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I think I'm losing interest in playing video games

As long as Nintendo is around making awesome games, I'll be there.
Splatoon 300 hours, Super Mario Maker 100+ hours. Started playing video-games in the 80s...
 
I stopped gaming for a while when I was in the army because I just didn't have time to focus on it and my obsession became fitness. Now, I can honestly say that the gaming scene feels kind of new and exciting to me still, and I'm still healthier than I was as the obsession with fitness stuck around but turned into an enthusiasm for fitness. Now my obsession with gaming is back, I'm healthier, I'm married, I'm a dad, and I basically still don't have much time for games but I do enjoy them more than I used to lol. In short, what I'm trying to say man,.....is you need a break to focus on other things in your life. I think that break will rejuvenate you in a lot of ways. Read some great books that you've been wanting to get around to, (I do this a lot when I get tired of the game scene), pick up a side hobby, (weight lifting is actually a lot of fun and it makes you feel great about yourself if you don't lift already, just tossing that in there), get through some of those Netflix shows that everyone's been telling you to finish and you keep saying you'll get to it but never do, or hell try to pick up a new discipline. When I was getting out of the Army I decided to start learning as much about computers as possible as I just thought it was something of an essential skill in today's society, and I'm now kind of an amateur tech geek and I'm extremely glad that I took the time to learn it all. Learn a new language man, there's plenty of free forums and software available that are specifically designed to make the process as painless as possible. To summarize, just take some time off and get some other things going in your life brother; you'll feel more accomplished and you'll be glad you did. One day, you'll come back to gaming with a new outlook on it all :)
 
I have this from time to time. I often buy games and hope they bring me back into the "gaming habit" like in the old days. Sadly it did not work out this year so far. I hoped to play a lot of MGSV but the little downsides of that game bothered me that much that I gave up - which is almost always the reason I stop playing a game. Same with Witcher 3, which I got borrowed recently after sucessfully holding out launch and not buy it.

The next game I hope to bring me back into the "daily gaming" habit is Halo 5 - I am really hyped now and I was not that hyped for a game since a long time. Hopefully it works out.

AerialAir said:
Also. Stop playing AAA games for a while at least, try indie games, try new genres, experiment.
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This also. Or play some multiplayer games, there are plenty of free games to try on all the platforms now.
 
I felt the same in recent months OP in regards to big experiences so I second the sentiment to experiment.

Had an amazingly intense time on stumbling on Tembo The Badass Elephant in the recent PS4 PSN sale. Great little gem that Relit my gaming fire.
 
The only games that really hold my interest are Souls game as well as Destiny raids. I think part of the problem is that developers keep mixing up the same shit instead of coming up with something new or challanging. The amount of hand holding makes me feel like im playing something that is meant as a puzzle challange for people in primary school. Even a game like Witcher 3 feels daft due to "open-world design to have more busytime" x30.
 
Ive gone through these cycles myself. Its basically video game impotence where I'm still trying to play games but I cant get excited for anything and when I do play I can never finish.
 
Oh I'm the same way. I'm 26 and now I enjoy talking about them and reading news about video games more than I enjoy playing them.
 
That happens to most of us. I usually take a little break from games and then come back.

Also playing different kind of games, out of your comfort zone, can bring you new experiences. And play games that are more arcadey and simple. I think recently this oversupply of huge open world games can be a little exhausting, so play awesome games that are simple and pure fun.

Also, play Rocket League.
 
I mean, the only thing you can play now is indies and remasters. It's only natural you're bored.

partially kidding, but stay away from games and come back next year when the good games sart to come out FINALLY
 
Do. Not. Force. Your. Hobby.

Seriously, this is only natural you made it sounds like a chore. The same like other gamers who are feeling jaded because they have too many games on their backlogs.

Just take a break or do/play something different.
 
Two of my biggest hobbies since I can remember have been films and video games and funnily enough I haven't gotten tired of them a single time. They're just two big passions in my life.
 
I thought the same awhile back, but then Dying Light slapped me around the face and relit my gaming fire, and since then I've had others do the same (Witcher III especially).
 
Super_Mario_Maker_Artwork.jpg


This will reignite anyone's ailing interest in videogames. Don't just play, make!

To be honest though I can't say I've ever truly been in your situation despite playing games for 35 years or so. My tastes are extremely broad though, if I tire of one genre I move easily onto another one and get hooked on that for a while, and then the previous game or genre feels fresh all over again. I'll regularly have retro phases that last several months for example.

