Do I Not Like Video Games Anymore?

[2HF]

I think I might not like video games anymore.

I own dozens of PS+ games I'm never going to play. I own at least a dozen actual discs that I don't play. I own dozens of Steam games I don't play. I own a 3DS I don't carry anymore, same for my Vita.

The only games I've been playing recently are NHL 14 and Jetpack Joyride.

Before that I played Tomb Raider and The Last of Us. I liked Tomb Raider but didn't feel it was worth the $22 price tag. I loved The Last of Us but it feels like the exception.

For years now I've refused to pay the $60 for a new game because none of them were worth my time and money. Since the PS3 and 360 came out the only games I remember paying full retail for were GTA V, Borderlands 2, The Last of Us, Dishonored, and Portal 2.

I don't finish games these days. I finished those 5, I can't think of any others.

There are "great" games out there, I even own many of them. I just don't want to fucking play them because they all fucking suck.

Any Bioshock game, Ico, Shadow of the Colossus, Red Dead Redemption, New Vegas, DMC, Spec Ops, Persona 3 and 4, Pokemon X, Mirror's Edge, tons of indie games, The Walking Dead, Sleeping Dogs, countless others. They don't give me what I want anymore. Or maybe I just don't want what they give.

I started my love affair with games by playing FF7 and Pokemon Blue, it grew with Thief 2 and the Splinter Cell series. Portal blew me away. Everything else has felt like tasteless cardboard for years now. Nothing excites me anymore. I can't name 5 current gen launch titles, I just don't give a fuck.

I think I might not like video games anymore.

 

[Racecarlock]

Well, clearly you're looking in the wrong place.

The AAA industry USED to be known for innovative and risky games, but man, those times are over like fido after his encounter with a land rover.

Try some indie games, maybe some flash games from armor games, hell, try a bunch of different freeware games too. You'll find something there.

But yeah, there's a good reason I did not buy any 8th generation consoles. Except for the ouya which hasn't seen use in weeks.

 

[SmallHatLogan]

I get where you're coming from although I'm not quite as jaded as you seem to be (yet). 2013 had almost nothing of interest to me and I have no plans whatsoever to by a next gen console (well, not a home console. I do have a Vita and 3DS). As Racecarlock said try some indies and some free games. I'd also recommend just playing old games you've never played before. I'm always checking out old PC games or games for the SNES or PS1 (they're two consoles that I didn't own growing up but I've found plenty of games I love on them).

 

[Ratty]

I'll second that maybe you should try some more old games in the now much less popular genres that you loved back then, jRPGs and Stealth games.

But yeah sounds like you might just be done. I had a similar experience with film. Was a huge movie buff growing up but then I just got so sick of them. I could see all of the conventions and the limitations of the medium in every scene I watched. Life is change. Might be time for you to try some new things for your primary hobby, that's part of how I got into gaming. Maybe try reading or working out more?

 

[Silverfox99]

When I have been dissatisfied with my life I tend to either get really involved in entertainment or be unhappy with it and nothing will please me. I suggest you try to find a better place in your life and then see if games still appeal to you. I say this because of your line about 'they all fucking suck'. That is not the line of someone bored. That is the line of an unhappy person. No game excites you? Does anything else in your life excited you? If not might be time to try to find a passion for living.

 

[frizzlebyte]

I think I might not like video games anymore.

I own dozens of PS+ games I'm never going to play. I own at least a dozen actual discs that I don't play. I own dozens of Steam games I don't play. I own a 3DS I don't carry anymore, same for my Vita.

The only games I've been playing recently are NHL 14 and Jetpack Joyride.

Before that I played Tomb Raider and The Last of Us. I liked Tomb Raider but didn't feel it was worth the $22 price tag. I loved The Last of Us but it feels like the exception.

For years now I've refused to pay the $60 for a new game because none of them were worth my time and money. Since the PS3 and 360 came out the only games I remember paying full retail for were GTA V, Borderlands 2, The Last of Us, Dishonored, and Portal 2.

I don't finish games these days. I finished those 5, I can't think of any others.

There are "great" games out there, I even own many of them. I just don't want to fucking play them because they all fucking suck.

Any Bioshock game, Ico, Shadow of the Colossus, Red Dead Redemption, New Vegas, DMC, Spec Ops, Persona 3 and 4, Pokemon X, Mirror's Edge, tons of indie games, The Walking Dead, Sleeping Dogs, countless others. They don't give me what I want anymore. Or maybe I just don't want what they give.

I started my love affair with games by playing FF7 and Pokemon Blue, it grew with Thief 2 and the Splinter Cell series. Portal blew me away. Everything else has felt like tasteless cardboard for years now. Nothing excites me anymore. I can't name 5 current gen launch titles, I just don't give a fuck.

I think I might not like video games anymore.

Sounds a bit like me, actually. Not in the details so much as the general contours of your situation, but I reached this point a few years ago. I don't know how old you are, but it may be that you're just getting older and they just don't hold your attention like they used to.

And that's okay. Just roll with it, and everything will turn out fine. ;-)

 

[jelock]

Is this a recent thing? Sometimes for me I will go for several weeks were I just dont want to play, or I do but when I look at the shelf there is just nothing that I want to play. This is with the fact that I have heaps of games I have yet to complete, I reorganised today and have about 40 odd games that I am part way through or havent started.

