The feeling of having nothing to play.

[King Aragorn]

We've all experienced it. When you want to sit down on your couch, grab your controller, and play some video games....
Only to realize you have nothing to play. All your games games you completed, 100%, or simply done with.

I was going through that for a while, and I didn't buy a new game since...December? the problem is that game wasn't functioning, so October. I've only recently started using my PS3 more actively because I borrowed a game from a friend.

Anyways, kind of drifting away from topic: does this happen to you at times? what do you do? do you simply go through every single game and try to muster up as much as you can, do you just shell out for a new game, or maybe even just borrow one?

Or maybe you just let your system dust away...

 

[Zhukov]

Christ, that must be nice.

I have a damn backlog. It's this list that floats around in my head. A list of old games I never finished but didn't abandon either, games I bought but never played, games I have a vague desire to replay, and games that I kinda-sorta plan to buy.

Plus there's the shiny new releases that usually get priority.

I'm one of those people who hate to leave things unfinished. Books, games, tasks, projects, relationships - you name it.

It can actually decrease the enjoyment just a little bit when you find yourself treating a supposed leisure activity as a checklist.

 

[KindJester]

I experience this feeling seemingly once a week. It's worse when I look at the list of games I haven't finished or haven't even played yet, but can't find the energy or motivation to play them.

When this happens I usually end up loading Minecraft or something else I've played a million times. It's hard at first but once I manage to get past the initial laziness, I find myself having a good time like always.

 

[Teoes]

I'm going to step in and say no, because I have about 50 games in my backlog to get through - thanks to Humble Bundles, Steam sales and gog.com.

I'll then give it.. 2 further posts before someone comes in and dwarfs my pitifully small backlog. Prove me wrong!

 

[piinyouri]

Whenever I get that feeling I splay out all my games side by side, close my eyes, reach for a game, and whatever I choose I force myself to play for at least an hour.
If by then I am still not engaged in any way, I try another.

What I find is sometimes your initial thought isn't as exciting since you aren't actually playing said game.
Once you sit with it for awhile, you may perk up to it.

 

[hazabaza1]

I've got the issue of having a massive backlog, constantly getting new games, and not having anything to play.
Normally I can enjoy myself when I get into any half decent game, but there's the whole process of downloading or installing something, sorting out control difficulties if it's an old game or a bad port, wanting to play something else... bleh.

 

[ShinyCharizard]

I've got way too many games yet I still feel like I have nothing decent to play.

 

[The Wykydtron]

Well I keep playing nothing but League of Legends, BlazBlue and UMVC3 forever. I'm doing about an hour of Tomb Raider and/or Max Payne 3 every day besides that only.

Time to go and practice my Mu-12 again I guess. She's too fun to let sit for too long I swear. I need to learn to use her Origins shield move on the fly whenever anything ever comes near me. GET BACK SON!

I think i'm just waiting for Persona 4 Arena now though, then again i've been waiting for it since last fucking August so it's not that surprising. Thanks Atlus, you still can't publish anything in the EU on time to save your life can you?

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

It happens. It's perfectly normal. I don't really pay any attention to it. Games are just like any other form of entertainment. I don't make a big deal out of not having any more books to read. I can find other sources of entertainment.

 

[SoranMBane]

I sometimes get something like that, but it's usually more of a case of me not having the particular game I feel like playing at the moment and not being able to afford to scratch that itch. I might have 40+ perfectly good games at my disposal, but if I can't play that one new release that I really want, then it feels like I have nothing to play.

 

[StupidNincompoop]

Yeah, i've been getting this a lot lately.

There's not really anything left that i actually *want* to play. Pretty much waiting for the few indie releases this year that actually look good i.e starbound.

There's only a few games left that i haven't even completed. Diablo 3 i only play when my friend is interested, and neither of us really like the game so we're only about half way through even though we bought it on day 1.

