I'm going to take a break from video games.

BossLackey

BossLackey

Gold Member
I'm sure a lot of you have done this, but I'm just not feeling games at all lately.

I'm fortunate enough to have PC/PS5 Pro/Switch 2/Steam Deck and buy games (way too) often, but they feel hollow.

I'll get excited about a game and then within hours I'm looking for the next thing to play.

I know this is almost definitely because I've been playing them for years on end every day or every other day. Just going through the motions, hoping something feels like the first time I played through Dark Souls or Ocarina of Time or Symphony of the Night. But it never will if I don't take a long break.

I'm going to focus on my art and reading and career stuff I think and come back when I'm really craving video games again.

Honestly, maybe I should take a break from here too.

We live in a time of abundance and accessible dopamine. I think it's time I fix that.
 
Do what you think is best. Taking a break is good and exploring yourself and your life is important. I like videogames but i know i can't play them all the time. Go explore and do what you want and bring those experiences back with you when you feel like pressing start on your console. Have fun and enjoy your break.
 
You'll appreciate them a lot more when you return. I had vertigo for 10 weeks (still recovering), but the forced break was nice. It got me into Manga, which I'm now hooked.

Now that I can play games again, it's been a better experience.

Enjoy the break! We'll all be here.
 
BossLackey said:
I'm fortunate enough to have PC/PS5 Pro/Switch 2/Steam Deck and buy games (way too) often, but they feel hollow.

I'll get excited about a game and then within hours I'm looking for the next thing to play.

I know this is almost definitely because I've been playing them for years on end every day or every other day. Just going through the motions, hoping something feels like the first time I played through Dark Souls or Ocarina of Time or Symphony of the Night. But it never will if I don't take a long break.
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It still won't feel like that, though, even after a long break. You can't recapture the feeling of the first time you did anything. That was unrepeatable.

BossLackey said:
I'm going to focus on my art and reading and career stuff I think and come back when I'm really craving video games again.
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That's a good use of time. A side benefit is that you'll feel good about yourself for doing that rather than "just going through the motions" like you describe above. You'll know that you are making progress in something important to you.

BossLackey said:
Honestly, maybe I should take a break from here too.
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Maybe. I've found that taking a break from forums allows me to enjoy games better. Usually when I want to enjoy a game, I will check out of forums for a while (especially if it's a recent release), because forum chatter interferes with me having a clear experience of the game. If I'm hanging around forums, it's easy for my head to get filled with cynicism, criticism of the game, reviewer opinions, sales information, other gamers' evaluations, and so forth. If I'm not distracted by all that, I have a better experience of the game.

I take long breaks from gaming myself. Usually months, but sometimes up to a year. I used to play a lot, but now I play only a little.

It's not that big a deal. They're just videogames. They don't mean much in the vast scheme of things.
 
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EverydayBeast said:
Sickens me of someone taking a break from this billion dollar hobby but respect to you, could come back from your break and it won't pay off.
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Britney Spears What GIF


Anyway, good on you OP, if you feel it's the right call for you go with it.

Games will be waiting in case you come back.

And being honest, current games are way more boring than a couple of years back so yeah, I get you.
 
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Goo decision OP. Did the same after slogging through Horizon 2. Stopped playing games for like 3 months. Reevaluated what I like about gaming during that time. Came back refreshed and having a great time since.
 
Nothing wrong with that. Either you will not miss games, or you will get the urge to play again. I would also suggest not buying new games, at least if you have a big backlog.

I have severely dropped the number of games that I buy per year. Even if that means that I miss out on cool titles, I can play them some day (hopefully).
 
I often take breaks from gaming. I'm on a 3 month (so far) break now.
It's a hobby, not something I'm forced to do daily. Whenever I feel like gaming again, I'll come back to it.
 
BossLackey said:
I'm sure a lot of you have done this, but I'm just not feeling games at all lately.

I'm fortunate enough to have PC/PS5 Pro/Switch 2/Steam Deck and buy games (way too) often, but they feel hollow.

I'll get excited about a game and then within hours I'm looking for the next thing to play.

I know this is almost definitely because I've been playing them for years on end every day or every other day. Just going through the motions, hoping something feels like the first time I played through Dark Souls or Ocarina of Time or Symphony of the Night. But it never will if I don't take a long break.

I'm going to focus on my art and reading and career stuff I think and come back when I'm really craving video games again.

Honestly, maybe I should take a break from here too.

We live in a time of abundance and accessible dopamine. I think it's time I fix that.
Click to expand...
Reading is always my heal whenever I get burned out from video games. Devouring some intriguing novels always brings me a nice refreshing recharge.

GAF is always fun tho, as long as we avoid pointless tribalism.
 
Dude, art is way more fulfilling than gaming, do that. When you feel burnt-out, which I know you know happens, get back and play something. Rinse and repeat.
 
Nothing wrong with taking a break. Do what you must and hopefully something excites you gaming wise to jump back in.

I don't play as much as I used to either. Having a mortgage and paying bills along with writing music keeps me engaged in other things. I too feel there's less excitement with games as I semi-retire a lot and pick up new games without finishing others. It's a problem I can't seem to shake that urge. Probably due to my current attention span.
 
