Total loss of interest in gaming

[Elohel]

Well, I never thought this day would come. For the past month I've barely logged 3 hours in on steam. It seems like whenever I have free time I always opt to do anything but gaming, and only game in between classes or very late at night. I guess it's part of getting older? The only game I find myself putting any time into is Super Smash Bros Brawl with some floormates. Has anyone else just completely lost interest in gaming over other activities as you got older?

[Disenchanted]

Define older.

I'm 42. I still enjoy gaming. It just isn't as vital as air to me anymore There's nothing wrong with pursuing other interests. Variety being the spice of life and all that. I've gone months long stretches with never playing a game. My interests would be elsewhere, and I'd be enjoying those, never missing gaming. But sooner or later, I'd feel like playing, and I'd enjoy it too. If it's a new game, it may even dominate my free time for a while.

The trick is, never do something only out of a sense of obligation. Do what makes you happy in the moment. If it's a good book (or ten), so be it. A few movies? Great. Enjoying the outdoors? More power to you. There's no law that says you have to spend "x" amount of time gaming, regardless of age. But when you WANT to play, enjoy it. What you're feeling is normal. The desire to play will come back. If you're lucky, the NEED to play because you think you have to won't.

[Deleted]

Well, I never thought this day would come. For the past month I've barely logged 3 hours in on steam. It seems like whenever I have free time I always opt to do anything but gaming, and only game in between classes or very late at night. I guess it's part of getting older? The only game I find myself putting any time into is Super Smash Bros Brawl with some floormates. Has anyone else just completely lost interest in gaming over other activities as you got older?

You're barely out of your teens yet, so wouldn't exactly put it on "getting older" just yet..

[Elohel]

You're barely out of your teens yet, so wouldn't exactly put it on "getting older" just yet..

Eh, you are probably right. I think the main force keeping me from wanting to game is there always being something "more important" to do. Homework, friends, dates, parties, etc. I honestly can't sit down for fifteen minutes without something popping up.

[Badpaladin]

It's turned from a this is my hobby, dammit to a hobby, but that's not really a matter of growing up as it is finding other stuff more interesting, because I'm pretty much a 12 year old in an older body.

[pimpeddakota]

I'm 30 and still game but the caveat is now I know gaming comes as the last thing I do compared to other things

[Sussex]

I'm 24, almost 25 and feel the same way.

I didn't mean to get bored of it, I just sort of moved on...stopping interacting with people who are gamers in RL, stopped interacting with "e-friends"...so I sort of lost the whole group experience of playing online games because I don't talk to anyone that plays the games anymore.

I picked up other hobbies in the meantime though which are literally 100 times better for me in terms of mental/physical health.

But every now and then I play a game. Defiantly nothing like it use to be though. I don't know what it is though....it's more-so a combination of things....current generation lasting for sooooooo long....so many rehashes of older games. I use to like Nintendo but I don't like motion gaming....so I got put off nintendo due to that. I never liked the xbox/360. I enjoyed some PS3 games like Demon Souls and Dark Souls...but not much else. PC gaming has pretty much been non-existent for me the past 2 years....since I stopped staying connected with people who do.

[GeordieMagpie]

It's fine, I'll be honest..gaming overall got boring once you do it alot, once you're forbidden to do it for let's say a year or 2, you're going to miss it. However, it just depends on the game, the time and your feelings (happy, sad etc etc)

[Anakso]

If you're anything like me, you'll go through phases like that where gaming just doesn't interest you but don't worry to much about it, all it takes is some new exciting sounding game to come out and I'm right back gaming just go with the flow, find something else interesting to do apart from gaming until you feel like gaming again. Browsing through reddit and posting on MMO-C always keeps me occupied

[LocNess]

Probably just a phase. I went for about a year with only playing Guitar Hero every now and then, then I played WoW for a month and other games here and there. Then I stopped for a couple months, now I am back in a gaming phase. Just whatever you're in the mood for, and I am almost 19 so I am not old at all.

