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Sudden lack of interest in gaming

It happens. Sometimes I got lots of stuff I could catch up on but I would rather read or watch movies. Sometimes it's the other way around. Once September rolls around you will probably be ready to play. Fall is the best time for gaming.
 
I've gone through periods of 3-4 months in the past few years where I didn't play any games. Not because I didn't have time for them, I'm young and in college so I certainly have enough time for them, but because I just kinda get burnt out on gaming every once in a while.

Goes for any other medium really. I've gone months where I didn't feel like watching any movies, tv, or listening to music, and periods of time where those things are pretty much all I focused on in my free time.
 
Just remind yourself that you don't have to play video games. Play them because you enjoy them, and whenever you feel you're not enjoying them, do something else and go back to games whenever you think you'll enjoy them again.

Also, don't force yourself to play games you don't enjoy. If you don't like a certain game, skip it and figure out what you wanna do with it later and play something you actually enjoy.
 
You probably just need to find that one game to "wow" you again. In the meantime, don't worry about seaching for it. You'll probably discover it when you're ready.
 
duxstar said:
Truth is the more games you have at one time the harder it becomes....

For example if I have 12 games to play at once, I end up playing none because i can't choose which one to play.

If I have a choice between 1 or 2 only I'll end up playing them both alternating between them.

Also don't go back to games you've already beat.
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Yes, this is a lesson I've learned the HARD way. For a lot of us, our eyes are bigger than our stomach. We see these titles and imagine the fun experiences we, "might," have, than purchase before we really sit and make a long term value judgement.

I kind of miss game rentals for that reason. There are a lot of games where after the fact, I wished I'd only spent a few days with. Trade ins take some of the sting out of those, but I still often feel like a rental would be a better fit for a lot of the games out there.
 
jWILL253 said:
Maybe it's me, but I feel that if you're on a forum like this, you'd be interested enough to play a game like that...
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Well I was. I was really excited for it. One of the few games in a while I was actually looking forward to playing. But then once it got here, my few hours of spare time were dedicated to more important things. I'm sure ill get around to playing it one day.
 
It happens, my lack of interest often comes from dealing with other people and their crap that depresses me but how I deal with it is to psyche myself up, and always think about all the fun I can have and have had in the past, it gets me through.
 
Sojgat said:
Don't force it. Just wait until a game that really interests you comes along. You don't have to game all the time.

Have you seen Titanfall?
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Titanfall has gotten me a lil excited. Not sure of willing to pay $500 for though. Is there still a 360 version in the works?
 
I was feeling this as well, but just recently I played Last of Us and Bioshock Infinite one after the other and my excitement for gaming is back stronger than ever.
 
I recommend either taking a break or just try focusing on 1 game at a time. A year or two ago I was in a gaming slump for about a year. I was just buying too many games and my backlog was stacking up, looking back I think the loss of interest was due to me being overwhelmed. Just focusing on 1 game at a time now is doing wonders. The pressure of playing all my new games when I buy them combined with a backlog has gone, I take my time now with each game and find I enjoy them more because of it. I look forward to finishing them and jumping into a new game.
 
Jea Song said:
I got allot of games I haven't beat yet on ps3, 360, vita, and 3ds.

I have a ps+ account and tons of iOS games.
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In my experience having too many games really just ends up killing the enjoyment of all of them. You only have so much time in your life, if you're smart and motivated you aren't going to spend a massive chunk of it on games, no matter how good they are, when you could also be experiencing other parts of life.

I realized this several years ago when I went through some really hard times, I had no spending money whatsoever, no internet, PC and 360 were broken. The only interesting game I had was MGS3 on PS2, and I played the shit out of that game in my free time.

I had more fun with that game then than than I had with any game since I was a kid - when games were also limited and precious (even though I had already played it years before), not just because it was a good game, but because of how I dedicated myself to it and mastered the gameplay. There's something to be said for just getting really good at a game instead of just having so many that you skim the surface or don't even finish.

That is the real reason also that games are being dumbed down. They want you to be able to 'day 1' a game a month and still be good enough at them to feel like a good player. Also at 28, you're time becomes more limited, as your interests and options become more broad. Limiting your games is not only good for your wallet, it's good for your enjoyment of gaming.
 
Could be burn out from gaming.
Could be other shit going on in your life causing you to lose interest in things you normally enjoy.
 
I personally haven't touched my PS3/360 in about two months, but that's mainly because I'm waiting for next gen/going crazy with portables. I'm sick of this gen and want FFXV in my veins now
 
I'm experiencing this myself at the moment. I wonder if it has anything to do with treating gaming as a "job", as though a backlog were necessary. What happens when you don't play those games you weren't really excited to play in the first place? Nothing.
 
I go through phases like this sometimes. Just take a break and don't come back until something excites you. I've found in the past that just paring down all the options and getting rid of the clutter can really help. Put all of your games away somewhere out of sight, and then when you finally get the urge to play something have only that one thing available to you. Sometimes not having options can be liberating.

