how can i get back the passion i had for gaming?

[Flixer]

i feel like the older im getting (i'm 21) the more i lose passion somehow for gaming
i have a ton of games in my steam library i wish i can play all those games or most of them I'm sure they are very fun
if anyone experiencing something similar to this lmk what can help

 

[Slasken]

In a few years, I will be 50, and I have been a gamer since the early 80s. I have had periods when I thought I was done with gaming. Some games brought me back. I can go weeks and months without playing any games now, but I keep coming back when there is a game out there I want to play.

 

[Colif]

Maybe you just need a break from it, to be drawn back in later by a game that does something interesting.
Could be the type of game you like playing just isn't as popular now, and you get left behind
I spend more time not playing now than I play. I used to play all the time, but genre that are popular now just aren't the ones I like, so I sit on side line and watch.

You are young, plenty of distractions... gaming is just a hobby, it will always be here when you want to do it again... in some form anyway.

 

[neogunhero]

i feel like the older im getting (i'm 21) the more i lose passion somehow for gaming
i have a ton of games in my steam library i wish i can play all those games or most of them I'm sure they are very fun
if anyone experiencing something similar to this lmk what can help

Taking a break is the best way to bring your passion back for gaming. I’m not much older than you are and I know exactly what you mean. I go through phases all the time like this. Sometimes games are really fun, other times the games just don’t hit like they used to. When I get to that point, taking a break for at least 1-2 days minimum makes coming back better. What’s even better than that is if you are able to accomplish something productive while on your break. For me simple things like doing all of my chores and cleaning the entire house head to toe makes me feel rewarded when I finally sit down to play games. Yard work, cleaning my car, taking care of that thing I’ve been putting off for months. It helps me look forward to gaming which is what you are lacking if you’re feeling burnt out.

 

[Zimbaly]

Just gotta find a game that sparks that passion again...... I'm done looking for it though. Getting back into music and photography instead.

 

[Zloth]

Gaming IS photography!

 

[Brian Boru]

And music!

 

[Colif]

Sometimes games are really fun, other times the games just don’t hit like they used to.

That is the cycle with every game I play. Some games just take longer to reach that last step. But eventually I will start to notice things that bug me about it. And its probably time to find something else.

Gaming is just a hobby. So far only a very small number of people have been able to do it their entire lives and not be distracted (mostly chess masters) by life.

Getting back into music and photography instead.

NO reason you can't have more than one hobby... be really hard to talk to at dinner parties if you only have one topic you want to talk to everyone about

Games can be photography

 

[DXCHASE]

Breaks are a must for me to not totally lose interest. Ive been gone all weekend and had to work yesterday so 3 days w/o gaming has helped but i do feel you there. You are 21 though. Your passion might come back when you are older and maybe settled down more or have more back aches and stuff lol.

 

[Brian Boru]

eventually I will start to notice things that bug me about it. And its probably time to find something else

And that something else is a mod! As long as a game is about gameplay, mods can extend the life indefinitely.

at dinner parties

Interesting hobby…
"Sylvia, you're looking ravishing tonight!"
"Why thank you Brian, quite dapper yourself in that lioncloth"
"Grr"

 

[Colif]

And that something else is a mod! As long as a game is about gameplay, mods can extend the life indefinitely.

Often is something I have been blinded to until that stage. If its a good game I can gloss over irks and just keep playing, but eventually I will stop being blind to them all, and not all games get mods. It depends on if I can live with them or not. Only game I have extended beyond its death with mods in TL2 and its only because of them I would play again. I can still remember it so its too soon

 

[mjs warlord]

Hello Flixer .... The regulars on here just know that i am going to recommend SATISFACTORY.

If you want a real challenge it could be what your looking for , when i got it i was a construction noobie and my current playthrough has over 4,000 hours on it. Get yourself a pen and paper , and a calculator. If you start getting things wrong and you will ... just turn it off.

I am 69 and been a gamer of one kind or another since 1982 , i have been a pc gamer since 2002 , satisfactory is the most frustrating and challenging but enjoyable game i have ever used.

One thing i must point out ..... steam refund is 2 week owned or less than 2 hours use ....... 2 hours use is not long enough for you to decide if its for you.

Their are some beginner videos on you tube for you to get an idea of how it works.

 

[Flixer]

Hello Flixer .... The regulars on here just know that i am going to recommend SATISFACTORY.

If you want a real challenge it could be what your looking for , when i got it i was a construction noobie and my current playthrough has over 4,000 hours on it. Get yourself a pen and paper , and a calculator. If you start getting things wrong and you will ... just turn it off.

I am 69 and been a gamer of one kind or another since 1982 , i have been a pc gamer since 2002 , satisfactory is the most frustrating and challenging but enjoyable game i have ever used.

One thing i must point out ..... steam refund is 2 week owned or less than 2 hours use ....... 2 hours use is not long enough for you to decide if its for you.

Their are some beginner videos on you tube for you to get an idea of how it works.

oh appreciate that a lot!
and I do have satisfactory I just never played it rlly but I will definitely try it after what you said that sounds great.

 

[BeardyHat]

Find another hobby.

Once you've got something to occupy your mind with something else for awhile, you'll eventually come back and have a new appreciation and thirst for it. I've been doing pretty much nothing but gaming since March this year because I spent hundreds of hours building and painting Minis up to that point, which I am now quite sick of.

