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[SkyHighTrees]

As I grew older I'm having trouble even gaming at all. From university to work, to university again (and the gf, family), I have no time at all to play the game...

I loved taking hours to explore a game, feeling it, being immersed in it, loving it making love to it having memories widit, all that, and now I just cannot do it at all. So little time so many sooo many games.

Before the PS5 launched I was eager to delve into Demons Souls, it's 2024, I still haven't even got past the first two dudes that come thru on the castle's gates.

How do you adult dudes do this? Do you really just play 30 min - 1 hour and do it just fine? How can you feel the game that way? Last game I played was Alien Isolation, long ass game didn't even got 50% thru it, and it's gone from PS Plus extra, but what an amazing one... I'm on 500 games on the PS5, thru backlog, plus games and whatnot, I wanna play them all, is it possible?

 

[Punished Miku]

University and work is your problem. If you're just working, you have some time. If you're doing both, you have work all the time. I'd recommend playing indie action games that can be easy to jump into without bloated story, exploration or things that prevent you from instantly playing. Having a handheld like a Switch also opens up lots of extra time.

 

[Guilty_AI]

just stop sleeping

 

[RagnarokIV]

Register as disabled to not have to work and do stupid bullshit. Then play all day.

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

Register as disabled to not have to work and do stupid bullshit. Then play all day.

This. Let the wagies pay for you

 

[DAHGAMING]

Register as disabled to not have to work and do stupid bullshit. Then play all day.

THis is the answer, grab yourself some grey tracksuit bottoms and grey hoodies, smoke a few joints aswell and the taxpayer will fund your hobby .

For real though the times gone mate, took me a long time to accept but now I accept I cant play everything anymore, I buy games when there cheaper and play them when I can, normaly just a few hrs a week, might get a day at the weekend to myself now and then but not often.

 

[DryvBy]

Haha, you sound young still. I used to be able to return to old games every year and beat them without a care in the world. I'd have gaming parties every few weeks at my apartment. It was good times. Today? I'm actually annoyed when a friend asks me to play a game with them.

The best thing to do before you get too old with kids is to just embrace being poor and happy. Quit your life and game.

 

[cireza]

I can get a one or two hours in the evening after the kids went to sleep.

100/150+ hours repetitive/tedious games are a no go. Not spending a quarter of the year on a single game.

 

[R6Rider]

I get home from work and have 6 hours to do whatever I want.

 

[ArtHands]

Valve's Steam Deck brought PC gaming back into my life after fatherhood

Valve's Steam Deck let me jump back into PC gaming after becoming a father.

www.engadget.com

 

[Kacho]

I play after the kids go to bed. Usually have to sacrifice sleep to get some meaty game time in.

 

[_Ex_]

making love to it having memories

Spoiler

When you become an actual working adult with grown up responsibilities, your video game playing time becomes late night and truncated. After you've finished all your shift, daily duties, and social obligations. You play for an hour or two, maybe three on a weekend night. Then you get just enough sleep to not die. If you think it's hard now just wait until you have kids.

 

[ssringo]

Budget your time based on what you need/have to do and what you want to do. If you don't have the time to do everything you want then you'll have to make the decision on what to spend less time on or drop completely.

Also, it's okay to tell family/girlfriend/friends you want one day a week for yourself.

 

[lakitu1982]

I only play 30 mins at a time now I'm 42 and have a child. It's tough to play longer but I like to play 5 days of the week instead of having less days but more hours in one session. Can't play padded out games though, that would just take too long.

I also write down the games I think will be good in a notepad and then tick them off only when completed. Playing Silent Hill on the PS2 now, loving it.

 

[lakitu1982]

I miss playing local multiplayer on the N64, always better playing someone but hard to do if you get old, either you or the other person has stuff on or is tired.

 

[Kacho]

Budget your time based on what you need/have to do and what you want to do. If you don't have the time to do everything you want then you'll have to make the decision on what to spend less time on or drop completely.

Also, it's okay to tell family/girlfriend/friends you want one day a week for yourself.

Yeah, never got the "I don't have time to do X anymore" excuse. Especially from people who don't have kids lol

"I don't have time to work out"
"I don't have time for games"
"I don't have time for friends"

You can always find time to do what you want. Sometimes it just requires planning/sacrifice.