And also for me personally, when I get that feeling I switch to handheld mode. On handhelds you usually get a gameplay-first approach and I've just grown sick of all the AAA, super cinematic shit out there. A lot of the time I'd much rather just play something that's focused on its mechanics and systems and doesn't worry so much about looking like a movie.
 
Happens to me quite often too, I take a break, don't buy hyped games I have no interest in, and then look for the game that can do magic for me, of making me excited about my main hobby again. There were really little such games this gen, but Lost Odyssey, the Last Remnant, King's Bounty, Flower and Journey surely helped.
 
I don't think it's an age thing, just sometimes you're not in the mood for something. Something I go 6 months not really interested in my games. Maybe I'll pay more attention to catching up on the graphic novels I follow, the tv shows I watch, maybe a big fight will get me really into the UFC again for a few months. I go through extensive periods of trying to catch up on my quest to read all of Stephen King's books. I'm quite one minded though, so when I'm into one of these things, the others all just go to pot. Forget about games for the summer and enjoy something else you're into, around normal every day life. A game will come along and drag you back in, and then you'll go through catching up on what you've missed etc.
 
When it happens to me, I just stop gaming for a while and spend more time reading (for example). Then, after some time I feel like gaming again, it just happens
 
Other alternative is marriage and children. This seems to kill all the will to play. No will, no concern about the lack of will.
 
I'm hardly playing any games anymore. Most of the next-gen games look stale, with only a couple really standing out to me.

Doubt I'll be buying most games day one anymore because they're just not worth it.
 
I'm 40.
I started playing videogames at 7 when I got an Intellivision.
I "left" gaming twice: at 17 and at 30. Mostly because of furry crotches.
Gaming is good and stimulating, and less disappointing than many other things in life.
If you are a "gamer inside" take a break, you'll be back stronger than ever when you'll feel it.
 
nded said:
Take a break. You'll just end up hating games if you try to force yourself to play them.
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yep. you might just be burning out, buying games more on hype than legitimate interest. take a break for a few months, don't buy anything no matter what GAF says. you'll come back with a better appreciation.
 
I feel like I've regressed to short, snappy android games ... I just don't have the time or patience to sit infront of the TV for several hours soaking up some massive storyline.

*looks at shrink-wrapped copy of The Last Of Us*
 
Same for me.

Only games I'm playing at the moment are Football Manager, Animal Crossing and the occassional game of Left 4 Dead 2. Stuff that's either persistent over a long period or really easy to pick up. Commitment to a big single player game is completley off the table for me at the moment.

It happens every summer but seems to be worse this year. Every big game I have an interest in playing is a next-gen game, so my enthusiasm will come back when PS4 launches.
 
Same here. It's been going on for a year now i think. I doubt it will return, but we'll see.
I still read GAF though. Sometimes i catch myself wondering why i'm reading something I have no interest in and then closing the tab only to return some time later, repeating the same process.
 
Sell (nearly) all of your physical copies. Be brutal about it, none of this 'keep', 'maybe', 'selling' pile half-baked approach. Allow yourself to retain just a handful of your most cherished games for each system. You'll be amazed at how liberating it is - with each game sold off, the backlog guilt dissipates that little bit more. I've been doing it over the last six months or so (I'm still on current gen and I'm trying to work back through a collection that spans back to the early eighties! It's taking a while), and the amount of things I've sold and now forgotten I even had shows how much I really cared for owning them.

Admit defeat, there's no shame in it. Keep a rotation of just a few games, only buy a new one once you have completed two (if they can be completed, doesn't really work for the likes of CoD).

Get some gaming life laundry done.
 
Its not age, I'm almost 36 and still game as much as I did when I was a kid. I hope to never grow out of it, cause it is my main hobby. I'd be one bored dude without video games.
 
I had this for the past 2 weeks. Watched star was again then suddenly felt like playing KotOR. And then i played Hotline Miami, and then I played SotN.

It comes and goes as you get older. I blame it on having shit to do.
 
RPGCrazied said:
Its not age, I'm almost 36 and still game as much as I did when I was a kid. I hope to never grow out of it, cause it is my main hobby. I'd be one bored dude without video games.
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Agreed, age has nothing to do with it. Some people stop gaming at 8. I test games day in day out doing video game QA as a job, then come home, work on my indie game, then play games in between.

You either retain a passion for things, or you don't. It's still weird to me, but then again, some people don't like music, tv, movies or any other form of entertainment.
 
Me too. Although The Last of Us is holding my interest at the moment.

When I'm bored with games I can still usually play fighting games or Doom. Ultimate pick up and play stuff. Don't like mobile games though.
 
I usually finish 1-2 games a year, despite having hundreds unfinished with playtimes of an hour or less(thanks Steam). Gaming just isn't interesting anymore for me at the ripe old age of 30, every now and then a gem will catch my eye but the reality is it's just a waste of money for me at this point. Sucks that gaming is my only hobby/interest. I've been thinking about learning guitar, getting into yoga or something. Takes a lot of effort for me to make changes like that in my life though. I love being in a rut.
 
In the same boat pretty much. Sold my consoles last year. Don't miss them. Only launch title that excites me is Killer Instinct, so looks like I'll get an xbone even though I am still kinda pissed about the lower specs.
 
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