest.. No hobby has a flat interest line in a normal human beings life span where there's priority altering events coming around every corner, it's fairly fucking obvious.

The difference is that a media-based hobby like gaming is subject to factors outside a fan's interest (I.E. which games are coming out) compared to a hobby like golf, for example.

If golfing is your hobby, the hobby itself is pretty much not changing at all, so you're the only variable. So if a golfer's interest in their hobby wanes, and they ask themselves what changed, an obvious answer presents itself: "I changed".

If something like gaming is your hobby and the same thing happens, it's not strange to wonder if you changed, or the hobby itself changed, or if it's some of both. So it's not surprising to me that people will ponder this question aloud with games more than people do with other hobbies.

 

[alabtrosMyster]

Get Elden Ring, it's the most refreshing game made in a long time, it's not scared of challenging you.

I wish more games did not take players for idiots.

 

[lughnasadh123]

Turning 50 this year and still loving it. I've had a few periods where the interest wanes but it always come back harder.

 

[nominedomine]

I just want to play the best stuff at this point and I have no patience to try and find some gem among a sea of mediocre games.

There are still great AAA games like God of War, Uncharted, Elden Ring, Spider-Man, etc.

I hardly play indies anymore, they seem way overhyped and very few are actually worth my time.

 

[TwiztidElf]

Like I said in my "I'm not minding the break in big releases" thread, I've been working through "soft secondary backlog" now.
Just finished Persona 5 Strikers which was excellent.
Back into Dying Light 1 which I picked up super cheap somewhere along the way and is amazing. I'm really enjoying this more than I expected to.
And then on the side, chipping away at Returnal.
And Cotton Fantasy just came out which is absolutely phenomenal.
Nope. No loss in desire.

 

[Gamer79]

This generation is by far the best time to play video games. You get gamepass, and other subscription services giving you games for cheap.

If you are a pc gamer, you get to buy all the old games for cheap, or emulator for other old systems.

Despite that, I dont feel like playing games at all.
I took my break from gaming, did other activities, just so I can have fresh mind to play games again. Still, the same problem.

Same thing happened to me with movies. Having access to tons of movies, lost me the desire to watch movies. And now, I don't watch movies alot. It's being long time, since I actually bothered myself to watching a movie.

All that is left for me now, is just watching documentary stuff.

Is it me, or does having access to alot of content, whether it's gaming or movies makes you lose the desire for these entertainment?

I feel the same. It's a weird issue

Lots of options with few quality choices. Games are not innovative and repeat the same formulas these days. The quality has greatly declined.

 

[skit_data]

It’ll be a sad day when I look on my games list and have the same reaction that I get when I look at Netflix/HBO. PS+ has brought that feeling to some extent but when I put my money down on a new game I still have that same feeling I get when I’ve just bought a vinyl record from one of my favourite artists or a blu-ray film that I love.

 

[jroc74]

I am completely hooked on GTA Online ....after avoiding it since it launched. Current gen version is enough of a difference to make it worth playing.

With so much that got added since it launched, there's...alot...going on in the game. For new players at least.

Having all the major platforms...(PS5, XSX, Switch, PC) I will never lose desire for gaming. Hell, I still play mobile games when at work or in the bathroom, or just taking a break from console gaming. Waaaay too many different choices for me to feel burnt out. And I rarely get overwhelmed with too much to choose from. I've been a multi platform owner for years. And will probably stay that way.

Between new movies, games I'm hooked on, platforms I have....I'm good.

I put Forbidden West on hold, wasnt prepared for a part that happened, lol. Havent played Elden Ring yet. The music in GT7 is just....chefs kiss....

The recent updates to Miles and Spider-Man were nice.

I havent played RE Village yet.

I have a backlog from this gen alone....and I dont care, lol.

 

[vpance]

Is it me, or does having access to alot of content, whether it's gaming or movies makes you lose the desire for these entertainment?

I think it does for sure especially if you have ADD tendencies. Too many other forms of content out there pulling you to do something else, which kind of devalues the thing that you just stopped watching or playing.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

yes and no.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

I genuinely don't know if I'd still be plugged into gaming without Fortnite. The industry feels like a dessert and Fortnite is getting me through dry year after dry year.

