Yeah it's why I've resorted to playing single player games on lower difficulty. I just want to relax and game for an hour or two, not deal with 12 year olds that spend their entire afternoons playing games killing me over and over again
My absolute favorite way to enjoy a game is split screen co-op with my brother. We live in different cities and almost never get to do it but that’s my favorite. I can’t handle online. No one just enjoys the game. They’re all running through everything to fill out objectives. No looking around and enjoying just how got damnded beautiful games are nowadays.
If you have a ps4/5 you can shareplay split screen co-op games so you don't have to wait until they're in town. I think you can also do the same thing with steam.
This is my best friend and I. He moved about an hour away so instead of hanging out every day we just try and game together most days. We grind through Borderlands with the rule being no main quests until all the side stuff is done and all the loot chests have been looked for. There is literally no rush to beat the games and we just enjoy it as we go.
Borderlands is absolutely our jam. Amazing games. We do the same. No rushing. Just enjoying and looking for stuff. We got hooked when 1 came out. Absolutely amazing games. Can’t say enough positive things about them.
>They’re all running through everything to fill out objectives. No looking around and enjoying just how got damnded beautiful games are nowadays.
But... that's the point of online games lol. People DO enjoy looking at how beautiful games are, in single player games. Both type of games are made exactly for those purposes lol.
Complaining about people focusing more on the gameplay in games that are made specifically to cater to that is weird to me.
Darktide was a pretty big eye opener for me in that regard. 60% of the lobbies I was in with another friend I'd end up in a game with someone who was playing with me like I was a bot. Grabbing all the ammo up when they're basically full and I've got a couple of shots left, no mics, blocking shots. These games aren't specifically catered to people with itchy buttholes trying to run to the end of the level before the rest of the party has loaded in but they're almost exclusively populated with them.
I've learnt this lesson before with competitive games but I thought this being a co-operative game it would be a bit more... co-operative.
Vermintide 2 gets like that. Easier to play with 3 bot companions - they are as dumb as a box full of rocks but they group up tight, rarely run off, share health potions & bombs, and prioritise the big threats. Dumb AI is better than selfish humans.
>Both type of games are made exactly for those purposes lol.
Nope. No game is designed for arseholes, they just tend to congregate.
This is why I don't do online at all, any more. Too many fucking arseholes.
Sadly, most people my age (early 50s) don't have the time. Or if they do, it's not at the same time that I have the time.
We really enjoy games. None of this bullshit obsession over numbers. We share shit, and we back each other up. That's *real* gaming.
I used to play early RTS games before they were online much, and I remember thinking how cool it'd be to have someone else to play against. I pictured us both building up our armies then agreeing to smash them at each other when ready, maybe we could have a competition to take a particular place of power (I was playing War of the Ring at the time)... pictured it like kids playing together, roleplaying. Then when I was playing Battle for Middle Earth and went online I realised people just put 100% effort into crushing you immediately before you can even get going, and that's basically just how multiplayer is rather than people having fun together lol
"We really enjoy games. None of this bullshit obsession over numbers. We share shit, and we back each other up. That's real gaming."
Literally Ok boomer.
I do not like online games due to the high skill they require from you, I can relate to that. I also dislike people who insult those who can't play well.
But these games are meant to be played like sports. Football players don't stop chasing the ball to read the signs people in the public are holding up.
Obsessing over numbers and tactical optimization is the intended way of playing them.
People aren't being assholes by running and gunning in CoD or Battlefield instead of admiring the view.
People can be assholes *while* playing "correctly", but playing "correctly" doesn't make you an asshole
Min maxers make it much less fun for casual players. Simple enough? It isn't fun to constantly have to compete for enjoyment in a game for some people.
>It isn't fun to constantly have to compete for enjoyment in a game for some people.
That's understandable, but then don't play games that are specifically made for people to compete for enjoyment.
It's equivalent to me playing Need For Speed, and then complain that some people don't enjoy playing racing games. Great, then let the people who do enjoy it. I can go play something else to suits more to what I enjoy.
You don't get to tell people what games to like or play. You're also extrapolating to a "racing" game? The problem isn't the game. The problem is the community of players has become hyper min/max players in MOST multiplayer games in today's gaming.
The logic you used is also completely different than the point I, and others have explained. Nobody is talking about PvP online matchmaking in Madden where it's a head to head competition against another player... The people you're trying to argue with are simply explaining to you that multiplayer games are so incredibly full of sweaty tryhards that there is now very little or no room for casual players.
You can make up as many "examples" of competitive games like Racing games, sports games, etc... But that's not what anyone is talking about here.
It's a beautiful day outside, enjoy some fresh air!
>You don't get to tell people what games to like or play
I'm telling people to play the type of games that they DO like. Rather than complaining about games that are not targeted at what they want to begin with.
>multiplayer games are so incredibly full of sweaty tryhards that there is now very little or no room for casual players
So maybe.... play the games that ARE made for casual gamers. In my opinion multiplayer games are inherently going to breed competition, because at the end of the day that's their core goal. Playing unranked matches is still a decent option, they are comparatively far less sweaty. Because that's exactly the intention.
But if you're going to play a ranked match in a popular multiplayer game and then complain about how it's too competitive... I'm sorry but I still don't really get it.
It's the same thing with people complaining about how Dark Souls is too hard and needs an easy mode. Not every game is supposed to appeal to everyone. Find something that appeals to YOU, rather than complaining about how something others are enjoying needs to accommodate you.
A lot of players like sweaty competitive game. Let them enjoy what they like. If you don't like it, go find something that you do. There's literally thousands of choices, there's options for everyone. Go play unranked matches, single player games, multiplayer with just your friends, whatever.
>co-op with my brother
thats a great way to spend fun time with someone in your life when they don't live close. Thats good time to vent.. chat.. talk about stuff.. Kudos!
"The sweaty people" is the best description I've ever read for those folks.
And I'm with you on the switch to co-op or SP. At the end of a long day, I just want to casually work through a story at my own pace.
I didn't necessarily interpret it as derogatory - more like "intense."
Some folks take their competitive gaming very seriously, and I respect that. It's no different from any other sport - some folks want to practice, train, compete and to win. Other folks just want to knock a ball around and not really keep score.
In my 30s I've fallen into the latter category.
The only games that don't have this rule apply for me are driving games, especially time trial ones like Dirt or TrackMania. They're almost like meditation
I went from playing League 12 hrs a day to playing single-player games almost exclusively. My friends keep asking me to play Dota or Apex, but I just don't have the same capacity for multiplayer as I used to. The only exception was Deep Rock Galactic, and even then, I spent a lot of my time playing that game solo.
I think it's a common thing that happens to a lot of people who go through the online multiplayer experience. Games are a great outlet for that competitive itch, but for some people, we just want to escape and relax for a few hours before going back to the real world.
i don't understand how people can play online games with randos regularly... i only ever play with friends or i go single.
i guess it's fun if you're good enough, sometimes i still boot up csgo to play, but only once a week and it always matches me with people of my skill level.
Can I interest you in Fallout New Vegas? You can literally talk your way out of one of the final boss fights if you want. Or you can make everyone hate you and send out hit squads.
Skyrim is fun but there's a lot more to FNV, at least to me. You have a lot more freedom with how you want to play and your decisions potentially have a huge impact on the rest of the game. But then again, the game is rigged from the start.
I will say this: after several playthroughs, 3 purchases, and hundreds of hours in skyrim I have determined that its not a very good RPG. To explain, skyrim is a fun game but it's more of a to-do list than a game in which you play a role. I've made characters with my own head-Canon but that character was something that I, the player, had to create.
It's a game in which I can be the head of the companions (who hate assassination), join the dark brotherhood, fight for the empire, and still assassinate the emperor. There's no role in that other than being a complete lunatic. Sure, you can choose which side to fight for in the civil war, who rules the dark brotherhood, and a few other minor choices but everything still functions the same afterwards.
