I’m 18 and I haven’t really had much of an appetite to play video games, not because I wanna be more “productive” or I think it makes me more of a “man” (lol) but just cause I don’t really enjoy them as much. I don’t have a job or going to college atm and I only play 20-30 mins and then just stop for the whole day. I honestly wish I had more of a desire to play because where my ancestral homeland is from (Korea) gaming culture is very big and a very easy way to make friends and have fun connections but I just don’t enjoy games. (for reference I was born in the United States and raised here most of my life and even most of my friends surrounding me play games with each other all the time)
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If you don’t enjoy it, find something you do enjoy. Join a club that does that thing and meet people that way.
Gaming has come in waves for me throughout the years. Last couple of years has seen a spike with a bunch of releases that interested me. But had a stretch of a few years while I was in the navy that I didn’t play any video games. So far this half of the year I’ve been gaming at almost every opportunity. Got a job, kid and a wife so I savor the chances I get nowadays
There’s more to life than video games. I stopped around your age and didn’t play much for about ten years. Now that I’m in my 30s and play at the end of a long day to unwind.
I still like to play, but usually just on weekends or when the kids are asleep, and it doesn’t hold my attention like it used to. These days I’ll do a run or two in some roguelite and that’s usually enough.
Depends. Life gets busy so I get maybe 5-6 hours a week when I could possibly play. Combine that with hand pain from being an old fart and I can go weeks without playing. It also depends on what games I want to play. I don’t multiplayer so if there’s not a good single person game I want to play I don’t. On the other hand lately I’ve been putting 10-15 a week on Death Stranding 2 because it’s just so good.
I used to play games competitively at a high level. Played all the time. These days, between work, family, and life, I play about an hour per week at most.
Idk if I would go an hour but I do enjoy it still.
Being a man is usually defined as when you stop caring what being manly is or caring what they think (I’m personally not there tbh).
That said- you can be successful & still play video games.
If that’s your decompression, full send
The only times Ive ever stopped playing for more than a week or so were when I had to send a Playstation away to be repaired for 6-8 weeks. Those felt long! Otherwise, I’ve been a regular gamer since the early 80s.
Nope. Yesterday I stayed up after my kids partner went to bed and played a couple of hours of Stellaris.
Just because I am a Dad and nearly fifty doesn’t stop me enjoying the games I have always enjoyed.
Oh god yeah, I’ll go months without playing a game, then I might get the urge to play something, maybe load up Skyrim or Fallout, maybe Civ 6, and I might play it a few hours on my days off for a few weeks and then won’t touch it again for a few months
Yeah, it’s gone down a lot. There was no specific time that it happened, it just happened with age. I play maybe 2-3 hours a week now(?). Maybe less.
But I also feel fulfilled with that amount. Rarely play multiplayer anymore, too. If I do, it’s something mindless like COD where I usually play on mute with music anyways.
I stopped around age 30. Ages 31-32 I barely played period
In high school I was in the top rated US Horde raiding guild and was the best equipped Resto druid and the only druid in the US with tanking gear. I also was the first US druid to tank Onyxia and was the first druid in the world to tank for Vaelstraz (sp?)
I was not a casual gamer. In original DOTA (Frozen Throne) I played in private groups with a lot of the guys who moved on to Riot including Pendragon.
I was NOT a casual gamer. Now I barely play period.
My video game use is cyclical, and I also only play a select few that happen to have good replay value
Now that i have a job, kids and a house to take care of, i have no time or energy to even think aboit that. For reference, I’ve had periods when i played 12h per day.
I go through cycles. When I was a kid, my father said playing video games was a waste of time. He said that while watching TV for hours every night. I usually prefer video games over watching TV. But I do get bored of them and pursue other hobbies in my free time for a while before gaming again.
Basically work, family, and responsibilities come first, then I will spend my free time doing whatever the hell I want. Sometimes it’s hours of gaming, sometimes I’m not feeling like gaming and will do something else.
Once I started my career in my early 20s + having funds to date ladie, it dropped from an hour a day to maybe a few hours per week.
Then I settled down in my late 20s and recently had a kid. Now my PS5 gets played maybe once per month at best. And it’s normally a mindless fighting game or fps.
Might play more frequently if it’s a comic book game like Batman or spider man, but otherwise the PS5 collects dust
I stopped playing video games in my mid 20s. You’re growing up. Congratulations.
