Anyone experience gaming burnout?

Potential-Monke

I find myself getting burned out a lot more lately, but I'm pretty sure that's down to life in general, and nothing to do with games. When I feel burned out, I have a look at my life and see what's getting me down, and that's usually what prevents me from enjoying a game. Once I have that resolved, or at least pushed well back down into the dark recesses of my mind, I can get back to gaming.

But, like a above, games that confuse time with fun will wear you out quicker. I couldn't get into a lot of AAA games this year, because they were just a slog. To repeat my never ending slating of Dark Souls, I don't find it fun so it's not for me. But tight, SP experiences like God of War, Horizon: Zero Dawn and The Witcher 3, they're all pretty big, with TW3 being the biggest, but I rarely if ever felt bored, because they were fun, some of them new and interesting (TW3, H:ZD), with GoW improving on a series I already loved. But they were enjoyable from start to finish. I can't recall many, if any, times in those games where I was bored. These days, I rate games on how much of the bad parts I can remember after finishing it, and those 3 don't have any of them.

I actually was feeling a bit worn out recently, tried to play through Shenmue, finish Yakuza 0, Far Cry 5, Conan: Exiles, Road Redemption, and about 10 other full games installed. Couldn't get into them. Splashed on Dead Rising 4 Franks Big Package, as I thought I remembered playing it and not being too happy with is, but updates surely fixed it. Turns out I was thinking of Dead Rising 3, and I am hooked into 4 now, as it's just crazy fun, and no timers! I think your gaming mood is more directly related to your actual mood, so if you're in foul form, or not in great form, gaming may just be another thing you can't do right now. Seems to be the way for me really.

kunst nugget

Ironically, Days Gone is probably the first game in a long while where I've wanted to play it every night, even if it's just for an hour. It surely has a lot of issues in terms of minor technical bugs and plot/pacing but I've enjoyed rolling around the world on the bike and I think I only used fast travel once just to see what it would have any effect on my fuel (it does). It has all the things that turn people off in terms of potential busywork but you never know when you might stumble across a bunch of marauders or drive straight into a horde.

I've stopped playing in the past for a couple of weeks at a time if I'm not feeling the love. Time is a precious enough commodity when you're working full-time and you've got kids so if playing games ain't doing it for me at any point, I turn them off and watch something on the telly or read a book. I've also stopped buying games just for the sake of buying them to try and stop the backlog getting worse and worse. I have a huge backlog from constantly buying games in sales that if I'm honest I probably knew I was never going to play when I bought them but the bargain hunter in me couldn't resist. It has lead to me being somewhat spoiled for choice when it comes to starting a new game and trying to decide what to play. That feeling can last a couple of hours into a game as well where I'm thinking 'Hmm, maybe I should have started game A or game B instead...' which definitely impinges on my enjoyment of a game and any ability to immerse myself in the gameplay. I've now set myself a pretty strict list of potential future purchases and I'm not deviating from it no matter how many other bargains I see along the way.

I don't mind playing AAA games and I don't mind the odd bits of busywork if I'm enjoying a game and its mechanics but then I'm not a trophy hunter or someone looking to platinum every game and I couldn't think of anything that would turn me off playing than obsessively ticking everything off a list. Once I see the credits at the end of a game's story, that's me done. Something like Arkham Knight where you had to collect 500 Riddler trophies to get the 'true' ending can fook right off.

Also, for every AAA game I play, there's always going to be Indies or more offbeat game in there to mix it up a bit. Playing 20 hours of a AAA game and going straight into another twenty hours of AAA play would kill my enthusiasm off very quickly. But if I'm not interested in playing anything after I finish Days Gone, I won't be too bothered. There's plenty of other things to occupy me until I feel like playing another game. If I was constantly trying to make myself play games and have fun with them, I couldn't think of anything that would make me enjoy them less.

ancapailldorcha

kunst nugget wrote: »

I don't mind playing AAA games and I don't mind the odd bits of busywork if I'm enjoying a game and its mechanics but then I'm not a trophy hunter or someone looking to platinum every game and I couldn't think of anything that would turn me off playing than obsessively ticking everything off a list. Once I see the credits at the end of a game's story, that's me done. Something like Arkham Knight where you had to collect 500 Riddler trophies to get the 'true' ending can fook right off.

Oddly enough, I didn't resent this at all. I actually wanted to grab all of those Riddler trophies. No idea why. If I ever go back to Far Cry 4 it'll be to finish the main story and that's it. The loot and collectables in that game are the very definition of pointless.

_Brian

tonydude wrote: »

Been a gamer for the majority of my life, Commodore & Atari were my entry consoles and I feel my gaming life is coming to an end not because of family or work commitments but due to tiredness/burnout of the types of games that are available. It's not the first time it's happened and the game that pulled me back in was Demon Souls and the souls series.

