Sick & tired of video gaming, is that normal?

[MariosX]

Hello.

I would like somebody's opinion on this matter.

I've been playing video games since I was 6 years old, now I'm 24. I stopped playing exactly two years ago because I was at college and I had to work as well. I was waking up every day at 7:30 a.m. and had to be at college right away. College lessons were ending at 12:30 pm and at 1:00 pm I had to be at work for an 8 hour shift.

Because I hadn't enough time I gave priority to other things.

Please note, that until I entered college I was playing like a maniac, I had spent 2000$ just to get a gaming pc with high specs

(Intel Core i7 920, 3x2GB RAM, Sapphire HD4870 1GB, 1xSSD Intel M25 80GB, 2x1TB WDD Caviar Black, Z-5500 Speakers, G110 Keyboard, G500 Gaming Mouse etc.)

and also had all consoles, (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii) just to not miss any great game.

I was avoiding human contact, rarely involved into sports and sometimes I was pretending to be sick just to have more time to spent on video-gaming, you could call me an addict.

College and work made want to be involved in human relationships, to have friends but they also made me tired, decrease my self-esteem and lose my interest in video-gaming

Today, I don't have a job neither I'm into college which means I have enough free time to do anything.

I also tried playing a few video games like Skyrim, Dishonored, Diablo 3, Syndicate and some more which I cannot remember at the momment.

My interest lasts until I clear a level (for example: Dishonored) or gain a level. After that I say "IT'S GREAT!'' and right after ALT+F4 and never, ever touch it again.

I do not why it happens, maybe I have lost all my interest & excitement in video gaming or because I was playing them maniacally since I was child.

However, If I had these games when I was interested I would certainly would never ever step outside of my room for any reason.

Now my interests are other things, like reading a book, watching a movie, listening to music, going outside and have fun and I'm still trying to find new ones

My questions are these:

1) Is this normal? More specifically, losing your interest entirely to a point you don't want to spend another minute to that.

2) Has anything similar happened to you?

[Nerd Rage]

I have an addict-type personality with games and it goes in waves for me. I go non-stop gamer for months until I reach the point where I burn myself out, then I take a couple months to do other things. Gaming always comes back though because I inevitably get the "itch" again when a great game comes out.

[Nothing Here]

I personally go in spurts. I love to game. But there are times I don't want anything to do with them. Or I load up a game save, play for a few minutes, then exit and watch a movie or veg out with a book and some music.

[FMH]

Well, I would say that now you have "better" interests. But I think gaming would come back for you. This may just be a phase in your life. All you need is a lot of free time, so that you get bored, and your gaming spirit would come back. :)

[typu]

i could write lots here - but tbh it all ends into the same:

you do just fine - dont worry mate. interests do float, that part of growing up.

[08993]

My questions are these:

1) Is this normal? More specifically, losing your interest entirely to a point you don't want to spend another minute to that.

2) Has anything similar happened to you?

Yes, and I've never got over it. I've been gaming since 1982 and now I play a game for 5 minutes and lose interest. The problem is I still think I'm a gamer, have to buy the latest games and need a decent rig but I think it's just habit, so deep inside me that I can't turn it off. A lot of games just seem really naff as well as if they were targeted at 12 year olds, I've not been able to get past 30 minutes of Mass Effect 3 because the writing is so juvenile it makes me cringe.

I did play the hell out of Skyrim though, nothing since then has kept me interested,

[_dandy_]

I used to be quite a gamer, spending my entire evenings and weekends doing nothing but gaming in my free time.

I essentially quit cold turkey somewhere in my early 30s. I'm now 40 and can't bring myself to play a game for more than 10-15 minutes--it all feels like an effort these days.

The only exception, really, is GTA4, which I've played through, but also haven't gone back to since I finished it (despite finding plenty of replayability in previous games). In fact I'm withdrawn from any gaming to the point where I've repurposed what used to be my gaming machine (i7 with 32GB RAM) into a host for virtual machines. My primary machine is a 7+ year old Athlon with 4GB of RAM. The i7 is basically running from a closet.