Permanently no. But you likely WILL experience fairly large dips in interest; I’ve gone several months with VERY minimal gaming, and I’m normally rather hardcore. Not like “gaming is my job” but… not far off.
There’s also the possibility that your tastes are changing. I once programmed games as often as I gamed. Now… i just never do.
Growing up, like from age 6 through probably like 24, I was playing hours a day. In 2004, I was probably playing WoW like it was a job…
But.. from the age of probably like 25 until very recently (past 40), I barely played at all. It was when my son was old enough to start sleeping through the night without problem, and my wife started going to bed much earlier than me. so I found myself with like 2+hrs a night where everyone else was asleep and I was wide awake.
It still takes a lot of trial and error to find a game that I really enjoy though. but when I do find it, I’m putting in a good 15+hrs a week on it.
I used to play a fair bit when I was a teen, and while I still do play games, it’s nowhere near to the level I used to. They’re just less enjoyable than they used to be, and there are other things I’d rather be doing with my time.
I still have marathon sessions every now and then but I’m down from my mid twenties and that was down from teenage.
Just have different things to do. Whenever I have a weekend to myself though, I’ll def do 4-6 hours.
Yes usually after middle school
I stopped completely during college, played no games for a 5 year period. When I got a bit of an interest again I focused on playing some really well-reviewed games from the 5 years I’d missed (Half-Life 2, Bioshock, Mass Effect, Dragon Age) and the amount of fun I had really pushed me into a whole new philosophy on how to enjoy entertainment. I’m now r/patientgamers to the core, always playing whatever was actually well-received a few years ago at a discount rather than gambling $70 on marketing hype. So far this year I’m on “new” game #27 and absolutely none of them are newer than 2023. As of right now my 2025 game of the year is Persona 4 Golden, which was a 2012 rerelease of a 2008 game.
I played video games fairly regularly into my 30s, picked em back during the pandemic but really haven’t played anything in the last 2-3 years.
But I also know a gamer in his early 50s that plays for hours each week, and given a weekend with no commitments will gladly stay in to play.
Your hobbies should bring joy to your life, not obligation, and it’s perfectly fine to cycle in/out of interest over the course of your life. Just try not to yuck anybody’s yum as they say.
Sounds like you’re burnt out a little . Maybe try genres. You dont normally try, but it’s always good to have multiple hobbies, I recommend an active hobby like mountain biking
I’m weird these days in that I don’t really enjoy any game with a significant online play element – give me a good single player campaign mode and I’m set.
That preference really defines my play style since gaming is not my substitute for real life socializing – I’ll pick up a new game, play the crap out of it for a month, and then forget I have a console for half a year. Rinse and repeat. My average day I do zero gaming, but on some random days I’ll get sucked in and play 4-6 hours.
I still play for about 30 minutes or more each day, and more on the weekends. There have definitely been phases throughout life where I played more or less than that.
That said, there is nothing wrong with not playing video games. Hobbies are supposed to be enjoyable, and if you don’t enjoy it, what is the point?
This is an odd post
Video games are just a hobby, same as any other hobby. Some people want to get up at 6am and go fishing, some want to go rock climbing or mountain biking, some want to play games. Theres no wrong answer in how you spend your free time and anyone who tells you otherwise is wrong (as long as you’re not like addicted to crack running banks as your hobby or whatever)
I had a kid at 32. It was either give up gaming or give up fitness. I gave up gaming.
Only when I worked my ass off. There’s not much time for videogames in a 75 hour work week… and as soon as I stopped doing that I suddenly found almost 20 hours a week to game again
I play 1-2 hours a few times a week with buddies I wouldn’t otherwise see for long stretches. I try not to play any other time unless I want to be consumed by it.
Usually variety in your gaming helps a lot. If I were only playing shooters every day, I’d get tired too. I’m always mixing it up with survival horror, rpgs, metroidvanias, puzzle, management games, etc.
I did have a lot of these kinds of periods, but this new curiosity works pretty well for me. It also helps you discover lots of other great games out there maybe not in your sphere, but maybe that’s not the issue for you.
I’m 30 and don’t ever imagine myself giving up gaming as a hobby
I go through it pretty frequently. Play a lot for a while. Then nothing for a while. Rinse and repeat
I have better shit to do these days than play video games. I lift 4 days a week (powerlifting), have a wife, a full time job, and when I have downtime from all of that I choose to read.