The other thing I've learnt is don't feel you have to complete a game if it isn't clicking with you. Forcing yourself to play a game just because you paid for it, or the hype says you must is the quickest way to lose interest. Life is too short and games are too plentiful, just move onto the next one and don't feel guilty! Try out some indie games too if you haven't already. Much as I love a big blockbuster, many AAA titles follow familiar tropes that do get stale after a while.
 
are you playing only AAA games? try some retro titles, like on pc or vita.

or maybe take an extended break.

i doubt gaming itch will go away forever, at least in my case.
 
My gaming interest has decreased alot recently , i think i am satisfied, tho I'll keep playing only the few games that interest me.
 
OraleeWey said:
I'm in my early 20's. Been playing since 96/97 on Nintendo 64. I probably just do need a break.
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I went through "a phase" in my early 20's. I wasn't really interested in games at the time. It's was more about studying music and the opposite sex at the time.

I started to go back to gaming around the age of 25 or so, and now as a married DINK (double income, no kids) I am back.

So...chances are it's only a phase. Or maybe you are done with the hobby for good. Find something else then.

Also, I find it weird when people try to talk someone back to gaming like in some weird intervention. "Come on man, don't give up! There are still games worth playing! Think of your console! Don't take the easy way out and stop playing. Here, try this game, maybe it helps!"
 
As a 38 year old, I'm a living example that some people never really quits their hobby. And I'm by no means the oldest of the veterans (I bet some people don't even view me as a veteran). I've been into games since the mid/late 80's, and I've almost always spent more time reading and discussing games than actually playing them. Some periods of time I play more than others, and that's pretty natural.

Just stop searching for reasons you don't play games, and go with the flow. If you got other hobbies, do those instead if you want to. Don't waste time on playing games just for the sake of playing games. There's so many more roads to walk than forcing yourself to a single path. And don't worry, if gaming is among your greatest passions, you'll always come back to it.
 
It happens. Don't force yourself to play games. And no, it's not about growing up. It's about having been there and done it. Best you enjoy a long break. Chances are you'll be looking at gaming with a fresh mind in a couple of months. And you don't have to play games every day. It's just one type of entertainment you can choose from.
 
I play Japanese made games and Indies mostly. Then a few big games but almost no sequels if seems to be just a new setting without real gameplay novelty.

I still have the GAF addiction problem though. I have time to play a few games but I pass too much time here instead of playing :/
(yeah I'm actually posting that).
 
For me it's the opposite. The older i become the bigger my "thirst" for gaming grows.Actually when i was kid i wasn't playing as much as i am now (in my 30's). The only problem is to find enough time and manage my priorities.
 
This is just the circle of video gaming life.Happens to many of us.Take a break,do different stuff in life...you could always sell insurance for Konami,ive heard thats a thing now
 
In general it's happening the same to me. I'm finding it harder and harder to find games that I like. Having said that I'm quite liking MGSV, which I didn't expect given the size and complexity of the game, so there's hope.
 
I feel you OP

It is the sandbox-type of games that burn me out the most, and pretty much all big games are sandbox ones now. Also if a game is longer than 8 hours, I tend to lose interest and finishing the game starts to feel like work.

I love episodic games now, they can be played in smaller doses and usually do not have much filler.

Edit.
Like some people have suggested, take a break and/or try different genres.
 
Really wish I have OP's "problem"

This means I can get more things done in life like master another programming language.
 
Only thing that has made me feel this way is gamer entitlement.

Every comment section. Every time you log onto Twitter. Every forum. It's the same thing. Maybe not some of you nice folks...

In general though, whether it's people slating reviewers for daring to have any sort of opinion, people posting "Has anyone played Game X? What is it like?" on Reddit every five minutes when there's a million threads about it and 200 reviews available, people whining that Microsoft "owes" them faster updates to the preview dash because of all the "hard work" they put in to beta testing it, to even the dumb "NOT BUYING IT IF IT DOESN'T HAVE THIS IN IT" crap that turns up in EVERY SINGLE new game thread. It's just so depressing. People used to get EXCITED about games. Now it's almost like they're looking for reasons to hate them before they've even so much as seen a trailer. It's like they resent games for costing money.

"I love all the Far Cry games and put hundreds of hours into them but if this new one doesn't have a 2x better map editor then I'm not buying it."

What? But...what?

Microsoft just said they'll swap digital copies of Halo 5 that come in the LCE for physical ones, as long as you apply for the swap within a two week window. People complaining that Microsoft are assholes for only giving them two weeks to do it.

Run a news story about a game getting a release date and unless you put the date in the headline, you'll get Facebook and Twitter questions from people saying "Well when it is it out, then?" because they can't be bothered to click a link to read a 200 word article.