I wouldn't suggest it's a phase. You could be simply done with gaming. Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily. Depends what you're now doing with your free time.

[MariosX]

I just feel weird...

I was what you can call, an addict. A man who would do anything just to get his over-dose.

And no, I don't want to return back to gaming. I just don't need it anymore.

All these consoles I had (which I gratefully sold) and this gaming rig cost me money.

I would sell my gaming rig as well but no, since it use it to do other things as well and it does them with amazing performance in comparison with other rigs.

I like the way I live. I might be a little behind than others in some normal things but that's just me.

Thinking back the way I lived I would dare to say I was also misanthropic and when it came to bullies/trolls I didn't know how to fight back.

Now I just bully/troll them back more than they do (now) until to the point they want to hit me and I'm having lots of fun of doing that.

(Note: I bully/troll back, I am not a bully/troll)

[Gerowen]

I feel ya, I have a PS3 sitting in my living room with tons of awesome games that I love, but I can't bring myself to actually pick up a controller and play, it's serving as more of a media center now than anything. I'm not sure what happened. I think moving back to Kentucky where I have things to do other than play games contributed to that. I set up my CB radio base station in the house and I'd be just as happy sitting here talking to people on the radio as I would be playing one of my games. I have even picked up Assassins' Creed 3 and Resident Evil 6, and I've played each of those about 30 minutes and haven't picked them back up since.

I guess people grow, and they change.

[DirtyLarry Veteran]

I would say I have felt the same way you feel about 3 or 4 times over the past 10 or so years. I actually feel it right now.

In fact, I just posted this in the Halo 4 thread yesterday, and meant every word of it...

Started the SP campaign earlier today, just did the opening sequence, and it actually seems to be very well done.

I have felt this way for awhile, but I think I may just be getting really, really bored of First Person Shooters.

I purchased it outright so going to keep playing it, but I don't know, I am finding it really hard to play an FPS this day.

Weird, as for awhile, it was my favorite genre. But I much prefer either a 3rd person shooter or even a classic 2D platformer.

I am sure I may eventually really get into it. As I said, seems really well done.

Honestly too, I just went through 9 days of no power. Today was the first day I was back in my house in pretty much 5 days. So think, well actually know, I am mentally drained for sure. So may have just not been in the mood to play.

So yes, I did just go through a pretty crap experience that made me realize there are more important things in life, but as I said, I have also probably wondered the same thing at least 3 or 4 times over the past 10 years, and I somehow make it back to gaming.

I actually have a WiiU Deluxe preordered already, and I am really looking forward to it actually. Reading some of the previews on Kotaku about being able to play Super Mario Bros on the controller has me pretty damn psyched actually. I am also looking forward to ZombiU, despite being bored with First Person Shooters as I said above from the Halo thread.

I do no doubt think a huge part of it has to do with how games are created these days. To really enjoy a lot of games, you have to dedicate a lot of time to them. Get into a flow so to speak. That is why some of the games I have enjoyed lately are ones I can pick up and play for 10-15 minutes, and put down again. Like the new Need For Speed game. I am quite enjoying it, as it serves my schedule very well.

So it may just be you are bored by games right now. That happens, and you will eventually not be bored with them again.

It may be you never get back into them. And that is cool too.

[remixedcat]

Same here OP. I want to do more to make my real life better. It feels better to me. Also I've played so many games to death a few years ago that I can predict what will happen... and know what will happen and it's not fun anymore. Most games are not creative enough for me. I would rather spend the 50-60 on other things like networking stuff, more storage for music,movies,pics, cat videos,etc... and less on high end GPUs, games, etc...

I am going to be getting a new system shortly and it will be my last for a while... next system is gonna be a surface pro or whatever full windows 8 tablets that come out... and mabye a new phone soon. but not gonna really invest in gamer hardware anymore.