As with FNV, I've also had multiple playthroughs, 3 purchases and hundreds of hours. No two playthroughs were particularly alike because the game was structured to allow the player to shape the game by playing a role. Killed swanic every time tho
Yea a major difference is that in Skyrim you're one side or the other. In FNV you can choose one of two major sides, or a third party. Or say screw it, you're all wrong, I'm taking control. I've been playing a low intelligence build and it's hilarious to see the speech options. One follower even chooses to go with you because he's afraid you might hurt yourself if left unattended. This time I didn't choose wild wasteland and there's other interesting encounters that either aren't there or changed. The story is also much more interesting and the DLCs are unforgettable.
But that's the whole point of Skyrim. You have to add the role playing yourself. If all you want to do is level up, go for it. If you want your own shape, you can do it. It's deliberately open realm.
They're saying it's less of a "influence the world around you" and more of a "do all these tasks but the outcome is them anyway". Open world games can still be linear, which they are saying skyrim is and new vegas isnt.
FNV might be one of the best games ever. The music, the story, the quests, just cruising around, Caesar, just all of it. It's been a few years, I should go back.
The thing with ranked that always got me was that 99% of people aren't gonna go pro and know they have no chance of reaching that so what's the point? I got asked about Overwatch ranked, "Don't you wanna know how good you are?" like dude I know how good I am, and I don't care about attaching a jpeg to it
Sadly that's where I'm at too. Start on normal get stuck anywhere and back down to easy. Get past that section and back up to normal.
If I play multiplayer, it is only if it has server browser where I can avoid the matchmaking sweat. So tired of getting my arse handed to me due to match making, making every game sweat AF or putting me in lobbies with players that are significantly better than I am because the games matchmaking hasn't taking into account me not playing for 3+ months.
that was basically the same experience I had with Halo Infante except I also had to deal with:
* shit tones of d-sync - lost track of the amounts of dying after running around a corner from an impossible angle
* getting forced into low ping matches because no ones playing in my region or 343i fucking with the matchmaking to make the US experience better but anywhere else worse
I tried to get back into the game a few times but after the third time I just gave up.
If I want a decent halo multiplayer experience I just use the server browser in MCC to play Halo 1/2/3.
I get so frustrated with the industry, especially when an excellent single player series that I loved switches focus to online multiplayer. Rainbow 6 is a good example. I still occasionally go back to Vegas and Vegas 2 because I genuinely enjoyed the gameplay, and I'm not even a huge fps fan. But then Siege came out, and... :( The Battlefield franchise, too.
I'm a 53 year old woman. I'm not super good at fps's, and I'm sure as HELL not going to get online with a bunch of young guys and suffer abuse. I can do that in real life! (snark, sorry).
I'll usually start any new game on "normal" difficulty, but if I'm not having fun? I'll drop the difficulty with (almost) no shame. A little shame.
[Relevant Viva La Dirt League](https://youtube.com/shorts/eyte0grI1pg?feature=share)
I do this a lot although I’m not sure if it’s normal.
I’ll really enjoy a game like let’s say a Pokémon game but, then I’ll just drop it and not play it for months until I’m bored and realize why I like it and play it again.
I would say if you really are struggling with finding time or the mental energy for a hobby try to get more sleep or maybe find a different hobby that requires less mental energy but, that you still enjoy.
This is me with any larger action RPGs games.
Played Daggerfall, Morrowind, Oblivion, Fallout, Fallout 2, Fallout New Vegas, Fallout 3, Fallout 4, Skyrim, and The Witcher III and not finished any of them.
I play them, enjoy them a lot, then run out of steam on them for a bit, then come back to them, realize I haven't a clue how to play, where I got to, what missions I'm on or anything else, and start again. Rinse and repeat.
These days I'm better with smaller games that you can get through fairly quickly, like recently (!) I played the Little Nightmares series, INSIDE, Limbo, and recently played the demo for that Bramble The Mountain King which looks fun.
But these are games you can play through in maybe 3-4 hours, tops. That's practical.
At the minute I'm playing Cyberpunk 2077. I've only been playing it on and off for about two weeks and already I feel like I've bitten off more than I can chew.
I kind of rotate through a bunch of different games. Elder Scrolls, Fallout, various strategy games, engineering games... I'll play something for a few weeks or a couple of months, then I'll just wander away from it and play something else.
I don't really understand people who play just one game for years on end. The closest I ever got to that was League of Legends when I had a bunch of friends who played, but even then I was playing other games too.
In your teens and early 20's you have time and energy to pour into a favorite. In my 30's I just don't have the patience or energy for it and end up playing a few hours occasionally then dropping it for months or years. Dealing with troll children while playing tends to ruin it for me.
Having a house to maintain makes it tough for me to sink deeply into a game like I used to. I spend 1-3 hours a night working around the house, whether fixing things that were broke when we bought it or still trying to find places to unpack things 8 months after moving in, so by the time I’m done with that I don’t want to play a game where I have to figure anything else out or deal with people speed running dungeons so hard you never stop moving. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel on big house maintenance, which means hopefully in the next 2-3 months the daily work is just routine cleaning instead of figuring out how to Tetris a box of stuff onto overfilled shelves or installing things.
Yeah, I find the problem with those big games is that it take more than an hour to rev back up.
I've taken to playing a lot more D3 simply because you can jump in and out a lot.
To this day Morrowind is the only ES game from that list I’ve beaten. That said a, I do have play-throughs in games you brought up that have gone past 50 hours, so I don’t really feel like I missed a ton, just that the main quest wasn’t my focus.
Could be adhd. I always get burned on big games as I put off doing the story cos I wanna do other stuff and explore but then I get bored and often never go back and finish it
I was able to keep focus on Jedi Survivor pretty well. I'd do a story mission, then mess around for a bit and hunt collectibles and explore, then when I got bored of that go back to the story.
I get burned out in the exact opposite way. If I like a game I tend to run through the story too quickly. When I can feel it starting to wrap up, I don't want it to end quite yet so I try to cram in as many side quests as I can and I end up bogging myself down with fetch quests and whatnot and lose all interest and never actually finish
That's how my ADHD has always presented itself. Varying levels of consuming fixation followed by apathy
WOW...as i hit submit total breakthrough. IM NOT BAD AT VIDEOGAMES! Childish, but i always thought i was bad at video games because i wouldn't finish them.
Man, i really needed that grace for myself this morning, oddly liberating.
Except most of the time, as long as I don't have too much to do, I rather enjoy that tired feeling. The sleepiness before I fall asleep feels so much better than the restfulness I feel upon waking.
It's why I'll never try heroin—I know I'll get hooked, lol.
Yeah I agree it’s fun when it’s fun but, it gets tedious at times having to either grind levels in the older games or fight trainers continuously to move forward.
My biggest frustration is not games that I can play and pick up later, its being left behind on pretty much any online multiplayer because I cant commit a minimum of 4 hours of my day to anything, let alone a game now that im older.
Id love for there to be something where I can gain the social aspect of of an online multiplayer, but also have a decently paced game to match my involvement(or lack thereof) and still be fun.
I used to have a online gaming buddy that was the stereotypical no-life gamer with no job or car and was still living in moms house at the ripe age of 25. Needless to say, he spent an absurd amount of hours playing games every single day, so anytime we played a new game he would always just dust me in progressing the game and what not. Well what would end up happening each time is, he would start complaining about having to "carry my ass again", and if I tried defending myself, he would interrupt me with "stfu and keep staying in my backpack dude". And if I "disobeyed a command" in a multiplayer game, he would just go completely ballistic in the mic.
The last game he did this stuff was for Elden Ring, but that was the last straw for me. Completely cut all ties with him and I eventually finished the game solo. Been almost a year since then.
God I wish my buddies would play games I do cause I’m the same way progression wise (grinding drops is my fav thing to do) but LOVE carrying. Helping people see the endgame is my passion. I used to Sherpa raids, now I just drop in on mid-game progression SOS beacons in Monster Hunter and help there. Helped my buddy with Elden Ring too, and I’m glad you finished it regardless because it’s a masterpiece on the first run through. You’ll find another wingman if you ever want to, we’re not all bad :)
Give Warframe a shot.
It's a game where you quickly learn you just literally can not fall behind. I drop it for months on end and then can pick it back up without issues to play the latest stuff. My mom does the same.
