Burning out on MMOs as a genre.

[Texan Penguin]

Has anyone else gotten burnt out on MMOs as a genre?

I've been playing them since 2006- I started with WoW and played that off and on until the end of last year. I dabbled in other games to varying degrees- DCUO, Rift, GW2, FFXIV, SWTOR... I tried the Division and kinda gave up on that, and I played Destiny 2 for a while until I got sick of it.

I guess I'm getting older and I don't have as much time or energy as I used to sit down and play video games. I have actual responsibilities compared to when I was a teenager. For example, I was scheduled off work Saturday, Tuesday and today (Thursday) but I got little to no gaming in like I originally hoped, because I semi-unexpectedly spent all three off days packing/unpacking/cleaning after having to clear one side of the kitchen and cabinets to have our washer and dishwasher replaced, in addition to just rearranging stuff since the opportunity presented itself.

I'm realizing that I'd rather invest what gaming time I get in something that doesn't change every few months- or if it does, I can come back and still play the same content without fear of it being removed. I don't always want to play with other people, and I want to know that if my attention is needed elsewhere I can pause or turn it off without penalty.

I definitely don't regret the time I spent playing any of those games (except maybe Rift) and if I had to choose one to return to it would be FFXIV- but at this point in my life, I just can't find any enjoyment in MMOs. Am I alone in this?

[KrayZ33]

Am I alone in this?

Yes, you are an alien compared to the rest of society and thus you are alone in your way of thinking. ~~~~





Personally, I'm tired of current MMOs because I've played them so much and everything currently available is "more of the same".
Games like Division are too flawed and infested with abysmall programming mistakes and lack of balance or diversity that they aren't good enough to suffer through for more than a while.

But all of that doesn't mean that I wouldn't check out a new WoW(2).
For me, it's less about being burnt out on the genre, than it is about being burnt out on the games that exist and are currently being released, reasons being - low quality, not enough QoL features, not enough content (I'm interested in) etc. etc.

[Tech614]

TFW you realize there is a natural cap to how entertaining generic multiplayer games can be. Hell if not for the relationships in WoW the only multiplayer games I would play are fighting games.

It's not really exclusive to MMOs, it's just in general multiplayer games are shit and worse experiences then tailor crafted single player games. Eventually you hit a been there, done that point.

[Mozu]

Pretty normal part of aging, and it certainly isn't specific to MMOs.

[endersblade]

LONG time ago. Even before my WoW sub was forcefully ended. MMOs just feel like I'm paying someone so that I can do a job. Every MMO is just a treadmill to keep you paying, chasing the carrot on a stick you never get. Or they're F2P and pretty lackluster unless you spend money in the cash shop. MMOs in general just need to die.

[Rogalicus]

Yeah, pretty much. I just don't see appeal in infinite tedious grinding that replaced gameplay in most of the popular MMOs. Both Guild Wars are the only online projects I can bring myself to play specifically because I don't have to play catch up instead of playing what I want and it doesn't force me to pay equivalent of 3 AAA games every year to get quarter (at most) of one AAA game's content.

[Wildmoon]

I have been burnt out from the genre since 2 years ago. I just can't be bothered to try to get into big groups to tackle content like raids. Don't want to communicate and organize with strangers anymore. I did enjoy the recently released classic WoW a lot until I hit the part that I had to get into a guild and do 40man raid. I just gave up. Back when I was young, I did it all. Multiplayer RPG should be only 3-5 people for group content for me to enjoy from now on.

I wonder if an MMORPG that won't rely on heavily organized play but still have a strong sense of world and social connection could be made.

[dope_danny]

large player count online multiplayer is not a novelty nor exclusive to mmo's anymore. When you can get your online multiplayer fix in many ways you can find it a lot harder to ignore the rest of the sell on the mmorpg which for many games is by and large the same kind of timegates and grinds as mobile game trash. Look at the few that are very successful like WoW, FFXIV and ESO and theres a running theme through all of them: heres a existing brand people love thats not had good single player releases in a hot minute, not only is this good but you can play it with friends. While the genre at large is dying because so much of it is "heres a bare skeleton of an rpg in a world of d&d madlibs you dont care about functioning on mobilegame mechanics" and that works well in asia, not so much in the west and especially so as time has gone on.

