Growing out of gaming it seems. Soon no longer a gamer.

[Radeonx]

Not really, but I don't constantly play games anymore, so I don't know if it is possible for me to. Between a girlfriend and a full time job, I can't play games like I used to, and once we end up having kids, that time will go down even more. So the times when I can sit down with some beer and play a game is wonderful, and I'll probably always find it as a nice relaxing escape.

 

[M0rp43vs]

Honestly, mate, if you want my advice, I say don't worry about it. With almost everything you do in life, it seems like eventually the spark dies out and interest wanes or perhaps other things start to take over your time. Nothing lasts forever, but what people don't remember is neither does that slump.

If you seriously think you no longer want to play, take a break from gaming for a bit and only play whenever the fancy strikes you. After all, absence makes the heart grow fonder.

One thing to remember is, removing all the excess around it, videogames at their core are just meant to be a fun distraction.

Eventually, the timeframe tends to vary between person, nostalgia overcomes you and you try out an old favourite again or you find a new game that wows you and then, as if it never left, the spark springs back to life again.

Tl;DR? Don't sweat it, don't force it. It happens to everyone.

 

[NiPah]

Isn't this a good thing? You're pretty much saying you are no longer going to do something you no longer enjoy...
Games are simply an enjoyable way to pass the time, as is talking on the internet.

I do find it a bit interesting that you anticipate no longer enjoying games, it's rather depressing that you'd plan in the future to be less happy.

I just hope you fill your free time with something new and enjoyable, just don't be one of those people who think as someone matures they no longer enjoy games, it's quite annoying having to deal with those types of people.

 

[Duck Sandwich]

I feel the same way, to some extent. There's just less and less games coming out that I really look forward to. Mighty No 9, the next Starcraft 2 expansion.... and that's pretty much it. There's a few games coming out for the Wii U, PS3, and XBox1 that I'm interested in, but not nearly enough for me to shell out the money for a console (Smash Bros, Bayonetta 2, Arkham Knight, EA Sports UFC, and.... that's pretty much it). There's still some PS3 games I'm not done with yet, although that's more because of a lack of time to play them than anything. Hell, any game I've gotten in the past 2 years was either $20 or under, or out long enough to have a price drop.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

I've never been a current gamer in the sense that I was trying out new titles all the time. Too much life in the way for that and I don't have the money for that...

I have been burned out of series, even Pokemon, for long stretches but I've always been reeled back in.

I hope you find the joy you seek somewhere else in gaming or in another hobby altogether. Fun is what it is all about and if you're not enjoying yourself, why waste your time?

 

[Vrach]

I recently bought a PS3 in order to play the exclusives. I mainly play on Pc so thats something I do, I buy all the best stuff when everything has dropped in price. I have all the PS3 exclusives to look forward to.

Before we get any further, may I recommend Journey? You should be able to pick it up cheap and it's really a great game. Actually it's one of the best games I've never played - I sat my girlfriend down and gave her the controller and she loved it. I just sat there watching her play and helping her through some bits (she's not much of a gamer, but she plays some stuff like Mario, Mortal Kombat and such [wow, what the hell would "and such" mean there actually?!]). Red Dead Redemption is also worth getting, though as a PC gamer you'll probably be wishing you had a mouse instead of auto-aim x.x

Try some fighters also if you're into them, they can be great fun, especially with mates. I recommend MK9 if you have a bunch of friends and want to play with them (2vs2 ladder with a friend or just fight 1vs1 or 2vs2 with friends) and Injustice: Gods Among Us if you want to play online (though be warned, game's come out a while ago and there aren't too many players still playing it; you can get regular fights, just... keep it in mind).

I tried Uncharted and kill zone but I quit after 30 minutes.

I haven't played The Last of Us (I'll get it when it gets cheaper, disposable income isn't really my thing and the price has been going strong for ages due to the positive reception) or Killzone, but Uncharted didn't leave me stunned either. Have you played the previous games? I only played the third one (was free on PS+) and while it was enjoyable, it wasn't something I'd actually recommend to anyone new to the series. I did have the feeling that people who've played the other games might've enjoyed it more than I did though.

Just some thoughts/recommendations. But if you're not feeling gaming anymore... well, bit sad for you, but hey, plenty of other things to do in life. That said, you might want to make sure you're not just burned out on mediocre games and get some things that would be more up your alley and less "everyone says it's amazing so I must enjoy it". That goes for my own suggestions above too

Another thought, have you played/liked Dark Souls on PC? You have the Demon's Souls on PS3 and it's quite good. If you haven't tried either, you might want to give it a go, though be warned, you might need to look up a few guides at the beginning if you're having trouble figuring it out (no shame in it, I did, felt like dropping the game, then figured it'd be better to spoil it a bit for myself in hopes of liking it than just giving up on it and it ended up being immensely enjoyable, one of my favourite games)

 

[Savagezion]

If you leave, kittens will be killed!