Used to play all the time as a kid/teenager (WoW, CS:S) but those days are gone. Games also suck ass now.
Yes I stopped around age 12.
Gaming is one of my main hobbies. I’m a bit over 40 now and still game most nights. I enjoy being engaged mentally and it’s one of the best and cheapest ways to do that consistently.
The first few years of a new kid will reduce your game time but once they get older you’ll get it back. Even might even get new gaming buddies
I’ve always played video games but I have significantly slowed down lately. I still buy games and don’t end up playing them, so I’m working on not even buying them.
That said, I just bought the new Ninja Gaiden game and I’m pretty sure I’ll finish it because it’s right up my alley. Then I’ll probably go back to not playing as much.
Honestly, I stopped playing them when my mental health improved. They were a way for me to pass the time, but as more of life opened up to me, I found I enjoyed doing other shit more.
Video games are a recreational activity. If they don’t entertain you, bring you joy, etc. then what’s the point? Don’t do things just because you feel like you’re supposed to due to societal norms/pressures.
Now in my late 50s. I cut down from heavy MMO playing about 15 years ago, to no gaming for a couple years. Got married. Later, got an XBox One (then later, Series X) which I played a limited amount (never more than 2hrs/day). Quit console gaming about 2 years ago for relationship purposes (no regrets!) Now do a very limited amount of mobile gaming (less than 30 min a day).
Gaming is, imo, a huge threat to a productive and satisfying adult life. My MMO years were a colossal waste of time with an enormous opportunity cost.
It ebbs and flows.
You might not give a shit about video games right now because you’ve got a lot of other stuff going on and that’s fine.
You might also find yourself overworked and stressed, desperate for an escape 5 years down the line and marathoning video games might sound like the best thing ever and that’s fine too.
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking there are things you just stop doing in life because of age. Yes, you’re tastes and behaviors will change but don’t write things off forever just because you’re not feeling them right now.
Do what you’re driven to do in the present but don’t be afraid to come back to things when you inevitably change again.
Yeah. As a kid it’s all I did all day but since getting my car (and freedom) at 18 it’s come and gone in waves. When I partied hard from like 19-23 I hardly played any games. Same when I had a girlfriend. Now that I have other hobbies those also take up my time.
Went from 4-8 hours a day as a teenager to damn near none as a 34 year old adult. I specifically played a lot of world of warcraft. A lot of your friends you play with will come and go especially as they (and you) start to lose interest. This happened to literally all my friends in high school who played wow with me. They either left, or I took a break when they wanted to come back; and that alone was our only outlet to hang out and connect with each other. So naturally when we either me or friends left, we stopped hanging out.
That being said, they all came back as actual friends outside of the game. Now we no longer play a single video game together, but we will still hang out and we can very much still relate to each other outside the game. And I found it wasn’t the game that held us together, I (and I presume them as well) legitimately like their company even though there’s no game for us to play.
I still play video games and I am 45. I do get tired of them faster than I used to though. I will go through periods of playing them for hours at a time, then not at all. Guess it depends on how much the game in question holds my interest. The last few years Elden Ring has REALLY had me in it’s grips.
I’m a busy, multifaceted guy. Gaming used to be my only escape growing up, since my parents sucked and wouldn’t let me do anything to go anywhere. My whole childhood is what some people would describe as “being grounded.”
So you know, it’s kinda hard to compete with gaming during all of my non-school waking hours. I definitely don’t game that much. I still manage to carve out an hour or two here and there or a weekend binge while maintaining my lifestyle, working, having a relationship, and lifting.
There are times I wish I had more time for gaming, usually when there’s a big release that I’m excited about, and you know, I do actually carve out more time for gaming when that happens, wherever I can.
There are times, usually during game release lulls, where I purposely don’t play anything for a while, just because it’s not that entertaining compared to other activities I could be engaging in, like hiking in the woods with my girlfriend and getting some sick nature shots with a camera that’s attached to my phone that’s better than any dedicated camera I ever had access to when I was younger.
I certainly don’t play for hours a day, or even play every day.
But video games are still a big part of my life and I consider them a hobby. While they have a negative reputation, I think they are perfectly normal and healthy. Like anything, moderation is key.
What? No.
I’ve been playing 5-10 hours + every week since forever.
I am 37, i am not out of shape, been with my gf for 20 years and almost have a 6 digit salary.