I've tried the big titles like RDR and Spiderman but it's a task to play them , the only one to give some thrill was God of War. I recently got the Sekiro guide book with the intention of getting the game also but why waste more money on something I won't play. At this point I'd rather turn on Netflix instead of looking through a catelog of games that once excited me at the prospect of playing them but instead they are collecting digital dust.

Anyway that's my current state of mind when it comes to gaming.

Have you not just grown up ?

kunst nugget

_Brian wrote: »

Have you not just grown up ?

You can play video games and adult at the same time. They're not mutually exclusive.

kunst nugget

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

Oddly enough, I didn't resent this at all. I actually wanted to grab all of those Riddler trophies. No idea why. If I ever go back to Far Cry 4 it'll be to finish the main story and that's it. The loot and collectables in that game are the very definition of pointless.

I suppose it goes to prove that one man's meat is another man's poison. Some busywork in one game can click with you in a way that it wouldn't in another game or for other people.

o1s1n

_Brian wrote: »

Have you not just grown up ?

Indeed.

OP, at this stage in your life, you should be smoking cigars, drinking whiskey and occasionally beating your wife as a means of entertainment.

Wholesome fun is apparently for children only.

johnny_ultimate

I don’t know, think there’s a valid observation about growing up - and not in the sense of ‘grow up and drop the childish video games’. The reality is we do grow up, and face increasing demands on our time. Whereas I might have welcomed an epic, time-consuming game when I was a teenager, that’s a very different proposition now.

And yeah, our tastes do evolve as well. This stood out to me when I was playing Persona 5. The previous game is one of my favourites, but found myself far less tolerant of the anime bull****, repetitious gameplay and adolescent tone in the fifth. That’s partly because it’s IMO a somewhat weaker game than its predecessor, but equally because my own interests have spiralled off in different directions. Individuals’ tastes and preferences shift all the time, and video games definitely aren’t immune to that.

kunst nugget

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

I don’t know, think there’s a valid observation about growing up - and not in the sense of ‘grow up and drop the childish video games’. The reality is we do grow up, and face increasing demands on our time. Whereas I might have welcomed an epic, time-consuming game when I was a teenager, that’s a very different proposition now.

And yeah, our tastes do evolve as well. This stood out to me when I was playing Persona 5. The previous game is one of my favourites, but found myself far less tolerant of the anime bull****, repetitious gameplay and adolescent tone in the fifth. That’s partly because it’s IMO a somewhat weaker game than its predecessor, but equally because my own interests have spiralled off in different directions. Individuals’ tastes and preferences shift all the time, and video games definitely aren’t immune to that.

My taste in movies has changed from when I was a child or a teenager... doesn't mean I'm going to abandon the medium as an adult on the basis that I'm a grown up now. That would be absurd... but it's what is suggested a lot in relation to videogames.

o1s1n

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

I don’t know, think there’s a valid observation about growing up - and not in the sense of ‘grow up and drop the childish video games’. The reality is we do grow up, and face increasing demands on our time. Whereas I might have welcomed an epic, time-consuming game when I was a teenager, that’s a very different proposition now.

And yeah, our tastes do evolve as well. This stood out to me when I was playing Persona 5. The previous game is one of my favourites, but found myself far less tolerant of the anime bull****, repetitious gameplay and adolescent tone in the fifth. That’s partly because it’s IMO a somewhat weaker game than its predecessor, but equally because my own interests have spiralled off in different directions. Individuals’ tastes and preferences shift all the time, and video games definitely aren’t immune to that.

So basically you 'grew up' and got notions? :pac:

johnny_ultimate

kunst nugget wrote: »

My taste in movies has changed from when I was a child or a teenager... doesn't mean I'm going to abandon the medium as an adult on the basis that I'm a grown up now. That would be absurd... but it's what is suggested a lot in relation to videogames.

Absolutely, and I think such a dismissive stance is completely absurd.

At the same time I can easily see a link between ‘growing up’ and feeling a sense of burnout with games: whether that’s for content reasons, or simply not being able to keep up with the time demanded to work through many games. Big difference between that and waving off games in their entirety as a childish triviality unworthy of one’s ‘grown up’ attention

Corvo

I don't know if its burnout with games in general as I still pick up and play, but I have definitely grown tired of open world AAA titles. For instance I loved RDR2 for its story (which is something I look for a lot) but the gameplay itself was nothing unique and by the end I was very very bored and that's a feeling I get a bit now with all these sort of titles.

Live service games by design are the worst culprits for gaming burnout

EoinHef

Fred The Red wrote: »

Live service games by design are the worst culprits for gaming burnout

I dont agree.

EoinHef

EoinHef wrote: »

I dont agree.

Fair enough.