In fact, these are all of the games i even have left that i actually have any reason to play anymore:

-Bit. Trip. Beat and Bit. Trip. Runner (annoying games that aren't really fun to play)
- Diablo 3 (boring and kind of generic, also pretty difficult on your own)
- Adventures of Shuggy (very annoying and kind of boring)
- Men of war (incredibly boring, spent like 2 full days just doing one mission because it's so slow)
- Binding of isaac (Already played a lot, know how it ends and all of the bosses though so i have no reason to go and finish it)
- Castle Crashers (bad PC port, have to wait for friends to want to play it)
- DMC 3 (bad PC port, not really my kind of game)
- Eschalon Book 2 (not really that interesting, got to a point in the game where i'm not sure where to go next)
- Fallen Enchantress (seems to be broken, also gameplay wasn't interesting)
- Ibomber defence pacific (might finish off)
- Machinarium (puzzles seemed to be silly, and i could just watch the game being finished on youtube anyway)
- Red Faction Armageddon (haven't even installed because it doesn't look interesting)
- Magicka (i've almost completed the game anyway and i already know how it ends, also the game seems to still be horribly broken in that multiplayer doesn't work at all most of the time, so it's not really worth finishing)

 

[Kushan101]

I experience this feeling seemingly once a week. It's worse when I look at the list of games I haven't finished or haven't even played yet, but can't find the energy or motivation to play them.

When this happens I usually end up loading Minecraft or something else I've played a million times. It's hard at first but once I manage to get past the initial laziness, I find myself having a good time like always.

This. So very much this. Im quite delighted that I'm not the only one who has this problem.

I fear that mine is sheer laziness, I feel I can't be bothered to play something even remotely challenging. Usually has me playing something quite easy - like Startopia on a easiest settings solo custom game cures it after an hour.

 

[Shirastro]

The feeling of wanting to sit down on my couch, grab my controller, and play some video games....
I never had one of those....i don't play consoles

 

[DoPo]

We've all experienced it. When you want to sit down on your couch, grab your controller, and play some video games....
Only to realize you have nothing to play. All your games games you completed, 100%, or simply done with.

Yes, I'll soon get to that point. Just after I finish

Spoiler: these

1. Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic
2. Alone in the Dark (1992)
3. Alone in the Dark 2
4. Alone in the Dark 3
5. Amnesia: The Dark Descent
6. Arx Fatalis
7. Assassin's Creed: Revelations
8. Baldur's Gate
9. Baldur's Gate II: The Collection
10. Batman: Arkham Asylum
11. Batman: Arkham City
12. Beyond Divinity
13. Beyond Good & Evil
14. BioShock
15. Cave Story Plus
16. Closure
17. Company of Heroes
18. Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts
19. Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor
20. Crusader Kings
21. Crusader Kings II
22. Crusader Kings II: Sword of Islam
23. Dark Sector
24. Darksiders
25. Darwinia
26. DEFCON: Everybody Dies
27. Devil May Cry 4
28. Deus Ex
29. Divinity II: Developer's Cut
30. Divine Divinity
31. Duke Nukem 3D
32. Dungeon Defenders
33. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
34. Dungeon Keeper
35. Dustforce
36. E.Y.E: Divine Cybermancy
37. Empire: Total War - Gold Edition
38. F.E.A.R. Extraction Point
39. Evil Genius
40. F.E.A.R.
41. F.E.A.R. Perseus Mandate
42. F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin
43. F.E.A.R. 3
44. Fallout
45. Fallout 2
46. Galactic Civilizations II: Ultimate Edition
47. Gothic
48. Gothic II: Gold Edition
49. Gothic 3: Gold Edition
50. Gothic 3: Forsaken Gods
51. Hard Reset
52. Icewind Dale
53. Icewind Dale II
54. Legend of Grimrock
55. Lone Survivor
56. Magic Carpet
57. Medieval II: Total War
58. Metro 2033
59. Medieval II: Total War Kingdoms
60. Might and Magic: Book One
61. Might and Magic II
62. Might and Magic III: Isles of Terra
63. Might and Magic IV: Clouds of Xeen
64. Might and Magic V: Darkside of Xeen
65. Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven
66. Might and Magic VIII: Day of the Destroyer
67. Multiwinia: Survival of the Flattest
68. Myst: Masterpiece Edition
69. Napoleon: Total War
70. Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee
71. Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath HD
72. Offspring Fling
73. One Unit Whole Blood
74. Orcs Must Die!
75. Planescape: Torment
76. Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee
77. Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus
78. Populous
79. Populous II: Trials of the Olympian Gods
80. Psychonauts
81. Realms of Arkania: Blade of Destiny (1992)
82. Realms of Arkania: Star Trail
83. Red Faction: Armageddon
84. Populous: The Beginning
85. Rochard
86. Rome: Total War
87. Rome: Total War Alexander
88. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat
89. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky
90. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl
91. Sanitarium
92. Saints Row 2
93. Scratches
94. Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword
95. Shank 2
96. Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Warlords
97. Snapshot
98. Soulbringer
99. Space Pirates and Zombies
100. SpellForce Platinum
101. Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization
102. SpellForce 2: Gold Edition
103. Syndicate (1993)
104. System Shock 2
105. The Elder Scrolls: Chapter II - Daggerfall
106. The Temple of Elemental Evil
107. The Walking Dead: A Telltale Games Series
108. Space Rangers 2: Reboot
109. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
110. Theme Hospital
111. Thief Gold
112. Thief II: The Metal Age
113. Titan Quest
114. To the Moon
115. Ultima Worlds of Adventure 2: Martian Dreams
116. Uplink: Hacker Elite
117. Vessel
118. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Gold Edition
119. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Winter Assault
120. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Soulstorm
121. Worms Revolution
122. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Dark Crusade
123. XCOM: Enemy Unknown
124. Yesterday

