Growing Out of Video Games

[Ughubughughughughughghlug]

Any of you feel like you've grown out of video games, are are growing out of them?

This is something that came to my attention a year or two ago, when I and some of my friends started being less interested in them. I don't have any problem with the new ones, I don't consider it to be a child's hobby... but I'm just not interested in them like I used to be. They demand too much time. Too much suspension of disbelief. Their stories tend to be really shallow.

I feel like there's a natural tendency for people to grow out of playing video games regularly, maybe because they're kind of similar to playing with toys/playing pretend. But of course not everybody feels that way.

 

[Clop]

Nope. To me games will always be superior to movies and books (I hear some people argue that books let you use your imagination more, but there's an entire subculture of MMO role-players who would disagree.) You just need a competent dev team who gives a damn to make it.

 

[HeyYou]

It ebbs and flows for me. When there's a lack of good games on the market, I'll play some of my favorite old ones and do other things. When there's tons of good games, I'll play them pretty much whenever I'm not working or sleeping.

Anime is what I really grew out of. I'll still read translated manga sometimes, but I just don't have the time anymore.

 

[PL 001]

I definitely don't play them as much as I used to. I don't know if I'd say I've grown out of them since I still can get enjoyment from them. Taking less of an interest I think is the best way to put it. I don't play a lot of new titles, mostly just revisiting old games I liked once in awhile. I'll play for an hour, maybe two and then get bored and not play again for a few weeks.

 

[WEEDle]

I started playing games when I was about 3 to 4 years old and it felt magical. Old computer games, Atari, then Sega, Playstation, Nintendo, I had so much nostalgia over all of that. It was such a huge part of my childhood. PS2 era was the last time I ever felt really enthusiastic about new games, like GTA San Andreas.

I spent years just playing old games due to nostalgia. I played some PS3 stuff but the magic was definitely fading. The last new games I played (and enjoyed) were GTA V and Fallout 4. I was going to buy a PS4 to play the FFVII remake when it comes out but honestly now I don't think I'll even bother. Nothing will ever bring back that feeling of playing Final Fantasy games for the first time on PS1.

Also for years I'd just treat it as a distraction, just escapism or yearning for the past, and that's not a healthy attitude to have (when taken to extremes anyway).

 

[Takodachi]

I did not grew out of them, my schedule just wont let me play as much as I'd like to. Between work and shitposting game barely has any time left on my schedule.

 

[Picnic_Boy]

I used to be a rabid consumer of video games, but what used to be a daily habit is now more like a two or three times a week habit.

 

[Babyspackle]

I feel like when had my ex and her child living with me I had. Didn't have much time for games at the time but didn't really care. Guess you could call it that.

 

[millais]

Due to the early release practice and frequent balancing changes in many newer released multiplayer games, I don't really have the patience any more to play them when they are new due to having to re-learn the new meta with every weekly patch, so it discouraged me from keeping up with them until they start slowing down the patching schedule, but by then the playerbase has often died out so that discourages me from trying to get back into them. Vicious cycle.

 

[Dick Justice]

I think you're confusing refined taste with disinterest. Bad and just mediocre games seem much better than they really are when you're young, inexperienced, impressionable, etc. If you feel you're becoming disinterested in games, it sounds to me like you're just playing the wrong ones. It doesn't help that so much of the industry has been pivoting towards P2W skinnerboxes in both MP and SP, so unless you take the time to dig into the indie and retro space it'll seem like there's a lot less out there new and fresh and interesting to play.

 

[Gravityqueen4life]

games today are just not as good as they used too. western games especially.

 

[Agent Wet]

I probably won't grow out them unless something drastic happens like if streaming games became popular to the point it is how games are only release but even then I can just collect and play older games.

 

[Creep3r]

Video games used to have a certain magical charm to them before emulation, hacking, streaming and uploading the entire story and content of a game on youtube became commonplace. There was a sense of mystery and adventure to be had. A sense of challenge and a desire to unlock all the secrets of this modern mythical fable and share it with other veterans who explored its secrets but crave even more. Yes, this all sounds horribly gay I know, but it was part of the charm, which is now gone sadly, leaving no mysteries or surprises to be discovered anymore. Its only made worse by a somewhat decline in what's considered good content these days and the overuse of DLC as a sales gimmick, loot boxes, freemium mobile shit and other scam-tier shit.