[Bumkin]

take 6 months off all video games and when u come back u will enoy them again, its human nature that we get bored of anything if we do it repetitively no matter how fun that thing is

[I Push Buttons]

I burnt out with MMOs a few years ago, but I have been getting back into them recently.

[Coldkil]

I never played many of them, i tried a bunch but mostly stick with WoW - hence when i was burned with that, i was done. The only real different one for me was Wildstar, with his awesome over the top art style and action combat. Too bad they wasted all the potential with crappy design decisions.

Now i wait for games i can play solo for the most part and that don't need me to be on a schedule, as free time is much less and not regular during the week. I am playing Guild Wars right now and enjoying it a lot because i have both a lot of content available and i can do the stories/zones by myself and at my pace. I will unlock the seasons farming gems at my pace without any hurry - since everything that's going to be unlocked in the future just needs me to be online, so even that is a finite effort with a clear end.

It's an MMO, but i'm not playing it like that. I am also a big sucker for ARPGs, so now i'm waiting for Wolcen release and D4 in the future.

[Ashleyxoxo]

Has anyone else gotten burnt out on MMOs as a genre?

I've been playing them since 2006- I started with WoW and played that off and on until the end of last year. I dabbled in other games to varying degrees- DCUO, Rift, GW2, FFXIV, SWTOR... I tried the Division and kinda gave up on that, and I played Destiny 2 for a while until I got sick of it.

I guess I'm getting older and I don't have as much time or energy as I used to sit down and play video games. I have actual responsibilities compared to when I was a teenager. For example, I was scheduled off work Saturday, Tuesday and today (Thursday) but I got little to no gaming in like I originally hoped, because I semi-unexpectedly spent all three off days packing/unpacking/cleaning after having to clear one side of the kitchen and cabinets to have our washer and dishwasher replaced, in addition to just rearranging stuff since the opportunity presented itself.

I'm realizing that I'd rather invest what gaming time I get in something that doesn't change every few months- or if it does, I can come back and still play the same content without fear of it being removed. I don't always want to play with other people, and I want to know that if my attention is needed elsewhere I can pause or turn it off without penalty.

I definitely don't regret the time I spent playing any of those games (except maybe Rift) and if I had to choose one to return to it would be FFXIV- but at this point in my life, I just can't find any enjoyment in MMOs. Am I alone in this?

You're conflating two different things: not having time to play and not wanting to play. I also have a hunch you're just telling yourself you don't enjoy them as much anymore, because you're unable to enjoy them as much as before due to real life work and responsibilities.

That said, I wouldn't be surprised if someone was legitimately burnt out from MMOs, as they're all more or less of the same.

[Daedius]

I take year long breaks from them every so often.

[quras]

Could be an age thing but personally I think it's because MMos have changed in the manner which just makes them less and less entertaining.
More and more focus on cash shops. Less quality in the mmo games be it bugs, content or story and it all resulting in much less entertainment/enjoyment.
Then you add in things like shitty company practices and things just go downhill from there.

Sure you can add in whats going on in your life and your age but if you enjoyed MMOs thats not likely to change unless the mmo changed so much it's just not as entertaining to you anymore.

[Greyvax]

MMO's were most interesting when playing online with people from around the world was an amazing, new, interesting thing. I socialized a LOT in the early 2000's when i started with EQ, and eventually WoW. Also, the idea of feeling immersed in a world where you played with other "real people" was such an awesome experience.

But as the years go by, like all things, it got old.

[Low Hanging Fruit]

MMO's were most interesting when playing online with people from around the world was an amazing, new, interesting thing. I socialized a LOT in the early 2000's when i started with EQ, and eventually WoW. Also, the idea of feeling immersed in a world where you played with other "real people" was such an awesome experience.

But as the years go by, like all things, it got old.

I agree a lot with this. MMOs were magically because you felt like you were in a world that was also populated with other people. But that magic kind of worn thin.

[schwank05]

Has anyone else gotten burnt out on MMOs as a genre?

I've been playing them since 2006- I started with WoW and played that off and on until the end of last year. I dabbled in other games to varying degrees- DCUO, Rift, GW2, FFXIV, SWTOR... I tried the Division and kinda gave up on that, and I played Destiny 2 for a while until I got sick of it.

