Losing interest in Gaming

Vito Corleone

I have noticed that the interest in gaming (PS3 and PC) I once had has dwindled away. It is something that has been ongoing over the last 12 months, but I guess with the leaving cert and everything it just wasn't apparent to me until now. Over the last two weeks (since finishing the LC) I have been playing various games and they just bring me no real enjoyment anymore.

I have tried to fight it and have continued to play, hoping with every fibre of my being that this is just some temporary lapse, however, I fear that my joy for gaming is gone forever.

I'm wondering has anyone else had a similar experience? Will I ever feel the same way about gaming again? Or is this the end of an era?

ConFurioso

Vito Corleone wrote: »

I have noticed that the interest in gaming (PS3 and PC) I once had has dwindled away. It is something that has been ongoing over the last 12 months, but I guess with the leaving cert and everything it just wasn't apparent to me until now. Over the last two weeks (since finishing the LC) I have been playing various games and they just bring me no real enjoyment anymore.

I have tried to fight it and have continued to play, hoping with every fibre of my being that this is just some temporary lapse, however, I fear that my joy for gaming is gone forever.

I'm wondering has anyone else had a similar experience? Will I ever feel the same way about gaming again? Or is this the end of an era?

What games have you been playing?

jill_valentine

I'm an aul wan in comparison, but for what it's worth, yeah, I fell in and out of love with gaming on and off over the years. Generally, some title will recapture my attention out of the blue and then I'm all-in again. (Currently, it's State of Decay)

I wouldn't worry about it unless it's attended by a loss of interest in any of the other stuff you usually enjoy.

Vito Corleone

I love video games, and there ain't nothin' gonna change that

ConFurioso wrote: »

What games have you been playing?

Have been playing Far Cry, Fifa (PS3) and Football Manager on the PC. Would be able to spend hours on all three during previous summers but they just aren't fun anymore. I have grown bored of the COD games as well.

ConFurioso

Vito Corleone wrote: »

Have been playing Far Cry, Fifa (PS3) and Football Manager on the PC. Would be able to spend hours on all three during previous summers but they just aren't fun anymore. I have grown bored of the COD games as well.

I can see why tbh. Fifa, FM and especially COD are repetitive franchises that can get very boring very quickly. A little surprised at Far Cry, but thy got a little repetitive for me half way through.

I think you might be looking for a challenge in your games. Shake it up, look for something new that maybe you never thought you'd like? Maybe an RPG, or a sci-fi? (I'd recommend xcom, it's very addictive and challenging).

HOWEVER!

It's possible you're going through a phase. I've been through many like it, where I'll go months without playing, but be lured back or another month or two, then the cycle repeats...

Skatedude

Atari Jaguar

I'm 41 and been a gamer since, er well, since video games were available really.
I dont see it changing anytime soon. mind you, there isnt really a good multiplayer that i really like out there atm since we got bored of bf3.

wnolan1992

I was feeling the same recently (which is less than ideal given I'm studying game development :P). The industry seems to want to go down the always connected to your friends, social, multiplayer route, and less emphasis seems to be put on massive single player experiences. Of course there're exceptions like The Last of US, Skyrim, Sleeping Dogs, etc, etc, but that's just the general vibe that's coming from the industry lately, especially this past year, and it's something that doesn't interest me at all.

Couple that with being burnt heavily with Assassin's Creed III and Mass Effect 3 in the space of a few months last year, and I was feeling pretty apathetic.

My advice though is not to fight it. It's OK to lose interest in something. Don't force yourself to play games just to try and recapture the "magic". 9/10 times, you'll drift back to it naturally and fall in love with it again. I went through a period between November '12 and April '13 where I rarely picked up a controller. Then I discovered Europa Universalis and got a few copies of old games and am back spending copious amounts of time playing again. :P

And even if you don't drift back to gaming, you'll more than likely find something you enjoy even more to replace it.

iamanengine

Atari Jaguar

It's a strange one with me. Ever since I was a kid I was addicted to video games, loved them, played them constantly.

Then out of nowhere I got insanely bored, it was probably around 4th year or so and continued right up until literally 2 months ago. (Bar when Skyrim came out which I put a huge amount of hours into)

I think it came about from playing crappy franchises which once were fresh and original but quickly grew stale, I'm looking at you COD and AC, those games were all I knew for a long time.

So one day when I had nothing to do I flicked on the PS3 and had a look on PSN and seen San Andreas was down to a fiver so I was like, feck it and got that! After that I started looking for new types of games. Games I've been playing recently are Dark Souls (OHMYGOD), Borderlands, Dead Space and Batman.

Now, I'm more addicted then ever

Cheerful Spring

Vito Corleone wrote: »

I have noticed that the interest in gaming (PS3 and PC) I once had has dwindled away. It is something that has been ongoing over the last 12 months, but I guess with the leaving cert and everything it just wasn't apparent to me until now. Over the last two weeks (since finishing the LC) I have been playing various games and they just bring me no real enjoyment anymore.

I have tried to fight it and have continued to play, hoping with every fibre of my being that this is just some temporary lapse, however, I fear that my joy for gaming is gone forever.

I'm wondering has anyone else had a similar experience? Will I ever feel the same way about gaming again? Or is this the end of an era?

Have you ever tried competitive gaming? For me its more pleasurable facing other teams and clans than playing on my own. Not to say i don't mind being on my own playing games some times.

Vito Corleone

I love video games, and there ain't nothin' gonna change that

ConFurioso wrote: »

I think you might be looking for a challenge in your games. Shake it up, look for something new that maybe you never thought you'd like? Maybe an RPG, or a sci-fi? (I'd recommend xcom, it's very addictive and challenging).

