Am I losing interest in video games?

[njdevilsfan87]

Over the past year or two, I just can't seem to get through a video game anymore. It's like I start playing, and just lose interest quickly.

It pretty much all started after I stopped Guild Wars. I played that for about a year, and than just got bored of it - actually got sick of it. I got Oblivion, and the graphics were shocking. Though I only made it about 25-30 hours into the game, and I just got bored of it. I got NFSC and that game was only fun multi-player, otherwise single player mode was just boring. I got STALKER, and finally, a game that just felt different. I got really far into STALKER, but now that I'm near the end, I just seem to have lost interest in the game - though I will finish it. I try the extremely hyped Bioshock demo, and the whole movie scene is cool, but I don't know if I should get the game, because it also feels like something I'll get half way through and just stop playing.

When I was younger, like 10 - 80% of my time spent on a PC was gaming. Now 10 years later, it's more like 5%... and I probably use a computer more now then I did when I was younger.

 

[Appledrop]

you sound kinda like me, havent gotten into any games properly, since playing a year of GW...
kinda strange, cos i recently bought new pc, with 8800gts etc etc, yet ive tried a few demos of new ish games eg bioshock, and i just cant play over 20 minutes before getting bored
however, i do still play a few older 2d games an hour or two a day - worms armageddon, and an old mmorpg called legend of mir, occasionally .. waste of my new pc however

so yeah probably you are losing interest(i think i have), either that or newer games are all graphics no fun

 

[Gneisenau]

Me too. I think it's because all the new games really aren't new. Everytime I start a game, it's like "been here done this".

 

[Bateluer]

You're not alone. Games have been losing originality for years, several genres have had nothing but cookie cutter games for years. This applies to both console and PC games, by the way.

Fortunately, there are still a few titles that are worth playing and community mods are usually outstanding.

 

[gorcorps]

I'm not sure if it's the games fault, it's us. We're getting older and starting to realize our time is more valuable spent elsewhere than playing games.

 

[Noema]

Nah...it's the games. The amount of recycled crap is reaching critical mass.

I was feeling the same..had a new gaming rig on which I hardly played


..then I played BioShock.

I had to FORCE myself to slow down and not play it...didn't want to beat it in one sitting.

The fire is still there. It's just the coal we're getting that sucks.

 

[Oceandevi]

Originally posted by: gorcorps
I'm not sure if it's the games fault, it's us. We're getting older and starting to realize our time is more valuable spent elsewhere than playing games.

He spaeks the truth

 

[Modelworks]

Have you tried the world in conflict demo ?
Thats been the only game of late thats held my interest.
Multiplayer is really fun on that one, even losing is fun

I know the feeling though.
I have several games that I just last week ebay'd because I paid the 50 bucks , played it two days and then its sat on the shelf.

Bioshock I just picked up the full game today.
The demo really didn't do the game justice.

 

[Schadenfroh]

It is the fault of the publishers (and in some cases the game makers).

I spend far less time playing video games than I used to, but I have found myself watching more and more TV as we get new DRM schemes shoved down our throats, EA releasing sequel after sequel, roleplaying games becoming little more than shooters with stats, $50 games that can be beat in about 12 hours, buggy game releases where it takes 6-months after launch for a game to exit beta quality level, etc.

The game industry is headed for a crash in a few years, we cannot continue like this. The bubble will have to pop eventually.


If your interest in gaming is waining, I suggest that you purchase a DVR along with your cable / sat service, teach it to adapt to finding shows that you might like based on your tastes, then sit down in front of the warm glow of the TV, relax and wait for the coming game crash to "resolve" the situation.

Feel free to PM me if you would like me to recommend some excellent TV series (I am mainly a scifi / crime drama kind of guy).

 

[njdevilsfan87]

Maybe it is the aging. My little brother is 14 and still plays video games very much, but he didn't exactly grow up on the same games I did. We were both huge on the GameCube playing Metroid, Mario, Zelda, and etc. My older brother at the time, was rapidly losing interest.