 

[Bert Big Balls]

As I grew older I'm having trouble even gaming at all. From university to work, to university again (and the gf, family), I have no time at all to play the game...

I loved taking hours to explore a game, feeling it, being immersed in it, loving it making love to it having memories widit, all that, and now I just cannot do it at all. So little time so many sooo many games.

Before the PS5 launched I was eager to delve into Demons Souls, it's 2024, I still haven't even got past the first two dudes that come thru on the castle's gates.

How do you adult dudes do this? Do you really just play 30 min - 1 hour and do it just fine? How can you feel the game that way? Last game I played was Alien Isolation, long ass game didn't even got 50% thru it, and it's gone from PS Plus extra, but what an amazing one... I'm on 500 games on the PS5, thru backlog, plus games and whatnot, I wanna play them all, is it possible?

Honestly, with a job, owning a house, and a toddler, I barely have any time to game. So I literally do play for like an hour in the evening before bed. That's basically all the time I get.

Games take me ages to complete these days. I've probably completed 3 games this year which is nothing compared to some, but that's literally just from me chipping away an hour or so a night. The last time I could actually just sit down and game all Saturday and Sunday was probably just under ten years ago.

Just play what you can for however long you can. Don't stress about it. As soon as you feel yourself not having fun with a game or it becomes a chore, drop it and move on. It's hard to get into this mindset but i'm getting there. Also, one last thing, please carry on with Demon's Souls remake, it's so damn good and definitely one of the best games on PS5.

 

[lakitu1982]

Yeah, never got the "I don't have time to do X anymore" excuse. Especially from people who don't have kids lol

"I don't have time to work out"
"I don't have time for games"
"I don't have time for friends"

You can always find time to do what you want. Sometimes it just requires planning/sacrifice.

we sometimes make excuses, it's not true you're right we can always find time. Thing is your willpower/motivation drops when you're tired. I always make time for a workout as that gives me energy as long as I don't overdo it and feel 'I deserve to game' as a reward for being healthy. Just me, not recommending it.

 

[rm082e]

Twenty years ago, when I had a job and a GF (now my wife), I had plenty of time to play. She had her own interests. We would spend half of our evenings together and the other half doing our own interests.

When we had kids, I got more time to play because she spent so much time nursing and sleeping. We also found I average 7 hours a night of sleep and she averages 10. So I get extra hours in the early morning to workout, or play games.

As my kids got older, gaming time basically disappeared. I spent my evenings hanging out with them and/or the wife. I got very little time to play during the PS4 generation.

Now my kids are older and my wife and I are jaded, so I've got on average two evenings (2-3 hours) per week, and the mornings on Saturday & Sunday when everyone is sleeping in. I get about 12 hours a week of time I can spend gaming these days. When I was in my early twenties, it was easily 30 hours a week.

 

[Bert Big Balls]

I get home from work and have 6 hours to do whatever I want.

based

 

[RCX]

When the working day is done,

When girls just wanna have fun.

 

[Boralf]

I just cloned myself so I can play games all day. I sent my clone to work, I think..

 

[Zacfoldor]

When: after work but before supper time. Time: 1-2 hours daily.

Weekends play during free time.

You'll be surprised how many games you can complete at a slow but steady pace. The key is keeping your schedule. You could make it thru 12x 60 hour games per year this way, which is probably on par or better than what a lot of hardcore NEETs actually do. Consistency is key. You want to be dependable and consistent anyway, as you get older. Be on a schedule and you can get it all done.

 

[Mephisto40]

Just wait until you hit your 40's, and you can't even keep your eyes open the minute to sit on the sofa after work

 

[SkeletonQuays]

evenings are the best for me but weekends i'll jump into a game for a couple a hours here or there... now that i'm older i honestly feel a bit gross if i play for longer than a few hours at a time... unless it's dark... then the rules don't apply.

 

[Bond007]

Different phases of life open and close more time for hobbies.
Your just in a phase where school and work eat most of that time. When school ends time opens perhaps.

I just adapt to the times. Ive got kids in their teens so my gaming time isnt great currently, but as they grow and start driving etc etc. i imagine my time opens up. But with that open time- gaming wont be my priority either, travelling will. So, just take it as it goes.