 

[Ev1L AuRoN]

Im losing interest on consoles.I'll stick with just a PC from now on. That will be the first generation I don't own a console since the 8bit era.

 

[Hendrick's]

Elden Ring may have saved gaming for me on console. I hope other devs take note and learn from its success.

I've always been able to find compelling content on PC.

 

[Barakov]

No. I'm still(mostly) interested in stuff that comes out. HOWEVER, live service games with battle passes is the one thing I've pretty much I've had my fill of.

 

[AGRacing]

Completely agree.

I think of Deus Ex (Jensen), the original Mass Effect, Uncharted 2, some of the cool old racing games (Wip3out, Motorstorm, Burnout..), Red Dead Redemption, Dragon Age, Skyrim, Fallout New Vegas, SSX Tricky, Half Life 2, Doom 3....

These are all games that made me want to finish them. Games I was excited to come home and play. I just don't see these anymore... and I'm perfectly willing to admit I'm at least partially to blame... but I also feel like there's a certain "magic" that's just missing. Hard to articulate.

If I had to take a stab at it... "design by committee" would be an excellent blame candidate.

I've been chasing that feeling for a while now.. and I'm starting to lose hope that I'll ever catch it. All of this a part of the reason that I've been so happy with the respect Xbox paid to the backward compatibility catalog and why I'm looking forward to classic game availability on PS5.

 

[ProgenitorCastle]

Gimme new games worth buying and beating, and I won't lose the desire to game.

 

[Filben]

No but games have harder time to. impress me and it happens ever more rarely. I try many games I should like on paper but for some reason many wouldn't click with me.

I also have a hard time to focus on a game. Often I'm annoyed by the tiniest things and are already onto the next game mentally. It's hard to motivate myself to play certain games but I still want to and been looking for THAT game.

Last game I played relentlessly was Elden Ring, but I "burned out" due to its melancholy and played Stardew Valley straight for a week. Still haven't returned to ER for couple of weeks now and still can't find motivation.

Playing Forbidden West now on PS5 and been looking for a (retro/indie) game on PC (started playing Mundaun with a friend when he comes over and the start is really great and playing with someone helps me to keep focused on the game because we're talking about it and that won't allow my thoughts to drift off).

Still looking for a game I'd play on my own, though.

 

[anthraticus]

Only mainstream gaming. And I lost the desire for that after the Ps2 era when all the AAA bs started.

 

[Jaybe]

Well kingfey you may be in a gaming rut, butI do appreciate you making all those news article threads that you post

 

[64bitmodels]

i'm going through the same thing sort of but i've recently gotten a newfound interest in music so i guess that's just that taking over my interest for games

 

[-MD-]

Sort of, now that I'm older I try to seek out stuff that genuinely interests me. I know I play a lot less AAA games since most of them are repetitive cookie cutter designed games that I've played a hundred times before.

Full time job, living with my girlfriend and a big friend group kills most of my free time.

 

[Markio128]

Too much choice can kill your appetite. Save up and only buy the games that you want to play, that’s my way of keeping engaged. Whilst there is no doubt that gamepass is great value for money, the amount of content means that it’s difficult to stay interested in a game when you know there are another hundred you could download. When I’ve have saved up and splashed my cash on a new game, I (usually lol) find that I am far more likely to enjoy it.

To put it another way, having cupboards full of chocolate will likely mean that you will eventually get tired of chocolate; on the other hand, if you think you haven’t got any chocolate and have an hankering and search high and low, only to find a cheeky Kit Kat behind a tin of beans, you’ll be lovin’ that Kit Kat!

I suppose what I’m trying to say is that it is easy to spoil yourself if you’re not careful.

 

[chromhound]

When i met my ex girlfriend i almost stopped playing. I got back in when MW got released. I barely play games these days

 

[V4skunk]

This generation is by far the best time to play video games. You get gamepass, and other subscription services giving you games for cheap.

If you are a pc gamer, you get to buy all the old games for cheap, or emulator for other old systems.

Despite that, I dont feel like playing games at all.
I took my break from gaming, did other activities, just so I can have fresh mind to play games again. Still, the same problem.

Same thing happened to me with movies. Having access to tons of movies, lost me the desire to watch movies. And now, I don't watch movies alot. It's being long time, since I actually bothered myself to watching a movie.

