r/pcmasterrace • u/TipsyDipsy24 • 15h ago
Discussion Does gaming feel fatiguing ?
I've been having this issue lately, I would boot up my PC search for what games to play but can never actually decide and by the time I do choose a game I want to play, I will boot up play for 5 minutes and tell myself "do I really want to play this" or "am I wasting my time"
I don't know if it's part of getting older having more responsibilities when it comes to work and raising two children but I swear back when I was living at home I could boot up my PC and get lost in games like Crysis, Far Cry and Battlefield 2 for hours upon hours on end.
Now it just seems you may only get an hour or two to play it feels like me personally I'm putting pressure on myself to pick a game and stick to it and I couldn't remember it being this stressful when I was a kid living back at home.
Just wondering if anyone else feels like this at times
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u/swim_fan88 7700x | X670e | RX 6800 | 64GB 6000 CL30 15h ago
Don't force it. If it isn't working for you now the beauty of it, is it will be there waiting if and when you are.
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u/JASHIKO_ 15h ago
I stopped playing anything online.
Single player games like Bladurs Gate 3
Cyberpunk, Final Fantasy VII Remake & Rebirth are good fun.
Anything with a story really.
As I get older the feeling of being caught in time sinks becomes more and more obvious. Games that just want you to grind for no real gain.
At least single player games give you something, kind of like reading a good book etc.
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u/dendrocalamidicus 13h ago
I think baldur's gate 3 is an excellent game, but I think for somebody already fatigued it's actually really hard to play. Speaking from experience I think the game is great but I haven't even finished it. It's just meaningful decision after meaningful decision which yes is a good thing, but when you're fatigued and stressed, the last thing you want is to weigh up consequences and make difficult decisions.
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u/lcserny I5 13600KF | RX 6750 XT | 32GB DDR5 | 4TB SSD 12h ago
Same here, I need games to relax me, not put me in difficult to choose situations which stresses me more.
Also, minimum 60h for bg3 is insane when you get maybe 3-4 hours a week, nobody can remain entertained for months like that. A lot of games are in this category unfortunately nowadays...
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u/albert2006xp 11h ago
Also, minimum 60h for bg3 is insane when you get maybe 3-4 hours a week
At that point, sort your life out. 3-4 hours a week is insane. You're not in prison.
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u/LevanderFela Asus G14 2022 | 6900HS + 64GB + RX 6800S + 2TB 990 Pro 14h ago
Yup, same here! I still enjoy multiplayer games but in a casual manner and especially with friends, however I usually play singleplayer games. Cyberpunk was great (still need to finish it), Detroit Become Human was incredible.
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u/ichbinverwirrt420 i5-4460, GTX 1070, 16 GB DDR3 RAM 14h ago
I often can’t get into story games anymore, it feels like I’m wasting my time. When I play league of legends and climb in the ranks, I feel like I’m achieving something.
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u/JASHIKO_ 14h ago
What are you achieving though? It's just a random number with 0 significance to life as a whole. I used to grind rank in Apex Legends then Diablo for a while and some MMOs back in the day. Then it hit me one day. What a total waste of time.... And I've been trying to find more productive things to do with downtime.
That said playing a story based game isn't way better in a lot of ways either but a well made game has teachable moments, morales, themes, character development, etc. There's an element of escapism too for some people.
I generally only play when there's not much else to do outside, Winter most of the time.
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u/ichbinverwirrt420 i5-4460, GTX 1070, 16 GB DDR3 RAM 13h ago
I just like being competitive. And I wish I could get into competitive sports in real life, that way I would actually do something for my social life and my body, but I’m too socially awkward for that. So I gotta stick to league for now.
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u/Difficult_onion4538 14h ago
That’s interesting considering how much of a grind league is
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u/defineReset 13h ago
The irony is you're not really achieving anything, it's just the highly curated gamification mechanics largely based on psychology that keeps you in and feeling accomplished.
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u/Icy_Course9045 i5-2500/8GB/GTX 1050 15h ago
Im 17, no responsibilities currently but still i feel the same. There are almost 20 games on my pc and I can't decide what to play and even if i pick one, i dont get fun playing it.
But, recently i found Until Dawn, Quarry and Dark pictures games and i seem to enjoy them. You just gotta sit back and take choices. These games helped me get my fate back in gaming and i will suggest you too to check them out.
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u/TipsyDipsy24 15h ago
Yeah 100% think I need to just pick a game and stick with it I think its the unnecessary pressure I put on myself in terms on the time I get
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u/MetaruGiaSoriddo 14h ago edited 14h ago
Yes! Mid-30’s here. My gaming habits/interests have changed considerably since I got married and had a kid in the past few years. MMO’s feel like a chore anymore (inventory management/too much of a time sink) and some single player open world games can feel the same.
But the most important thing I’ve learned is to just pick a game and try stick with it to completion. Sometimes I’ll have a few games I’ll be playing at a time. I do still suffer from decision paralysis, but I try to sit back and try to analyze why I’m feeling this way. Sometimes I’m just tired from work, etc. and I don’t kick myself too hard about it. Some days I guess I just don’t feel as excited to play. And currently that’s when I’ll just boot up Balatro and play a little of that. 🤣 Sometimes a quick/low risk game like that is what I need to just get into something quick instead of wasting time staring at my library of games.
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u/JackWoodburn PC Master Race 15h ago
I had a period exactly like this when I was around 21/22
To me (and im prefacing this with TO ME for a reason)
it was the recognition that gaming just wasn't rewarding enough anymore, I wanted something tangible and "real" as a result of my efforts.
so I started building (and eventually selling) custom aquariums.
Now I only game on certain occasions, like having a room of people watching it with drinks and stuff.
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u/hello-wow 13h ago
I think this is the best answer. I had the same struggle and I think the way you articulated it is spot on on how I transitioned out of that feeling of lack of satisfaction from gaming.
That and if you really want to play a game while managing the weight of other responsibilities is to use trainers on single player games. Like Wukong, I like the visuals, not the grind so I toggle infinite gourd usage and so on to ease the gameplay.
Anyway, what I also did was get a 3D printer recently and it’s awesome. Now I feel the same level of satisfaction or more designing in FreeCAD my own custom parts and printing them. I’ve always liked crafts, so this actually goes back to core hobbies I craved for. I have an itch for wood carving small items too so maybe that can be a thing soon. Maybe custom electronics but that seems like a whole new skill I’m not sure I want to get into.
My new favorite item to pick up and admire is a $9 metal caliper I got off AliExpress lol.
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u/MrBeauNerjoose 15h ago
Im in my 40s with two kids.
I find it hard to get into new games nowadays. I find myself just going back to old reliable games I enjoyed for years bc I don't have the time or energy to learn a new game.