I think its just a phase, something will come along soon that grabs you, or you just might revisit / start one of those outstanding games and you'll go 'why did I stop?'

As everyone else has said, look at other options, check some indie games or even a genre you dont normally consider.

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

Or maybe you're just incredibly discerning like me, and will not buy a game unless it is good and cheap at the same time. In which case look to indie games. FTL, the Binding of Isaac, Risk of Rain, Hotline Miami, etc. are all good investments, especially on sale. I haven't played a game on my PS3 in probably a month and I'm not upgrading to the PS4 until I absolutely have to.

 

[Shaun Chang-Time]

im kinda going through a similiar thing atm i havnt played a game on my ps3 for 2 months.....pretty much just been gaming here n there on my ps vita, ds and some football manager on pc....been a while since ive actually played a game that really got my attention and sat down to play for hours on end....last being mass effect 3...i did finish gta v but was easily side tracked and wouldnt touch it for a week or two....its a weird feeling as i used to game alot more than i do lately.

 

[Foolery]

Sounds like you're bored of video games. I know I am. I lack the patience to sit down and play anything through. I'd rather read a book or watch something.

 

[suitepee7]

i go through that phase every so often, sometimes i just don't feel like playing anything i own, and i own a lot. when that happens i'll do other things for a while, or play something more casual while watching films/tv, or playing guitar while watching films and tv, just so i'm doing something at the same time

 

[List]

maybe you're burnt out... try some indie games like ftl or minecraft, you seem to be focusing on AAA's. If that doesn't float your boat, try stopping for a month or two. works for me...

 

[OpticalJunction]

I get this way sometimes. When gaming (or any one hobby) becomes a large part of your life, your expectations of it go way up and so does the potential for boredom. You should read some books, or play sports or something. Just break the monotony and you'll eventually be interested in gaming again.

 

[Jandau]

I think a part of the problem are self-impose expectations - You see yourself as a gamer. Therefore, you have expectations of what you should be doing, i.e. games you should like, the amount of them you should be playing, certain criteria when approaching them. Then the burnout sets in and you find yourself unable to meet those criteria, which then causes frustration. I had something like that a while back. The trick is to stop feeling bad if you don't finish a game, if you find yourself enjoying a game that's generally perceived as "lesser" or not enjoying a game lauded as a masterpiece. If you feel like playing Farmville or Madden, do so and don't worry about it. If you feel like not finishing games, then don't finish them, maybe go see the ending on Youtube or something.

And especially don't feel bad if you don't get all hot and bothered by the AAA releases. That branch of the industry is going down the toilet. Aside from the occasional gem, there's not much to see.

Your tastes are changing as time passes. Don't worry about it too much. Stop being concerned about not liking things you think you should like and focus more on finding out what you do like.

 

[CardinalPiggles]

Personally I try to find what is good about a game instead of focusing on the negatives. Eventually the negatives will outweigh the positives and you'll get bored of it but at least you do get some enjoyment out of a game.

Recently I played Alice: Madness Returns. It had some very interesting art design, the combat was surprisingly good and the platforming was ok too. The voice acting wasn't half bad either.

Eventually the platforming became very dull and repetitive, the story felt like it wasn't going anywhere and I found myself going through the same tropes in a different setting.

But for the first few hours I definitely had some fun with it.

If you do not have a gaming PC already I'd suggest getting one (even a low-mid range one) because I tend to find quite a few good games through Steam sales and I don't feel like I've wasted money on them because I've only spent £5-£15 on them. Compared to the big old price tags on console games, especially close to launch.

Also you tend to find plenty of free games you can jump into without any commitment. Or as someone suggested try some flash games. Yeah they may not hold your attention for more than 20 minutes but there are so fucking many of them you won't be running out any time soon.

 

[C14N]

Sounds like you're bored of video games. I know I am. I lack the patience to sit down and play anything through. I'd rather read a book or watch something.

That's funny, I always thought video games required much less patience than either of those things. Don't we keep hearing armchair psychologists telling us that things like video games are constantly shortening our attention spans?

Personally though, I almost never make it through a full movie without pausing to go an look something up on the side.

 

[Exhuminator]

I've found external factors in our lives can affect the enjoyment we get from a once fervent hobby. For example, I know when I'm in a bad mood or depressed, I don't get much fun out of anything. Also sometimes it's a good idea to take a break from your primary hobby, and indulge in other interests for a while. Perhaps a few weeks (or months) off from gaming will make the activity seem fresh and exciting again upon return. If all else fails, try playing games in genres you normally would never partake in... you might find that spark again in a type of game you hadn't expected to enjoy.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

That's for you to decide. But yes, you sound very bored with games. No drama, phases come and go.

 

[Foolery]

Sounds like you're bored of video games. I know I am. I lack the patience to sit down and play anything through. I'd rather read a book or watch something.

That's funny, I always thought video games required much less patience than either of those things. Don't we keep hearing armchair psychologists telling us that things like video games are constantly shortening our attention spans?

Personally though, I almost never make it through a full movie without pausing to go an look something up on the side.

Eh, maybe. But you have to hit buttons to dodge enemies, platform, etc. I find playing a game a much more involved process than reading. I'm only able tolerate a game for an hour or so before I wander off to do something else. But I can read for hours, no problem.