Good point, kittens. Nevermind. EU can eat up some time. Civ 4 ate up like 6-8 years of game time for me because the cut down on micromanagement allowed me to quickly play game after game. I played maybe 10 other games in those years and maybe beat 3. Now my backlog is insane.

It could be Europa Universalis is just dominating the gaming landscape for you. We got the Frostbite engine headed our way. Not that that necessarily means anything to you. Maybe you just ain't got much time for gaming? I am running into that problem heavy right now. Trying to needle at my backlog - and am making progress, but if I don't feel like it, I just don't. Actually, that is why I am posting this instead of gaming. I have the night off and no plans, yet I am just surfing. Quitting gaming is something I could see someone doing, but for me I have no clue what I would do. I don't think I could. Electronics depts. beckon to me upon entering a store. We must go there FIRST, then we shop. Ditto for electronic stores in malls and shopping centers. To leave and not at least look at electronics is heresy. That's not how shopping is done. I commend you if you quit. Learning cars or bikes can be a fun and practical hobby if you are into customization. Perhaps make a Youtube series about how horrible the gaming industry is. It would probably generate a lot of views and revenue depending on how controversial you can make it. Fun and practical. XD

 

[Something Amyss]

I'm starting to think that the only thing that can save gaming for me is virtual reality, or maybe not.

VR will kill gaming for me. I just want to chill on my couch and unwind with a good game. I don't want motion controls, goggles, or any other gimmick.

That being said, I thought I was "growing out of gaming" a couple years back. And now I'm gaming a ton. This may pass. Or not. It's not the end of the world if you do. Honestly, I'd just take a break and see if I want to come back. With some hobbies, I never did. But that means I wasn't really all that interested. With gaming, I did come back. And my Steam library has grown exponentially.

I tend to stay away from threads like this cause I worry it's contagious. >.>

It's only transferable from the bite of an infected gamer. Just keep away from his teeth, and you should be fine.

Isn't this a good thing? You're pretty much saying you are no longer going to do something you no longer enjoy...

If you've been doing something for a significant portion of your life, it can be kind of terrifying to lose it. It can feel like you're changing (you are, but not in a bad way) or you can fear even just the lack of something to do.

Really, though, Xbox had a lot more games than the PS3. At least, good ones.

Maybe early on. There seemed to be less and less going on with the 360 over time unless you really wanted a Gears or Halo fix. I've got to the point where the main reason I touch my 360 is multiplayer, while the PS3 that I bought primarily as a BD player has become my workhorse.

 

[gargantual]

I recently bought a PS3 in order to play the exclusives. I mainly play on Pc so thats something I do, I buy all the best stuff when everything has dropped in price. I have all the PS3 exclusives to look forward to.

So I buy the last of us, kill zone games and the uncharted games. I start with the last of us, I liked that game but to be honest I give it a 7/10...not the 9 or 10/10 most reviewers has given it. The game was good, a truly great storytelling game.....but I didn't get the feeling I once got when I played games like Final Fantasy 7, Metal gear solid or Max Payne.
I tried Uncharted and kill zone but I quit after 30 minutes.

The only games I play regularly is Paradox games such as Europa Universalis. All other titles I never even complete. I recon that in 5 years time I wont play games at all......

I'm starting to think that the only thing that can save gaming for me is virtual reality, or maybe not.


Anyone else feels the same?

Just don't binge man. Pick the one's that you'd have a burning itch to play or discover, and don't worry about other games until they're cheap and you got time to spare. Don't even give a second to care about the release hype train. This is your time.

I also blame checkpoint saves. I understand the game-length reasoning why devs do it, but save-scumming shouldn't be a term. Grown players have work and on-call, perhaps kids, home duties, and bills. They need the freedom to determine when and where they'll stop. So single player and maybe even to a degree MP gaming can be fatigue-less. If AAA democratize the player experience, and have good build up, perks or anticipation where it counts, they'll be surprised how much time some of us adults can find to finish their campaigns.

 

[Foolery]

I wouldn't say I'm growing out of gaming, but I think I'm growing out of modern gaming. I've been playing my Gamecube, PS2, and GBA recently. I've to the conclusion that today's game industry fucking sucks and things were likely better ten years ago.
Or maybe I'm just on a nostalgia trip. That said, I am really digging handhelds right now, especially the 3DS, those seem closer to the experience of how home consoles used to be.

 

[Yuno Gasai]

It happens in phases for me. Right now I'm kinda in one. All I've been playing is visual novels and you read those more than play them. Maybe when summer hits I might get back into more gamey games.

I feel you there.