But regardless, I still like games (ones that aren't shit or are at least fun) and good games are still being made even if the age of myth has ended and its now a shitty age where there's an over abundance of corporate crap and woke shit... Despite this shitty age, games are still a solid form of entertainment far better and more original than the garbage that is now TV and Cinema, with gold nuggets still to be found among the filthy dirt pile of gaming. I still play from time to time and wish I could do so more, especially with so many classics readily available online or via emulators, but life, work, family and shitposting just doesn't leave much time for the things one used to enjoy with leisure.

 

[Smaug's Smokey Hole]

Yup. I still like games it's just that it feels like I rarely need to play them anymore. I still follow what is happening and what is released, after all I'm in this forum sperging about them but there's no mystery or surprises anymore and I don't count plot twists/narratives.
If a developer announces that they're making an asymmetrical battle royale horror soccer game inspired by Cannon Fodder it is possible to work out what they are doing and how it will work, how it needs to work, before they show anything. Even game engines and renderers seems stale because the underlying game isn't that different from what could be done on a 360, it's just prettier. The upcoming console generation might be a real game changer for both consoles and PC though, but the chances of a crazy game with a nice novelty engine seems slim these days.

 

[Otis Boi]

I haven't fully grown out of games they are still my go to for a time killer and i think it going to stay that way for a very long time. I say my tastes have become a lot more discriminating though so i don't buy as many as i used to but the amount of hours have only gone down by a bit.

 

[the real heisenberg]

I will play videogames until the day I die and they have to wrench the controller from my autistic rigor mortis hands.

 

[Friend computer]

Wouldn't say I have grown out of them, but I am demanding more from them, good story and /or gameplay is a must, still playing through all of the infinity engine game from time to time for an example, love them.

With the witcher 3, for a more recent example, I lost a 100 hours in what felt like a blink of an eye, just started a new playthrough there recently.

If its something that looks intresting I will look up a lets play or something of the like, and see if it looks like its for me.

But yes, my interest comes and goes, right now its on the low since I am waiting for Cyberpunk 2077 and FROM softwares new game, so I'm mostly just doing other things till then.

 

[Marco Fucko]

I've pretty much gotten out of vidya, I feel like this will be my last generation. I have a PS4 which I bought for the variety of solid original games and revives/sequels coming out, but now that I've had that itch scratched I can't really say I'm that into gaming as a whole. I still play some older shooters with friends but I'm definitely not going to pre-order a PS5 or upgrade my PC. In fact if I make another computer purchase it will probably be an ultra book.

Interesting to note is I used one of those bargain bin atom/celeron laptops once and even those have enough power to play the games from my childhood, which I still boot up while listening to cow content in the background.

VR looks really cool, especially that hot dog game with realistic guns, but I can't justify the cost or effort to myself for something that is essentially still in it's infancy.

I've largely gotten out of movies too, and I've NEVER really been into TV with a few exceptions, although my overall interest in entertainment arts stays. I'm still into Japanese works and musicals are always a fun time, and if Gen Z produces any worthwhile literature I might take a look.

Bringing it back on topic I just can't bring myself to do those multi-hour sessions I used to. My generation was the 00s, and game design has changed so much from that time period I just am not into so many titles that are popular today.

 

[Red Hood]

I feel like video games just don't offer me what I want in entertainment anymore. Either you have to put in an autistic amount of time to be competitive in x multiplayer game, grind loot in y multiplayer game, or put in 60 hours in whatever RPG/open world game is in now.

If I play games at all it's replaying older games. Arcade type games are probably my favorite right now, I prefer to just play for ~15 minutes to unwind with Metal Slug or THPS 2 or run a few races in Gran Turismo. I don't have time to get really involved in something and I find the stories and themes in most current games to be played out or asinine to begin with.

Why would I play new video games when I could just go online and sperg about spergs?

 

[qt farmer :)]

I grew out of video games once the wonder of it all became the least important aspect of it. multiplayer games were ruined by streaming, now single-player games are ruined by greedy & shitty devs and companies. the only future in gaming is VR, and if what has preceded it is any sign, I don't see any good coming from it other than porn VR, which in itself is just sad.

I will say, the only games that have intrigued me in recent past have been ones like The Last of Us/Walking Dead/The Wolf Among Us etc.