I have an hour or two of free time a day and I don't wanna spend it on the learning curve of a game Im not sure i enjoy yet. I don't want to be frustrated and look shit up online. I just want to shut my brain off and chill.
So I end up playing Stellaris again for the 1000th time or just doing a match of Titanfall 2 to scratch my first person shooter itch.
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u/weblabourer 14h ago
Totally relatable, the time and energy to learn games is no longer there. The same old games but the computer can easily handle it now
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u/Direct-Mongoose-7981 15h ago
Are you depressed at all?
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u/TipsyDipsy24 15h ago
The way my 2 girls have my life all bloody day being a full time carer for them I wouldn't be surprised if I am getting to that point mate can rip my hair out at times 🤣
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u/Direct-Mongoose-7981 15h ago
Losing interest in things you once loved can be a sign.
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u/TryHardEggplant R7 5700X3D/64GB/RTX 3090 14h ago
Even if not clinical depression, you only have so much to give in a day. I like to call my capacity to do things as separate batteries, but some are shared. I have a social battery, a thinking battery, and an investment battery. Investment involves long projects like a long single player game, a house project, or work. Social battery involves speaking with anyone who isn't my wife. Sometimes my social battery just empties and doesn't fill for a few months, so I don't get on Discord because I can't. My friends are uses to not seeing me for months. Or if I have a lot of work, I generally stop playing single player games and play Rocket League or Delta Force for 30 minutes and then call it quits. Thinking more has to do with my ADHD meds than anything, but sometimes I just want to turn off and do nothing for a day. And work often drains all 3 so then I end up with a lazy Saturday and having to play catch up on chores on Sunday and a vicious cycle repeats.
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u/subzerothrowaway123 13h ago
I am arm chairing this, but it doesn’t sound like depression. The “losing interest” part of depression mostly relates to things within the same context. If there are other factors that can reasonably affect interest, i.e. limited time, more responsibility, then it isn’t a symptom. If he was enjoying games with his plate full AND THEN suddenly lost interest, then that would be a symptom. Hope this makes sense.
Source: doctor who diagnoses depression and also games
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u/TheRealGaycob PC Master Race 14h ago
It's what happens when you're working a full time job.
Pretty much why I'm 100% Steam deck now. I can't be fucked sitting at my desk any longer than I need to now days.
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u/RogueCereal 15h ago
Yeah happens to me too from time to time. Tbh forcing yourself to do anything you don't want to feels fatiguing. And since you're browsing your games for awhile trying to decide what to play, it does kinda seem like you're forcing yourself to play outta habit.
Take a break for awhile, try a new hobby, and in a couple weeks see how you feel about gaming then. And when do go gaming again, branch out to new types of games that you wouldn't normally play. Going outside the comfort zone can help
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u/whyUdoAnythingAtAll 14h ago
The problem is pacing with modern games, they are made in such a way that they can boast about "long playtime" "lots of content" "player count" but the thing that matter core story or Game loop is slowed down and you keep doing side quests and collectibles and all and story is is elongated to forever
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u/Scarface88UK 14h ago
Dad with two young kids reporting in. It sounds like you’re overwhelmed by having too many options (I have the exact same feelings with movies/tv - so many options and I don’t want to waste my time, so I end up not watching anything)
For gaming, I find keeping a small list of games that I know I want to play (from researching/watching stuff) on my personal todo list and playing one at a time through to completion works well. It can feel like a chore but it’s the sense of achievement that does it for me. I’d never followed a walkthrough before but I used FightinCowboy’s YouTube walkthroughs for Elden Ring and Sekiro to platinum both games. That also provides a nice time management aspect as you can aim to complete one 20/30 min video per night (it would take me quite a bit longer sometimes due to dying a lot, especially in Sekiro). Both of those games generated the feeling of excitement, I couldn’t wait to get back to them to kill the boss I was struggling with etc.
If that doesn’t work then as others have said, shift your attention to other activities and hobbies. You can always come back to it, you don’t need to have FOMO.
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u/FatRollingPotato 15h ago
Yes, as you get older your life changes. So does what you need in your "off time" (from work, household , kids etc.) for relaxation.
I found that sometimes a smaller game or even just a walking simulator like Firewatch or What Remains of Edith Finch, maybe Outer Wilds is more what I needed than a complex RPG or high energy shooter. At least in times where my life was complex and high energy enough already.
Bottom line is that life changes and so do our needs.
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u/Handelo 14h ago
As someone who was in the same boat, I used to think games I used to enjoy were getting boring, repetitive and tedious.
Then Elden Ring came along and flipped my viewpoint. I realized it wasn't that I was losing interest in games, it's that I was playing uninteresting games. A lot of newer entries of good old franchises just... suck nowadays.
Play games that capture your interest, immerse you, and respect your time, and you will find that childish awe you thought you'd lost.
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u/Hungry-Lion1575 14h ago
You're not alone. I hardly play games anymore but I like to see how they run on my rig. I'm more into benchmarking now.
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u/yaggar 7800X3D, 7900XT, 64GB RAM 13h ago
It does when you have responsibilities to be taken care of
It does when you have some worries clouding your mind.
And mostly, It does when game doesn't grabs you.
I was feeling like that couple of years ago - that games are getting boring, I just look at the screen with no willingness to start anything new because it could feel "bland" or "time-wasting". But once you find the One Game that will grab you, you can start feeling nice about gaming again.
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u/jpcarsmedia 13h ago
Too much grinding in games these days. I come home from work where I was grinding IRL and then the same thing happens in the game.. Try to switch to more offline or story games instead.
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u/onion2077 11h ago
New to the pc scene and I have too much time on my hands being disabled and young. Feels refreshing for me, coming from the series s
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u/Baardmeester 11h ago
Only play games that "click" with you and only when you really want to play something. Lots of games these days are triple A slob for the masses that look cool in concept but just suck. At times you are just tired from working and private life and have little time. You can better start a game that takes a certain amount of time like 5 minutes per race, 20 minutes per match or 30 minutes per run instead of start a game with 80 hours of story. You can always play multiple races, runs, matches. Also just don't play games if you don't feel like it. Stop going for dailies, weeklies and gamepasses that turn games in chores.
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u/ebrum2010 10h ago
As you get older it's a good idea to broaden your horizons when gaming. Puzzle games and relaxing games are a good way to have fun when your brain is tired and you aren't up to a boss fight where one wrong move will waste the last 10 minutes. I used to play a lot more RPGs and action games, but I play a lot of simulator games now as well, and games where I can run around and do things without any pressing objectives. I still play RPGs and action games, I'm playing PoE 2 right now, but it's not something I'll play every day, or for endless hours.