I also don’t have kids though. Doubt i’d be playing that much if I had kids.
I stopped playing video games around 19/20..im 35 now, dont even own a video game console and haven’t owned once for like 10yrs at least
I’ve basically stopped playing videogames since I had kids. There have been a couple bouts of heavy (6+ hours a day) gaming when something I was very excited for came out. I like RPGs, and playing for just an hour or so a day is barely enough to scratch the surface of games like that.
I’ve largely moved on to TCGs and board games, which I feel will be more fun to enjoy with my kids in the long run.
That being said, I can’t wait to start playing videogames with my son. He’s only 2 1/2 now so I still have a couple years.
I’m almost 48 and just hit this.
As recent as Elden Ring, I could play for 3 hours easily. Now? Maybe 60 to 90 minutes, and I stop.
So I’ve taken breaks for various reasons over the years and I must say as much as I enjoy gaming and have for over 40 years now, I don’t miss it when I stop. The last “break” was for about 4 months (zero gaming at all) and I didn’t really notice. Could just be that I’ve been a gamer for so long it doesn’t have the same effect it used to, or the hold isn’t as tight as it once was. Could also be that my life has just been filled with other things I find more satisfying as time goes on. To be fair, I find this happens with television as well for me. I go for a time without watching anything and don’t end up missing it.
Maybe gaming just isn’t what really interests you. Maybe it’s a passing thing that you will move on from. Maybe you’re just burned out from whatever you’ve been playing and need a fresh genre or something to delve into.
I know it can be tough but getting out and trying different things is paramount to life and generally quite rewarding. It’s how I discovered other hobbies that I enjoy as well (boardgames and RC rock crawlers mainly these days) and it’s a great way to meet more likeminded folks you can easily engage with, which makes the hobby even more enjoyable.
You’re still young, lots of time to figure things out for yourself, don’t fret too much.
I use to play a lot more when I was younger. If I get really into a game I’ll binge it (I played 100 hours of KCD2 over 5 or so weeks). For the most part though, I’ll maybe have a day a month where I’ll play like 5 or 6 hours of something and then put it down for another month.
There is more to life than video games, both enjoyable fulfilling things and life things that need to get done. You need to find a balance.
If you find your bored of video games, go find something else to do. A job, school, or a different hobby.
I’m a huge proponent of not doing things you do not enjoy doing.
I didn’t play video games for years.
For 3-4 years I barely watched Netflix and focused on building my business.
Now everything is paying off and life is good.
I purchased an Xbox Series X on Christmas Eve and I’ve enjoyed playing for 1-2 hours a night ever since.
I definitely have not stopped completely. But I have a full time job, a wife, and two kids. So my free time in general is much more limited than it was even ten years ago.
Most of the week I don’t play any games. On the weekend I might get a chance to do an hour or so a day.
Gaming has always been an outlet for you and I’ve taken care of my other responsibilities. Sometimes it’s 30 minutes a day, sometimes it’s eight hours a day. Depends on what I have going on
Comes and goes in waves for me. The social aspect of playing together is a big part of gaming for me. When friends stopped playing WoW, it lost lots of it’s charm.
I still have days that I’ll play a game for 6-10 hours. But, I also have weeks without playing anything. Just depends on the game of the moment.
In general, I would say games have lost some of their pull for me. Hard to say if it is the games, a social change, or my brain not finding it very challenging. Most games are simple now, pushing to a game loop.
I find myself exhausted with the fomo, gotcha boxes, and over monetization of games. Just generally fatigued from constant advertising. Because of this, I’ve been playing games by smaller devs.
You might need to switch up your game. At 18 i was into fast action, high paced stuff. In my 20’s i started to appreciate Colony Simulators and Management Games.
I play 0 – 10 hours a week maybe, mostly at night after my wife goes to bed or on weekends if we don’t go out to dinner/drinks. I go through phases more than anything now vs when I was a kid and played any game I could get my hands on. Like when GTA6 comes out you best believe I am going to play the fuck out of it for 6 months and then I won’t play anything for awhile until something else sparks my interest.
What I can do anymore is play FPS’s for hours on end, they bore me to tears now.
I have Mario on the switch… sometimes If I have a rough day at work will play one level before bed… thats about it… I can’t seem to keep myself interested after beating the one level.
