Loosing interest in games?

[Nitro]

I think the terms "growing up" and "maturity" have been thrust upon us from our culture. Most of what you guys are talking about is gaining wisdom and gaining responsibilities if you get married or have kids. You can do both at any age, and they really have nothing to do with your physical age. Maturity is just a term somebody came up with to try and force the population to act a certain way... a method of control so to speak. Studies have shown that we lose our creativity, innocence, and zest for life that we has as children, when we "mature". Well, I will never "grow up" or "mature". I've gained wisdom over the years, but I have no problem with still enjoying cartoons, toys, playing games, etc., no matter what others may think. Who made it the rule that you have to give up things you liked as a child just because you became an adult?

To answer the original question... take a break if you no longer enjoy it. Maybe you will come back to gaming, maybe you will find other things to do. The point is, don't let anyone else tell you what you should like or not like just because you are getting older. Do what you want to do!

 

[redtinfox]

Sometimes I get too busy and don't have the time to focus on a game and I've also felt like I have out grown them before, but when something really good comes out that catches my eye, I make time and jump back in.

 

[Blackhole]

Nothing good out for me right now, so I'm playing Resident Evil 5 again, I used to have it on Xbox 360, but found the Gold Edition for PS3, so I decided to get that...

 

[Starkiller]

Personally what I meant about growing up is, that yes there is SOME growing up to do! Whether you like it or not. When you have other responsibilities you didn't have when we were younger, but now have to make the CHOICE to keep the house clean, pay the bills, spend time with the kids and family, etc etc. Then you have "grown up" so to speak. Can't play games all day. Because you know what are the more realistic priorities that take up your time now.
And then on top of that, yes, getting other interests too. That's the other part of it. Then again, if you have developed other interests or lifestyle changes, it's probably because you are older too! Like I do have alot of free time still, yet these days I now take care of myself better and workout now, I go biking, or I'd rather just relax and watch tv or a movie, rather than gaming.
Not saying I don't game or get excited to play certain games, it's just nowhere near the level as it used to be.

Same here bro, same here. I'd much rather do something else lately, and I haven't really went through any great radical life changing changes.

I'm not saying I'll quit gaming forever at this point in time, as some games might still interest me. But I just feel like my want to play games is almost non-existant right now. I'd much rather read, workout, have a cigar. It's like you can feel yourself aging and growing, not just because society "thrusts" it upon us as to what we are suppose to like. I feel my tastes changing. So what I'd rather read a book, and collect watches than play games and collect toys at this point in my life right now.

But when I'm about 50 and a grandfather I can totally think of more valuable and rewarding things to do with my time than a beat a level or achieve a score. Now if a grandkid or a future son of mine wants to play with me, I'll do it at the drop of a hat. Gaming with a son is a dream of mine. But right now I'm much more focused on getting a family started soon within the next few years, than getting the top score in game. Mind you playing with kids who I can't stand to talk or listen to half of the time.

 

[El Skutto]

My two cents...

I've also been suffering from gaming ennui lately, but I've decided it's not just me, it's also the games. I've been gaming since the hobby began - I still remember playing Pong when it was first released, before the advent of video arcades.

Anyways, I've come to believe that it's a lack of variety in gaming that's killing the hobby for me. I just can't get excited about the next big release anymore since they're all so damn similar. After you've played your 20th first person shooter in less than a decade, the little differences between them all get less and less pronounced and the games start feeling very same-y.

It's as if gaming companies have decided that there are no new gaming niches to be filled, so everything should be similar to something that's come before, only with a different coat of paint and maybe a new option or two. And when something truly new and original comes out, it's quickly cloned to death by other companies to cash in on the craze. To make matters worse, the original company also decides to forego originality for profit, and churns out sequel after sequel after sequel.

Personally, I found it a struggle to get through God of War III. Not because it wasn't a fantastic game, but simply because I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd done most of that before. Flashy visuals and cutscenes aside, it really didn't feel all that different from GoW I, or GoW II for that matter. Same goes for every iteration of Call of Duty, or Halo. Again, this is the opinion of a 39-year old (somewhat jaded) gamer, so I don't expect anyone out there to agree with me.

The one thing that keeps me gaming is the rare release of something truly unique, like Limbo, or something that just pushes my buttons the right way, like Fallout 3 or Red Dead Redemption. But those releases are few and far between these days, and I find myself turning towards other hobbies to fill the time. But even if gaming isn't my #1 hobby anymore, it'll remain one of my hobbies regardless.

 

[Starkiller]

To make matters worse, the original company also decides to forego originality for profit, and churns out sequel after sequel after sequel.