Older Bro: Atari/NES -> Sega Genesis/PC/PS1 (prime of video gaming) -> GC -> lost interest
Me: NES -> Sega Genesis/PC/PS1 -> PC/GameCube (prime of video gaming) -> PC & losing interest
Little Bro: Sega Genesis/PS1 -> GameCube -> Xbox360 (prime of video gaming)

They're both 5 years apart from me. My older brother should begin to lose interest next generation if this trend continues. My little brother also never got big on PC gaming. He's part of the generation that's "killing off PC gaming" heh.

 

[Bateluer]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh


If your interest in gaming is waining, I suggest that you purchase a DVR along with your cable / sat service, teach it to adapt to finding shows that you might like based on your tastes, then sit down in front of the warm glow of the TV, relax and wait for the coming game crash to "resolve" the situation.

I have better advice. Take up a healthier hobby than sitting in front of the TV. I enjoy running myself.

There's also one's education to consider as well. Sitting in front of the TV doesn't exactly help with much of anything.

And as much I would hope that the gaming industry implodes from choking on its own filth, there are still those people, console gamers mostly, who will buy the same title every year with slightly improved graphics.

And, as I've said before, there is still the mod community to keep many great games alive.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Originally posted by: Bateluer
I enjoy running myself.

95+ degrees (stays in the upper 80s even during dusk usually) with near 100% humidity where I live, therefore I stay indoors in the a/c as much as possible. I get a decent workout jogging on the treadmill (while watching TV in the air conditioning).

There's also one's education to consider as well.

That is why I am attending a university and I am a full time student, I am referring to what I do in my spare time when I am not number crunching or studying.

Sitting in front of the TV doesn't exactly help with much of anything.

Then watch The History Channel or The Science Channel

I do not consider anything that I enjoy doing a waste of time.

 

[Sniper82]

I sometimes have to force myself to place a game even when I'm bored. Even then I will play about 45 mins to a hour. Thats why I like online shooters. Jump in for a couple quick matches and disconnect. I loaded up Skies of Arcadia tonight with some interest in playing but I ended up turning it off 10mins later because I lost interest in playing. I will likely play and beat it over the next few weeks but I have my moments. I am wanting a 360 bad but on the other hand I keep telling myself it will sit alot more then it will be played.

But its one of those things you want bad but once you get it a few days/weeks later you ask yourself what was I thinking(at least in my case)?

 

[Capitalizt]

Originally posted by: Noema
Nah...it's the games. The amount of recycled crap is reaching critical mass.

I was feeling the same..had a new gaming rig on which I hardly played

..then I played BioShock.

I had to FORCE myself to slow down and not play it...didn't want to beat it in one sitting.

The fire is still there. It's just the coal we're getting that sucks.

DITTO! Same here man...Bioshock is the first game in quite a few years that really engaged me and made me remember why I consider myself a "gamer" even though I hardly play any more.

Play it on a decent system in a DARK room, with the sound UP, and you will be reminded what videogames are supposed to be about.

There's nothing like it

 

[Dethfrumbelo]

It's probably a combination of both. As an older gamer, I've seen the best games have had to offer in the past, especially in terms of gameplay. And it's also true that games has progressively become more watered and dumbed-down, particularly over the last 5 years. To a younger gamer, who hasn't seen anything else, the current way of doing things is all they know and perfectly acceptable. Look at TV, overall. Same trend. That's why I don't pay for and watch TV/satellite service/programming anymore. I only watch movies now.

 

[NoSoup4You]

Great games can still hold my interest. Unfortunately, outside of Oblivion (heavily modded of course) and the Battlefield series (pure MP awesomeness)... not many games interest me anymore.

 

[Oyeve]

The last game that really captured me and one I still play to this day is GTA: San Andreas. Yeah, its a port from a console, but playimg it on the PC is ver cool. I have played it thru over 30 times and still play it. I have all the latest games and even a new cpu and mobo but havent been captured by the recent games. I picked up Bioshock 1 day before vacation, which I am still on, and hope that when i get back home it will capture me back into the gaming world. I hope its not because I am getting older (41) but that recent games just suck in general.

 

[tooriski]

i still go back to ninja gaiden for xbox and diablo1 for pc, can't seem to get into any of the new stuff

 

[Dacalo]

Originally posted by: gorcorps
I'm not sure if it's the games fault, it's us. We're getting older and starting to realize our time is more valuable spent elsewhere than playing games.

