Video Games - I need to be excited again.

I have a problem, one I must confess. I'm struggling to find excitement in my video games. A sense that I'm playing some of these games for the sake of playing them and being in the know. Even with this recent console launch, I've been underwhelmed by what I've seen. Who knows, maybe this is just a side effect of age yet I still love video games dearly. When you'd much rather read about them, or watch some awesome dudes play them for your viewing pleasure, then actually play them yourself one as to question if the love really is there.

One moment I'm wanting to jump into an epic Skyrim adventure, to only find myself bored to tears after a few hours and want to play something else. I've come to the conclusion that they just don't excite me anymore. I need something fresh and exciting. Don't get me wrong there are games I still enjoy playing, I haven't played 100+ hours of Borderlands 2 just for the sake of it, I enjoy playing it because it's a well balanced rewarding game to play. This week I've been contemplating jumping back into an MMO, than I remind myself that I'll get bored of that soon enough. It's all rather puzzling and I can bet I'm not the first person to have like this in relation to video games. They all feel... rather samey.

Hell, even with the recent releases of the PS4 and Xbox One I've surprised myself by how tempted I've been by the Nintendo Wii U just because it seems different and the likes of Super Mario 3D World and Windwaker HD seem like they'd be a blast to play. I've thought about jumping into different genres, trying something I wouldn't usually consider but I don't know what. Even Dark Souls, the last game that truly felt fresh and exciting to me no longer appeals to what I'm looking for. No matter how I look at it, games released on Xbox One, PS4 and PC feel like the same old cut and paste affair I've played time and time again. Even the likes of Assassin's Creed 4, a franchise that's been one of my all time favorites doesn't do it for me much because I've jumped on roof tops a billion times already.

It's an interesting dilemma, would be interested in your thoughts.

I think what people don't talk about is how the grind of most game's design is the comfort food of games, and also a lot of people hype a game for shallow reasons, so you have to get around these things for yourself to find that you want. Maybe it's a rad gun you enjoy or a talking dog, sometimes it's the little things that make you happy in a game. I keep thinking a lot how Hotline Miami it's that actual sound, immediate feedback, the r button and the whole pulsation of the screen that keep me coming back. I never liked this genre of PC top down shooters like original GTA, but it's that actual kinetic response it give me.

Being bored to tears by Skyrim is only indicative of Skyrim being fucking booooooooring.

Games are more about content tourism these days than the actual Game-part. The Elder Scrolls-serie is a very good example of this.

skyrim is boring.

I felt the same way a while back. It was mainly story based single player games that couldn't keep my interest for more than a few hours. Part because I felt that everything I've learned was wasted once the game was finished, part because video game stories aren't really for me anymore.

I started focusing on the huge knowledge-and-time-sink type of games like Dota 2 and Path of Exile. And, you may think it's sad, but I don't think I'm going back any time soon.

Maybe games like Eve Online, ArmA, Paradox strategy games etc. are the same deal. Would love to try them some day.

as a community we've lost touch with why we play games, it's all about hype now and giving games their entitled due.

You say you're tempted by WiiU, but it's funny how you say this apologetically. Like "hey I thought I'd rather have fun for a change and this looks fun to me. Someone kick my ass"

One thing I realized earlier this year when I found out about Boson X from Patrick's worth playing video was that I actually needed some form of palate cleanser. I realized that I kept falling into the box rather than looking outside of it. I was buying third person or first person action games all the time. Eventually I just felt like all the games were the same. Since then I've tried my best to diversify a little bit. Even contemplating buying Rayman Legends, which is crazy since I haven't bought a game like that since.. uh.. Crash Bandicoot on the OG Playstation.

Also, for me, finding a site that lets you play old console games in your browser was a nostalgic trip that reminded me of what I used to play and what got me into games in the first place. Not to mention the super exciting part of finding a game I used to play that I had since forgotten the name of. I had only a vague mental image of the game, and I managed to find it. It was so exciting, it was like finding a worm hole back to my childhood as I actually had never seen that game since I was a very young kid having his parents rent a Sega Master System for him at the local movie rental place.

Anyway, my advice is; try something new. Something you might not think you'd be into. Next gen I'll do my best to actually follow my own advice instead of spending all generation playing more or less the same three games in various incarnations.

This is true.

I felt the same way about how I just wasn't enjoying anything anymore, until I realised that I just wasn't enjoying the games I was playing. Enter Fire Emblem: Awakening, The Last of Us, State of Decay, Mass Effect 3 and Far Cry 3, and I think I like video-games again. So I guess that's my advice; if you're not enjoying yourself, just try and change things up with some new games (preferably in genres you don't normally seek out). A Wii U is probably a good choice.

Well you know, maybe you should stop playing for a while, if you do something over and over you get tired of it.

Things i do when i get tired, bored, sick of the thought of playing games:

1) Watch a entire series i miss on netflix

2) Go outside and do something ( in my case play some sports or walk around... idk)

3) Start a small project. Right now im trying to build a HTPC for my living room

4) Try a game that is the opposite of what you usually play. Im playing Persona 4 Golden and is so refreshing.