Yeah I might try and get into some new types of games, I'll check xcom out. Tbh, I generally just stick to the big name games... Heavy Rain, Mafia 2 etc... all of which I liked, but they have no replay value.

Cheerful Spring wrote: »

Have you ever tried competitive gaming? For me its more pleasurable facing other teams and clans than playing on my own. Not to say i don't mind being on my own playing games some times.

Yeah, I have PSN. Would spend every night 3 or 4 years ago playing COD or Fifa online. Got back into fifa earlier this year because of Ultimate Team but got bored again after awhile.

MickFleetwood

I love video games, and there ain't nothin' gonna change that

You're just becoming bored of it. It happens with almost every hobby one could have from time to time, nothing really unusual about it.

longhalloween

I love video games, and there ain't nothin' gonna change that

I sold my PS3 a few months back and haven't missed it at all, except for blurays.

Davidius

Bit of Mario; be grand.

WhiskeyGoblin

OP, you're playing the wrong gayumz.

More seriously, I went through the exact same kinda phase, stopped playing games entirely and read vast amount of books. Found one game that got me back on the saddle(WH40K: Space Marines) Then I started PC gaming and the love came back

garv123

Yuppp around the time of my LC i was addicted to playing battlefield bad company 2 online and put up over 500 hours on it and then battlefield 3 came out and id no urge to play it and i just stopped playing and havent gone back since.
Tis strange cos I used play it so much and then nothing.

Jackobyte

I love video games, and there ain't nothin' gonna change that

My interest waned very substantially around TY, which wasn't helped by losing the option of online play in January of that year (odd network set-up which could work on XP but not W7 which was what my new computer at the time was running). There was a time when I hadn't turned the PS3 on in more than a year and even October last, I left it at a friend's house and didn't collect it for ~4 months.

It was only in the lead up to the LC (end of April onwards) that I got some of the interest back when we swapped ISP and opened up the possibility of online play again. I began using the PS3 to procrastinate and started playing Ultimate Team on FIFA 13 a lot. That enthusiasm has faded a bit since the end of the exams again but hoping to pick up The Last of Us soon which should reinvigorate my interest again.

Also, I am playing lots of FM13 the last week but I tend not to consider gaming as such. It is a lot more passive than PS3 gaming and it doesn't take all my attention(I have watched most of Wimbledon while playing it).

COYVB

Vito Corleone wrote: »

I'm wondering has anyone else had a similar experience? Will I ever feel the same way about gaming again? Or is this the end of an era?

I was a serious gamer when I was younger, but between about 14-23 I lost interest completely. It's something that stays with you though. I'm now editor in chief of the biggest gaming magazine in Canada (circulation-wise, I believe it's in the top 3-4 gaming magazines in the world too), which I genuinely couldn't have foreseen before 2006.

So, take a break. You'll come back a whole lot more enthusiastic and excited about the whole thing after a few years away

Vito Corleone

I love video games, and there ain't nothin' gonna change that

Jackobyte wrote: »

I began using the PS3 to procrastinate and started playing Ultimate Team on FIFA 13 a lot. That enthusiasm has faded a bit since the end of the exams again but hoping to pick up The Last of Us soon which should reinvigorate my interest again.

Same thing happened to me, didn't play PS3 until the end of the year when I got really into UT, but it was more to procrastinate rather than anything else.

Bazinga_N

I love video games, and there ain't nothin' gonna change that

I've noticed the same thing happening to me recently. I had an Xbox 360 since like 2006. Up until 2012 I would play it quite frequently. I'd spent my nights, weekends and summers playing the Xbox like I'd never have to leave my room. This year however I started to notice a decline in the amount of time I spent gaming. Getting the RROD (after 6 years of no problems -.-) my interest in gaming came to a complete hault. I sort of felt as if it was my duty to either fix my Xbox or buy a new one so I bought a nice second-hand Xbox 360 (the new S model one). When I bought it I automatically assumed that I'd get back into the swing of things! Alas, it hasn't happened :rolleyes: I don't know maybe, I'll get back into it considering I have TY this year. Anyways, I thought I'd just share my experience on the matter

PseudoFamous

Atari Jaguar

You should only play Team Fortress 2 and Civ 5 like every self respecting gamer.

Marsden

Atari Jaguar

I was mad about gaming from me Atari, Nintendo, Mega-Drive and PS1. Then when I was roughly your age I lost interest. It was way more fun to spend all my money on my car, clothes, going out drinking and chasing girls. I had a PS2 but it's primary use was gathering dust. After I got married and had my first kid I went back to gaming. And there's a sh1t load of great games that I haven't played.:) Games aren't going anywhere so if your bored and want to take a break it doesn't mean you'll never go back.

Your preferences will probably change if and when you go back too. I used to love RPG's like FF7, now I can't stand anything that doesn't let me kick punch and blast the cr4p out of everything on a continuous basis, as a result I couldn't get into Mass Effect at all. I just haven't got the time or patience.

FIFA 13 is enough to break anyone's spirit.

wnolan1992

Deleted User wrote: »

FIFA 13 is enough to break anyone's spirit.

This be true...

There's only so many times you can make your "debut" for your country before you start to think it was a slapdash game and a waste of money.

Lightbulb Sun

I love video games, and there ain't nothin' gonna change that

Not necessarily a bad thing OP, just make sure it doesn't manifest into spending too much time online.

WhiskeyGoblin

Lightbulb Sun wrote: »

Not necessarily a bad thing OP, just make sure it doesn't manifest into spending too much time online.

Couldn't agree more if tried!