Personally, I found it a struggle to get through God of War III. Not because it wasn't a fantastic game, but simply because I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd done most of that before. Flashy visuals and cutscenes aside, it really didn't feel all that different from GoW I, or GoW II for that matter..

I totally feel you on these two points. You love the first game in a series and I hate it when developers stick so closely to it for sequels that they loose their identity and become clones of the first rather than sequels.

I felt the same about GOW3 as well. I played the demo, and thought to myself okay it's prettier but it feels the same as it did on the PS2. It was a bit boring, same old gameplay and routine hack and slash solve little puzzle, hack and slash...with a new coat of paint.

There was just no substance their for me anymore.

 

[xenofreak]

Castelvania tomorrow!

 

[Starkiller]

Castelvania tomorrow!

Only two games xbla that have me mildly exciting about purchasing them are Shank and Hydrophobia.

 

[lcummins]

...I still remember playing Pong when it was first released, before the advent of video arcades...

You do realize you would have been 1 year old or so...
















Just giving you a hard time! I actually own the home version of Pong that was released; it is probably still at my Mom's home.

 

[Frankierock]

I think the biggest reason we lose interest is because games come out so often ..Every week new games are released, back in the day you were lucky to get one game released in a month or two. We do not get the break we had back when we were younger. So unless a game is epic you wind up loosing your interest and moving on to something else. When we were younger we had more time to enjoy what was out at the time.

 

[El Skutto]

You do realize you would have been 1 year old or so...

Good point, I should have been more specific. I remember playing Pong when it was first distributed in Northern Ontario, which was around 1976 or so. I was around 5 at the time. Needless to say, I totally sucked.

Same goes for Space Invaders (my "strategy" was to shoot a hole through the shield) and Asteroids (I'd just spin continuously in place, firing randomly). Hard to believe that three-button controls would completely throw me for a loop back then.

 

[THX-182]

You do realize you would have been 1 year old or so...

Just giving you a hard time! I actually own the home version of Pong that was released; it is probably still at my Mom's home.

There are actually many, many versions of pong consoles out there.

https://screwattack.com/videos/AVGN-Pong-Consoles

 

[Jedah Kalm]

To the TC:

Sorry if this has been said as I have not sifted through all of the pages and am just responding to the original message. Have you tried just renting games? I went through basically the same thing, and to this day have a huge problem playing games that I own and have continual access to. I have a number of games that I've hardly touched, but I do very much want to play. However, when I signed up for Gamefly.com I noticed that I actually play the games that come. I know that I'll get more bang from my buck the quicker I send them back. I've rented 22 games since Dec 12, and have played through all but 6 of them (didn't like them enough). Meanwhile, I've got a good couple of dozen that I've built up over the years, for multiple systems, collecting dust.

 

[Frankierock]

To the TC:

Sorry if this has been said as I have not sifted through all of the pages and am just responding to the original message. Have you tried just renting games? I went through basically the same thing, and to this day have a huge problem playing games that I own and have continual access to. I have a number of games that I've hardly touched, but I do very much want to play. However, when I signed up for Gamefly.com I noticed that I actually play the games that come. I know that I'll get more bang from my buck the quicker I send them back. I've rented 22 games since Dec 12, and have played through all but 6 of them (didn't like them enough). Meanwhile, I've got a good couple of dozen that I've built up over the years, for multiple systems, collecting dust.

Great point...this would probably help alot of people get back into gaming.

 

[Starkiller]

Since getting netflix I haven't bought one movie, some gamefly seems to be the solution to games collecting dust you never play.

 

[Cloud]

[Pssst...it's spelled "losing."]

But there's nothing wrong with being a casual gamer. I.E. someone who doesn't care about trophies, ventrilos or picking up every single new game that gets a good review.

 

[Starkiller]

[Pssst...it's spelled "losing."]

But there's nothing wrong with being a casual gamer. I.E. someone who doesn't care about trophies, ventrilos or picking up every single new game that gets a good review.

My bad, I'm also apparently losing interest in grammar as well.

 

[(/'-')/Peanut]

My interest in games would be stronger if i didn't have as many costly hobbies...games excluded of course

 

[Hulksmashed]

Lack of interest isnt really my issue. Its lack of time. Been a gamer since age 5 when I got my NES for Christmas and I will love video games until the day I die!

The issue is that once you have a career, and a family the video games just start taking a back seat. The love for gaming is still there, but priorities shift. Once I get home from work I have the option of video games or playing with my daughter...my daughter and she always wins.

That being said, there are a select few games that consume me for awhile (Batman: AA, Demon Souls, Dragon Age, Uncharted 2, Marvel Ultimate alliance). I look forward to games that good even more then when I was a kid though! So maybe growing up just makes you appreciate gaming that much more!