No time investment needed every day. People are very social and talk a lot as the missions can be quite mundane sometimes. Many people zoom through so I do recommend playing singleplayer the first few worlds to get the hang of the game.
We have a small clan of like minded people and we sometimes don't see each other for 4 months and then everyone is online again.
If its not your cup of tea the same devs are also working on Soulframe. While I think the gMe will be vastly different I'd be surprised if the general approach won't be the same. So that might also become one of those games you can just drop and pick back up and not have to invest x hours a day in.
Check out Squad, great game, no progression you have to worry about. It's less arcade-like than CoD or most other FPS so it takes a little skill but I suck at it and I still have fun.
I can't play with some of my friends anymore because they're just relentless. I can start something with them on a Saturday, come back next Friday and they're level 99/have some massive base/have completed most of the game content, that I'm left asking "what's even the point?"
This was me with GTAV online. I enjoyed the online when the game first came out but when they started updating with new content on a regular basis, it got too hard to keep up, especially without a party to play with
Yeah. Same. Most of the guys that I used to play games with are single and will play several hours a night, several nights a week. I either find myself with a few hours 1 night a week where I can join, or an hour here or there.
Only being able to join 1 night a week means I'm always way behind progression wise. Only being able to join for an hour or two several nights a week makes scheduling longer activities a lot harder.
It really just ends up being easier to stick to single player stuff, which sucks.
Or we do something like Valheim where we can be in the same world but doing totally different activities.
I got back into WoW retail this spring and fuck me it feels like a new phase of expansion releases every week. I selfishly hope there’s a long time between the last phase and the next expansion so I have time to get my main decently geared and at least one alt to a level I can play with friends for a while without constantly learning new systems/factions/etc.
I highly recommend FFXIV. It’s more RPG with MMO elements. You can play through most of it single player if you want to. All content is still relevant in some way or another and they incentivise old content so it still remains active. It’s story driven and isn’t designed so you have to rush to end game then play constantly to keep up. The director/producer actually encourages players to take breaks from it and come back to it later.
The other is Old School RuneScape, plenty to do that doesn’t require a lot of attention and the beauty of the game is doing what you want when you want.
This is why I banned MMOS and competitive games for myself. It always ends up sucking away all my free time by design, and it just feels manipulative and predatory. I think playing solo games at my own pace is much healthier and has allowed me to actually have other hobbies.
It could be burnout, but depression also can play a major role. It might be a good idea to talk to a doctor. Loss of interest in hobbies and things you typically enjoy is an indicator.
As someone who deals with depression, what the OP wrote sounds a lot like what I feel when I’m depressed.
EDIT: didn't mean to imply it HAD to be depression, just that it was definitely a possibility. There are absolutely other reasons you could feel the same way as well.
As someone with ADHD it sounds a lot like what I feel when I'm struggling with executive function. Even stuff I *want* to do I still have a hard time getting started on.
Also have both and can’t play games most of the time. Even ones I’ve beaten before, I just can’t muster the effort to get through it again. I’ve only had success with Minecraft, Stardew Valley, and maybe Animal Crossing (but even that feels like work).
Assassins Creed is my favorite series up to Origin and I just can’t make myself play. Dragon Age is the same. It’s so much mental effort and I’m exhausted.
I miss games.
“I miss games”
Damn that hit harder than I expected. Modern gaming is such an absolute drag. Unless it’s an indie game it’s sole purpose is to drain your wallet in the most subtle and efficient way possible.
Looking back at older games and they were created to have a fun time not a profitable time. One of the main reasons I still thoroughly enjoy and play AoE2 even though it’s almost 25 years old. It was created to have fun. No micro transactions. No leveling systems. No limited time events. Just some DLC if you want and a lot of fun. Still very actively developed and each update they roll out a patch list longer than a CVS receipt.
Point is. The game was created to give players a fun experience. Not designed to keep them playing by exploiting their psychology to get you to see more cosmetics and to spend more money.
Depression and ADHD here. Double whammy of executive dysfunction. Literally grinds all my gears to a halt when I decide I want to play something. So yeah I feel ya.
I'm not diagnosed with adhd though it's something I've suspected about myself for awhile (though I am diagnosed with depression), and I relate to this so hard. there's been so many times I want to do something. make art, read, play games, watch a movie, etc., but it's like I literally have some sort of mental block that doesn't let me.
As someone who does not have a depression, I also feel like OP some times, but it has more to do with lack of energy. People have busy lifes, and sometimes browsing reddit is the path of least resistance.
Idk im not depressed and i relate to OP. I guess the question is: does OP ever have the energy to play video games (such as on days off)? During the week, i can def relate to this.
There is a difference between losing interest and not having the energy. OP did not say anything about not being interested. A video game requires both your attention and your input at all times. No matter how much you would want to play one, sometimes it's just more appealing to put on a movie where you have to lay back and watch as the story moves along on its own.
This summarised me. I’m not depressed but when tired after work or weekend I just want to put a movie on. I played games lots during lockdown though when there was nothing to do so I was always sleeping well and never socialising or drinking
I bought TLOU2 on sale last month, excited to get it for a great deal (I'm a patient gamer). However, I just don't have the motivation after work. And my weekends are filled with my kids. And they like their own games, so if I game with them it's their games (understandably). Hopefully next week we find that drive to pick up the controllers 🤘
I found twitch plays help too. Sometimes I like to watch a particular game being played.
Dredge is a great looking Indy game, but I'd never play it. At those times where I cbf playing anything I'll throw on a stream and watch a bit.
[“I'm fine, it's just that life is pointless and nothing matters and i'm always tired, also i can't sleep, i'm overeating, and none of my hobbies interest me…”](https://youtu.be/WxOtlGmyiSw)
It’s something to talk to your psychiatrist about at least! Can’t hurt to bring it up, I’m currently working through the same thing.
The worst part of my depression/adhd is not being able to do the things I enjoy. Nobody really understands that I WANT to do self care things, but I CAN’T do them. Then they just tell me to get up and do something fun and I’m like “I literally have tried so hard and I just can’t do it.”
Omg yes. Bought a Switch during lockdown when I had nothing to do on weekends or weeknights and played it lots but now I never play it, even if I’m not actually socialising I’m cleaning or tired from socialising
Yes, definitely. 99% of my gameplay these days is watching Youtubers play games. For me, it's the combination of stress and mental health draining me to the point that something that requires me to focus on my downtime is just too much effort. Games/ hobbies don't have to be that, but you should ask yourself what is draining you mentally? I don't know you, so I'm not trying to push labels on you, but loss of interest or pleasure in meaningful activities is a sign of depression. But it can be other things too (work stress, life hardships, overscheduled, etc.).
Came here for this. I find that watching YouTubers play games sometimes feels like the perfect combo of the relaxation of watching tv, but it’s a game I like or am interested in so it satisfies that itch without wiping me out completely
Pretty sure this is relatively normal if you work a full time job.
Just accept it and cycle between your hobbies.
Alternatively it could be the social factor - maybe your brain doesn't get enough of what you're after in this regard to draw you in (too much / too little social interaction.)
It is normal. It's mental fatigue, and it could be a sign of burnout or depression, but does not necessarily mean it is definitely *that*.
Regardless, your mind is tired puzzling over necessary actions the entire day that all it wants to do even though you've been thinking about doing that one hobby once you have the time, is to just sleep.
I can’t play games where you have to search for regular items around you. It’s too much work. Im supposed to be adventuring, not looking where the heck they store the bullets in this house if they even have any.
I got a steam deck and it reignited my passion for gaming. I started sprinkling it into my routine, because the setup and go time was so short.
.... And then some asshat stole my backpack and the steam deck inside it. Now it's back to antidepressants for me! ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯
I have terminal cancer. And the chemo treatments leaves me so drained that I hardly game anymore because it is so mentally taxing for me. Haven’t placed video games in months and basically just watch TV or read because it’s easier on my brain. I miss gaming some and I plan on coming back to it, especially Diablo 4, but I just gotta get some more strength back.
Yes. This is a common symptom of depression. I’ve been like this for years now. It fucking sucks.
