When did you fall BACK in love with gaming?

So I grew up on the NES, SNES, Genesis, etc. During junior high and high school I kind of forgot about gaming, only playing casually with my friends from time to time. This morning I was thinking about what pulled me back into gaming and refreshed a horrible, unhealthy, yet amazing addiction. For me, it was watching Halo 3 preview footage. I still remember sitting in my apartment in San Diego, neglecting the beach I was less than a mile from on a sunny day, watching Halo 3 videos over and over. I had been playing Halo 2 with my roommates and was digging gaming again, but it was this exact moment that I was immediately pulled back into my obsession. 
 
So, for those of you who also may have strayed from videogames for a bit, what brought you back in? Can anyone recall the moment as precisely as I can mine? I'd love to hear your stories! 
 
PS:Funny thing is, I don't even like Halo anymore, lol, but my addiction to gaming is as strong as ever.

That doesn't apply to me, since me and gaming never split up. It would make no sense for me to do that.

the fall of 2009 i stopped playing games for months on end. got completely bored with it. and then I found Modern Warfare 2. I know it makes me sound like  COD fanboy, but it really got me back into gaming. I can't stand black ops now, but still play it when a buddy comes over or something. But MW2 definitely got me back into the gaming scene

The exact day was July 21, 2008. If you do not know why, shame on you.

" The exact day was July 21, 2008. If you do not know why, shame on you. "

" The exact day was July 21, 2008. If you do not know why, shame on you. "

" The exact day was July 21, 2008. If you do not know why, shame on you. "

 When I started college in fall of 2004 I just stopped playing.  I had no time, you see.  Over the summer I picked up Metal Gear Solid 3, was completely blown away, and made sure to always make time for video games in the future.  Even if sleep gets compromised a bit.

" @Magiczipper82:@Kyreo: It was the day this very site had it's full launch! "

" @Magiczipper82:@Kyreo: It was the day this very site had it's full launch! "

" That doesn't apply to me, since me and gaming never split up. It would make no sense for me to do that. "

i guess around 07ish when i quit wow. i was only thinking about wow until like a week when i started playing xbox 360 again.

When it gave me a BJ in the back room.  
 
LOVE! Exciting and new....La La La LALALA!

I moved and knew nobody so dove into the PS2.

Still waiting.

Immediately after I quit WoW.

I never fell out of love with gaming.

two years ago when I got a PS2.

I completely stopped gaming while I was in college, and even for a little after that, but when my ex passed away a few years ago I got back in and right now I think it's on for life... even if I only get to play a couple of hours a day.

August '07. I had a lot more time to play games once I went to college, since then Its been pretty non stop.

I guess around 2005, when the 360 came out, and the Xbox released stopped, I kinda stopped playing games completely. Was distracted by jr. high school and stuff.  
Then in late 2007 I got a 360, and I started playing a lot of games, and I eventually collected the other consoles. It's kinda been rocky recently, I've been busy with my job, and with my portfolio creation.

I never really fell out of love but through the better part of the 90's it wasn't as consuming a hobby of mine as comics, paper & pencil/table top gaming or anime.  Then in the late 90's (1997 maybe?) I bought a decent PC and started playing the hot PC titles of the time.  It was online games of Quake II & III, Unreal Tournament, Tribes and others that sucked me in fully.   These days I barely enter the online arena, so my habits have changed since then but I still have a strong love for the hobby.