 

[McStabStab]

Just gotta find a game that sparks that passion again......

This is pretty much it for me. Usually once every couple of years I find a game so engaging that I can't put it down. Here's a short list of games that reinvigorated my love for gaming:

• Elden Ring (and subsequently Shadow of the Erdtree)
• Balatro
• Death Stranding
• Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales
• Slay the Spire
• Into the Breach
• No Man's Sky
• Call of Duty: Warzone (mostly because I had friends to play with)
• Mad Max
• Doom (2016)
• Alien: Isolation
• Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl
• Cities: Skylines
• Tropico 6

I could go on but hope this helps.

 

[January's Ghost]

Play games you might not normally play.

If you aren't a strategy person, go play a strategy game. If you aren't a Souls-like person, play a Souls-like. If you aren't a crafter, play a crafting survival game. If you aren't a horror lover play a horror game. Just approach them with an attitude that you're looking for something to appreciate, not necessarily be blown away. Even just an hour or two in a genre you don't normally like might be rewarding.

You just might find a joy in those games you didn't expect (like me with Souls-likes) or at the very least find a new appreciation for the games you do like to play.

Unlearn how you play. Shed the compulsion to bite on every little extra a game might throw at you. Skip the hunt for collectibles and achievements. Worrying about what your missing or spending too much time trying for that one last feather can drag the joy of a game down.

Play shorter games. I am having a min crisis of not completing games that take so many hours to complete. Big games really cause me burnout these days. Also, shorted games you won't feel bad to step away from for a bit.

Basically tackle some fresh for you and/or try to remove the elements of gaming that might be weighing you down.

Good luck.

 

[Brian Boru]

I am having a min crisis of not completing games that take so many hours to complete

Welcome to the forum

Isn't that more a case of playing games that aren't fun? I play fun games and can't get enough of 'em—over 1,000 hours in a bunch.

So try that—dump if no fun, pump if fun

PS game length isn't related to fun factor for me—my daily dabble is 2-5 minutes per play, longer ones are 50-100 hours per play.

 

[juangom301]

I totally get that! I felt similar when I turned 21—life just gets busier, and it can be tough to dive into gaming like before. I found that playing shorter indie games or revisiting some old favorites helped rekindle my interest. It’s a lot less daunting than tackling a massive title. Plus, gaming with friends made it way more enjoyable for me.

 

[Flixer]

Play games you might not normally play.

If you aren't a strategy person, go play a strategy game. If you aren't a Souls-like person, play a Souls-like. If you aren't a crafter, play a crafting survival game. If you aren't a horror lover play a horror game. Just approach them with an attitude that you're looking for something to appreciate, not necessarily be blown away. Even just an hour or two in a genre you don't normally like might be rewarding.

You just might find a joy in those games you didn't expect (like me with Souls-likes) or at the very least find a new appreciation for the games you do like to play.

Unlearn how you play. Shed the compulsion to bite on every little extra a game might throw at you. Skip the hunt for collectibles and achievements. Worrying about what your missing or spending too much time trying for that one last feather can drag the joy of a game down.

Play shorter games. I am having a min crisis of not completing games that take so many hours to complete. Big games really cause me burnout these days. Also, shorted games you won't feel bad to step away from for a bit.

Basically tackle some fresh for you and/or try to remove the elements of gaming that might be weighing you down.

Good luck.

That's SO helpful, thank you so much! ^^

 

[Aramaa11]

i feel like the older im getting (i'm 21) the more i lose passion somehow for gaming
i have a ton of games in my steam library i wish i can play all those games or most of them I'm sure they are very fun
if anyone experiencing something similar to this lmk what can help

I totally get what you're going through. I went through a similar phase, where I had tons of games but no motivation to play them. What helped me was focusing on shorter games or ones that I could jump in and out of without a big time commitment. Also, playing with friends or trying new genres can reignite that passion. Sometimes stepping away for a bit can make you appreciate gaming more when you come back. Don't stress it—it happens to a lot of people!

 

[Frag Maniac]

I second the taking of a break from it, or at least balance it with other activities in your life. I spent the last 20 years away from the mt biking, hiking and backpacking I used to do. While I have enjoyed the gaming, I have found since moving to another place to live that is far more peaceful and quiet, that I am now wishing I hadn't stayed away from the outdoors for so long.

I've been getting back into mt biking lately though, and even though I get some aches and pains from a few falls here and there on the more technical terrain, it makes getting back into games a nice change of pace. Just about anything you jump into full bore can start losing it's appeal if you don't balance your activities. Most of us spend too much time sitting and looking at screens.

 

[Master_Shifu]

You lose enthusiasm for gaming as life gets busier. Here are my few personal tips to get it back:

• Take a Break: Sometimes stepping away from gaming for a bit can help you appreciate it more when you get back. Try other hobbies or interests to give your brain a change of pace.
• Try New Games: If you’ve been playing the same genres, trying new things can get you excited again. Check out indie games, VR games or co-op games with friends.
• Set Realistic Goals: Instead of feeling overwhelmed by your Steam library, set smaller, achievable goals. Focus on completing a specific game or mastering a skill.
• Join a Community: Connect with other gamers through online forums, communities or local gaming groups. Sharing experiences and talking about games with others can be super fun.
• Mod Your Games: Modding games can breathe new life into old favorites. Check out mods that add new content, change gameplay mechanics or improve visuals.