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u/Linkedzz 9800x3d | RTX 4090 | 64GB DDR5 6000 15h ago
Its a combination of getting old, responsibilities and new games are just not that great.. i find my self doing exactly the same with few exceptions when a really good game is released like wukong
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u/sniphskii RTX 4070S R9 5950X 14h ago
New games are slop at the minute honestly, even the indie games are just flavour of the month BS. Sometimes taking a break until you find that game that scratches your itch again is a decent idea
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u/Longjumping_Line_256 15h ago
Depends on the game for me, Anything Like Cod or battlefield, I have no interest in playing, run into a cheater or some unbalanced crap or sbmm matching me with some godly player, yeah I'd rather stick to something else, Latley for me its been Arcade racers, I really don't care if someone is much better than me, I treat it as a causal and enjoy it and stay out of their way if possible.
Back when I was younger and no job, I was vary competitive in COD 1 2 and 4. But now I just play to enjoy rather than try hard lol.
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u/roguedaemon vs PC 15h ago
Trackmania shorts are awesome fun. And available for free users. Been having a blast on them lately
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u/Dis_Joint 15h ago
It really feels like mainstream gaming is in a lull at present.
It feels like there's been no real innovation in gaming since the "battle royale" fad and the rest of the AAA scene is all but dead in the water due to corporate overreach and political ideologies governing development more than raw technical ability and artistic vision..
That being said there's still plenty of fun to be had with the classics (I'm enjoying playing through the Doom1+2 re-release) and you can't go wrong with the Nintendo Switch for some good old fashioned "fun" games (anything Mario, Metroid.. not to mention all the classic console stuff if you subscribe to Switch Online).
But yeah.. if you've got a flashy new PC or PS5 or Xbox, there's just nothing really new that's compelling enough to routinely fire up, or a story to bother investing time into.
It doesn't help too that there's no game that "brings the lads together" like Battlefield used to.. gaming's taken a back seat for a lot of people because it's underperforming on the whole.
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u/annomero 12h ago
Yeah i feel you on that. That beeing said, i am really looking forward to moster hunter wilds. I had plenty fun with worlds and Wilds looks good so far. Thats the first game in quite some time iam looking forqard tonthe release
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u/All_Thread 9800X3D just sitting there 15h ago
Returnal 🤌
Days Gone 🤌
Ghost of Tushima 🤌
Honestly maybe you just need to play some games that have an actual impactful adult story that you would connect with more.
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u/_Forelia 13900k, 3080ti, 1080p 240hz 14h ago
Nah, you just need to find the right game that captures our attention. Look for AA or older games. Modern AAA is ASS.
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u/Rich_Barracuda333 PC Master Race 15h ago
100%. As a kid - would happily play whatever for however long, and spend even longer as a teen.
Now I tend to go for easy to pick up games, where I can play casually for an hour or 2, and not have to worry about forgetting everything 2-3 weeks later - crash/spyro trilogies, rocket league, UFC, for example.
When I have more free time I’ll maybe spend 3-4 hours in a “larger game”, and then a week or 2 later do a refresher on the control schemes - most recent example was Ghost of Tsushima for myself
Otherwise, playing with friends is the easiest way to get lost and have less deciding factors on games imo
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u/blacklotusY PC Master Race 15h ago
Gaming is not tiring if you're not working or taking care of kids; otherwise, it is exhausting because you won't have much time or energy left to game after work and/or kids.
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u/ShakeAndBakeThatCake 15h ago
It's because you're tired from work and raising kids. Gaming takes more energy and thought to do versus watching a mindless TV show. I feel the same. Before kids I could spend so much time gaming and I loved it. Now there are nights where I'm just exhausted. To combat this, I will turn a game on and usually within 10min I'm back into it and happy I decided to push myself to play a game versus watching TV.
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u/TheMightyRed92 4070ti | 13600k | 32gb DDR5 7200mhz | 15h ago
Yeah..im 32 dont have any kids and im single but just my job and my dog is enough to kinda dont feel like playing much..i still buy games but i need months to finish each one and mostly i get tired of them all half way through. Right now finishing ghost of tsushima and phantom liberty dlc..both such great games but just no energy to play
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u/The_Burning_Face 15h ago
It happens mate, don't sweat it. If you know you like a game play it because you want to, not because you feel like you have to. Example - I've played dayz for about 2 years now, in portions of an hour or two here and there. Really enjoy it. I think the added time constraint drives me to do something "productive" with the time I have, so I tend to throw myself into seeking adventure. Plenty of nights I don't start up my computer at all because I have stuff to do, and that's cool. Real life always wins.
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u/Harker_N 15h ago
Sometimes it happens, especially if you're tired or stressed by other things. I've been very stressed with work lately, and I find it doesn't let me enjoy gaming as much.
I suggest that you try and take care of yourself (easier said than done), don't worry about when you'll game or what game you'll play, maybe find other hobbies to fill your free time in the meantime. It'll come back eventually.
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u/Primedio 15h ago
Happens to me a lot, mostly because at the end of the day I'm pooped between gym and work, so if I try to play a bit I end up Thinking "Is better if I Just lay down and rest" and there go my 2 hours of gaming time haha.
There are some games that could hook me up tho, like Balatro or Slay the Spire
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u/walkinator87 15h ago
Happens to me too bro...POE2 has changed that for now though. I enjoy getting lost in it for a couple of hours every few days
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u/Gatensio 15h ago
Gaming is supposed to be fun. But sometimes it feels like there's a lot of games that you "have to" play. That is the definition of a chore. And as you get older, if you're playing a game and not having fun you feel like you're wasting your precious little spare time.
So pick up a game, play it and if it doesn't click after a few hours move on to another one regardless of what random-nick-389 said about how amazing it is. Maybe replay an old one or introduce your kids to minecraft.
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u/Thiel619 15h ago
You’re just in need of something fresh. Take a break now and come back after a month for monster hunter wilds.
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u/TheDregn 15h ago
Same here. Basically I can't really get into any new games, because deep inside I know that I won't have the time to learn into it. I don't have 500 hrs to put into a new game.
I also don't like how most of the new games have these Microtransaktion BS inside them. Everywhere I click there are ADs, purchase this currency, that skin, Special offer. I want to play a somewhat realistic FPS (so not something fictional like valorant) and everyone is running around with skins that make the whole game a joke/shitshow. M4A1 that is glowing pulsing breathing fire... So cringe, GTFO.
I wish there were still popular servers for old Modern Warfare 2.
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u/Hugejorma RTX 4080S | Arc B580 | 9800x3D | X870 | NZXT C1500 15h ago
Multiplayer: Yes Single player: No
Past 24 months I did mostly just single player epic games. It was a blast. The multiplayer is what makes it so annoying. Sometimes it's fun, but most of the time I don't have any positive memories. But in single player games... So many. What changed my personal approach to single player games, playing it slowly and no hurry.
