Why Are Video Games Not Fun Anymore?
Do you feel anxious and stressed when you sit down to game, rather than happy and excited? If so, you’re not alone. Many other gamers are asking themselves. ‘Why do video games not feel fun anymore?’
On the surface it seems baffling. There have never been so many games to choose from, and the sound quality, graphics and interactive elements are more engaging than ever before. But yet, you find video games to be boring. So in this article we explore what has led you to find video games to not be as much fun as you used to.
Why do video games feel boring now?
To understand why video games are boring nowadays, we need to explore how video games have changed over the years.
The late 90s and early to mid-2000s in the gaming community are regarded as The Golden Age of video games. A lot of all-time classic games were released during this period such as Super Mario 64, Halo, World of Warcraft, Half-life, and many more.
This time period of gaming is the most nostalgic and brings up many positive memories. There were no microtransactions, DLC, or other predatory mechanics that we see in modern games.
You see, back then, video games were designed for the enjoyment of the game. They were an art form and a way to connect a community of gamers together. Modern gaming is different. Today video games are designed to maximize the amount of time a player plays, and also the maximize the amount of money they spend within the game itself.
It’s not about a one-time virtual adventure anymore, it’s about engaging the player enough and making him or her think that they need to keep playing.
Modern video games are designed to hook you into playing and stay playing and video game companies know exactly what to do in order to achieve that.
It’s also why so many games feel like an endless grind. They are no longer innocent simple games to play and complete, because you’d finish the game and move on to another one and the company would lose your business.
Instead, gaming companies force you to grind monotonous quests just to get your battle pass rewards so you don’t feel like you’ve wasted your money. The innocence of playing a game start to finish and completing it is no longer there and instead games feel like a chore and almost like having a second job.
Are games losing their popularity?
Game designers certainly don’t think that video games are losing their popularity. The number of games released on Steam has grown massively over the last decade – from 434 in 2012 to 10,963 in 2022, that’s 30 games per day. And this doesn’t include exclusive titles released on other platforms.
Even the most hardcore gamer wouldn’t be able to finish all these games, especially as the most popular ones take 20-30 hours to beat. You can perhaps identify with that feeling of staring at your game library, unable to decide what to play, even if you have hundreds of games in your backlog. It can be overwhelming, and deciding what to play can feel more like a chore than a fun activity.
Why are video games less fun as you get older?
For many of us, we’ve been playing video games since we were young. They are nostalgic and provide us with a lot of good memories. But as we get older, they can start to feel less fun, and more like a chore.
Here are three reasons video games become less fun as you get older:
Gaming burnout
Gaming burnout can involve emotional, physical and mental exhaustion caused by playing video games. But it can also include being tired and bored of gaming, and lacking the energy and passion you once had. Gaming is an activity you have done for a long time, and often, especially if you are addicted to gaming, it may be the only activity that you have.
Fear of missing out (FOMO)
Whenever you boot up an older game or buy a new one, you may feel anxious because you are thinking of all the other games you should be playing. Or, if you play a certain game, you may worry you won’t be able to finish it before the next game is released. You can also experience FOMO when you’re unable to game because of work, school or other responsibilities. Fear of missing out can be this anxious state of being pulled in several directions, especially if you are being pressured to play by your friends.
Choice overload
Another sign of gaming being less fun as you get older is choice overload. This is when you are unable to play because you have too many options. The average gamer has dozens, if not hundreds, of games. Most of those games are not finished or were finished a long time ago, and whenever you boot up your system to play, you have so much choice and this can put you in a state of paralysis, leading to feeling stressed about gaming.
Wasted-time worry
Some gamers begin to question the amount of time they spend gaming. A nagging voice in their head starts to tell them that gaming is having an adverse effect.
A member of the Game Quitters community recently said: “Eventually the short-term reward from gaming will be outweighed by the long-term regret of missing out on your own life.” Maybe you are beginning to understand there are more important things you could be doing, or more healthier hobbies you could engage in, besides gaming.
How do I find video games fun again?
If you feel like video games aren’t fun anymore, but you want to find a way to enjoy them again, here are some tips:
- Take a break or quit – If you don’t have a problem with gaming but it’s making you feel a bit flat, try taking a break for a few days so you come back refreshed and able to enjoy your hobby again. If you’re concerned you may have video game addiction, perhaps you should consider quitting once and for all. If you don’t know which category you belong to, take our video game addiction test.
- Establish why you have gaming burnout – Try to work out why you feel burned out from playing video games so you can do something about it: seek support, get more sleep or try a relaxing activity away from screens.
- Play different games – Sometimes people ask us, ‘Why are video games less fun as you get older?’ but it’s because they’ve got stuck in a rut playing the same type of game. Perhaps you can reignite your passion for gaming by trying different genres.
- Find other hobbies – Maybe games are less fun because you play too much. Instead, find new activities to replace some of the time you play video games, and with a life of more balance you may enjoy games again.
- Look after your mental health – If you feel anxious or depressed, that will definitely affect the fun you have gaming.
Need help?
At Game Quitters, our community forum and Discord often have messages from gamers who feel frustrated that they have stopped enjoying their gameplay. And some of them can’t stop playing even when it’s making them stressed, anxious or depressed.
Our specialist coaching programs are designed for gamers and parents struggling with gaming problems:
- Respawn is for gamers who want to quit gaming and improve their life.
- Reclaim is to help families manage problematic gaming at home.
Take the first step to a happier life today and book a Gameplan call. Limited places are available.