I play at the weekend when the kids are in bed. It’s great, but there’s lots of other things that can fill your day too. Games are there whenever you need them.
I am 30 and I may play a longer 3-4 hour session once a month. I just don’t have time and I’d rather unwind at night by just watching tv
I don’t understand why you should want to have a desire. Just find out what your desires are and follow them* as we’re playing video games… I played a lot for a while and then I stopped for a decade or so and more recently I’ve started again.
I’m 44. I’ve played video games almost every single day of my life since I first picked up a controller at around age six. I will literally never stop playing video games until I’m physically unable to hold a controller. And even then I’ll look for a work around until my brain turns to literal mush or I outright die.
I do usually everynight for a few hours and depending how the day goes I can if I like
But the lustre is lacking when I try to do anything recreational at this point everything just seems to wanna suck the life out of you and the money from your wallet and even your time is monopolized as you get older.
Nothing wrong with video games or even spending hours playing regularly but I’ve seen my stepson get totally wrapped up in it into his 20s and it’s a shame cause he should have went to school or something. I think his priorities weren’t there and he didn’t have a goal.
I am 36 now and like I said I still play. I have a memory of being your age and it was like September 1st or something in 2010 or so and I started a new video game or it was new to me and it had been a couple years since I delved into a video game very deeply. Anyway I started the game and just noticed it was the first of the month.
Before I knew it a month had passed. A whole month and while I had played the game a lot and beaten it and blah blah blah I just made zero progress in the meantime in my real life and after that I started exercising and went to school the following year after getting a job etc.
Like I said I still play but it doesn’t control my life and it is a very fun and nice way to relax and blow off some steam here and there but I cannot prioritize or justify getting emotional outwards because of it
Yeah I mean I will play for maybe up to an hour at least a week or less.
I’ve stopped playing many time over the years but seem to buy every console thats released, except Xbox just had OG and 360 there. (There are about 3 switch and 4 PS’s in the house atm)
I probably play more now than ever in some ways as my other hobbies/work are now non existent.
I stopped after I went to college and never picked it back up because I know i’d spend hours a day on it
Yep. Pretty much by 28 my long gaming sessions were done, I’m 36 now. My wife and I were getting our first house and I was getting more involved in my career. Those two sucked up most of my free time for gaming for a long time. I would estimate I have an opportunity to play video games once a month at most. The only time I might get on for a few straight hours is when I have a day off of work or oddly enough on an airplane. If my wife is home, even on the weekends, I’m lucky to get more then 1 continuous hour. Not really enough time to enjoy much of something, so not worth starting. She’ll encourage me to go play games for a while, but then seems to see it as the perfect opportunity to ask me to help her with something once I actually start. If she knows I have a day off, she’ll immediately try to fill it with things. Not necessarily anything important, just things so she knows I can’t actually relax and do what I want for a few hours. I’ve found the best course of action there is to simply not tell her I had the day off until the day is over. It’s fun to watch her have a little meltdown where she feels compelled to tell me she’s happy I got to relax while internally she’s raging that she didn’t have an opportunity to decide how I would spend my free time. For those of you reading this who feel bad for my wife, don’t. I do 90% of the cooking, cleaning, errands, managing of pets, taking care of bills, etc and we don’t have kids.
No. It’s my main escape. A chance to go somewhere else and explore. I mostly play open world games like Fallout and will spend hours doing a whole lot of nothing. But there are times when I wont play for a couple days for various reasons.
I go through phases where I can go a year or more without gaming then I get the itch to play .
I’ll get downvoted into a oblivion but I think it’s it is one of the worst time sucks their is.
I actually started playing more after I turned 30.
Before that, I was mostly multiplayering through my days. But at a certain point, I was maybe 28, I realized I am frustrated by the online play and its communities, so I stopped playing online and eventually bought myself a console with the idea of it being a multimedia platform to watch Blu-rays and whatnot.
I then bought my first full priced AAA game in years and had way too much fun playing it.
I actually realized playing online was like eating fast food, and playing offline was way better for my mental health.
Still play them. Hit 40 a couple of months ago. But I am VERY selective as to the games I play, and a lot of it is to keep contact with the people I play with.
I go through phases. I don’t play much anymore since I’m busy but there was a time when I didn’t have much going on that I’d play for hours every day. My friend group stopped playing games as much and jumped more into hobbies which is nice.