[TCA]

I know the feeling people, I used to play DOA2 so much that the PS2 had stopped reading properly. Also, same thing with PC games was always pumped to play Sims 2...Now it's just boring so i uninstalled it and put S3 instead. But anymore I get burned out easily on games, on console I would fall asleep and only be 20 mins into it. Rock band was fun for a while then it became boring...except for Metal Gear series minus SOL(hate that f-ing game) I have been just listening to music a lot more and getting poked and prodded by doctors for the last few years or visiting with friends bull****tin' yeah life just seems to take over more then people expect.

I still have PS1 games I haven't even gotten through all the way, Wild Arms 2, Lunar 2, Megaman X5 and all GP modes of Parasite Eve 2. Before that I was working on CV Symphony of the night and that was about 2½ years ago and the others almost 10 years!!! I'm going to have to start over with Wild Arms and Lunar 2 because I don't remember any of it.

I haven't even turned on the tv for almost 4 months now, idk why bc I always watch Flash Point on ion...Might have to do with my recent purchase of GITS: SAC 1-2 and Solid State Society. Plus I have hip joint problems, So I just move the pc to floor level and lay down on my mat and do my thang.

[Gladiatorus]

I think it's absolutely normal.

[pes2013]

Maybe you got ***** and found it is better :)

Since I got a girl. Ive abandonded my PC basically....

[syncore]

It's called growing up. Welcome to adulthood.

[KingCracker]

I dont game as much as i used to im almost 31 and feel like my gaming days are over, i still game but i cant sit there and play for hours, 20 minutes is max for me. My friends which are in they're late 20s game hardcore but they are lazy good for nothings and dont have jobs.

[Conjor]

Why is there such a bias towards giving gaming some kind of blanket label like a bad habbit or "phase"? It isn't. I know people well into there 30's who still play video games, some of them make a very decent living off of it.

I'm 22, working on a Software Engineering degree at one of the most reputable Universities in Canada AND working a full time job at a software / hardware company AND still playing games 20+ hours a week.

The only correct answer that you should take away from any of this is that gaming is just another hobby. Like building model airplanes, playing a sport, <insert any activity besides working some kind of a job>. Do not try and label it as anything else because it isn't. It is simply another hobby.

Like any other hobby, there will be those who take it to some extreme and start to do damage to themselves and those around them. The same goes for almost any hobby out there.

Those who are the most successful in life, financially or otherwise, are those who live a balanced lifestyle. And by balanced, I mean you know how to spread your time over all those things in your life that are important TO YOU and not just to those things that society, or your family, or your friends think are important. My advice is to find a way to live a balanced lifestyle where you have time to do the things you enjoy without it doing damage to other aspects of your life.

If you want to game, then game. If you want to play sports, then play sports. If you want to focus on your relationships, romantic or otherwise, then focus on your relationships. Just don't let it any one aspect consume your entire life. How do I manage going to school, working, and playing games? I make time for all of them because they are all important to me.

Gaming is a hobby for me, not a bad habbit, and one that I enjoy and will continue to enjoy for the rest of my life. There have been times where I've taken it too far, but I've always found a way to get back to a balance that I enjoy.

And to answer the OP, hobby-like interest come and go, don't they? :p There was a point where I loved collecting / playing with trading cards (Pokemon, Digimon, YuGiOh, ect). Now I don't own a single one.

[Lachlan]

Im going through the exact same thing.. Im 25 and I find the games these days too much.. I would suggest to you that you go back to your roots and buy some of the other games that you used to enjoy during a steam sale.. instead of getting them upfront for 59 bucks a pop..

[+Random Stranger Subscriber¹]

i am over 30 now, and i still love video games. i have a top of the line gaming pc. i also went though xbox 360/ps3/wii as well, and i have played almost all high profile games as well.

nowadays, very few games make me exited though. i start playing and after i finish a level, i quit.