All that is left for me now, is just watching documentary stuff.

Is it me, or does having access to alot of content, whether it's gaming or movies makes you lose the desire for these entertainment?

What games do you typically play?

 

[Diseased Yak]

It happens to me from time to time. I'm 47 and have been gaming like crazy since the Atari 2600. I've never gave it up entirely before, but I do go through lulls.

 

[Deerock71]

If it keeps going down the dark, dreary path it is, then yes. I'm hoping Miyamoto has one more Mario 64 in him.

 

[lostinblue]

I always believed that, every since I had emulators loaded up with every game conceivable and I just skimmed through them instead of getting deep into one of them.

These says it's not a problem, but I'll load a game and play it for as long as it takes, I never go back to the selecting the game, same with video/series tbh.

 

[kingfey]

What games do you typically play?

This year, I played horizon Forbidden West, elden ring, hades, and some of my catalog games.

 

[Zeroing]

You need some gaming viagra, to get back that hard on.

 

[Punished Miku]

Play Kirby.

Best finale since Bayonetta 1. A fantastic game.

Play Switch in general. Splatoon 3 is going to crush it.

 

[Deerock71]

You need some gaming viagra, to get back that hard on.

I'm learning the importance of self-reliance.

PRIOR to self-reliance.

 

[Draugoth]

My lost of desire comes from depression, i really dont have the pacience for anything other than sleep.

 

[Deerock71]

My lost of desire comes from depression, i really dont have the pacience for anything other than sleep.

Dude, don't give in to despair. Casting away everything else, there is a Higher Power that has already given it up for you. You're never alone.

 

[TLZ]

I go through this from time to time. You're basically getting older and have other things on your mind. It's normal. You just have to look for things that interest you instead of forcing yourself on certain things.

I lost interest in watching movies for years after being a movie buff. I've had enough of samey scripts and plots. Also had enough of fiction. So years later, my interest sparked again watching true stories and docuseries on Netflix. Now from time to time I watch a fictional movie here and there.

As for gaming, I just play what and when I feel like. I don't force myself just because I have the systems. If my mood says game then I'm game. Otherwise I do something else. If I force it I won't enjoy it.

 

[Hezekiah]

Let's be real. Gaming is a waste of time.

You could say that about any hobby.

But hobbies are necessary, healthy. Who wants to be a workaholic.

 

[Hezekiah]

It’ll be a sad day when I look on my games list and have the same reaction that I get when I look at Netflix/HBO. PS+ has brought that feeling to some extent but when I put my money down on a new game I still have that same feeling I get when I’ve just bought a vinyl record from one of my favourite artists or a blu-ray film that I love.

Not a fan of Succession and We Own This City?

Netflix gets a lot of shit, but I've watched some great shows on it the last few months - Narcos, Ozark, Top Boy, and Midnight Mass for example.

 

[Poplin]

happens to everyone, take a break and come back when you feel excited for it. could be games arent exciting to you, could be other factors (depression can make you lose interest in things you care about). Nothing wrong with pausing until the excitement comes back.

 

[SEGA_2012]

No. I wish i could play videogames all day, but i have to work.

 

[Ghost of Caelid]

Nah, the drought sucks, but I'm looking for that diamond in the rough. So many superb AA-A games, just gotta find them. Wanna play Outer Wilds but its 30fps only smh.

 

[Guilty_AI]

You could say that about any hobby.

But hobbies are necessary, healthy. Who wants to be a workaholic.

What if your hobby is working?

 

[CrustyBritches]

Get a 3DS, Quest 2, and Steam Deck. Need some variety from time to time, and those systems are perfect for that.

 

[anothertech]

Like all things, it's a cycle my friend. You do you, and maybe after a good break something will excite you again.

My experience is when I get burnt out, I try to do other things for a while. I dabble and play at something else random. But I always end up back home, in my digital wonderland of dopamine.

I have no regrets.

 

[BigBooper]

No, though I have barely played in a month or so. Just been too busy. One thing I noticed about your topics you post, you seem heavily into the drama of gaming. It might help you to enjoy gaming more if you stepped back from the drama generators some.

 

[Captain Toad]

kingfey you're on GAF 18 hours a day. If you're burnt our on gaming, why? You're still a teenager, go do something with it.