Remember, you can't force yourself to have fun.

At the moment I feel pretty much exactly the same. Just a lot of games that I feel really aren't worth the adulation they get from a lot of people. Only once this year I've been hyped for a game, and it was the new Phoenix Wright game, nothing else has peaked my interest all year. I did play Dark Souls 2 at an event this year, which for a few brief moments made me actually excited for games again, but, apart from that; there's kinda nothing.

Although I will say, getting my Ouya has actually brought me back into gaming a little bit. It just feels like the Wild West over there, which is something I love; rather than the huge and mediocre games that get put out a lot. I think there's nothing better to get you back into gaming than getting people around a TV and playing something stupid and funny. Amazing Frog and No Brakes Valet definitely did that for me.

That and I can't wait to pick up a pre-owned PS3!

Figure out what kinds of games you really like, and then play more of those. You should also consider doing other things if you're bored of video games right now. Remember, you don't get paid to play every single game so only play what you know will interest you. To that end, use giant bomb as a resource to find the games that will excite you.

Buy a Wii U. Play Pikmin 3, Wind Waker HD & 3D World. They're FUN.

I didn't mean for it to sound like that, I actually think some of the recent releases on the Wii U look promising.

The solution to this problem is always either a) take a break from games or b) play completely different kinds of games.

Have you tried Persona 4? Civilization? Minecraft? Fire Emblem? X-Com? Vanquish? Or maybe some old classics you never got around to?

I think that's sort of the challenge. When I load up Steam I have a list of games I could play but none are really catching my interest. Sometimes I'm of the belief that having to much choice isn't a good thing. No genre of games is really jumping out at me as must play.

haha I like that Wii U bit. I too am casting a sideways glance at the WiiU cause I too feel the want to play Mario and Zelda. So my PC is good enough and I will take the plunge when the console drops a bit in price. Till then I have found little things here and there to fill my time like Enemy within, Wolf Among Us and I like Dota2 so umm not hard to kill an hour here and there. Take a break from games dude. Never hurt anyone.

The Wii U is becoming a great option for interesting/great games. I got my PS4 last week and yeah AC4 is cool but as I only started playing Dark Souls a month ago all I really want to do is play more of that.

I say get way back into a beloved game you've played before, and use that enthusiasm as a jumping-off point for new stuff.

Sometimes you just need to take a break from games. Not in the sense that you should forcefully deprive yourself of games that you want to play, but try not to feel like you need to something if you're not interested. If you don't feel like playing a game, you don't need to. When (or if) something comes along that gets you really excited again, then go nuts. But in my experience, beating yourself up for not enjoying an activity can only lead to you liking that activity even less.

Gaming, for me, is a religion.

I usually have the same block of text response for these types of threads, but I can't find it right now. So I'll just sum up my usual sentiment. Take a break from video games. Only after some time away will you be able to come back with a renewed excitement. You simply have an overload right now.

Now that doesn't mean you can't keep following the media and industry side of games, but rather take some time away from the actual games themselves. It's always good to change things up, so maybe go take part in another hobby you really like. Perhaps reading, watching movies, some kind of sport, anything really.

Don't forget story. It's all about story. This game is GOTY because story. Oh I think that game has a great story. Those characters man, those characters in that story, they're good characters. And that game has the best story.

What is going on with that shit? Yes I love a good story and some of my favorite games are driven by memorable stories, but is that all it's about?

Most of these acclaimed STORY games become unplayable after the hype passes because the gameplay itself is pure shit. Who the hell wants to back-track through Bioshock Infinite's embarrassingly unimaginative and un-innovative shooting galleries again after they beat the game? People who hate spending their time with interactive experiences that are actually fun, that's who.

We've lost touch with what got us so hooked in this medium when we were kids, the mindblowing interactivity and challenges, the developers who push the limits of what our fingers can achieve on the screen. Replayability was about pulling off the action/stealth in new different ways, not doing a Paragon Shepard after twice of playing Renegade.

It's a damn shame.

Taking a break from gaming for a while or just going for games you wouldn't normally play can be good to bring some of the excitement back.

I felt the same way for a while, but then I started playing games that reminded me of when I was younger. Mostly indie and arcade games.

Game design isn't in a great place right now. Unfortunately they have figured out that giving the player a pat on the head for completing a menial task is every bit as compelling to most people as making the task itself enjoyable and compelling in its own right. The former is also much, much easier to achieve than the latter. This is why so many games end up feeling compelling while playing them, yet hollow and unsatisfying on reflection.

I got bored with games for quite awhile and I still cycle in and out of the hobby. Problems for me were hoarding too many games, going from a mind challenging fun photoshop job to staring at excel charts all day managing art, lack of time, repetitive gameplay fatigue, trying to get every single player achievement, and Netflix binge watching. Assassin's Creed and Borderlands, as examples feature lots of receptive missions that got boring. Luckily I now break up my sessions with these games with games I only play when the gf is around to watch (ICO, SotC, Alan Wake series, and other story driven drama games). Switching from a long grinding game up with a game I can actually finish and not making achievements my main focus help me. Now if I can get back to a job that doesn't leave my brain numb...

