Do you spend more time actually playing games or following games?

Maybe equal. It just depends really.

I used to spend more time following, but lately it's been the opposite. I don't really care about the news or drama anymore. I don't have any of the new consoles so I don't pay attention to any of that. The only news I know is stuff I hear on the Bombcast now.

I have a hard time making myself sit down and actually play anything lately. Still keep up with a couple gaming podcasts and check GB every day but the drive to play isn't there.

I have been more time following video games since I am mostly on the computer or phone reading news, watching streams, etc.

My time playing is usually an hour or two during the night, a third of my usual time looking at coverage which is during the day.

It really depends. When there is a new release that I'm really excited to play I'll spend most of my time playing it when it's released, but during downtime I tend to hang around GiantBomb more than play games.

Giant Bomb is the only game website I visit on a regular basis. I'll check out Kyle Bosman's show on GT or Zero Punctuation every week, but for the most part I can't stand the "Games Media" shibboleth. I'd much rather spend my leisure time enjoying the creativity and craft of people with actual talent (that is to say, playing video games or reading books).

I'd say probably three hours a day playing versus an hour on games websites.

following for sure. I like reading business stuff and talking about it more than playing it really.

mostly because I dont have a lot of time to sit down and play stuff.

Following by far. I'm trying to adjust it so I'm spending less time keeping up with games in favor of more time actually playing them, but as far as modern stuff goes I'm not too interested in many games that come out and generally end up going back to older stuff.

Playing them.

I don't see why it would be the other way around unless you just simply don't have the time. Games are played.

I spend more time looking for a game to play than playing. Its like they don't make good games anymore and I have to scour the earth to find any.

Sorry but that sounds like a very close minded attitude. it's just never true in the slightest that "they" don't make good [insert form of media here] anymore

I'm not closed minded I look at every new release that comes around and hardly anything looks interesting. I'm just expressing my frustration that I have a desire to game that isn't being filled.

I've spent waaay more time watching GB stuff than playing games over the past couple years. I am broke and don't have the time, but mostly broke. Though, now that summers here, I'll be building my PC very soon, which will be an upgrade from my PS3. It'll be nice to catch up on stuff I've missed.

By virtue of the fact that I'm employed and have quite a long daily commute, I follow more than play. I'd love to play more but I don't have the time to do so.

What's wrong with 71% of you?

I picked the first option but I think it's mostly equal. I'm including games I'm playing on my phone.

It's probably gonna be more following from here on out. It's just easier to put down a website or a podcast when something comes up in real life. I can only get into playing games when it's something that I can get "addicted" to and that's about one or two games a year anymore.

Playing. I don't really follow games that much anymore. I'm subscribed to about 10 game-related RSS feeds, but I actually open maybe like 2-3 stories a day out of the hundreds that pop up. Pretty much same thing with videos and streams. I'm subscribed/following a bunch of people, but I rarely watch everything that they post/stream. The only stream (besides Giant Bomb of course) that I watch with any regularity is Aris/avoidingthepuddle.

We have jobs.

I realized that I was following games about as much as I played them (especially if you count forum use), and decided that was dumb. So lately I've been trying to spend less time watching Quick Looks for obviously bad games (unless it's very entertaining.)

I play games more than I "follow games" if only because I think that word implies I look at game trailers and talk about stuff coming out all the time.

I watch a lot of Giant Bomb, but these days the internet is so full of cynicism I'm mostly not caring about many other sites anymore. None of them have anything interesting or new to say about video games. Even the ones that imply they're for the people don't even really understand how video games are made so they ask the wrong questions or complain about childish things.

For me the only video game related site I care about anymore is Giant Bomb because of the way they dole out their content about video games is more the way I want to partake in video game discussion.

So do the other percentage.

Definitely following. I started keeping track of the games I finish a few years ago and have noticed a downward trend in the numbers as the years go by.

I can't tell you how good it is to read that I'm not the only one who plays about an hour or two each night. I remember when I used to play games all day, but I simply don't have the time anymore. Even if I did, I've found that I can't stand to play anything longer then about 4 hours at a time. I don't have the patience for it anymore. The last game I was able to play for long stretches was Diablo 3. I'm really looking forward to The Witcher 3, but I don't know if I'll play it as obsessively as D3.

I think its just about 50/50. Maybe I watch a tiny bit more, with esports and giantbomb "playing" a big part in my life. I mainly play a lot during the weekend, while during my week I simply don't have the energy with work, gym and sleep being the 3 important things I need to get done. I however daily read and watch video game related content.

These days? Following. A lack of funds and time has hampered my ability to experience the hot new thing.

Varies. During heavy Starcraft 2 tournament periods, I probably watch/follow more than I play. On average though I think I play more.

Probably follow since I end up watching about four of five hours worth of gaming related videos on a daily basis compared to my occasional binge sessions of actually playing them.

Playing.

I got tired of watching game related videos. If it's something I'm really hyped for, yeah, I'll watch the Quick Look and trailers and stuff before release - I did that with Axiom Verge before finally getting my hands on it earlier today, and I've been doing it with The Witcher 3.

