Holy Crisis of Video Game Playing, Batman!

Everyday when I look at my 360 I am beginning to give it the stink eye. I want to but I sort of don't want to... play it. I have no idea why. Since late May, I have been out of school to spend my summer dicking about and/or playing video games. I have done a good bit of the former and oddly not much of the latter. It's like I am losing my video game taste, it's all tasting the same.

I'm not too sure what started me on my recent Xbox backlash. Usually, when I don't play my Xbox for certain periods of time, it means I have no new games to play. The thing is, I certainly do have some electronic entertainment to mess about. There's Dead Space to be played, some new L.A. Noire DLC and a new copy of Alan Wake which I have yet to put into my Xbox. Everyday I say to myself "Self, stop the other bullshit you're doing and go shoot stuff in the face" but alas it is to no avail. I still find myself sitting down at my "entertainment centre" (a.k.a. my small bedroom) and just staring at my Xbox for a wee bit before giving up and seeing what is on TV.

I have been casting my mind on what could be the potential problem here. I am still playing some video games, lapsing back into my bi-annual Team Fortress 2 addiction. Oversaturation maybe? At a point toward of E3, I found myself saying I have had enough trailers, gameplay videos etc. That time has passed by maybe that near-constant thought of video games at that time has left a bad taste in my mouth. It could also might just be me needing a break. That would be a strange one. Whilst I do think and play a lot of games (I write blogs on a video game website, for Christ's sake) I use all of that to relax and not think about other things. I don't buy new games every week, I can't afford it. The only reason I think I may be just sick of gaming is that even when playing great games like L.A. Noire and Heavy Rain recently, it has taken me a long-ass time to finish them and I struggle to finish them.

Thinking about it as I write this blog, I am leaning toward a game break. On one hand that seems like a fine idea but on the other more rational side that is, to put it bluntly, shit. I really enjoy visiting Giant Bomb and reading my video game news everyday. I enjoy the game(s) I am trying to play at the moment. When am I just going to far? Perhaps I should just sit myself down, somewhat forcefully, and just play my damn 360. Once I get back into the rtythm of things, I may find it easier just to play away once again. Playing longer sessions and beating games in a more timely fashion may be good for me too. It might be better to get my short games done and not drag them out and grow tired of them.

So that is my spiel for this evening. I will throw it up onto to boards and if anyway gives a shit (do people want to hear my silly ramblings?!?!) then post up a comment. Thanks for reading.

Everyday when I look at my 360 I am beginning to give it the stink eye. I want to but I sort of don't want to... play it. I have no idea why. Since late May, I have been out of school to spend my summer dicking about and/or playing video games. I have done a good bit of the former and oddly not much of the latter. It's like I am losing my video game taste, it's all tasting the same.

I'm not too sure what started me on my recent Xbox backlash. Usually, when I don't play my Xbox for certain periods of time, it means I have no new games to play. The thing is, I certainly do have some electronic entertainment to mess about. There's Dead Space to be played, some new L.A. Noire DLC and a new copy of Alan Wake which I have yet to put into my Xbox. Everyday I say to myself "Self, stop the other bullshit you're doing and go shoot stuff in the face" but alas it is to no avail. I still find myself sitting down at my "entertainment centre" (a.k.a. my small bedroom) and just staring at my Xbox for a wee bit before giving up and seeing what is on TV.

I have been casting my mind on what could be the potential problem here. I am still playing some video games, lapsing back into my bi-annual Team Fortress 2 addiction. Oversaturation maybe? At a point toward of E3, I found myself saying I have had enough trailers, gameplay videos etc. That time has passed by maybe that near-constant thought of video games at that time has left a bad taste in my mouth. It could also might just be me needing a break. That would be a strange one. Whilst I do think and play a lot of games (I write blogs on a video game website, for Christ's sake) I use all of that to relax and not think about other things. I don't buy new games every week, I can't afford it. The only reason I think I may be just sick of gaming is that even when playing great games like L.A. Noire and Heavy Rain recently, it has taken me a long-ass time to finish them and I struggle to finish them.

Thinking about it as I write this blog, I am leaning toward a game break. On one hand that seems like a fine idea but on the other more rational side that is, to put it bluntly, shit. I really enjoy visiting Giant Bomb and reading my video game news everyday. I enjoy the game(s) I am trying to play at the moment. When am I just going to far? Perhaps I should just sit myself down, somewhat forcefully, and just play my damn 360. Once I get back into the rtythm of things, I may find it easier just to play away once again. Playing longer sessions and beating games in a more timely fashion may be good for me too. It might be better to get my short games done and not drag them out and grow tired of them.