 

[SJRB]

If I really, really want to play a new game the only way is to take the day off work, which I do on occasion (Elden Ring, Cyberpunk, Shadow of the Erdtree).

Other than that it's just two hours an evening, tops. Maybe some more in the weekend. But yeah needless to say I almost never actually finish them. You can only do so many of those short burst sessions before you lose interest.

And honestly half the time I'm so tired I can't even bring myself to play an intense game.

Being an adult blows. I remember buying GTA San Andreas on launch day at 8 in the morning and playing that shit non-stop until midnight. Those were the days.

 

[Raven117]

1, you have to be very picky about what you play.
2, I find later at night after dinner for 30-60 minutes or so.
3, understand those marathon gaming sessions are likely over unless you plan for them over the weekend.

It’s a good thing games can take a backseat to your life. It means you have other good stuff going on. And playing them is a little treat.

 

[Dacvak]

Register as disabled to not have to work and do stupid bullshit. Then play all day.

This. You’re already posting on GAF, so you definitely qualify.

 

[The Cockatrice]

and the gf

Found your problem. Switch to someone who appreciates you and gives you time to play games peacefully. I have friends with gf and they have time to play 3-5 hours a day, with job. I also have the opposite and they stopped gaming because of it which is sad af. No woman deserves to lose your fun/hobby time over.

 

[Northeastmonk]

University time isn’t real time though. That will end and then you’ll have to work. You aren’t exactly concerned with “work-home life” balance at the moment.

Looking back on my college years. I was paying for an education that didn’t reflect the career I have today. Should I have focused more? Sure. Instead I went out and got a PS4 at launch. I was in college for a long time because I couldn’t figure it out and no one told me I was wrong. I was stupid because I ended up in debt. Now all my school debts are paid. I was going to college when Skyrim came out because I went to the midnight launch.

It’s just like people find time to watch Netflix or watch a movie. You’ll find time to hold a controller. Overthinking it is what makes gaming feel like something it isn’t. It’s entertainment.

 

[Chairman Yang]

My personal strategies for time management and getting more game time in general:
1. Take occasional vacation days in the middle of the workweek specifically for gaming.
2. Ruthlessly cull games from your backlog that make you waste lots of time for not much benefit. Anything with too much grinding or mindless repetition is a prime suspect. Consider carefully whether it's worth trying to finish a 100+ hour beast instead of 10 great, 10-hour PS2 games or whatever.
3. Mobile ports of "real" games can let you sneak in some extra game time on the toilet or when waiting with nothing to do. This is how I've been playing the excellent Android versions of the Phoenix Wright Trilogy, the first three Layton games, Vampire Survivors, Balatro, Dune: Imperium and others.
4. Save and invest as much as you can in the hopes of earlier retirement. There's a whole "Financial Independence, Retire Early" movement around this with lots of useful tips and strategies (https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/financial-independence-retire-early-fire.asp).
5. Try to eat healthy, achieve a healthier weight, and exercise a lot so you live longer.

 

[Kenneth Haight]

5-6 hours sleep is the only way I know

 

[Generic]

1 hour per day, usually.

 

[BennyBlanco]

After the kids fall asleep. Or on Steam Deck after work.

 

[SJRB]

2. Ruthlessly cull games from your backlog that make you waste lots of time for not much benefit. Anything with too much grinding or mindless repetition is a prime suspect. Consider carefully whether it's worth trying to finish a 100+ hour beast instead of 10 great, 10-hour PS2 games or whatever.

This too. When I read that a game takes 80+ hours to complete I often don't even bother unless it's a god-tier game like Witcher 3 or something. MMO's, same. Haven't played an MMO in decades.

 

[ハトリス]

Why do you buy 500 games when you don't have the time to play them?

 

[Kurotri]

I think it's pretty simple. You need to accept that you can maybe play 2 hours per day and understand that that is totally ok. At the same time you need to choose your games carefully. Play that one game where you really feel that pull. Ignore the rest, you don't actually have any obligation to play all those games. That includes your backlog.

 

[SmokedMeat]

My wife and I are empty nesters, so around an hour and a half before bed on work nights I’ll head upstairs and play a little.