There was a period there, mostly during college, where I just wanted to watch. I mean, I played my fair share of games, but I sunk more hours into just watching the Giantbomb guys play games and watching random videos from forums and just altogether wasting time. These days, I usually pop on Giantbomb to look at what's coming out, look at the forums, make a few posts, and then go play something. Sometimes I still feel like I spend too much time dawdling around forums and Youtube, but not anywhere near as much as I used to.

There's something about having 8 hours of 5 days of every week being virtually guaranteed gone (plus drive, plus lunch, plus chores that you might have to do, and then the sleep you need) that makes you really cherish what time you have left, so I want to spend that time doing something I like instead of passively watching other people have fun while I watch and put forth no effort to do the same myself.

As for watching videos while I'm away, on a break from lunch or something? I just don't. I'll check in for some quick news on what's going on, but that doesn't actually change much from day to day.

Not gonna lie, it's probably about equal recently. Mostly because there aren't any games out that I'm interested in. Also my budget is getting tighter so I'm not in a position to buy much.

Following and watching gaming related things, especially let's plays.

Had been thinking about this myself lately.

Definitely following games, and consuming game related content. Granted, its all Giantbomb, I don't go elsewhere for my needs for gaming industry content / commentary.

The reason? Working adult with about a 10-11 hour day 5 days a week including my commute time. I also currently go to school online. What free time I do have, (which is some) I often don't have nor want to dedicate any mental concentration too. That's done during all the other times of the day doing those other things I mentioned. Therefore, its much easier to consume content and watch a GiantBomb video of them being themselves which is humorous and enjoyable and also keeps me in the loop of things I do enjoy (that being games.)

Yeah exactly. Having limited free time is MORE of a reason to spend it playing games rather than just something gaming related. I wish I had a job where I could be watching videos at work or reading but my job is very active so that's not an option. So you better believe when I have the time I use it for what I enjoy most.

Just in mine and everyone else defense who voted 2, just because we spend more time following games it don't mean we don't play games at all. During the week I have maybe a combined 90 mins to play and I am one of those people who prefers to have at least 2-3 hours devoted to a sitting. Else I stress out over time.

I listen to podcasts while I play games, so I guess it's about the same for me.

I listen to podcasts alot more than I play games. Since I walk around 3-4 hours a day I have the time to do that.

I'm able to listen to podcasts on my commute and during my work day, so it's way easier for the "following" number to be higher than the "playing" total.

This is exactly the case for me. If I don't have a good few hours of relaxed game time, then I don't want to start. Hence, I spend the majority of my free time following game-related things in general, with maybe a single, decent chunk of time playing something on one of my days off.

When there are games to play that I am interested in, than games. If not, I just keep an eye on things going on in the gaming industry waiting for something interesting.

It's the exam period so I don't have time to play games. I got a nice backlog over the summer though.

I'd say it's 50/50.

Following, because I can do it at work/during commute.

Overall, probably playing. If there's nothing that grabs me I can go without playing anything for weeks though, during which I'll still keep up with the industry.

Where's the "making games" option? :P It's probably a bit of both though. E3 is basically Christmas for me.

Definitely following, I haven't played a single thing on my own machines at home in a while.

Definitely following just by virtue of spending time at work and reading news and then going home and not playing every night.

Following because i listen to a lot of gaming podcasts while doing other stuff and because Giant Bomb video game content is entertainment to me.

It's a little weird, since I don't really consume more traditional games coverage, but I probably spend more time watching games related stuff than playing it. While I keep a close eye on everything that's coming out, typically stuff I'm interested in is either too obscure for major coverage (waiting on Lost Dimension), or I'm going back and playing things that the zeitgeist has already passed on (currently NAtURAL DOCtRINE and Tales of Graces f, though neither of those got basically any coverage anyways) since I rarely buy things at launch. That ends up resulting in me caring very little about new games coverage, and I never watch Quick Looks anymore, but I absolutely love the creative and/or old coverage, like Demo Derby, Metal Gear Scanlon, Old Games Show, etc. Between those videos and paying attention to the general games news cycle though, I'd say most weeks I spend more time reading about or watching games than I do playing them. Anytime something comes along that really hooks me though, time played will vastly outweigh time watched, but that's more in fits and bursts whereas coverage is more constant.

I guess it depends on the type of job. I can spend a quick 5 minutes here and there throughout the day "following games." Driving to and from work or while shopping, I can listen to gaming podcasts. Once I get home, I might have 30 minutes to watch a Quick Look or a few minutes between other things reading websites, but unable to devote at least an hour to playing a game without distraction.

I probably spend more time reading, watching and hearing about games than playing them, for the simple reason that I have to work out, commute to work, work, spend time with the GF and family, etc. I don't have much time left to sit down at my computer and play games, so listening to a podcast or reading the news on my phone is much more practical.

I spend more time on game forums than playing games, because most games aren't that interesting.