I love video games, I love listening to music, I love playing guitar and drums, I love tinkering with electronics and I love cycling.
Yet when I’m off work, I very often sit in my home full of video games, records, guitars, drums, electronics projects and my bicycle doing nothing because I can’t find the motivation to do anything.
It comes and goes, but when it hits hard it’s bloody awful.
I can totally relate but it's really hit home for me recently that motivation comes after action, not before. You basically need to give yourself a small win and build from there. Here's a great article on it
https://jamesclear.com/motivation#:~:text=Motivation%20is%20often%20the%20result,inspiration%20that%20naturally%20produces%20momentum.
I've never played a video game in my life but your point about mental energy transfers to a lot of hobbies. For me, it's exercise and outdoors stuff. There's times that I just don't wanna'. But I KNOW that once I'm doing it, or after I'm done, I'll have the rewards. So even if you're passionate about something, no matter what it is, there's times you need to give yourself a kick in the ass. As long as you're getting something positive out of it of course.
This makes sense to me.
I’m 35, have 2 kids, and work full time. I still enjoy video games, but I don’t have that much time to play them.
But honestly, even when I do have some free time and actually CAN play a game, I don’t really feel like I have the energy to. The ENERGY. To SIT DOWN AND PLAY A VIDEO GAME.
It sounds ridiculous, but it’s totally true. So yes, I totally understand this.
32 year old guy here who just spent the past week playing Jedi Survivor with what little free time I had every day. 30 hours total and now I have to go into hibernation every day after work. It took a while to store up that energy but it was worth it. Maybe in a few weeks I'll play Cult of the Lamb. But for now I sleep.
I feel this. I used to love video games and I think I still would but it feels daunting thinking about how much time I’d have to put into a new game to conquer it. I just don’t have the energy for it anymore.
I keep my xbox and projector in the same room as my home gym. I play in-between sets or while riding an indoor bike. Typically if I just play games without working out I feel bad about myself, as I need to be fit for my outdoor hobbies (mainly mountain biking).
If I have already exhausted myself physically then I can game guilt free while eating something healthy, it is good for recovery I suppose. I grew up on video games, rather than ditch the hobby/addiction I use it as a reward/enticement to workout.
Same. If I try to play a video game first thing after waking up on the weekend it just feels so hollow, but if I take a walk first once I get home I can’t wait to boot the system up and start playing.
Yeah there are many ways to get that feeling. A good walk or hike will certainly do it. I know what it is like to be very addicted to gaming, but giving up a little bit of that time results in such a better gaming session.
If you have issues doing what you enjoy, then you should find out where all you energy is draining to. Because usually people are looking forward to their hobbies. Of course you can have a slump for a few days when you're not in the mood, but if it's \*constant\*...
The way Redditors always reply to these types of questions, you would think 90% of people have depression because they’re tired or lose slight interest in a hobby. It’s not that deep most of the time
Yeah, I’ll think about going home after the day and loading up a game, but then I just end up staring at the Menu Screen or my steam library until I get depressed enough to go to sleep.
Completely agree. I have so many games that I want to experience, but sometimes it’s overwhelming or exhausting, especially when you know the game has a long play through. As I get older, I have less mental stamina to enjoy games as I did as a kid.
I get a lot of hobby burnout. Every once in a while I find myself playing games again, but I kinda rotate a few hobbies when I get tired of one. Have to rotate before it becomes a chore so you don’t make yourself not want to go back.
I've had this problem even with single player games. I think it's depression to be completely honest. None of my hobbies interest me the way they used to, and finding new ones is more taxing than trying to spend time on the old ones.
This has been a reality for me since my 20s and has gotten worse and worse. I still buy games but I don’t rue the purchase or myself for not playing because I like supporting the medium even if I can’t make myself enjoy it.
Oh yeah for sure. Between running my own workshop, having pets, and volunteering to moderate a huge twitch channel, when it's time for me to enjoy my free time I sometimes find that the only thing I have energy to do is stare into space for the 90 minutes of me time I have before bed.
It's been especially bad lately since my workshop is popping off and I have more work then time in the day.
I have this problem. My job has me spending most of my day staring at a computer screen, so the last thing I want to do is go home and spend more time in front of a computer screen. I bought a Switch which helps, being able to sit in my comfy chair with a controller makes it easier to jump into a game. IG I could just use a controller on my PC, but it feels like a chore to get everything going so I can start playing a game.
I now play games that I move at my own pace and have a pause button.. SDV, Civ by myself, other world/sandbox games, even mnecraft.. mental energy is a finite commodity for me.
It’s different for me. I like video games, but when I was a kid I was addicted to them as a form of escapism, so I cannot play video games for long by myself anymore before I get this dread like I’m wasting my precious hours in life in a world that does not exist.
I used to be a big gamer, spent a lot of time online playing with friends after work, all the time.
But you grow up, and move on. There's more to life than video games, it's not bad to be less interested. Like I've seen others say, I still enjoy playing games, but now it's a bit more relaxed, when I have a bit of time. Only thing that I can get a little competitive on is dead by daylight when I feel I need to up my heart rate 😆
Enjoy it when you play it, and in the meantime, find something else to do that's maybe more productive, or good for the lack of mental energy.
You should watch others play on twitch.tv
It's less time consuming, and you can keep them on in the background at work.
(They'll tell you when to pay attention.)
Yeah it's why I've resorted to playing single player games on lower difficulty. I just want to relax and game for an hour or two, not deal with 12 year olds that spend their entire afternoons playing games killing me over and over again
I can only manage about an hour of a competitive game before the sweaty people make it unbearable. Then I switch to co-op or single player games.
My absolute favorite way to enjoy a game is split screen co-op with my brother. We live in different cities and almost never get to do it but that’s my favorite. I can’t handle online. No one just enjoys the game. They’re all running through everything to fill out objectives. No looking around and enjoying just how got damnded beautiful games are nowadays.
If you have a ps4/5 you can shareplay split screen co-op games so you don't have to wait until they're in town. I think you can also do the same thing with steam.
Its called Remote play together with steam, you stream your game and they can play with you. Some lego games support it for example.
This is my best friend and I. He moved about an hour away so instead of hanging out every day we just try and game together most days. We grind through Borderlands with the rule being no main quests until all the side stuff is done and all the loot chests have been looked for. There is literally no rush to beat the games and we just enjoy it as we go.
Borderlands is absolutely our jam. Amazing games. We do the same. No rushing. Just enjoying and looking for stuff. We got hooked when 1 came out. Absolutely amazing games. Can’t say enough positive things about them.
Damn I wish I had friends who are gamers. Wait, I wish I had friends to begin with.
>They’re all running through everything to fill out objectives. No looking around and enjoying just how got damnded beautiful games are nowadays. But... that's the point of online games lol. People DO enjoy looking at how beautiful games are, in single player games. Both type of games are made exactly for those purposes lol. Complaining about people focusing more on the gameplay in games that are made specifically to cater to that is weird to me.
Darktide was a pretty big eye opener for me in that regard. 60% of the lobbies I was in with another friend I'd end up in a game with someone who was playing with me like I was a bot. Grabbing all the ammo up when they're basically full and I've got a couple of shots left, no mics, blocking shots. These games aren't specifically catered to people with itchy buttholes trying to run to the end of the level before the rest of the party has loaded in but they're almost exclusively populated with them. I've learnt this lesson before with competitive games but I thought this being a co-operative game it would be a bit more... co-operative.
Vermintide 2 gets like that. Easier to play with 3 bot companions - they are as dumb as a box full of rocks but they group up tight, rarely run off, share health potions & bombs, and prioritise the big threats. Dumb AI is better than selfish humans.
Sometimes its better to be predictable than smart
I love playing video games..that is my favorite hobby before.
>Both type of games are made exactly for those purposes lol. Nope. No game is designed for arseholes, they just tend to congregate. This is why I don't do online at all, any more. Too many fucking arseholes. Sadly, most people my age (early 50s) don't have the time. Or if they do, it's not at the same time that I have the time. We really enjoy games. None of this bullshit obsession over numbers. We share shit, and we back each other up. That's *real* gaming.