The only time I’ll playing during the day is if I’m sick, or the wife’s away and I’m caught up in what I need to do around the house.

My issue these days is finding the desire to play. It seems like fewer games are holding my interest, so I’m generally just going through the motions.

 

[Magic Carpet]

I've been sick at home this entire week, I thought I could enjoy some gaming, but I was too tired and miserable. I did zero gaming for an entire week.

 

[PeteBull]

There is no secret to it, unfortunately, u will never be able to commit even half of time u could as teeanger or young adult with not as many responsibilities.

Im not there yet but my only guess/hope is- when u retire/get more free time- the question is- when most of us are old af and able to retire will our health/skill lvl(overall, so eyesight,reflexes,comprehension) be even enough to game instead of re-watching something on tv like a half dead plant?

Maybe u are smart and lucky 1%er and can retire early around 40-45yo so u can still enjoy life for a while?

Personally as a pleade of shame- last "big" game i actually finished was Elden Ring, and not the dlc, actual base game, and i only finished it properly(no next game+, only 1 char so no multiple playtroughts, and i shamelessly used yt for quests/secrets and sometimes even boss tactics, even tho im big souls genre lower) this summer
Dont even remind me of my backlog, some topquality ps4 games are still in there and i lie to myself i will finish them

Like many gaffers i use this forum as a somewhat of substitute for actual gaming, u can jump in for few minutes aka change browser tab on ur pc, cook some degenerates, give out few lolz, fires and likes to ur homies and read news about current big thing w/o spending much time searching for info urself but thats kinda it.

 

[Bernoulli]

Play online games, a quick game of COD, fortnite or fifa could be 10 minutes or hours

 

[StueyDuck]

As I grew older I'm having trouble even gaming at all. From university to work, to university again (and the gf, family), I have no time at all to play the game...

I loved taking hours to explore a game, feeling it, being immersed in it, loving it making love to it having memories widit, all that, and now I just cannot do it at all. So little time so many sooo many games.

Before the PS5 launched I was eager to delve into Demons Souls, it's 2024, I still haven't even got past the first two dudes that come thru on the castle's gates.

How do you adult dudes do this? Do you really just play 30 min - 1 hour and do it just fine? How can you feel the game that way? Last game I played was Alien Isolation, long ass game didn't even got 50% thru it, and it's gone from PS Plus extra, but what an amazing one... I'm on 500 games on the PS5, thru backlog, plus games and whatnot, I wanna play them all, is it possible?

I don't have children... yet.

But for me it's mostly between 9pm and 11pm and that's a good run and I'll usually only get time twice a week at most.

Weekends I'm mostly out but if it's a shit day or life is slow ill try squeeze in a big session on a sat or sun to try complete stuff

 

[Woopah]

1997

 

[FrankWza]

Get a PlayStation Portal.

 

[jshackles]

For me, I spent a good 15-18 years after high school doing the whole university / girlfriend (then wife) / work / kids thing, which seemed to consume the bulk of my free time outside of 15-30 minutes here and there I had to catch my breath and relax some.

After I found myself with a steady job, kids that could look out for themselves, and a wife that helps with chores and maintaining the household - I found that I had TONS of free time to devote to whatever I wanted, and I chose gaming as my hobby of choice. I spent the better part of the last decade not only playing new games, but also catching up on stuff I missed during the PS2 through PS4 era.

 

[bundylove]

Games i find just ok i put on easy not to waste too much time but stil can experience it and finish it.

Otherwise i play at nights for a couple hours max or focus on games i can save anytime anywhere which helps with progress.

Vr is good for short bursts but sometimes too demanding on my body at the end of the day

 

[TintoConCasera]

Single, no kids, no pets. Just me and my games.

Working from home also helps, not needing to commute every fucking day sure helps getting some extra free time.

 

[adamsapple]

Find a job that lets you work from home.

Have a dual monitor setup.

Connect your console(s) to the more expensive 4K/VRR monitor.

Enjoy.

 

[BigBeauford]

Since having kids, my game time is maybe 2 hours a week. I've really grown to enjoy Roguelites more than ever, as they can pack more gaming into 30 minutes than most.