[jibbyjackjoe]

So, you're interests are changing?! Nothing wrong with that at all! That's why I have a dozen hobbies - ill get bored with one, put it down for about a month. See something that reminds me of forgot hobby. Pick it up with a fresh attitude...profit! No need to be so hardcore with one aspect of your life. You want to be defined by lots of things!

[Deepsidedj]

im 18, gaming since i was 7-8, hardcore gaming since i was 15. im bored now. i started going out to the gym and stuff. no more wow, lol etc. only thing i play is fallout NV but only 2 hours or so and i might buy CS:GO for spare time. im happy i didnt waste more years on this crap PEACE

[vizzle]

I would like to play, but there are things much more important to me that I would like to focus on first. If I find myself absurdly rich by the time I'm in my 30s, then maybe I'll go back to playing as much as I used to. But for now, no. The most I play these days is an hour of Minecraft with my girlfriend twice a week.

[Kisho]

I think it's just part of being human, not necessarily growing up. You'll go through phases where certain things interest you more than others. For example, I'm currently on a 'watch ALL the DVD boxsets' binge, catching up on a ton of really great TV via DVD boxsets. I was also pretty hugely into Anime during college/uni, but nowadays I don't watch much of it, if any at all.

Gaming is just one of those hobbies that you may lose interest in as you change as a person. I wouldn't worry about it; either you'll find something new or come back to gaming at some point later. Either way works.

[daehin]

i am 36,got a family, a full time work and still play and raid and haven't lost interest at all .. why? because i have always had time for everything working my usual hours and improved in it enough to be asked to give speeches and conferences, and i do the other fun stuff ( apart from dating ofc ) go to cinema, go out with friends, beach time with family and friends, cooking!, playing guitar ... i even got time to start learning new languages swedish here i go!

It is not a question of age but a question of knowing what you want to do out of your time

[Deleted]

I feel exactly the same, 21, but in my case I think it's because the gaming industry has become such a crappy disgusting place that i really want to run away from it.

[FathomFear]

Well, I never thought this day would come. For the past month I've barely logged 3 hours in on steam. It seems like whenever I have free time I always opt to do anything but gaming, and only game in between classes or very late at night. I guess it's part of getting older? The only game I find myself putting any time into is Super Smash Bros Brawl with some floormates. Has anyone else just completely lost interest in gaming over other activities as you got older?

If I recall you're also the same guy who just started college, right? The two things are likely very much related. I lost interest in gaming when I was in school, too. Didn't really get back into it until a few years after I graduated. Time is pretty precious during those years. Often it's a case of just getting knocked down the ladder of priorities.

[FusedMass]

It's just personal preferences. I can't blame you for the lack of stuff on PC gaming anymore. There is a lack of hard hitting titles coming out. Maybe just wait a few and you'll find a game you like. Dragon Age 3 is supposed to be good.

[Ciddy]

I'm 27 and have lost some interest in gaming. Don't think it's because of my age though. My guild in WoW has taken a break from raiding for the last month or so, and I've found that I really enjoy those nights off when I would otherwise be raiding. I've been teaching myself to play guitar and think I enjoy that more than gaming now. Pretty much the only game I ever feel like playing these days is Starcraft 2, and that's only when friends who also play it are online. So even those SC2 nights are few and far between.

I've also been playing WoW since early vanilla and actively raiding since BC (not to mention I've technically been a gamer since I was old enough to hold a controller in my hands, and that was back in the mid 80's). That'll burn you out after a while. I don't think age necessarily has anything to do with loss of interest in gaming. I know people well into their 40s/50s/60s who are active gamers. I think the loss of interest happens more because you've been doing it for so long that you're getting burned out on it and are looking for other activities. Which is fine and perfectly normal.

[Diraction]

Well, I never thought this day would come. For the past month I've barely logged 3 hours in on steam. It seems like whenever I have free time I always opt to do anything but gaming, and only game in between classes or very late at night. I guess it's part of getting older? The only game I find myself putting any time into is Super Smash Bros Brawl with some floormates. Has anyone else just completely lost interest in gaming over other activities as you got older?

Your tastes about a lot of things will change over time. This may just be an example or it may be that you just need a break from gaming for a few months.