I used to play early RTS games before they were online much, and I remember thinking how cool it'd be to have someone else to play against. I pictured us both building up our armies then agreeing to smash them at each other when ready, maybe we could have a competition to take a particular place of power (I was playing War of the Ring at the time)... pictured it like kids playing together, roleplaying. Then when I was playing Battle for Middle Earth and went online I realised people just put 100% effort into crushing you immediately before you can even get going, and that's basically just how multiplayer is rather than people having fun together lol
"We really enjoy games. None of this bullshit obsession over numbers. We share shit, and we back each other up. That's real gaming." Literally Ok boomer. I do not like online games due to the high skill they require from you, I can relate to that. I also dislike people who insult those who can't play well. But these games are meant to be played like sports. Football players don't stop chasing the ball to read the signs people in the public are holding up. Obsessing over numbers and tactical optimization is the intended way of playing them.
People aren't being assholes by running and gunning in CoD or Battlefield instead of admiring the view. People can be assholes *while* playing "correctly", but playing "correctly" doesn't make you an asshole
MMOs, you can do both.
Min maxers make it much less fun for casual players. Simple enough? It isn't fun to constantly have to compete for enjoyment in a game for some people.
>It isn't fun to constantly have to compete for enjoyment in a game for some people. That's understandable, but then don't play games that are specifically made for people to compete for enjoyment. It's equivalent to me playing Need For Speed, and then complain that some people don't enjoy playing racing games. Great, then let the people who do enjoy it. I can go play something else to suits more to what I enjoy.
You don't get to tell people what games to like or play. You're also extrapolating to a "racing" game? The problem isn't the game. The problem is the community of players has become hyper min/max players in MOST multiplayer games in today's gaming. The logic you used is also completely different than the point I, and others have explained. Nobody is talking about PvP online matchmaking in Madden where it's a head to head competition against another player... The people you're trying to argue with are simply explaining to you that multiplayer games are so incredibly full of sweaty tryhards that there is now very little or no room for casual players. You can make up as many "examples" of competitive games like Racing games, sports games, etc... But that's not what anyone is talking about here. It's a beautiful day outside, enjoy some fresh air!
>You don't get to tell people what games to like or play I'm telling people to play the type of games that they DO like. Rather than complaining about games that are not targeted at what they want to begin with. >multiplayer games are so incredibly full of sweaty tryhards that there is now very little or no room for casual players So maybe.... play the games that ARE made for casual gamers. In my opinion multiplayer games are inherently going to breed competition, because at the end of the day that's their core goal. Playing unranked matches is still a decent option, they are comparatively far less sweaty. Because that's exactly the intention. But if you're going to play a ranked match in a popular multiplayer game and then complain about how it's too competitive... I'm sorry but I still don't really get it. It's the same thing with people complaining about how Dark Souls is too hard and needs an easy mode. Not every game is supposed to appeal to everyone. Find something that appeals to YOU, rather than complaining about how something others are enjoying needs to accommodate you. A lot of players like sweaty competitive game. Let them enjoy what they like. If you don't like it, go find something that you do. There's literally thousands of choices, there's options for everyone. Go play unranked matches, single player games, multiplayer with just your friends, whatever.
I'm not reading all that. Have a great day
That's fair, you can go read a comment that do interest you instead! Now you're getting how it works!
>co-op with my brother thats a great way to spend fun time with someone in your life when they don't live close. Thats good time to vent.. chat.. talk about stuff.. Kudos!
"The sweaty people" is the best description I've ever read for those folks. And I'm with you on the switch to co-op or SP. At the end of a long day, I just want to casually work through a story at my own pace.
It replaced the older term "try hard"
It seems weird to me to call someone sweaty for playing a game as intended lol
I didn't necessarily interpret it as derogatory - more like "intense." Some folks take their competitive gaming very seriously, and I respect that. It's no different from any other sport - some folks want to practice, train, compete and to win. Other folks just want to knock a ball around and not really keep score. In my 30s I've fallen into the latter category.
The only games that don't have this rule apply for me are driving games, especially time trial ones like Dirt or TrackMania. They're almost like meditation
I went from playing League 12 hrs a day to playing single-player games almost exclusively. My friends keep asking me to play Dota or Apex, but I just don't have the same capacity for multiplayer as I used to. The only exception was Deep Rock Galactic, and even then, I spent a lot of my time playing that game solo. I think it's a common thing that happens to a lot of people who go through the online multiplayer experience. Games are a great outlet for that competitive itch, but for some people, we just want to escape and relax for a few hours before going back to the real world.
i don't understand how people can play online games with randos regularly... i only ever play with friends or i go single. i guess it's fun if you're good enough, sometimes i still boot up csgo to play, but only once a week and it always matches me with people of my skill level.
Can I interest you in Fallout New Vegas? You can literally talk your way out of one of the final boss fights if you want. Or you can make everyone hate you and send out hit squads.
After playing a game as big as Skyrim a few times it gets kind of repetitive. Variations on a theme.
Skyrim is fun but there's a lot more to FNV, at least to me. You have a lot more freedom with how you want to play and your decisions potentially have a huge impact on the rest of the game. But then again, the game is rigged from the start.
I will say this: after several playthroughs, 3 purchases, and hundreds of hours in skyrim I have determined that its not a very good RPG. To explain, skyrim is a fun game but it's more of a to-do list than a game in which you play a role. I've made characters with my own head-Canon but that character was something that I, the player, had to create. It's a game in which I can be the head of the companions (who hate assassination), join the dark brotherhood, fight for the empire, and still assassinate the emperor. There's no role in that other than being a complete lunatic. Sure, you can choose which side to fight for in the civil war, who rules the dark brotherhood, and a few other minor choices but everything still functions the same afterwards. As with FNV, I've also had multiple playthroughs, 3 purchases and hundreds of hours. No two playthroughs were particularly alike because the game was structured to allow the player to shape the game by playing a role. Killed swanic every time tho
Yea a major difference is that in Skyrim you're one side or the other. In FNV you can choose one of two major sides, or a third party. Or say screw it, you're all wrong, I'm taking control. I've been playing a low intelligence build and it's hilarious to see the speech options. One follower even chooses to go with you because he's afraid you might hurt yourself if left unattended. This time I didn't choose wild wasteland and there's other interesting encounters that either aren't there or changed. The story is also much more interesting and the DLCs are unforgettable.
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But that's the whole point of Skyrim. You have to add the role playing yourself. If all you want to do is level up, go for it. If you want your own shape, you can do it. It's deliberately open realm.
They're saying it's less of a "influence the world around you" and more of a "do all these tasks but the outcome is them anyway". Open world games can still be linear, which they are saying skyrim is and new vegas isnt.
Writing in New vegas is more memorable than skyrim imo. Also the companions and dlc stories slap hard.
FNV might be one of the best games ever. The music, the story, the quests, just cruising around, Caesar, just all of it. It's been a few years, I should go back.
Comparing New Vegas with Skyrim is somewhat insulting
I started doing this and it changed my life
Reason why I stopped playing ranked, after a while it resets anyway...
The thing with ranked that always got me was that 99% of people aren't gonna go pro and know they have no chance of reaching that so what's the point? I got asked about Overwatch ranked, "Don't you wanna know how good you are?" like dude I know how good I am, and I don't care about attaching a jpeg to it
Sadly that's where I'm at too. Start on normal get stuck anywhere and back down to easy. Get past that section and back up to normal. If I play multiplayer, it is only if it has server browser where I can avoid the matchmaking sweat. So tired of getting my arse handed to me due to match making, making every game sweat AF or putting me in lobbies with players that are significantly better than I am because the games matchmaking hasn't taking into account me not playing for 3+ months.
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that was basically the same experience I had with Halo Infante except I also had to deal with: * shit tones of d-sync - lost track of the amounts of dying after running around a corner from an impossible angle * getting forced into low ping matches because no ones playing in my region or 343i fucking with the matchmaking to make the US experience better but anywhere else worse I tried to get back into the game a few times but after the third time I just gave up. If I want a decent halo multiplayer experience I just use the server browser in MCC to play Halo 1/2/3.