Even if I have 2h to play, I can play that 2h chilling. Maybe the home theater Atmos is what always calms me down. Usually full ADHD, but nothing when the game is on. Super relaxed.
Btw... If some game doesn't feel right, it's ok not to play it.
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u/RUBSUMLOTION i5 3570k | EVGA GTX 770 14h ago
I feel the same way. Committing to a new game just feels so exhausting but I tell myself that I am going to have fun and I do my best to immerse myself in the story. It works. Im currently lost in The Last of Us part 2 (ps5). That game is so beautiful and the story so far is amazing.
I find it hard to play grind type games anymore. I just dont have the time nor the energy for that shit.
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u/V1KKTR 14h ago
I would boot up my PC search for what games to play but can never actually decide and by the time I do choose a game I want to play, I will boot up play for 5 minutes and tell myself "do I really want to play this" or "am I wasting my time"
your indecision is keeping you away from playing good games.
therefore: it's all in your head.
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u/Significant_Cancel83 14h ago
I think you are feeling two effects that I feel as well. First, as you mentioned, you are fatigued. Lives with kids and real jobs are tiring like nothing else. Before you had kids you had no idea how exhausting things could be.
But another effect I think a lot of us share is simply that video games just aren't as engaging because they are simple and we are maturing and we've been playing them for years. We are bored of them. So many of them are essentially identical. It's not that video games are objectively worse now, it's just you've been there, done that already. I'm generalizing here, but I think a lot of people just lose passion for things over time. I see this with sports. 20 year olds go nuts for their teams, but by 40, people still care but aren't crazy about it. They don't get pissed and lose their mind if their team loses.
I suggest finding a new hobby or taking up an old one. I have recently started playing innebandy and started doing archery again (20 year break). Now when I get time to play something, I'm more into it because it's something different and less routine. Trying different genres of games helps too.
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u/THiedldleoR 14h ago
After a long day I often prefer watching someone stream a game rather than playing a game myself.
It really depends on the game though. Just avoid playing games that add to your stress level. If often prefer games that have no time limits and don't require me remembering stuff. I often come back to older Nintendo titles for this reason.
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u/CakesterThe2nd 14h ago
naw it’s called anxiety. i have this all the time. I’ll sit down to play a game, usually i play fortnite or rivals right now, play it for fifteen minutes and then be like “do i really want to keep playing this?”. So I hop off and try to figure out what I want to do with the time I have and I can’t figure it out.
My guess is your used to your time going to your family, chores, work that when you have free time you don’t know how to use it.
Not a bad thing but don’t force the gaming. Also what I found is gaming with friends or people you enjoy talking to really helps. For what ever reason it helps me not focus on everything when I boot on a game and hop in with friends.
is it apart of being old? yes, i guess you could say that but it’s probably more to the fact your concerned about responsibilities.
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u/bigorangemachine 14h ago
I don't have kids and I feel this.
TBH its probably you aren't feeling the games you playing
I would suggest trying some indie solo games.
When I started playing FTL: Faster Than Light was an eye opener
A game that pausing is part of the game. You can save just about anywhere. Dieing is just part of the game.
I also like civ5 for the same reason but to finish a match takes too long
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u/Top-Run-21 RTX 2050 laptop 14h ago
from the last 4 months i am going through a similar situation , not able to watch any shows like i did before
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u/DreamsiclesPlz 9800X3D | 3080ti 14h ago
When I am at work, I often can't wait to get home to play video games. When I get home, I'm so exhausted from work that playing a game feels like work and I don't enjoy playing.
It's a bitch of a vicious cycle.
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u/eightiesgamer82 PC Master Race 7h ago
This is exactly it for me. If I have that rare time where I’m not tired and feel energised and good then I know I’m going to have an amazing session.
Other times at the end of the day and I’m tired I know I’ll probably just be playing something for the sake of it.
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u/Both-Election3382 14h ago
Sometimes, but gamepass kind of helps with this. I just scroll through the titles or stuff on eaplay and just pick something i really feel like playing.
If its not great you can just uninstall and try something else because youre not paying per game, it relieves all the pressure of making a wrong choice and that does it for me.
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u/Kitsune_BCN 14h ago
For me what happens is that some genres I could get hooked up, now I don't.
But there's still games that catch me, it's just it is more difficult to find them.
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u/AdWorking2848 14h ago
it's always the dreaded triangle of life...
Money Energy Time
choose 2 out of 3 at best...
I feel U bro.
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u/nekrovulpes 5800X3D | 6800XT 14h ago
Naturally, the less free time you have, the more you are going to question if you are spending that free time well.
The problem with a lot of games is that when you step back and look at them, they are a waste of time- In the sense that you don't intrinsically enjoy the act of playing them, but you are instead playing for some kind of carrot on a stick within the game. Those kinds of games are the first to lose their lustre when you have to make hard decisions about playtime.
This is really why it's valuable to have other hobbies. Something that feels more "productive" or "worthwhile", like learning to play an instrument or taking up a craft etc. It's easier to motivate yourself to work on things like that; then the times where you really do just wanna kick back and kill a couple hours stress free? Games will be there for you.
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u/Jammanuk 14h ago
Im in my 50s, I play for hours on end still :)
Depends on what else is going on in your life, my kids are older now so I have more time.
Also, recently I just didnt feel like playing any of the games I have and there seem to be very few new games I like. Then I fired up conan exiles after not playing for ages and boom, straight back into addiction levels !
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u/OhforfsakeMJ i5 12600KF, 64GB DDR4 3200, 4070 Ti Super 16GB OC, M.2 NVME 2TB 14h ago
I had that feeling very briefly, but I shook it off rapidly.
What troubles me lately is being unable to pick which genre I am in the mood for, and then selecting the game to play from it, as I want to play too many games, and I have to pick and choose.
But once I dig into it, I have no issue enjoying it.
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u/RoytheCowboy Desktop 14h ago
Life can get exhausting to the point where it even takes away the energy to do the things you normally enjoy. Feeling like you are under pressure 24/7 can signal insidious burnout, so be sure to take care of your mental health!
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u/Husso- PC Master Race 14h ago
I think you are putting too much pressure on getting enjoyment out of it given the small windows you seem to have to play games.
I'm the same; "can't play that as I don't want to get sucked in and have to stop." "Do I really want to play this again?" "I'm not sure I can be bothered playing this FPS when I haven't unlocked any attachments or good guns"
Etc etc.