Looking back, it’s kind of depressing when you fall into video games just to have something to do. Becomes a time skip blur. There’s been fun memories and all, but I’ve preferred an active life outside of them so that life doesn’t feel like it’s zooming by. I’m not saying people can’t have a healthy relationship with them, but they tend to become a numbing mechanism like alcohol that stagnates you as a person.
It comes in spurts and moreso in the winter when some hobbies are more difficult.
I’ve bare touched any games this summer.
I stopped around then, got more interested in real life, books, nature, outdoor activities, relationships, etc.
No, but I do possibly play for different reasons. I play almost exclusively single-player games nowadays. I often compare it to why other people watch movies or read books – it’s to experience and appreciate a unique work of art and to get lost in a cool story/world. Everyone has their form of escapism, I just prefer video games since they are more mentally engaging than something like watching TV or scrolling social media (which is what most people do instead).
I find it harder to actually get into games nowadays (because it takes some effort and work/life can be exhausting), but when I do find that game that gives me that same spark, I latch onto it hard. For example, I recently finished Death Stranding 2 and put about 100 hours into it. And I have no regrets about that because I’ll remember the experience forever. Like I said previously, most people will “waste” the same amount of time watching TV, sports, or scrolling social media…so why should choosing to play video games instead be worse?
In fact, I’d argue it’s better…closer to reading books or watching more artistic/thought provoking movies (which is why I like to make that comparison when I explain it to people). I don’t see myself ever giving this up much like I don’t see someone who enjoys reading giving that up. Why should we? I also truly believe that holding on to things you enjoyed in your youth (especially playful things) is what keeps you young.
Yes.
They got boring, real life is more interesting.
My friends and I never really stopped. There are definitely highs and lows, college and kids most notably, but it’s a great way to keep in touch with friends even if they’re half way across the country or too busy to see each other in person.
Nowadays I play about an hour per night with some nights a bit more. Now that a lot of us (friends and family) have kids that we can’t leave at home for a bar trip it’s a good way to catch up.
We still hang out when we can but it’s less common. If they’re not ok I play a lot less, or I’ll go to a single player game as an alternative to TV.
At your age I was probably addicted to games. I can say that in hindsight now. Probably mostly Counter Strike at the time. I’d spend most waking hours playing them.
Around that age, I think I had a job, and maybe (probably) I had friends, but I wasn’t a life of the party always trying to go out to parties etc. I was in GATE in elementary school and maybe middle school (sort of like AP for that age range, or so they said), but at 18 I was not in college, nor did I care to go into it.
Seeing the world how it turned out (“bachelor degrees are not worth it”) I think the decision was inadvertently wise, though of course at the time it was driven mostly by laziness masquerading as “seeing the scam of college for what it was.”
Even well into to my 20s (and 30s!) I was still playing them “too much”. Different games (WoW namely, mostly). Not getting too involved in terms of having a dedicated group or people, and taking it seriously enough to practice, raid etc., but still too much nonetheless.
At that time I was more social relative the age 18, had girlfriends, jobs, adventures, moved to a new city, but I was still at my core mostly a solitary introvert (perfect for games!)
In all seasons of my life it was part escape, part depression (most likely), part something perfect for an introvert, and partly a cheap form of entertainment. Over time the pie chart of those things shifted naturally course.
Now that I am the age that I am, and now that I have a family, I sort of end up going cold turkey and don’t get to play, at all, at least not the type of game I want to play.
Im 41….I still play on occasion. Usually late after the wife goes to bed….but yeah not anywhere near what I used to play
I wish I stopped at your age. I didn’t hit that stage until my late 20’s. Video games are a waste. Spend your twenties socializing
I stopped playing just this year in my late 40s after playing since I was very young. Got bored with single player games years ago. PVP gaming is filled with people thinking theyre going to go pro and AI is destroying the chat that made the games fun to begin with. It never caused any negative issues in my life and Ive made some actual friends over the years. It was a good 40+ year run. Sold my PC. Now I just emulate all the stuff I used to play at home/arcade when I was young if I get bored.
Yep. I played heaps of games in high school and then in uni I just stopped. Didn’t enjoy it and would rather do other things.
You’re just realizing you need more out of life.
That’s good, that’s healthy. Embrace it man.
Video games are perfectly fine in healthy moderation – But they can take SO much time away from you
I still play occasionally, but more like an hour or so a week. I’ve been steadily declining my gaming for years.