-----I WAS BORED OFF:

hitman absolution, mass efffect 3, max payne 3, assassing creed 3, METRO 2033, alan wake 1&2, Black Mesa, Deus Ex HR, and a bunch of other (supposedly) great games, all made me play for a bit and then get bored and never come back to them... EVEN THOUGH i though they were really good! dishonored was good, but nowhere as good as i expected... i did manage to finish it, but it took good 3-4 week, since i rarely played.

and that is PC only. I was bored of contless games on PS3, WII & XBOX... i ended up gifting my PS3 and all my games to a friend.

-----HOWEVER, I LOVED:

Witcher 2 say a bit slow at first, but then i took 3 days of straight playing to finish it. Walking Dead was amazing, i played every day after work until i finished all five episodes without ever wanting to stop playing. Far Cry 3 was great fun, and though i got stalled a few times, i came back to it and loved playing it.

on PS3 - God of War 3 and Uncharted 2&3 and on Wii Mario Galaxy kept me playing continuesly!!! I could not put that controller down!!!!

so, dont worry, there are great games that you will love playing !!! you are just a LOT more picky now. ;)

Im going through the exact same thing.. Im 25 and I find the games these days too much.. I would suggest to you that you go back to your roots and buy some of the other games that you used to enjoy during a steam sale.. instead of getting them upfront for 59 bucks a pop..

Very good idea.. I spend way too much on games, and always bought a lot of stuff on release date.. what a waste. most of those games were priced 50% off in a few month.

[shakey]

I can only seem to bring myself to play games that other real life friends are playing, and that they can play with me. I've grown tired of trying to be good at a multiplayer deathmatch type of game, and don't have the time to put into a lot of games that require you to learn so much.

I still play Borderlands 2 , LBP2, and on the PC LoL. But other than that, if no real friend is playing, I'm not either.

I still can't stop buying the newest game that appeals to me, but when I actually play them now, it's not for very long, and I seldom return back to a unfinished game.

It's just all part of growing up and getting more priorities.

[Gotenks98]

This thread is blasphemy. No such thing. You were not a real gamer. :angry:

[KingCracker]

I can only seem to bring myself to play games that other real life friends are playing, and that they can play with me. I've grown tired of trying to be good at a multiplayer deathmatch type of game, and don't have the time to put into a lot of games that require you to learn so much.

I still play Borderlands 2 , LBP2, and on the PC LoL. But other than that, if no real friend is playing, I'm not either.

I still can't stop buying the newest game that appeals to me, but when I actually play them now, it's not for very long, and I seldom return back to a unfinished game.

It's just all part of growing up and getting more priorities.

Same with me I buy the new games I like but a lot of them go unfinished,theres only so much I can take before I get bored with them. Im not willing to.give up gaming for good but they dont fill up my time like they use to. I have a job and other hobbies that take my time now.

[Tews]

It just means that you're growing up ... enjoy it! ;)

[theyarecomingforyou]

Since I got a girl. Ive abandonded my PC basically....

I found the opposite, as my last girlfriend really enjoyed watching me play and would join in with some games (Street Fighter IV, Beat Hazard, etc).

But yeah, as you get older you tend to play games less often than you used. I still find epic games - like Far Cry 3, Skyrim, Borderlands 2 and Diablo III - can keep me playing for an entire day but I often go weeks without playing anything.

[Roger H. Veteran]

Guess i'm getting old too as I have basically all of the newer games for the 360 and some of them are still wrapped (Christmas gifts). I bought Halo 4 on Black Friday (end of November) and only just now finished it. Normally i'd have that done in 2-3 days MAX! I started playing again in the past week, Spartan Ops but took me a little while before I got my mojo back (as in wanting to play for hours). Gears Of War Judgment will be mine and i'll probably love that. I wanted to get the whole Mass Effect story too but just been lazy to go grind thru that.

I have tons of games that I didn't finish too (Max Payne 3 being the latest) and I'm just so lazy these days to go thru the motions to finish it up. I think when girlfriend is here it helps as she also did like watching me play too, made it more fun anyways.

Welcome to being old I guess, now get off my lawn! :p

Moving this to the Gamers Hangout too