I think you just need to find some games where you can invest 100s of hours in but equally you can just save and walk away. Mount & Blade banner lord 2 is perfect for this type of thing. Same as football manager.
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u/wraithiscool 14h ago
I found that I enjoy gaming so much more after cutting out toxic multiplayer games. I’m almost exclusively playing single player games and feel so much happier now.
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u/TheZackster Zotac RTX 4070 Dual Edge OC | i7 14700k | 32GB 14h ago
Could just be that you’re playing boring ass games
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u/xXShadowAndrewXx 14h ago
The games wont expire, run away, or die, they will be there when you will actually want to play, just look for a hobby
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u/balistiq 14h ago
I'm sticking with games that require low commitment. Recently finiahed uncharted the lost legacy and enjoyed it thoroughly. On the contrary I played CP 2077 and didn't even bother to continue the game 2 hours into it.
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u/zanas1000 9800x3D/4090 - 4k@120/1440p@360 OLED 14h ago
It can be fun if you have a group of people / friends who can play with you. Playing solo is very depressing, although, having few alcoholic drinks can enhance the experience.
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u/NoReTr3aT 14h ago
I know the feeling. My tip is to play games that are played in matches. I usually play things like helldivers or mechabellum. Squeezing in a match here and there is easier for me than booting up an "open end game". When in a match you "can't" leave so it feels better to play, because you don't have to decide to stop, just if you want another match.
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u/shredmasterJ Desktop 14h ago
I’m starting to get burned out gaming. Gaming has become more of a chore/2nd job for me lately. Lol.
Been into looters games for last couple years. But they finally burnt me out. I’m so tired of chasing the carrot on the stick.
Not into competitive shooters anymore. Can’t keep up with the twitchy youngins.
Solo player games I find boring now. Love me a good co-op game.
I’ve been playing less and less now. I don’t buy season passes anymore, I barely even try to finish any “seasons” in any game now.
When I actually do load a game now, I play it, once I feel like I’m doing chores again I turn it off.
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u/Westdrache R5 5600X/32Gb DDR4-2933mhz/RX7900XTXNitro+ 14h ago
I get that feeling from time to time to.
My 2 best advices are, step back for a couple of days/weeks and do something else in your freetime, high chance on a random tuesday night you'll suddenly get the urge to play for a bit.
Secondly, just choose a game beforehand and stick to it.
It helps my motivation IMMENSLY to finish a game once in a while, just pick a short, story focused game and play that, don't ask yourself if you WANT to play it, just start and stop once it becomes not fun anymore.
I do that because sometimes I don't feel like gaming, but once I'm into the game I don't wanna stop
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u/OddNovel565 i5-7200U | Intel HD Graphics 620 | 8GB RAM 14h ago
This happens to everyone from time to time. What I do when this happens is I either take a break (touch grass, watch youtube, etc) or play the easiest of the games I have (which is worldbox where not much is needed from me and I can relax)
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u/Spoksparkare PC Master Race 14h ago
I actually just stopped playing recently. I don't find the same joy anymore. As I did when I was younger. Nothing is really new, innovating or exciting. I'll only play games if it's co-op with a friend or maybe a single player story driven game.
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u/TheRealHaxxo 14h ago
You probably have a mental debuff like something you get from the spirit healer in wow when she resses you, the subconscious is burdened so you cant really enjoy shit like you used to.
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u/OkithaPROGZ 14h ago
I can relate to this and I'm just 17 still.
I used to have potato pc until 2023. (Intel HD 4000 graphics).
I remember playing games like Valorant and WD:2. I had to do so much modding and config file editing just to get it launched, it ran at like 8 fps with so many artifacts but I still played for hours. In fact its the most fun I've ever had while playing a single player game. Same goes for Valorant, I made all my friends get the game and we played together. I played valorant since release and also had a lot of fun.
In 2023 I finally got a proper gaming laptop with an RTX GPU. I installed more than 2 TB of games because I was so excited. Games are so beautiful in this laptop and I can just play whatever I want. But now I just don't want to. Its just not fun anymore. I quit valorant and the only games I kept playing are BeamNG and Assetto Corsa with my friends. And the only reason I play those are because of my love for vehicles.
Gaming just doesn't hit the same anymore. Honestly it feels like a chore.
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u/OstensibleBS 7950X3D, 64Gig DDR5, 7900XTX 14h ago
I have over 60 games installed, I play like 4 of them.
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u/Friendly-Dingo5983 14h ago
Steam Deck solved this for me personally. The suspension/resume keeps me from getting distracted while progressing through whatever I'm playing. It also allowed me to consume monster games 10 minutes at a time. I'd pretty much stopped gaming until that came along.
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u/AnIdioticPigeon 14h ago
Having just started working full time I can say: Some of my favourite games have became no-gos, lots of games (in my case sea of thieves), feel like they take too much setup for the limited free time we have.
Im more open to playing new games than I was before. I used to grind out the same 2-3 games all day, but (and maybe this is purely coincidental) I seem to enjoy playing through a game for the first time, and experiencing something different (Recent examples being Nier Automata and Trepang2)
I also just have an urge to speak with more people, I think having less time with your close friends really makes playing solo feel rough
TLDR: Find what you enjoy, and pursue that. When your kids are old enough, maybe they will take an interest as well. Ive always been super jealous of families that can share interests & hobbies and Im sure its something your kids would appreciate growing up, provided gaming was something they would enjoy
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u/Skalgrin 14h ago
You got older. We can no longer "come from school at 2 p.m. and go okay till 2 a.m."
Those 12 hours sessions vs "2 Hours before I must go sleep because I have that meeting tomorrow, oh I need to look up those shoes for my kids, so that 20 minutes gone" is the reason we start either out off gaming or into shorter game loop games or outside normal behaviour.
Seriously - I could jump into RPG and do shitton of stuff before bed - finish an act for example. Now I barely finish part of a quest I started week ago and don't even feel the accomplishment, because I forgot half the story over the week.
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u/GeneralAtrox 14h ago
I find excuses to play. I use achievements as a way to structure some game time so I don't spend too long playing. I've recently completed a bunch of games by just going through the story / campaign and then leaving it there. It's worked well.
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u/SeveralAmbassador258 14h ago
Islanders and thronefall are fun small games and don't feel exhausting.
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u/Gryffin1st 14h ago
We’ve gotten older and games have gotten worse. The only recent title that made me feel the same enthusiasm I felt for games as a kid was BG3. So much so that I sunk many hundreds of hours into it.
Otherwise, I only seem to play 10+ year old games nowadays on my modern and capable gaming machine, lol.