Humdinger said:
It's not that big a deal. They're just videogames. They don't mean much in the vast scheme of things.
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I think I have a pretty negative attachment to them in that I've inadvertently made them part of my identity. Something I want stop doing.

It's just entertainment, but I've made it out to be more.
 
I take mini breaks after most games, especially open world stuff feels just draining with too much repetitive filler. So often a couple of days no gaming at all, before I start something new.
Whatever feels right. Just like I choose the games I play in the ocean of choices on Plus (or PC stuff I have but haven't touched for years now).
 
It happens. Catch up on movies, go to bars, pick up the guitar. You'll get the itch to play something eventually and it will be refreshing.
 
Good for you man hope life eventually brings you back.

Word of advice, I also found myself buying more than playing and reading more about future releases than actually playing them.

I downsized to 1 console instead of 3 and drastically reduced my purchases. I also changed my mind set to count time gaming as productive in comparison to doom scrolling, which bizarrely motivated me to put down my phone and pick up my Switch. The over purchasing is definitely something you need to work on for yourself, recognise that buying things won't make you happy.
 
what happens to me is I fall into the pit of shitty mobile games, then back to real games and its like waking up to a sunrise. then repeat
 
The fact that you don't feel that way about games is because games like dark souls, ocharina of time etc are once in a generation type games and we unfortunately live in an era of middle of the road repetition and slop.

The AAA industry has been in a phase of burnout for a while in terms of creativity, though some releases this year give me hope that we may be getting on track.

The absolute gold tier indie scene has been a beacon of hope as well.
 
Why do people feel the need to announce this? I don't make a thread every time I take a break from hiking, watching TV shows or listening to jazz. I understand informing your boss if you take a lunch break, but other than that it just feels narcissistic.
 
Good call. Don't play games out of habit. Play games only if you enjoy playing games. I'm in the same boat with new releases. Bar a few releases a year, nothing excites me. It's all the same tired thing with different packaging.

I've ended up playing a lot less, falling back on older games I know and love (such as Dragon Force on Saturn) and spending more time with my family and just learning stuff. Right now I've been reading several of Winston Churchill's books. This is more satisfying to me at the moment then slogging through derivative open world game #756.
 
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Trilobit said:
Why do people feel the need to announce this? I don't make a thread every time I take a break from hiking, watching TV shows or listening to jazz. I understand informing your boss if you take a lunch break, but other than that it just feels narcissistic.
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Maybe they're looking for advice from people who have done the same thing or it just makes them feel better to put it in writing because they are trying to understand that feeling.

Is empathy forbidden here? Are we just supposed to post threads about hot gaming news and shut up about everything else?
 
Taking a break is always a good thing to do now and then for just about everything. IMO part of the problem, especially these days of having so many things to play, we're always chasing that new high of something new that we don't give ourselves enough time to really just settle into a game. Basically focus on the now instead of what's to come. People are in such a rush to play games they just line them up like a conveyor line to knock out rather than letting the experience be the priority.

Plus there's times in games when going from one type of game to a different one that you need adjust a bit - mmo to arpg to puzzle game to indie deck builder to etc etc etc can prematurely turn off a player that just needs to meet the game more on it's own terms rather than forcing it to be what you just played. Personally it's much better to have a "decompression time" between games that allows me a fresh start without all the baggage, good and bad, from the previous one.
 
OP, you have the same problem as women looking at their closet, saying "I have nothing to wear". As you stated you have all the current consoles and can buy any game you want any time.

You are in a state where you can't appreciate the feeling of saving up for a special game. Like standing in front of a buffet and you want to eat everything, but can't decide what.

Maybe you should set yourself a budget for video games. Save up for one title you want to play, not all at once.

I have the same problem with services like Game Pass. Too much to choose. A first world problem, yes, but it's normal.
 
Efren is G.O.A.T. said:
Maybe they're looking for advice from people who have done the same thing or it just makes them feel better to put it in writing because they are trying to understand that feeling.

Is empathy forbidden here? Are we just supposed to post threads about hot gaming news and shut up about everything else?
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Taking a break from gaming isn't any major life change for crying out loud. It's just a hobby. If you don't feel it gives you anything any more then just stop doing it. And then if some game that looks interesting pops up then play it.

And then when he adds "oh I might also take a break from here" then it just screams drama queen.
 
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Trilobit said:
Taking a break from gaming isn't any major life change for crying out loud. It's just a hobby. If you don't feel it gives you anything any more then just stop doing it. And then if some game that looks interesting pops up then play it.

And then when he adds "oh I might also take a break from here" then it just screams drama queen.
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The fuck is your deal.

This is a slow-ass message board and I don't think a throwaway thread every two weeks by me is anything to stamp your feet about.

Holy hell. Just figured other people might feel the same way either now or in the past.

Next time I'll DM you to see if it's okay to make a thread.
 
BossLackey BossLackey I hope you find what you're looking for. No shame in taking a break from a hobby if you aren't feeling it.

I find myself playing very few games in the fall, despite all the new releases. The weather's nice, football is back, lots of social events to attend. Once winter sets in and the holidays are over, I find myself playing more games.
 
I too have been struggling with something - lacking the passion for gaming lately. I feel you!

Just want to say I appreciate this forum so much. So many years on here; it's like the one constant I can count on in this hobby.
 
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