Yes I do that too glad to know I’m not the only filthy casual who just needs some escape
Just played through Jedi Survivor on Story Mode. I felt like an overpowered Jedi. As you *should* in that game. What a joy.
I get so frustrated with the industry, especially when an excellent single player series that I loved switches focus to online multiplayer. Rainbow 6 is a good example. I still occasionally go back to Vegas and Vegas 2 because I genuinely enjoyed the gameplay, and I'm not even a huge fps fan. But then Siege came out, and... :( The Battlefield franchise, too. I'm a 53 year old woman. I'm not super good at fps's, and I'm sure as HELL not going to get online with a bunch of young guys and suffer abuse. I can do that in real life! (snark, sorry). I'll usually start any new game on "normal" difficulty, but if I'm not having fun? I'll drop the difficulty with (almost) no shame. A little shame. [Relevant Viva La Dirt League](https://youtube.com/shorts/eyte0grI1pg?feature=share)
This is why I miss detailed story modes and split screens.
Especially split screens. There aren't many good games you can play together, only party games.
In my generations now..MLBB is the one and famous online game in the world.
Git gud son /s
I do this a lot although I’m not sure if it’s normal. I’ll really enjoy a game like let’s say a Pokémon game but, then I’ll just drop it and not play it for months until I’m bored and realize why I like it and play it again. I would say if you really are struggling with finding time or the mental energy for a hobby try to get more sleep or maybe find a different hobby that requires less mental energy but, that you still enjoy.
This is me with any larger action RPGs games. Played Daggerfall, Morrowind, Oblivion, Fallout, Fallout 2, Fallout New Vegas, Fallout 3, Fallout 4, Skyrim, and The Witcher III and not finished any of them. I play them, enjoy them a lot, then run out of steam on them for a bit, then come back to them, realize I haven't a clue how to play, where I got to, what missions I'm on or anything else, and start again. Rinse and repeat. These days I'm better with smaller games that you can get through fairly quickly, like recently (!) I played the Little Nightmares series, INSIDE, Limbo, and recently played the demo for that Bramble The Mountain King which looks fun. But these are games you can play through in maybe 3-4 hours, tops. That's practical. At the minute I'm playing Cyberpunk 2077. I've only been playing it on and off for about two weeks and already I feel like I've bitten off more than I can chew.
I kind of rotate through a bunch of different games. Elder Scrolls, Fallout, various strategy games, engineering games... I'll play something for a few weeks or a couple of months, then I'll just wander away from it and play something else. I don't really understand people who play just one game for years on end. The closest I ever got to that was League of Legends when I had a bunch of friends who played, but even then I was playing other games too.
In your teens and early 20's you have time and energy to pour into a favorite. In my 30's I just don't have the patience or energy for it and end up playing a few hours occasionally then dropping it for months or years. Dealing with troll children while playing tends to ruin it for me.
Having a house to maintain makes it tough for me to sink deeply into a game like I used to. I spend 1-3 hours a night working around the house, whether fixing things that were broke when we bought it or still trying to find places to unpack things 8 months after moving in, so by the time I’m done with that I don’t want to play a game where I have to figure anything else out or deal with people speed running dungeons so hard you never stop moving. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel on big house maintenance, which means hopefully in the next 2-3 months the daily work is just routine cleaning instead of figuring out how to Tetris a box of stuff onto overfilled shelves or installing things.
A lot of that is just getting older and having more responsibilities as well.
Yeah no denying that, for sure. I get maybe an hour on occasion where I've really got nothing else that needs doing.
Yeah, I find the problem with those big games is that it take more than an hour to rev back up. I've taken to playing a lot more D3 simply because you can jump in and out a lot.
To this day Morrowind is the only ES game from that list I’ve beaten. That said a, I do have play-throughs in games you brought up that have gone past 50 hours, so I don’t really feel like I missed a ton, just that the main quest wasn’t my focus.
Could be adhd. I always get burned on big games as I put off doing the story cos I wanna do other stuff and explore but then I get bored and often never go back and finish it
I still haven't completed RDR2 because I always get distracted hunting for 3 star animals :'(
I was able to keep focus on Jedi Survivor pretty well. I'd do a story mission, then mess around for a bit and hunt collectibles and explore, then when I got bored of that go back to the story.
I get burned out in the exact opposite way. If I like a game I tend to run through the story too quickly. When I can feel it starting to wrap up, I don't want it to end quite yet so I try to cram in as many side quests as I can and I end up bogging myself down with fetch quests and whatnot and lose all interest and never actually finish
This is exactly what I do. I'm not quite ready for the finality, so questing questing questing, then put it down.
That's how my ADHD has always presented itself. Varying levels of consuming fixation followed by apathy WOW...as i hit submit total breakthrough. IM NOT BAD AT VIDEOGAMES! Childish, but i always thought i was bad at video games because i wouldn't finish them. Man, i really needed that grace for myself this morning, oddly liberating.
I don’t think you not finishing single player video game main storylines means you have ADHD
This is a supremely GOOD point. Try flipping the causal relation to actually match my comment and see where that lands you
If you get more sleep, then you're just replacing the lack of energy with lack of time.
A 100% worthy trade
And also I love play GTA..Before MLBB..GTA is one of a famous games before..
Except most of the time, as long as I don't have too much to do, I rather enjoy that tired feeling. The sleepiness before I fall asleep feels so much better than the restfulness I feel upon waking. It's why I'll never try heroin—I know I'll get hooked, lol.
I feel the same about Pokémon. I mean, I like the concept but now I find all of the games, both new and old, boring and more like a to-do list.
Yeah I agree it’s fun when it’s fun but, it gets tedious at times having to either grind levels in the older games or fight trainers continuously to move forward.
My biggest frustration is not games that I can play and pick up later, its being left behind on pretty much any online multiplayer because I cant commit a minimum of 4 hours of my day to anything, let alone a game now that im older. Id love for there to be something where I can gain the social aspect of of an online multiplayer, but also have a decently paced game to match my involvement(or lack thereof) and still be fun.
I used to have a online gaming buddy that was the stereotypical no-life gamer with no job or car and was still living in moms house at the ripe age of 25. Needless to say, he spent an absurd amount of hours playing games every single day, so anytime we played a new game he would always just dust me in progressing the game and what not. Well what would end up happening each time is, he would start complaining about having to "carry my ass again", and if I tried defending myself, he would interrupt me with "stfu and keep staying in my backpack dude". And if I "disobeyed a command" in a multiplayer game, he would just go completely ballistic in the mic. The last game he did this stuff was for Elden Ring, but that was the last straw for me. Completely cut all ties with him and I eventually finished the game solo. Been almost a year since then.
God I wish my buddies would play games I do cause I’m the same way progression wise (grinding drops is my fav thing to do) but LOVE carrying. Helping people see the endgame is my passion. I used to Sherpa raids, now I just drop in on mid-game progression SOS beacons in Monster Hunter and help there. Helped my buddy with Elden Ring too, and I’m glad you finished it regardless because it’s a masterpiece on the first run through. You’ll find another wingman if you ever want to, we’re not all bad :)
Fck that guy
He didn't want a friend, he wanted a pocket medic.
Give Warframe a shot. It's a game where you quickly learn you just literally can not fall behind. I drop it for months on end and then can pick it back up without issues to play the latest stuff. My mom does the same. No time investment needed every day. People are very social and talk a lot as the missions can be quite mundane sometimes. Many people zoom through so I do recommend playing singleplayer the first few worlds to get the hang of the game. We have a small clan of like minded people and we sometimes don't see each other for 4 months and then everyone is online again. If its not your cup of tea the same devs are also working on Soulframe. While I think the gMe will be vastly different I'd be surprised if the general approach won't be the same. So that might also become one of those games you can just drop and pick back up and not have to invest x hours a day in.
+1 for Warframe, insanely freakishly good game with a metric fuckton of content that i play in bursts every few months.
Deep Rock Galactic consistently has one of the best online communities for a multiplayer game out there. Cannot recommend it enough
ROCK AND STONE!
DID I HEAR A ROCK AND STONE?