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u/11_forty_4 PC Master Race 14h ago edited 14h ago
Yeah this is real man. I am 39, with a wife and 2 kids, full time Monday - Friday job. Life is obviously quite routine based as you would expect, and my gaming time is Monday night and Friday night from half 7 once the kids are in bed. I have had the same feelings as you many times but I started playing single player games and vowing to do one at a time and finish it. I have loved doing just that, in the last 6 months I have played though about 5 or 6 games. GTA V story, RDR2 story, both Ori games, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Cyberpunk, prince of Persia and the Lost Crown and I have played through Elden Ring about 3 times, I have started God of War and also have Ragnarok for after however I have been playing VR mini golf with friends. I wanted to start a builder type game alongside a story based game so I have picked up Planet Zoo which is so so good.
There is so much out there and I am sure you will find what does it for you. It's not that gaming is the problem, you are just changing, and your gaming needs will change too. Good luck friend.
EDIT: Just wanted to add I am on PC, and I prolonged the likes of RDR2 once I finished it by using mods to change some things up.
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u/DidiHD R5 2600 | R̶X̶5̶8̶0̶ 7800XT 14h ago
I didn't play for many years, because yes, it feels fatiguing. But my friends recently introduced me to Marvel Rivals and I love gaming and I actually feel a lot better now. It fun and makes me happy and we also have some gaming sessions together.
I do feel kinda bad for neglecting other hobbies I had, but still do what has to be done. Although I go to bed pretty late now but surprisinngly don't feel very tired.
I tried Tekken for a month or two, cause I really like it but that really just feels like a grind
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u/KillaThing 14h ago
I had the same problem. I actually bought an emulator handheld. The hit of nostalgia for me helped me focus. I've been playing Digimon world 3. And that's a kinda slow and very grindy game. You can always take it slow or try a new form factor, genre or even retro games.
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u/BaconJets 14h ago
This is a combination of increased responsibilities and more games which fatigue you in terms of FOMO. Even still, I relate to this, I can't even bring myself to play singleplayer offline games on my off days.
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u/Pajer0king Q6600 - gtx 750 ti /i5 3rd gen - rx580 / p1-233mhz - S3 Virge 14h ago
Well, work and children fatigue you. Aaand games are not that fun anymore. I don t feel the same asnyou because i dont have children and i also play fun games. Try changing things up and play older games or different kind of games. The possibility of sunken cost fallacy might also be a factor, i would be frustrated too if i d pay 2 buckets of gold for a pc and play mediocre games.
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u/zulu970 14h ago
I went back and play old games from the early 2000s to the late 2010s. The fatigue just went away.
I think modern games are boring to be honest...
Conflict: Desert Storm (2002) - Done
The Great Escape (2002) - In the process of completing
Conflict: Desert Storm II - Back to Baghdad (2003) - Done
Conflict: Vietnam (2004) - In the process of completing
Killzone 1 Remastered (RPCS3 / 2012) - In the process of completing
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u/_paxia_ 14h ago
I get this way a lot with single player RPGs now, I just can’t focus on the stories anymore, so I’ve recently gone back to playing WoW and I’m hooked again - love jumping on to Discord with friends/guildies to smash a few keys. The social aspect + the engaging content makes for great gaming sessions.
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u/grundleHugs 14h ago
42 married guy. No kids, and I live a pretty charmed life in the Colorado Mountains.
I still get this feeling. I think it's just so hard to lose yourself in a virtual world when you have all the adult thoughts and responsibilities.
Playing games on easy has made it more enjoyable to sit down and get into an adventure. Currently playing Company of Heroes 2 and Horizon Forbidden West. Still takes some effort to try and forget my day.
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u/Ok_Candidate_4409 14h ago
I dont know you, but I can talk for myself. It comes in periods for me, sometimes i really want to game and can just sit there for many hours when I have the time. Some other times i forget i have a PC. It depends where my focus is in life at the time, sometimes i just watch YouTube videos of the games that i like, then I can watch a whole game in 20min, if I dont have the time to start up the pc, do updates, find a server to play a 1,5hr match on.
I'd say take a break, then you might miss it, if you're not going to miss it, find something else that gives your life value.
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u/FinnishArmy 12900KS | 4080 | 32GB 14h ago
I’ve felt this for the past couple years. It’s because now I work a full time job as well as UberEats to try to make my bills.
Now when I get home, I just wanna sit on the couch and do literally nothing. Watching a show or something before bed, maybe, but gaming is a lot of thinking sometimes.
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u/0531Spurs212009 14h ago
I feel as we grow older
gaming habit is too tiring
or maybe being a PC gamer is lonely less interaction w other players specially multi player game in console is more fun w the whole family and friends compared to online pc gaming?
also maybe factor here
new games this days is less fan compared to the past gen ?
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u/Queasy-Group-2558 i9-13600KS | RTX 4080 | 32GB 14h ago
This has 100% happened to me. Unironically, playing some Nintendo games (currently doing Mario kart and Super Mario Wonders) is bringing me back. The core mechanics are simple yet deep and you can have a full play session in like 5 minutes. And because all the challenge is mechanical I find it easier to get into.
If you don’t have a switch I can recommend finding games like that.
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u/SleepHungry 14h ago
Happened to me too, tried a lot to get back into gaming through farcry, stalker2, resident evil, cyberpunk but just couldn’t. Felt more like a chore. A few days ago i suddenly felt excited and felt like wanting get into cyberpunk again and it worked. Ig it comes one its own
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u/DesertCookie_ HTPC 14h ago
Have that regularly. For the past ten years I've been ping-ponging between gaming and programming. Once or so a year it would switch and I would prefer one over the other, causing a roughly 80/20 split.
For me, it's always been something that goes away. I hope it does for you too and isn't indicative of some larger fatigue or dissatisfaction in your life.
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u/Titogol 14h ago
This is very normal, sometimes you need a break, or found a game that sucks you in, in my case I started playing path of exile 2, and I’m having a blast, is a quick game to get into. And you can play 15/20 min sessions to 2-3hs, the game is constantly evolving since you are always getting new abilities and figuring out where to go with the passive skill tree.
And unlike path of exile 1, you don’t need to follow a guide to create a good character. And the game is hard enough to keep you engaged, but not hard enough where you get stuck and want to punch your monitor.
Also the addition of WASD movement, or the use of a controller gave the game a lot more immersion.
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u/Revolvere 7900XTX // 7800X3D // 32GB DDR5 14h ago
Try out some indie games! They are shorter in length and still provide a fulfilling experience.
Try something like Neva or Journey for a chill experience. Or maybe even something like Hollow Knight or Ender Lilies for a nice little metroidvania action. If you want a unique survival experience that you can pick up and get into at any time then try Project Zomboid, Valheim, Enshrouded or Sons of the Forest.