Fiftyfilthy

Fred The Red wrote: »

Live service games by design are the worst culprits for gaming burnout

I find open world and any game that involves grinding


When I feel burn out I play fifa or just do something else completely

I do believe in the ‘grown up’ aspect too. Some games require too much time and impossible with adult responsibilities. Even saving a game now isn’t as easy so can’t just play a bit and save and finish


And need more original games out there too, pc has superior advantage with so many short indie games

partyguinness

I think that is nature telling you to grow up.

ancapailldorcha

Fred The Red wrote: »

Live service games by design are the worst culprits for gaming burnout

Live service?

kunst nugget

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

Live service?

Warframe, The Division, Fortnite... games of that ilk.

kunst nugget

partyguinness wrote: »

I think that is nature telling you to grow up.

Anytime I sit down to play a game the wind-rustled trees outside my window seem to whisper this melancholic refrain, 'Stop playing that game, loser. You're too old!'

Potential-Monke

I decided in my mid-20s that adult life is not really for me. I still adult, I have a full time job, pay taxes, loans, bills, and all the other expenses with being an adult. But I knew kids were not for me. And due to many reasons, I have taken myself off the 'market' (partially due to past experience of failing, constantly, mainly due to couldn't be bothered!). Financial choices (ie: mortgage) have left me in negative equity, and I'm back living at home with my parents for now. I'm 36. I spend most of my free time gaming. I help the parents when needed, cook, clean, drive them places, but any other time, I'm usually playing games.

People give out to me over it, saying I've turned anti-social. No, people have turned me anti-social. I have a close group of friends who I call to at least once a week to catch up on that weeks anime, discuss games, play board games. They're all younger than 25. People my own age, where I currently live, are all married, kids, settled, into sports, think gaming is for children. So I don't hang out with them as I've nothing in common with them. I don't socialise because socialising is all about talking about other people as far as I can tell, and I've no interest in that.

So while I have loads of time for gaming, I still get burned out every now and then, as explained in my last post. So while I understand a lot of ye saying that play time is a factor, I can guarantee you that if you had all the time in the world to play games, you would still get burned out.

killanena

I play all sorts of games. MMORPG's, RTS, FPS, Survival, Battle Royal, MOBA, Singleplayer story driven, Whatever really. I tend to play different types of games depend on how busy my life currently is. At the moment Im just playing Rimword about 2 hours every night as Im up the walls with work and also trying to get out and about a bit while the weather was nice.

But in a week or two I could hop back on an MMO and find myself putting 6 hours a night in and even more on days off :P
I rarely ever just stop gaming completely for awhile because its sometime ive done from a very young age and find it very relaxing while also stimulating. I played the first age of empires with my dad over LAN when I was 6 and I've been hooked sense lol.

ancapailldorcha

kunst nugget wrote: »

Warframe, The Division, Fortnite... games of that ilk.

Oh God. No thanks.

kunst nugget

This thread really highlights what a broad church gaming is. From someone like myself who might play generally about 3-5 hours a week (which might go up to about 10 hours in a week if I'm really enjoying a game) playing single-player campaigns to the people that might play MMOs for 6 hours a night.

Spending a decade playing the same game is astonishing to me - I would never have the willpower, patience or interest to do something like that.

nix

Well when you're playing a game like WoW or Apex or whatever for 6+ hours a night, i would doubt very much if people were playing alone, Wow maybe depending on what you're doing.. But most can spend that kind of time in a game as they are playing with friends, so its a combination of gaming and the banter.

People make claims that gaming is anti social when it can be the complete opposite, you can spend more time socialising in a Weekend than most who claims its anti social do in a month.

I myself am feeling massive burnout for the first time probably ever in my 30+ years of gaming. And i think its because of, Usually when i get bored of playing single player type games i just jump into a multiplayer game for a few months/years, and then jump back to single player when i hit a wall in the multi gaming.

But right now, i cant find a multiplayer game that does the job, Apex has the potential but they are slow with the updates and addition of game modes currently, on top of that the friends i usually play with have little interest in it, maybe because of the same reasons.

So if i do play, it will be on my own, or with a constant rotation of people i dont really know.. I actually miss jumping into dedicated servers and playing with the same community of people, havent done that since CS source.

But yeah, defo feeling the burn out lately in a major way, finding it hard to find a game to keep my interest, its getting expensive :pac:

Kimbot

Since December I am finding it very hard to motivate myself to game, I just nip on nowadays and play a quick match on Fifa/PES and then log off again. I used to spend day after day playing games but I just cant do it at the moment. Hopefully it wears off and I can really get back into gaming again

Kimbot

Kimbot wrote: »

Since December I am finding it very hard to motivate myself to game, I just nip on nowadays and play a quick match on Fifa/PES and then log off again. I used to spend day after day playing games but I just cant do it at the moment. Hopefully it wears off and I can really get back into gaming again

I'm the same, games that you can quickly nip into and play for an hour. Apex Legends, Forza Horizon, Fifa etc.