I think that is very true for most of us. When I was in high school and college, gaming was fun. Now becoming 28 in a couple of months, there are better things to do with life. I have CPA exams coming up, I need to polish my golf skills, and should be doing other more productive things besides gaming.

I didn't used to be like this. Now, I lose interest like OP after a certain time.

 

[larry89]

the innovation is gone.

 

[Regs]

At least you dont have to waste 1000 dollars every 6-12 months on hardware.

 

[CrystalBay]

I waste 1000 every 6-12 mos. on mountain bike parts and still get bored....

 

[ConstipatedVigilante]

Same thing with me, OP. I still get lots of games (whether through demos, friends, or buying the ones that catch my interest), but most of them just can't keep me playing on the edge of my seat. I was just playing Bioshock. It's good and all; a solid shooter and very creepy. But I just don't have the same drive to play it for 5 hours on end like I would have years ago. I think it all happened after the release of Black & White 2. I bought every bit of the hype for it (although Molyneux flat-out lied about some features) and I was very disappointed when it came out. It's a decent game, but it just didn't live up to what I wanted it to be (the creatures are tiny compared to B&W 1, walls are not customizeable at all, the AI sucks, no online, the game is short, no skirmish). After that, I totally stopped believing in hype. I think I know what the Fable hype-buyers felt like now.

There are still a few games that really catch my interest - I check the Oblivion forums daily for new mods and play it every few days, I used to be an avid Company of Heroes player (haven't played for months, though), and I used to play BF2 nearly non-stop. I also want to try UT3, Crysis, GoW, and especially ET: Quake Wars. But I don't get the same giddiness that I used to when I was younger (mind, I'm only 17 now).

Maybe it's just that now I realize hanging out with my friends is often more fun. Especially that now we have cars!

And yet I still feel the need to upgrade my computer...that's what comes from having a summer job and money!

 

[Polish3d]

Originally posted by: njdevilsfan87
Over the past year or two, I just can't seem to get through a video game anymore. It's like I start playing, and just lose interest quickly.

It pretty much all started after I stopped Guild Wars. I played that for about a year, and than just got bored of it - actually got sick of it. I got Oblivion, and the graphics were shocking. Though I only made it about 25-30 hours into the game, and I just got bored of it. I got NFSC and that game was only fun multi-player, otherwise single player mode was just boring. I got STALKER, and finally, a game that just felt different. I got really far into STALKER, but now that I'm near the end, I just seem to have lost interest in the game - though I will finish it. I try the extremely hyped Bioshock demo, and the whole movie scene is cool, but I don't know if I should get the game, because it also feels like something I'll get half way through and just stop playing.

When I was younger, like 10 - 80% of my time spent on a PC was gaming. Now 10 years later, it's more like 5%... and I probably use a computer more now then I did when I was younger.

I'm having the same experience. Last game I really played through was HL2, and that was good, but was after a couple-year hiatus from gaming. I played a lot of BF2. Oblivion was a disappointement, as has been Bioshock (but only because it was overhyped by reviewers.)


The innovation does indeed seem gone.

 

[MarcVenice]

Heh, so true sushi. I used to, and still actually do, game a lot. But once you study, got a job, work out, date girls, you feel like a bum when you play to much games. At least I do. I feel like, damn, that was fun, but shit, I should have or could have been doing other stuff. Only few games can REALLY get my attention. Some games are great, and and I like playing them, but not for longer periods of time. DiRT is one example I liked though. Probably because I'm also quite a racing fan, but I loved going around the tracks, going faster, not hitting anything, improving my track times and what not.

And now, I game to write reviews, and sometimes I enjoy writing the reviews more then playing the games themselfs. Reminds me, I've got a review to write And I play games to relax, after a hard days work or something like that. Funny thing is, like several other people, my interest in games somewhat diminished after I quit playing Guild Wars, on a somewhat high level. I did play the MoH: Airborne and BioShock demo btw. Those games should be mildly fun, shooting stuff is always fun. And, I can't wait till NFS: Pro Street lands on my doormat.