It’s still fun, but I have other things to do, too.
So I binge play, new thing comes out and I play till I’ve had my fill then don’t play again until there is a new game.
I’m a story kinda player so don’t have that regular PVP style games to go back to
I would say so. It takes a lot for a game to hook me these days. Every now and then something will come out that will keep me playing. But I would say the days of daily gaming ended in the mid twenties.
I still play a lot, but it’s my source of entertainment, dont really watch tv
I haven’t played much in the last 3-4 years. I bought a PS5 (I mostly use it for BluRays), but I’ll play it every few months on some sports games and then not. I picked it up for Mechwarrior 5, and Space Marine 2 last year because they were hella nostalgic for me. Beat the single player and then never played again really.
I’ll definitely play GTA6, but at night after my son and wife are asleep because time with them means more than any video game. But I am a night owl so I get 2 hours of me time before bed if I don’t do some job work or house work. I’ve been mostly filling those hours with listening to music to unwind after a long day with some “self development” time that could be reading, stretching/recovery, yoga or journaling.
I’m 38 now, but was never a hardcore gamer just casual.
If you don’t enjoy games, don’t play them. There are plenty of other hobbies out there. Also if you make friends through hobbies you’re actually into you will probably end up with better friendships.
Make sure you do have some hobbies where your going out and doing things with people though. Don’t isolate yourself.
personally, I played a lot until my late 20s. Then I decided wanted to get in shape and in the process I found a lot of new hobbies. Now I only play an two or 3 hours a week (sometimes not at all).
Yeah when I was 12 lol
I’m 31 and I play for at least 15-25 hours a week, easily.
I basically quit when I was 18, didn’t have a game system where I went to school and never got into modern games until my older child got into Zelda which we had a blast with, he still has a deep love of Zelda, across all the games and some books
I haven’t played video games in a decade. My career. My dog. Hobbies with other people in person. My mental and physical health.
These have just taken a higher precedent for me.
I can afford to forego sitting in a chair playing video games. If I have any hopes of building my career, finding a partner, supporting a family, and sustaining all my other non-video game hobbies AND being healthy, I can’t afford to forego sitting in a chair at work.
Even my hobby of Reddit scroll time? I’m currently in the backyard, walking laps around the fence as the dog chills in our Florida heat. Outside of work, my life is a constant multitask to meet all the demands I have on me. I can’t do that with video games.
No judgment on anyone else who can stay healthy, build a career, and play video games. All the power to you. Super jealous of you.
I unfortunately can’t.
I stopped in my late 20s. I think 15 year old me would be pretty sad to find out late 40s me rarely plays video games other than the occasional cribbage on my phone.
Played couple of hours per day to 16-28, a couple of hours per week 28-33, barely at all 33-35 (now).
I found I needed more downtime/relaxing/non-thinking/unwinding time, which I didn’t get from gaming and I find gaming very solitary, whereas even watching TV at least it’s a common thing im doing in a shared place with my partner.
When I late teens/college age, probably into my late twenties, I was probably averaging 8 hours a day of video games. Now it’s closer to 8 hours a week, if that.
I don’t know if I grew up, or games got worse, but I definitely don’t have to love from games that I used to.
If you don’t enjoy playing games do yourself a favor and don’t force yourself, you’ll only make it worse. And don’t be pressed into doing something just because everyone is doing it
It goes in spurts – during slow seasons at work- like Xmas I’ll find myself gaming with buddies in the afternoon.
Those nights when you get really into a game and realize the sun is coming up. I think we’ve all done it. In your 20’s that’s a funny story. In your 30/40’s that can ruin your week.
I, in a literal sense, only play video games with my kids or when I am on vacation. If I’m not on vacation, I don’t have time. I kind of do, but the time it takes to get “back into it,” isn’t worth it. I need to be on vacation to have enough time to “get back into it” or I need a ridiculously easy game that my kids play.
I don’t want to play the easy kids games without my kids. I don’t ever want to be bored of playing a game they enjoy. [+]
I basically have given up on gaming, only playing a few hours on a good week. What used to be my gaming time is now taken up by cycling knitting and gardening as I find those activities more rewarding. New games just don’t capture my attention like old ones did. I find now that when I play, it’s a few hunts on Monster Hunter, or I go back to a final fantasy 11 private server that focuses on the 75 era.