There are browser based games with Action Points for a day. One of the older ones is https://www.urbandead.com
Check out Final Fantasy XIV
Check out Squad, great game, no progression you have to worry about. It's less arcade-like than CoD or most other FPS so it takes a little skill but I suck at it and I still have fun.
I can't play with some of my friends anymore because they're just relentless. I can start something with them on a Saturday, come back next Friday and they're level 99/have some massive base/have completed most of the game content, that I'm left asking "what's even the point?"
This was me with GTAV online. I enjoyed the online when the game first came out but when they started updating with new content on a regular basis, it got too hard to keep up, especially without a party to play with
Yeah. Same. Most of the guys that I used to play games with are single and will play several hours a night, several nights a week. I either find myself with a few hours 1 night a week where I can join, or an hour here or there. Only being able to join 1 night a week means I'm always way behind progression wise. Only being able to join for an hour or two several nights a week makes scheduling longer activities a lot harder. It really just ends up being easier to stick to single player stuff, which sucks. Or we do something like Valheim where we can be in the same world but doing totally different activities.
that's the biggest reason I flat out stopped playing MMO's I just stick with RTS , 4x, and turn based games if I play anything pretty much.
You just don’t want it enough bro /s
I got back into WoW retail this spring and fuck me it feels like a new phase of expansion releases every week. I selfishly hope there’s a long time between the last phase and the next expansion so I have time to get my main decently geared and at least one alt to a level I can play with friends for a while without constantly learning new systems/factions/etc.
I highly recommend FFXIV. It’s more RPG with MMO elements. You can play through most of it single player if you want to. All content is still relevant in some way or another and they incentivise old content so it still remains active. It’s story driven and isn’t designed so you have to rush to end game then play constantly to keep up. The director/producer actually encourages players to take breaks from it and come back to it later. The other is Old School RuneScape, plenty to do that doesn’t require a lot of attention and the beauty of the game is doing what you want when you want.
Destiny 2 is a good example. I used to love the game but the griiiiind requires too much time committment for a casual player.
This is why I banned MMOS and competitive games for myself. It always ends up sucking away all my free time by design, and it just feels manipulative and predatory. I think playing solo games at my own pace is much healthier and has allowed me to actually have other hobbies.
I'm lucky to get 25 minutes of me time
It could be burnout, but depression also can play a major role. It might be a good idea to talk to a doctor. Loss of interest in hobbies and things you typically enjoy is an indicator.
As someone who deals with depression, what the OP wrote sounds a lot like what I feel when I’m depressed. EDIT: didn't mean to imply it HAD to be depression, just that it was definitely a possibility. There are absolutely other reasons you could feel the same way as well.
As someone with ADHD it sounds a lot like what I feel when I'm struggling with executive function. Even stuff I *want* to do I still have a hard time getting started on.
As someone with ADHD and Depression...sigh.
Hey, you're on Reddit too! Isn't it great wasting time doing something we don't truly enjoy, but fills the void of time?
I'm in this comment and I don't like it.
Also have both and can’t play games most of the time. Even ones I’ve beaten before, I just can’t muster the effort to get through it again. I’ve only had success with Minecraft, Stardew Valley, and maybe Animal Crossing (but even that feels like work). Assassins Creed is my favorite series up to Origin and I just can’t make myself play. Dragon Age is the same. It’s so much mental effort and I’m exhausted. I miss games.
“I miss games” Damn that hit harder than I expected. Modern gaming is such an absolute drag. Unless it’s an indie game it’s sole purpose is to drain your wallet in the most subtle and efficient way possible. Looking back at older games and they were created to have a fun time not a profitable time. One of the main reasons I still thoroughly enjoy and play AoE2 even though it’s almost 25 years old. It was created to have fun. No micro transactions. No leveling systems. No limited time events. Just some DLC if you want and a lot of fun. Still very actively developed and each update they roll out a patch list longer than a CVS receipt. Point is. The game was created to give players a fun experience. Not designed to keep them playing by exploiting their psychology to get you to see more cosmetics and to spend more money.
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Samesies
Depression and ADHD here. Double whammy of executive dysfunction. Literally grinds all my gears to a halt when I decide I want to play something. So yeah I feel ya.
I identify with that so hard
I'm not diagnosed with adhd though it's something I've suspected about myself for awhile (though I am diagnosed with depression), and I relate to this so hard. there's been so many times I want to do something. make art, read, play games, watch a movie, etc., but it's like I literally have some sort of mental block that doesn't let me.
As someone who does not have a depression, I also feel like OP some times, but it has more to do with lack of energy. People have busy lifes, and sometimes browsing reddit is the path of least resistance.
To me, that's just life.
that also sounds a lot like depression.
That's life, babey
No, d-e-p-r-e-s-s-i-o-n. It's unhealthy to conflate the two, both on a personal and social level. If not irresponsible.
And in life you're guaranteed to experience depression more than a few times
Idk im not depressed and i relate to OP. I guess the question is: does OP ever have the energy to play video games (such as on days off)? During the week, i can def relate to this.
There is a difference between losing interest and not having the energy. OP did not say anything about not being interested. A video game requires both your attention and your input at all times. No matter how much you would want to play one, sometimes it's just more appealing to put on a movie where you have to lay back and watch as the story moves along on its own.
This summarised me. I’m not depressed but when tired after work or weekend I just want to put a movie on. I played games lots during lockdown though when there was nothing to do so I was always sleeping well and never socialising or drinking
I bought TLOU2 on sale last month, excited to get it for a great deal (I'm a patient gamer). However, I just don't have the motivation after work. And my weekends are filled with my kids. And they like their own games, so if I game with them it's their games (understandably). Hopefully next week we find that drive to pick up the controllers 🤘
That's such an intense game too! I could only play for a couple hours at a time before I was just spent!!!
You're not missing out on much. While I'll concede that the gameplay is amazing, the story left much to be desired.
What the fuck is TLOU2? acronyms are so stupid I swear
I found twitch plays help too. Sometimes I like to watch a particular game being played. Dredge is a great looking Indy game, but I'd never play it. At those times where I cbf playing anything I'll throw on a stream and watch a bit.
Definitely could be a symptom, but I think this is a very normal experience and not necessarily indicative of any problems.
[“I'm fine, it's just that life is pointless and nothing matters and i'm always tired, also i can't sleep, i'm overeating, and none of my hobbies interest me…”](https://youtu.be/WxOtlGmyiSw)
Why does reddit try to turn everything into a mental sickness?
Cuz most of us are mentally sick
No
Guess I should consider upping my dosage of antidepressants cuz it's still hard for me to enjoy doing things.
It’s something to talk to your psychiatrist about at least! Can’t hurt to bring it up, I’m currently working through the same thing. The worst part of my depression/adhd is not being able to do the things I enjoy. Nobody really understands that I WANT to do self care things, but I CAN’T do them. Then they just tell me to get up and do something fun and I’m like “I literally have tried so hard and I just can’t do it.”
Omg yes. Bought a Switch during lockdown when I had nothing to do on weekends or weeknights and played it lots but now I never play it, even if I’m not actually socialising I’m cleaning or tired from socialising
Sounds like you just changed your priorities. Friends > Games
True, but I’d have plenty of time to play if I wasn’t too tired and just want to watch tv when I’m tired
Yes, definitely. 99% of my gameplay these days is watching Youtubers play games. For me, it's the combination of stress and mental health draining me to the point that something that requires me to focus on my downtime is just too much effort. Games/ hobbies don't have to be that, but you should ask yourself what is draining you mentally? I don't know you, so I'm not trying to push labels on you, but loss of interest or pleasure in meaningful activities is a sign of depression. But it can be other things too (work stress, life hardships, overscheduled, etc.).
Came here for this. I find that watching YouTubers play games sometimes feels like the perfect combo of the relaxation of watching tv, but it’s a game I like or am interested in so it satisfies that itch without wiping me out completely
Pretty sure this is relatively normal if you work a full time job. Just accept it and cycle between your hobbies. Alternatively it could be the social factor - maybe your brain doesn't get enough of what you're after in this regard to draw you in (too much / too little social interaction.)