At any rate, what I would do is go and play something I want...there must be something I'd want - I can replay Bloodlines for the bajillionth time, or play some Crimsonland, or maybe try my hand at something online, like DotA. There is many things I would be able to do.

 

[lunavixen]

I experience this feeling seemingly once a week. It's worse when I look at the list of games I haven't finished or haven't even played yet, but can't find the energy or motivation to play them.

When this happens I usually end up loading Minecraft or something else I've played a million times. It's hard at first but once I manage to get past the initial laziness, I find myself having a good time like always.

This is my problem, I have a backlog of about 20 games or so but can't find the motivation to start them or finish the ones i've started, I keep going back to all of my old favourites (like Minecraft or FTL).

 

[Maveroid]

Oh, my friend, I have the opposite problem where I have a lot of games to play but ... Have no interest in them.
You know what you should do? If you live in the U.S, its time for you to go to Target right now and use the buy 2 get 1 free deal to expand your collection with three more games (only until the 22nd).

Really, the only true option you have is stocking up on new games, so abuse CheapAssGamer for deals and get yourself a new game, or go to Good Old Games and stock up on really cheap oldschool titles.

If thats not good, how about a free MMORPG on the PC? Or spend a little money on a game that will last forever, like Minecraft, Rollercoaster Tycoon or SimCity.

If that doesn't make you excited at all... Perhaps its time to take a break from gaming? Maybe its not that you have nothing to play, maybe you are just bored of gaming. Grab a book (bunch of free, classic books on e-book services) or a good movie on Netflix.

 

[King Aragorn]

The feeling of wanting to sit down on my couch, grab my controller, and play some video games....
I never had one of those....i don't play consoles

Oh yeah, I forgot most of The Escapist play on PC....
I do game on PC too, but I mostly stick to consoles. My PC isn't strong enough to run alot of games, but I keep it for old games such as DX1/Thief.

Thrad@ I wish I had a backlog like that. So much to play....
It's half empty vs half full, I guess.

 

[Sack of Cheese]

I call it video games blue. I have it too.

Sometimes I just wanna replay some games I know would be entertaining, instead I forced myself to play games I have yet to finish and got bored of them. These days it feels like I play a game just to finish it but not to "play" it.

Once in a while came a title I really enjoyed and wished they were longer.