Ran a giveaway a few weeks ago. No competition. Literally just come to the site and get one of 1,000 codes with a $6 value for nothing. Only thing you needed to do was follow the site I work for on Twitter. Got complaints because "why do you need us to follow you on Twitter?"

Just depressing.

It doesn't affect my enjoyment of games, but it does make me sit here and think "what's the point?" sometimes. Then again, it isn't just games. People in general are becoming lazier and more entitled every single day. :/
 
Don't feel the need to force it for any reason. Gaming is supposed to be an enjoyable activity that you do because it's personally rewarding in some way.

Me, I'm still having loads of fun with my stylish action games and AAA staples. I game a lot less than I used to, but I enjoy it just as much. I'm pretty sure video games are permanently ingrained in my life at this point, and that's fine with me.
 
If I had a dollar for everytime I saw a thread like this...

The same response every time is to stop playing for a while and come back. You're over saturated.
 
Burn out happens and I find just taking a break usually works. Also, it helps that you don't overwhelm yourself by buying many games but only buy when you finish what you have first then get the next thing that you want.
 
Legendary--- said:
If I had a dollar for everytime I saw a thread like this...

The same response every time is to stop playing for a while and come back. You're over saturated.
Click to expand...

If there's one a week I'd not be surprised!
 
I blame the lack of quality games after Witcher 3. After 24 years strong I was burnt out but it was the quality of the games I was playing, not lack of interest. Go back and play your favorite games. TLOU, Sleeping Dogs, GTA5 worked for me. Halo 5, Uncharted 4, and the new Deus Ex are really all I'm looking forward to. Sports games hold me over during dry spells. As soon as a game becomes a chore turn it off.
 
OraleeWey said:
It's been a struggle I've had for a long time. I buy new games, play them and set them aside to rarely play them again. The only time I'll play for a worthwhile while is when I'm playing with friends or family. My sessions last longer because of the social part of gaming. I used to play games as a teenager because they really grasped me. Now it's just something I do to pass the time. I hope this is just a phase I'm going through because I remember how I enjoyed playing games and I want to feel that again.

I wonder sometimes if this is just part of growing up, or if that's irrelevant. What if the business side of videogames affects your enjoyment toward them? Microtransactions, DLC, incomplete launch, overpriced, etc. It's hard to say. I just want to come back someday to them and enjoy them like I used to.

So GAF, how have you been feeling lately about the videogames?
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There are fantastic games out there that do none of that shit.

I have lost interest in the AAA-gaming sector a long time ago for the most part. Instead am now focussing my game time onto a couple of gems like the Souls games. Try those, OP. Those games restored many people's interest in gaming.

edit:
takriel said:
Tried Dark Souls yet?
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This (Dark Souls 1), or Bloodborne.
 
OraleeWey said:
It's been a struggle I've had for a long time. I buy new games, play them and set them aside to rarely play them again. The only time I'll play for a worthwhile while is when I'm playing with friends or family. My sessions last longer because of the social part of gaming. I used to play games as a teenager because they really grasped me. Now it's just something I do to pass the time. I hope this is just a phase I'm going through because I remember how I enjoyed playing games and I want to feel that again.

I wonder sometimes if this is just part of growing up, or if that's irrelevant. What if the business side of videogames affects your enjoyment toward them? Microtransactions, DLC, incomplete launch, overpriced, etc. It's hard to say. I just want to come back someday to them and enjoy them like I used to.

So GAF, how have you been feeling lately about the videogames?
Click to expand...

First, you'll never enjoy them now like you did as a teenager. You see things differently as an adult then you did as a wide-eyed teen.

Second, it sounds like you're burnt out, and stuck in a pattern of buying/playing games out of habit and not because you are enjoying the experience. The fact that you can identify this is good, but you need to take the next step and make a clean break from the hobby for a while, including reading about it. Try a month and see how you feel then, in the meantime explore other interests. When you find yourself missing gaming, thats your cue to return. But, be more selective about what you play. Dont feel compelled to buy every 100 hour AAA game. Look at indies, theres a ton out which harken back to the 'simple times' of past generations. And dont forget about the 6 generations of games that preceeded the last decade with all the business practices you dislike.

Third, it has nothing to do with 'growing up'. This almost implies that gaming is a juvenile hobby. The reality is that life throws a ton of things at you that splits your focus, there's no way to avoid it but you can combat it by tailoring your gaming to fit your circumstances, and learn to accept that you will never play everything out there.
 
Why don't you try board games or more specifically euro board games? It's great to mix it up and you say you really enjoy playing with friends.
 
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