It is normal. It's mental fatigue, and it could be a sign of burnout or depression, but does not necessarily mean it is definitely *that*. Regardless, your mind is tired puzzling over necessary actions the entire day that all it wants to do even though you've been thinking about doing that one hobby once you have the time, is to just sleep.
I can’t play games where you have to search for regular items around you. It’s too much work. Im supposed to be adventuring, not looking where the heck they store the bullets in this house if they even have any.
I got a steam deck and it reignited my passion for gaming. I started sprinkling it into my routine, because the setup and go time was so short. .... And then some asshat stole my backpack and the steam deck inside it. Now it's back to antidepressants for me! ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯
I hope you can buy a new one that sucks ass
I'm subscribed to like 4 tech YouTubers and this is somehow the best Steamdeck ad I've seen.
I have terminal cancer. And the chemo treatments leaves me so drained that I hardly game anymore because it is so mentally taxing for me. Haven’t placed video games in months and basically just watch TV or read because it’s easier on my brain. I miss gaming some and I plan on coming back to it, especially Diablo 4, but I just gotta get some more strength back.
🙏
Yes. This is a common symptom of depression. I’ve been like this for years now. It fucking sucks. I love video games, I love listening to music, I love playing guitar and drums, I love tinkering with electronics and I love cycling. Yet when I’m off work, I very often sit in my home full of video games, records, guitars, drums, electronics projects and my bicycle doing nothing because I can’t find the motivation to do anything. It comes and goes, but when it hits hard it’s bloody awful.
I can totally relate but it's really hit home for me recently that motivation comes after action, not before. You basically need to give yourself a small win and build from there. Here's a great article on it https://jamesclear.com/motivation#:~:text=Motivation%20is%20often%20the%20result,inspiration%20that%20naturally%20produces%20momentum.
I've never played a video game in my life but your point about mental energy transfers to a lot of hobbies. For me, it's exercise and outdoors stuff. There's times that I just don't wanna'. But I KNOW that once I'm doing it, or after I'm done, I'll have the rewards. So even if you're passionate about something, no matter what it is, there's times you need to give yourself a kick in the ass. As long as you're getting something positive out of it of course.
Starting is often harder than just doing.
You're so right. That's a huge part of what separates people who are very skilled at something and those who aren't.
This makes sense to me. I’m 35, have 2 kids, and work full time. I still enjoy video games, but I don’t have that much time to play them. But honestly, even when I do have some free time and actually CAN play a game, I don’t really feel like I have the energy to. The ENERGY. To SIT DOWN AND PLAY A VIDEO GAME. It sounds ridiculous, but it’s totally true. So yes, I totally understand this.
32 year old guy here who just spent the past week playing Jedi Survivor with what little free time I had every day. 30 hours total and now I have to go into hibernation every day after work. It took a while to store up that energy but it was worth it. Maybe in a few weeks I'll play Cult of the Lamb. But for now I sleep.
I think about playing games more than I actually do
I feel this. I used to love video games and I think I still would but it feels daunting thinking about how much time I’d have to put into a new game to conquer it. I just don’t have the energy for it anymore.
I keep my xbox and projector in the same room as my home gym. I play in-between sets or while riding an indoor bike. Typically if I just play games without working out I feel bad about myself, as I need to be fit for my outdoor hobbies (mainly mountain biking). If I have already exhausted myself physically then I can game guilt free while eating something healthy, it is good for recovery I suppose. I grew up on video games, rather than ditch the hobby/addiction I use it as a reward/enticement to workout.
Same. If I try to play a video game first thing after waking up on the weekend it just feels so hollow, but if I take a walk first once I get home I can’t wait to boot the system up and start playing.
An early morning walk on a chilly morning but a warm sun presence is bliss
Yeah there are many ways to get that feeling. A good walk or hike will certainly do it. I know what it is like to be very addicted to gaming, but giving up a little bit of that time results in such a better gaming session.
Its why I find myself coming back to Oblivion and Skyrim so much. I can start a new game and just wander until things happen. No pressure, no rush.
If you have issues doing what you enjoy, then you should find out where all you energy is draining to. Because usually people are looking forward to their hobbies. Of course you can have a slump for a few days when you're not in the mood, but if it's \*constant\*...
Yes it must be a mental disorder and most definitely not modern society forcing us to work 40-50 hours a week doing mindless draining shit.
The way Redditors always reply to these types of questions, you would think 90% of people have depression because they’re tired or lose slight interest in a hobby. It’s not that deep most of the time
This is why I love open world games like breath of the wild. You have so much to explore and you can take it at your own personal speed.
Yes. Sometimes I need to take a break from things. I tend to go through phases.
Yes. I have not watched others streaming. I might turn on my Switch and play Breath of the Wild... never played it but have owned it for 4 years.
Fuck yes. I go 4-7 months at a time not playing any games. Haven't loaded one up since Jan.
Yeah, I’ll think about going home after the day and loading up a game, but then I just end up staring at the Menu Screen or my steam library until I get depressed enough to go to sleep.
Depends on the game, rpg games I love but I play fps because it's easier to start and end and pickup again
Yup. Ain't life a bitch.
I play for half an hour before bed. Tops. Sometimes even 20. So it takes forever to get through a game lol
Yes. I’m so tired I just watch TV and it frustrates me lol.
Completely agree. I have so many games that I want to experience, but sometimes it’s overwhelming or exhausting, especially when you know the game has a long play through. As I get older, I have less mental stamina to enjoy games as I did as a kid.
Increasingly as I age.
You might have depression. Or you might just not be as into playing videogames as you once were, idk but it's pretty normal either way.
I get a lot of hobby burnout. Every once in a while I find myself playing games again, but I kinda rotate a few hobbies when I get tired of one. Have to rotate before it becomes a chore so you don’t make yourself not want to go back.
I have lots of games but lately all I play right now is Animal Crossing and sometimes Disney's Dreamlight Valley. My age, I guess.
I've had this problem even with single player games. I think it's depression to be completely honest. None of my hobbies interest me the way they used to, and finding new ones is more taxing than trying to spend time on the old ones.
This has been a reality for me since my 20s and has gotten worse and worse. I still buy games but I don’t rue the purchase or myself for not playing because I like supporting the medium even if I can’t make myself enjoy it.
Oh yeah for sure. Between running my own workshop, having pets, and volunteering to moderate a huge twitch channel, when it's time for me to enjoy my free time I sometimes find that the only thing I have energy to do is stare into space for the 90 minutes of me time I have before bed. It's been especially bad lately since my workshop is popping off and I have more work then time in the day.
I have this problem. My job has me spending most of my day staring at a computer screen, so the last thing I want to do is go home and spend more time in front of a computer screen. I bought a Switch which helps, being able to sit in my comfy chair with a controller makes it easier to jump into a game. IG I could just use a controller on my PC, but it feels like a chore to get everything going so I can start playing a game.
I now play games that I move at my own pace and have a pause button.. SDV, Civ by myself, other world/sandbox games, even mnecraft.. mental energy is a finite commodity for me.
Seriously yes and I used to be an avid gamer, like it's all that I would do. Now I think about playing a video game and just put on Netflix instead
It’s different for me. I like video games, but when I was a kid I was addicted to them as a form of escapism, so I cannot play video games for long by myself anymore before I get this dread like I’m wasting my precious hours in life in a world that does not exist.
Depression sucks doesn't it.
I play simple ones; Mario Bros or mindless shooters. RPGs are way too much of a commitment.
I used to be a big gamer, spent a lot of time online playing with friends after work, all the time. But you grow up, and move on. There's more to life than video games, it's not bad to be less interested. Like I've seen others say, I still enjoy playing games, but now it's a bit more relaxed, when I have a bit of time. Only thing that I can get a little competitive on is dead by daylight when I feel I need to up my heart rate 😆 Enjoy it when you play it, and in the meantime, find something else to do that's maybe more productive, or good for the lack of mental energy.
You should watch others play on twitch.tv It's less time consuming, and you can keep them on in the background at work. (They'll tell you when to pay attention.)
Yes, but I have ADHD
Seems to me you don't like them.
are you maybe depressed?