I go through phases where I can't bear to follow a linear path or story, and end up sinking hours into sandbox or puzzle games instead.

I'd probably be joining you in playing visual novels, but I'm still waiting for Angel Beats! (and a decent/official English translation).

OP, maybe you need to try a different type of game? I recommend checking out some indie titles. They're often less expensive than "mainstream" games, and can offer a different experience to the "blockbusters" regularly advertised on TV.

You might find something you like there that reignites your love of gaming.

 

[Papadam]

I was in a similar position 6 months ago. I had no interest to game on my pc or ps3. THen I bought a Vita and regained my love for gaming. Now I play all kind of games on the Vita and also sometimes on the pc/ps3.

 

[facade]

I'll admit it. I outgrew video gaming a while ago. (I'm not completely over it; I'm checking the message boards of a video game website after all.)

Part of it was getting older and not having the time to just sit and play like I used to, but mostly my interests have actually shifted to the physical space. Board gaming is going though a sort of golden age right now and I have to say that currently my friends and I are enjoying various board games more than we ever enjoyed Warcraft or League of Legends.

 

[gamernerdtg2]

I hear you. I'm not into the current generation (PS4 Xbox One) so far.

The thing that keeps me going after 40 years of gaming is the indie gaming thing, and stuff that comes available on Xbox Live or Playstation Network. Namely:

Zeno Clash Ultimate
The Cave
The Maw
Dust: An Elysian Tale
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of The Shadows
Marvel vs. Capcom 2 (very old game)
Castle Crashers

Games that I lean toward that are available on disc would be:
any of the Batman Arkham games
Tales of Vesperia and Xillia
Dragon's Dogma
any Ratchet and Clank game
Kingdoms of Amalur
Majin and the Forsaken Kingom is not the best game, but it's decent enough to pick up now.
Virtua Fighter 5
Just Cause 2 (old game)

I need variety in my games. Gaming today is actually quite diverse if you know what you're into. My frustration these days is that there are no good brawlers (Double Dragon or Urban Reign) and the popularity of games with cinema quality stories. Uncharted was cool, and there are a bunch of games out there that are worth your time, but I don't like the over emphasis on games telling stories. The bottom line for me is arcade style gameplay.

 

[BobblyDrink]

Yeah feel the same way. Think after years of overindulging myself in games, just kinda buzzed out from the whole thing. Sure there's still stuff that'll grab my attention, but don't really go out and get it these days. Have a vast selection of older games I love, that I'm more than happy to sit through and play once again.

Mostly spend my time on Minecraft, can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. That and it's just relaxing most of the time, a good chill out experience that is also a game.

 

[Pink Gregory]

I hear you. I'm not into the current generation (PS4 Xbox One) so far.

My frustration these days is that there are no good brawlers (Double Dragon or Urban Reign)

What about Double Dragon Neon?

 

[gamernerdtg2]

I hear you. I'm not into the current generation (PS4 Xbox One) so far.

My frustration these days is that there are no good brawlers (Double Dragon or Urban Reign)

What about Double Dragon Neon?

Neon isn't bad, the latest Ninja Turtle game is better. I wish that Neon was a bit faster with more crunch in the collision detection. It feels like the characters are rag dolls in Neon a little bit, but Neon isn't too bad.

 

[Ubiquitous Duck]

Tastes change, people move on.

To be honest though, I had the same/similar reactions to you on those games, and I wouldn't consider myself on a downward spiral, heading towards a descent out of the gaming 'sink'.

So I wouldn't consider yourself down and out for the count, unless this is just another bump along a long road towards heading out of gaming.

Maybe you need a new spark to get you reinterested again.

I moved on from FPS and multiplayer - kill each other! - kind of games and I've never looked back. Much more enjoy my endeavours as they are now - more single player, story-based games and, if I can play with friends, some co-op action.

Anything becomes bland and reptitious given long enough, maybe you just need to switch it up a bit.

Please don't disregard all of gaming because The Last of Us didn't live up to the hype!

 

[3ntropy775]

I share your concern OP. I tend to want to blame the gaming industry for not releasing innovative games, but sometimes just wonder if it's only my attitude that is the problem. It is seldom that a game really immerses me to the point that I'd give it anything above 7/10. I'm only 23 so it's not even old enough to chalk up to age I guess.

I remember being able to play anything from Call of Duty 4, Dragon age Origins to Starcraft 2. Nowadays just about nothing excites me anymore and the games that I do try out just doesn't grab my attention anymore. I recently tried Outlast for example, but I didn't play more than 3 hours. I just think I'm in a spot in my life where I'm just not happy and that I try to seek happiness from games which in turn makes me blame them for being boring, while my own state of mind is the problem. It's just hard to think that something I loved so much once, just doesn't mean much to me these days.