So that is my spiel for this evening. I will throw it up onto to boards and if anyway gives a shit (do people want to hear my silly ramblings?!?!) then post up a comment. Thanks for reading.

Looks like you don't like games anymore, which sucks.

I think you are in a gaming rut my good sir. It happened to me when I was hard into the world of Warcraft. I quit playing the game and just couldn't stand staring at a screen anymore. I started going outside and going for runs regularly and I ended up losing a lot of weight. Then the winter came and I got back into them again. Don't worry dude there is nothing wrong with taking a break. The passion for games will come back or at least it did in my case.

@laserbolts: Good to hear. Personally, I have been going out some recently but I probably could do some more of that. I already nailed my weight lost late last year so I at least got in right in one of my nerd departments.

This happened to me before the July after MW2 i had played that game to death and i just couldnt stand playing my xbox.  A few months later with Reach i got back in and am still playing. The moral of this story is dont play if you dont want to i stilled played mario kart much more causal than MW2.

Everyone needs a break from games sometimes, it's nothing special.

Maybe make video games just a another one of your hobbies and not the central point of your free time? I, too, have a backlog of games I haven't finished or played much at all, but I don't stress about it; they're there for a rainy day when I can say "this is kinda new...to me."
 
Growing up in the 80's and 90's ALL my free time was spent on video games. Nowadays, I might get an hour or two in a week. I just have other things to do that are just as interesting.
 
And sometimes, just chilling out and doing nothing is the best thing to do! And of course, the great destroyer of free time is the Internet...it's like a vacuum. Or a cult: once you're here, you can't leave.

Yeah, man. I think a lot of people here are actually in the same boat. 
 
I come on GB but I rarely play any games. I was thinking of loading up Hitman: Blood Money earlier, but I just didn't have it in me. I like games, and I love some, but it takes a lot of fucking effort to get me to play one. 
 
Not to mention the fact that when I do it's for little more than a few minutes.

  I like games, and I love some, but it takes a lot of fucking effort to get me to play one.  Not to mention the fact that when I do it's for little more than a few minutes.

I think its unanimous that we all think your burnt out from gaming and need to take a break. Now would be the best time as well, you should enjoy the fresh air while its still summer and spend some time outside while you can.

You need to shake it up. Buy a Wii.

This kinda happens to me every summer, the lack of new releases generally causes me to have to find games to play, and often in the process I just kind of spend less time playing games.

Don't worry about it so much and just kind of wait it out.

Read some good books.

Seems like you just need a little break from games.  We've all been there.

@Claude said:

You need to shake it up. Buy a Wii.

... Wait a minute ...

I'm on to you.

@weeman105 said:

@Claude said:

You need to shake it up. Buy a Wii.

... Wait a minute ...

I'm on to you.

Busted

With the over abundance of games being released you are simply burned out. I think everyone goes through that point eventually. I go through that from time to time, sometimes i don't want to touch a console and stick with PC and sometimes i don't want to do either. Currently i'm in the opposite boat and am having fun with games again (mainly console ones). try some light gaming like Pac Man Championship DX or whatever. You'll turn around eventually.

@Claude said:

You need to shake it up. Buy a Wii.

Did that back in early '07. Bad move.

Thinking about it now, the end of year rush should get me moving again. There are some stellar games on the way this year and they should re-ignite the ol' video games fires.

Happens to me all the time. Especially when I've been away from a game long enough that I need a refresher course just to get back into it. 

you can definatly burn out on games...its not necessarily a terrible thing.... I don't understand how vinny plays games the way he does...it blows my mind he still likes them

Sometimes I go months without playing video games it's not even remotely something to worry about

@gamefreak9 said:

@MjHealy: There come periods where i need to change genres. You should try it, i rotate around pretty regularly among all genres with the exception of Sports. Sounds like you need some blood flowing so maybe action based in the way to go.

I like what you're saying there about switching genres on a regular basis. I probably wouldn't move to action, however, as already play a bunch of action games. I think I need something a little more off-kitler or low key. Watching that Quick Look of From Dust got me excited about that. Seems like the kind of game I am looking for at the moment.

You don't owe your 360 anything. It's okay to take a break. Usually a break means that when you are truly compelled to give some new game a whirl it will be more exciting.

I go through times when I play PC games and can't imagine ever going back to 360 and vice versa, times when I just want passive entertainment with Netflix and times when I am big in to more active hobbies like karate or playing guitar.

Might as well do what feels best at the time. Whatever you do, sitting around and staring at a console is the worst. I remember staring at my 360 for a few hours before putting in Mass Effect for the first time and then being disappointed I didn't start earlier.