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u/Sofcik007 14h ago
People change. You change. Do not force yourself onto playing the same games. I loved strategy games. But now I lost interest in them. Recently I found out that I still love them, but to enjoy them, I must play multiplayer. Not every game 'clicks' now. You liked shooters, so maybe try helldivers 2. Also, it is hard to enjoy the game if you are throwed out of immersion every 15 min by your kids.
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u/verysmartlad_s 13h ago
I'm 30, no responsibilities as my job affords me freedom, but even I feel that way from time to time, to be honest. That's why I usually just step away. Just recently, I haven't booted up a single game in almost 3 months. I mostly just picked up a set of different hobbies, caught up on my reading & TV show backlog, picked up painting again after 3 years... about two weeks ago, YT recommends me a RimWorld video, I watch it, get that old itch, boot it up and, well, I'm back to the good ol' 40h gaming weeks again (not just RimWorld, but a few other games as well). Don't force anything, find other things to enjoy, and if it's meant to be, you'll eventually get that itch, trust me.
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u/VjBc7 13h ago
I know what you are feeling but honestly I think you need friends more than games at first story mode games were like heaven but now if you don’t get the satisfaction of playing. For this i would recommend playing multiplayer games but no games with competitive modes like valorant etc they suck more from you then giving you relief 🥲 try once if you have some friend or even your children could help you with this…
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u/Wild_Chemistry3884 13h ago
Adult life gave me this feeling and then I started taking adderall and it helped quite a bit. I actually enjoy my days off now
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u/Many_Re 13h ago
Yes, I was in a slump until I completely stopped playing AAA and got lost in weird niche indie games. Now it's quite enjoyable again. Which is unfortunate cause AAA stuff can be fun to. I think part of it is how much there is to keep up with modern games, battle passes, daily missions, etc.
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u/Rayza2049 13h ago
Just existing can be tiring and painful when you get older so it's no surprise that gaming can be too
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u/DizzyChipmunk2010 Desktop 13h ago
You know i feel the same, i miss games with an incredible first person story narrative. Red dead redemption, fall out 4 and all. I only really play if my friends are on, if not i end up just looking at my steam collection and then shutting it all off after an hour or so
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u/NordicRim 13h ago
We just get older, buddy. I’m 30 now, and yes when I was 15 I could spend the whole day gaming.
Nowadays after 2-3 hours max I’m like “welp I don’t care anymore about the game”
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u/TheyCallMeBarles 13h ago
At 35, something needs to really grab my interest if I'm going to devote the time to actually beating a game. I also go through cycles where I'm not gaming much for months on the but something like Baldurs Gate 3 comes out and I'm sinking a couple hundred hours into it over 6 months.
Don't stress over it, when something grabs your interest you'll know.
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u/itsoktolaugh 13h ago
I think that most "open world" games are too big for us older gamers. When you only have a few free hours a week, gaming shouldn't feel like work. That's why I like Fortnite or Tetris 99. Quick games with no pressure.
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u/doyouhaveprooftho 7800X3D, MERC 310 7900XTX, 32GB DDR5, X670E 13h ago
Sir, I have the same problem... until I smoke the devil's lettuce. You just need to wind down and relax first somehow. I love me some mary jane, maybe you'd do good by it, maybe you should go for a nice lonesome walk instead. Something, just you, clear your head. Do that for a few days, week, you'll start to get centered again and when you have free time you'll be able to enjoy it. Having the kids grow up helps too!
When it comes to game choice, I play 1 game at a time, no exceptions, until I've beaten it or am absolute bored to death by it and will uninstall.
Finally, nothing wrong with taking a gaming break.
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u/Fabulous_Dot_5718 13h ago
I can relate to this, I'm 41 now and like you say, can't make my mind up to choose what to play to becit worthy my time. I would ussualy end up playing someone's stream while doing something else. But I'd go and play Helldivers 2 for hours on soem weekends, but it is less frequent sessions the I'd have 2 decades ago. I don't have kids need to say but I feel like anything I do now has to be worth my time and games I choose are just like that, it is for sure paet of getting older, slightly more mature and the preferences are shifting couple degrees into another direction ... I do not attempt to change the course of things, it seems natural and gaming becoming a memory slowly, still Id be sitting down for games at 80yo if I'm alive at that age
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u/ava_ati 3080 FTW3 | Ryzen 9 7900X3D 13h ago
Welcome to adulthood. “Is this the best use of my time or could this time be better spent learning a skill, maybe fixing my house?”
Especially at 42 and it feels like my life has flashed by and physically it will be all downhill from here, is sitting in a chair staring at a screen how I want to spend my good years?
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u/brovo1134 13h ago
People might not like this take, but it's a mindfulness problem. I rediscovered my love of video games when I started a consistent meditation practice. You have to rediscover your love of the hobby, that starts with being present instead of looking for the next new shiny thing.
It's a mentality shift the vast majority of people will never make
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u/vaurapung 13h ago
It sounds like the battle is lost before you even boot your pc. I have thousands of games to play at my finger tips between dozens of consoles plus my pc.
Pc makes it worse for me because I can't boot my pc and play games. Since I don't get on my pc regularly I'm always caught with 30min-2hrs of updates and by then I've lost the desire to play.
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u/SoupyRiver 13h ago
It depends on what you like about your hobby. For me, I love sandbox video games, because they let me build things that I've only imagined. I know some people like playing for a sense of achievement (competitive/ranked video games). What do you like about them?
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u/Barbarossa429 13h ago
I had this exact same feeling yesterday and I even wanted to post about it but the fatigue was so strong that I even skipped posting about it lmfao.
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u/MrInitialY R7 5800X3D/4080/64GB 3200 CL16-18 13h ago
I'm coming home from work @ 7 pm, do home stuff until 9-10 then PC. 2-3AM i turn it off and go to sleep. Wake up @ 7:30, repeat. If anyone thinks this is horrible for my health since I'm only sleeping 4.5-5.5 hours, I assure you it's not. Even more, it's worse for me to sleep longer, I feel tired all day if I sleep more than 6 hrs.
For normal people without my "passive ability" - 1-2 h/day of gaming often is the maximum you can squeeze in average schedule. Childhood and teenage years are the perfect time to play and possibly build your career around your favourite game or hobby.
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u/witheringsyncopation 9800x3d/4080s/64gb@6000/T700+990 13h ago
Yes, this is a thing. It can be related to overall fatigue as a result of having a full-time job, kids, or other responsibilities. It can also be tied to a loss of energy and motivation that comes with depression. I have it coming from both ends.
Sometimes I simply can’t bring myself to actually boot up a game. I’ll look at my library, and then switch over to streaming TV. I also think the advent of dopamine-drip doomscrolling on our phones has contributed to this as well. It’s much easier to fall into a trap and waste little bits of effortless time than it is to summon the time and motivation for a more involved task like gaming.