I will say, from experience, loading up steam when you're feeling apathetic about games is quite possibly one of the most depressing things ever, and I wouldn't recommend it.

As others have said, taking a break is usually the best option. But when I find myself with too much free time during these spurts of apathy, I grab an old game I KNOW I enjoy or have heard of but missed out on. Most recent example for me was going back to Power Stone 2 a couple of months ago. It's crazy how much I enjoy that game, even by myself.

There's also the possibility that you're playing too many games that are paced similarly. Growing up, I mostly played games from Japan (usually Jrpg's), and it's not like they were bad, I just got bored of them eventually. It was only after I started playing Western games that I felt comfortable going back to Jrpg's.

Whenever I feeI that way I go back to one of my favorite games of the past and play through it again. Going back and replaying something that you were excited about once upon a time is a cheap and easy way to get back in touch with that feeling.

Whenever I feel down, I fire up Grandia for the PSX and slowly die inside as I recite the opening 30~ minutes and select parts throughout the game.

Games are in a weird spot right now. The AAA market is as stagnant and boring as ever while the indie scene is really flourishing. Hopefully, the new consoles can give the big market a new start but seeing most of the games released at launch, I have my doubts.

I think for those people who are feeling bored and don't have that excitement they once did for games. Do what everyone does with something they might start getting tired or losing passion of and take a break. Even Jordan during his prolific career had to take a break from basketball to find his passion again.

Kinda felt like no new game really excited me a while ago, then I fell in love with Tearaway and right now I'm paying Ys: the oath in felghana wich I enjoy alot. When I got tired of the bigger console game-market I started playing more simple handheld games wich was a very refreshing change, also looking back at games from the ps2-era that I missed. And if nothing works I just play some persona 4: golden and feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

I definitely understand where you are coming from. This past gen was a long one, and I think it actually made me a bit jaded on certain games. I played so much Halo, COD, Gears, Mass Effect, Bioshock, Dead Space, GTA..etc etc...those types of AAA games just feel bland now. I've been trying to play Tomb Raider for weeks and, I just can't bring myself to give enough fucks to play it through. All the big games are just so serious in their tone. The consoles that were just released looks to be an extension of that, and because of that, I decided to finally pick up a Zelda 3DS XL. Best gaming decision I made for myself right now. Plan on getting a Wii U around the time smash bros comes out. Nintendo just fills that void better than anyone else imo. As others have said, some of the indle titles that have been coming out have been a breath of fresh air too.

I'm pretty sure I'll get a PS4 sometime next year too...maybe.

@machofantastico: I feel the exact same way. I think its an age thing. Im 33 and over the past few years my gaming interest has dropped significantly. With the only exception of playing my 3Ds. Games like Animal Crossing and Pokemon are great time killers at work when things are slow. Thats what drove me to buy a WiiU a few months back, looking for something new. What has been great about the wii is playing games co-op with my girlfriend and young niece. And just like you I spend my days reading about video games, watching videos of other people playing video games but when I get home Id rather watch the programs on my DVR. I want an XboxOne but I think its just out of habit having owned every console at launch since the 64.

i wish i had the time to get bored of games.

i look forward to the precious few hours a week i do get to play games i fucking love them.

as others have said, go do something else for a while

I felt exactly the same and the remedy is a Wii U. Because despite how few of them there are on it, the games are colorful, vibrant and fun VIDEO GAMES. I feel the last bit there is important. So many games nowadays are bland and often lifeless on the Main Consoles. But the Wii U is scratching that itch of what Video Games once were and can still be.

There's nothing wrong with FPS, Open World Games, Sports games etc But i think few will deny that we have become overwhelmed with countless iterations of the same concept.

Sequel fatigue has also played a huge part in this and is set to continue onto the next generation. A few new IPs will come up and then be recycled again and again. I can guarantee there will be about 3 Watch Dogs games in 5 years time. I mean the PS4 has Killzone Shadowfall and ACIV. With Infamous Second Son on its way and another Uncharted. There is no way we wont see another God Of War game.

While the Wii U and Nintendo will offer us the same IPs again its never the same as before and its normally after a long time. 5 years or more mostly. No time to get fatigue. Thats not to say Nintendo don't need some new IPs too as they most definitely do. I'm hoping 2014 will provide that.

I'm not a Nintendo Fanboy but now these new Systems are out I can honestly say the most appealing one to me in the short term (1-3 years) is the Wii U. The new Consoles have been hugely underwhelming, lacking any big leap in graphics and any good games right now or looking forward (Watch Dogs will be on current gen too). If Nintendo can announce a Killer lineup next year of old and new games who knows...

Cutting out "games journalism" (podcasts, blogs, videos, etc..) is the first step to learning to love games again.

There were like 20 great games I played this year , and I'm still not done . There are some many to choose from nowadays . We are spoiled .

This.