Giving up gaming

[turnstyle]

Has anyone else ever considered giving up gaming?

As a man in his early 30's, I've played more video games than your Mum's have had hot cocks, but I'm just not feeling the spark anymore.

I used to be able to put hours into games, but now I'm bored after 10 minutes, no matter what I'm playing.

Am I the only one thinking about hanging up my controllers?

[ThickAndCreamy]

I basically gave up console gaming a few years back as it felt uninspiring and a waste of time. For me after a couple of years I started to crave it once more, bought a PS3, and then became apathetic at an extraordinary rate after returning to gaming.

I now pretty much only play the PS2 with mates (just Mashed: Fully Loaded, Pro Evolution 6 and Timesplitters: Future Perfect) and a few PC games (only online multiplayer games) in which I turn the sound off entirely so I can listen to music.

I don't think you should give up, just take a rest and play in moderation. It took me far too long to realise that the majority of critically acclaimed and / or most popular games are terrible, just like in all art forms and to refine what I should, and what I enjoy playing. I'd say stop playing for a while, sell your stuff on eBay then buy it again at a lower price a few months later and rent a few games to see if you enjoy them again. I did this with my PS3, using free online rental trials for games. After buying a PS3 and playing about 5 games for it the whole experience cost me very little (I'm not sure if I made a profit or a loss, it certainly wasn't any form of financial burden still).

[NoSleep]

Take some time off gaming and see how it goes. Since doing so myself I've had bouts where I've returned for a bit and it's been quite fun, so just put the games in storage.

[turnstyle]

I think 'uninspiring' is a good word to use Mr Creamy. I used to be so into the whole world of video games, owning all consoles and listening to gaming podcasts and visiting gaming forums daily. I've got a massive collection of games and consoles, and I suppose it was something of a hobby in many ways.

If the whole lot went up in flames tomorrow, I really don't think I'd care. I feel like it would be quite liberating.

I also view them as a bit of a drain of my time. Where as I used to love unwinding with a video game after work, I now begrudge them, and don't want to waste my free time on them.

Having said that, I can't really say I've replaced the time I would have nornally spent playing them with anything exciting. However, I do want to get a more active hobby*, and this could well be the start of that.


*lol rape etc

[The Boston Crab]

I was hard into SF4 until about September last year, like 'hard' into it, playing for hours every day, trying to figure out tactics and stuff, boring my mates about it non-stop and then once I started teaching and had no time I was just like 'how the fuck did I spend so much time on that?' It's an amazing game but my life wasn't enriched in the slightest by it. In fact, one episode of Friends probably brought me more joy/understanding of the human condition. It's just a timesink, a distraction. Since that, I've only really played SMG2 for any length of time. That was an incredibly gorgeous toy, a constant delight but stuff like Donkey Kong Country Returns, Metroid Other M, Goldeneye and Kirby just didn't really hit the spot in anywhere near the same way. I never play games on my own now and very very rarely play with anyone else.

Even when I've been over to my mates' to play 360 & PS3, I find them completely boring except for SSF4 and Rock Band. Motorstorm, Killzone and that kind of thing is just dull, characterless, professionalism.

[ThickAndCreamy]

One of the best things I ever did gaming-wise was to begin to sell my entire games collection and the consoles I never played. I then decided once I completed a game I would sell it immediately and once I was bored with a console or game I would do the same. It stops you owning clutter that you'll never use again and gives you a lot of money to spend on exciting things like holidays and food.

[Danger Man]

Has anyone else ever considered giving up gaming?

No need to make any big 'gesture'. You'll find, as with sex, you'll quietly stop thinking about it as you potter about doing other things.

[Big Jack McBastard]

I'm having a deja vu here... So I'll say what I *think* I said last time this topic came up.

I advocate taking a long break and let the tech improve a bit, basically skip a generation of consoles/wait until new PC games requirements are kicking the arse of your current comp. That way if you do decide to dip your toe back in there'll at least be a marked difference you can appreciate.

[Junglist]

I get these 'dips' pretty much twice a year, where the only thing I can bring myself to play is Peggle and other easy going games. Just take a short break, and the spark will (probably) kick back in again.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

I play games the most when I have few games and little to do. What with having every DOS game under the sun and a busy life (despite unemployment) I've hardly touched anything.*

*Football Manager. Still.

[Al Tha Funkee Homosapien]

Apart from kids.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Yeah but in fairness the evil games were telling me to do that, and now I'm sworn off them for good.

Spoiler alert

Apart from Celebrity Pro Paedophilator

[close]

[Custard]

I did have a moment of clarity the other weekend. I was sat in my pants, playing Fallout: New Vegas, and was doing this mission where I had to trawl an imaginery wasteland for an imaginery artificial brain for some imaginery cunt's imaginery dog.

My sighs were real, mind.