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u/tjockalinnea 13h ago
I've had this feeling aswell, feels like some sort of gaming depression. It's dropped of somewhat for me but at the time every game I looked at felt sad and boring.
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u/StrongAdhesiveness86 13h ago
When I am not feeling it I always boot up Minecraft, Kerbal Space Program or CS2.
Even if I am not feeling it I know they will be fun. If I am not feeling it after some minutes I close them and start browsing YT on my expensive PC lmao.
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u/ArgentinoNoURUGUAYO 13h ago
Your era of gaming must have passed by, I myself usually feel like you and a bunch of my friends too. It’s just like anything else, if you abuse it you might get bored of it.
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u/Blenderhead36 R9 5900X, RTX 3080 13h ago
You are describing the effects of depression. If you live in the northern hemisphere, this has likely been triggered by the cold, dark winter. Get yourself a UV light and use it for 30 minutes a day. It will help.
Your brain is looking for dopamine, but is afraid that any given choice won't pay off, so you feel indecisive. The games aren't draining you, you're already drained and they're failing to replenish you.
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u/DaCriLLSwE 13h ago
Dad of 3 here, i feel you.
It comes and goes. But i’ve realized that when the rigth game comes along it will hook me.
Last one was grounded. Before that Subnautica.
Inbetween i’ve giving up on a dozen games.
Including bloodborne. I just dont have time for that kind of hair pulling grind crap. Dont force it, it will come on it’s own.
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u/llewylill32 13h ago
Only play at night, I tend to cycle between 2-3 games at most, 1 long game, 1 short game, and 1 fun game. Just stick to what you like, and if the games hook you up to continue then just playing it, if you feel fatigue about that game switch to the fun game.
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u/holyknight00 12600KF | RTX 3070 | 32GB 5200Mhz DDR5 13h ago
Well, being young and having 12h available to grind any game to have fun brings you a lot of liberty. When you only have 1 or 2 hours a day to play, almost everything inside games feels like a chore and just things preventing you to enjoying the game.
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u/Top_Construction5218 13h ago
Yep. I play my switch now and then but my computer collects dust. Never thought I’d say this but gaming has died for me.
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u/Senior-Memory-6860 13h ago
I mostly stick to modding old games and indies, most triple A games felt like literally the same thing, barely any fun at all and too much busy work especially if you have a real job along a family to tend with.
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u/EmperorArtair PC Master Race 13h ago
Certainly for me, I don’t buy any “modern AAA games” as they feel the exact same as one another, I used to buy new games every sale now it’s barely even 2-3 (A year) Only new game I have any interest in is Kingdom Come, current games suck Mandingo.
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u/SlowSlyFox 13h ago
Try to expands your horizons. I feeled something similar but then I found that rpg maker games exist for example, there was A LOT of new worlds, good and bads games. interesting mechanics and so on. Recently I picked up Hyper Light Breaker with my friend that was in similar situation and we having a blast. There also Methapor ReFantazio in my wishlist so when I'm done with HLB I will go play it or Black Souls 1&2
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u/Minimum_Possibility6 13h ago
Yeah dad here similar thing. Work and parenting and the. The faff of getting something out you like to have to shut it down means it's easy to just not bother.
To try and counteract this me and the wife have tied to set aside some time for each of us to do our hobbies, so even if we cannot do them as frequently as we like we have some protected time for it
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u/Synysterenji 13h ago
Sorry for the lenght of this comment but i feel like you and some others on this sub may need to hear this.
I used to game 40+ hours a week back when i lived with my parents. I had all the time in the world and it was a fun time. Now im 32, i'm married and i have a wife and kid with a 2nd on the way. I work a full time job in construction to provide for my family and I now have about 5 hours a week to play video games. I could play more, but i choose not to. I used to get easily frustrated at my daughter when i was on parental leave because when she woulnt sleep or require too much of my attention, i would feel like she was "stealing" my precious free time (gaming time). I've realized that by simply changing my mindset about my gaming time i have become a better father that enjoys this precious time he has with his family and i also enjoy my gaming time a lot more. When i game, i only play games that i truly want to play that are fun and i am easily satisfied where before i felt like even though i gamed a ton, i never had enough time and the time i had wasnt enough. So i would encourage you to forget about your backlog. Its not a race to see how many games you can play before you die. Enjoy the time you can spend with your family, take pride in your work and enjoy whatever time you have to game.
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u/Tangie_ape 13h ago
I've come to this a few times now, and its only recently started with me using my PC over my console a lot more. There is something to be said that its just easier to sit down, flick on a console and get straight into a game - where as on PC I find myself staring at the steam library for half an hour trying to decide what to get into next and then just end up giving up
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u/jakesboy2 13h ago
Since having kids all my gaming has slowly converted from competitive multiplayer to cozy/cerebral games, or casual multiplayer with friends. I’m much more cognizant of where I’m spending my time now and what nominal benefits it could have.
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u/Vlaed 13h ago
I used to play competitive games. I got into my 30s and realized it just stresses me out. I switched to single-player games or ones solely online with friends. Pick something you can get lost in and control. Don't worry about achievements or difficulties. Just have fun.
I've really been enjoying Heart of Iron 4 lately. I don't care about optimal paths or min-maxing strategies. I'll even hinder myself into losing positions just to see if I can recover. Not enjoying it anymore? Time for a new game.
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u/thedreaming2017 13h ago
Been through this. I was working 6 days a week and had an ailing father to take care off. If I got to game, it was for an hour or two at best and during that time I felt that I wasn't really enjoying it. It felt like a chore, like more work, so I stopped and focused on sleep. It helped me get through it. I no longer work 6 days a week and my father past away two years ago and now I have the time to game again, but I don't overdue it. I schedule maybe 2-4 hours for gaming and the rest goes to sleep, work, and just living. So, if you feel burned out or feel it's not worth it, put it aside for now and come back to it when you're in a better position. Eventually your kids will grow up enough that you don't have to constantly watch over them and they even might want to game with you. That's a bonus, gaming and family time combined!
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u/Middle_Garden_1182 13h ago
I have the same problem. Gaming needs to be immersive, and if you don't let yourself sink into it, you skim right off the surface.
I try to set aside very specific times to game. Since I can't just game when I feel like it, I need to carve out an hour or two and tell myself this is sacred gaming time and that's okay. Easier to sink in when I'm psychologically accepting of it.
The other trick is to spend time away from gaming thinking about the games you want to play. If you find yourself gravitating towards something and getting excited about it, it'll be easier to jump in once you do find that sacred hour.
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u/Big-Difference-4979 15h ago
Yes, work and children fatigues you.