I guess I'm getting older and I don't have as much time or energy as I used to sit down and play video games. I have actual responsibilities compared to when I was a teenager. For example, I was scheduled off work Saturday, Tuesday and today (Thursday) but I got little to no gaming in like I originally hoped, because I semi-unexpectedly spent all three off days packing/unpacking/cleaning after having to clear one side of the kitchen and cabinets to have our washer and dishwasher replaced, in addition to just rearranging stuff since the opportunity presented itself.

I'm realizing that I'd rather invest what gaming time I get in something that doesn't change every few months- or if it does, I can come back and still play the same content without fear of it being removed. I don't always want to play with other people, and I want to know that if my attention is needed elsewhere I can pause or turn it off without penalty.

I definitely don't regret the time I spent playing any of those games (except maybe Rift) and if I had to choose one to return to it would be FFXIV- but at this point in my life, I just can't find any enjoyment in MMOs. Am I alone in this?

I was in the same boat for quite some time I built my first ever Desktop back in May in anticipation of Classic releasing I played Classic for 2 months then shut down the PC and changed back to the PS4. I played Ark for like 4-5 months then I watched Rise of Skywalker and about 3 weeks ago started up SWTOR again it has been a blast playing it as basically a Single Player game with chat at this point we will see where it goes after I finish up the Imperial class quests.

For me it goes in spurts, but games like Anthem which is supposedly getting a rework, Division, and Destiny have pretty much given me my need for multiplayer, but are just grindy enough to satisfy my MMO needs as well. I recommend to try Warframe its a great game and is free to boot.

[Frosteye]

OP, I didn't play most of BFA (since 6.0) but recently came back. It's refreshing.

It's OK to take a break and enjoy other games.

For me I was playing Rainbow 6 and PUBG (mixed in with Classic, but came back to Retail once that got old)

[potis]

Has anyone else gotten burnt out on MMOs as a genre?

I've been playing them since 2006- I started with WoW and played that off and on until the end of last year. I dabbled in other games to varying degrees- DCUO, Rift, GW2, FFXIV, SWTOR... I tried the Division and kinda gave up on that, and I played Destiny 2 for a while until I got sick of it.

I guess I'm getting older and I don't have as much time or energy as I used to sit down and play video games. I have actual responsibilities compared to when I was a teenager. For example, I was scheduled off work Saturday, Tuesday and today (Thursday) but I got little to no gaming in like I originally hoped, because I semi-unexpectedly spent all three off days packing/unpacking/cleaning after having to clear one side of the kitchen and cabinets to have our washer and dishwasher replaced, in addition to just rearranging stuff since the opportunity presented itself.

I'm realizing that I'd rather invest what gaming time I get in something that doesn't change every few months- or if it does, I can come back and still play the same content without fear of it being removed. I don't always want to play with other people, and I want to know that if my attention is needed elsewhere I can pause or turn it off without penalty.

I definitely don't regret the time I spent playing any of those games (except maybe Rift) and if I had to choose one to return to it would be FFXIV- but at this point in my life, I just can't find any enjoyment in MMOs. Am I alone in this?

Realistically, playing a MMO require more time than the average game of 2015 +.

There is a reason most games are changing to small bursts cause they arent dumb, WoW is the same, every MMO is turning the same as much as it can to hold as many clients, therefor $$ as possible.

It all has to do with what you are looking to do,a casual player that doesnt raid or cares to raid..I dont see why you cant play a MMO, you have no obligations to anyone else.

This is how i play GW2, i treat it as a single player game every few months because its a good game, but
1)It doesnt have regular or relevant raiding updates.
2)My friends dont play it/now the people i raid with dont play it.

Therefor i cant be my main game , or main MMO.

But WoW is different, there are times that i dont really wanna play, but its a tiny sacrifice to raid 1.5h/week for 2 months, to keep my guild/friends alive and active for the next patch, because it sucks playing catch up, or quitting the game because of reasons, only to come back 6 months after and wonder where everyone went.

Like some people do and then act all surprised.

[Queen of Hamsters]

Whenever someone asks "Am I alone in this" whilst living in a world with 7.7 billion people, I'm forced to wonder if they're serious...

Of course you're not alone. And it's not just MMOs. Hell, I know a number of people having burnt out on a specific MMO, so they tried another... and another... and in the end they simply lost the will to play altogether.

I have felt burnout during BfA, so I've spent far more time in RDR2 (Story), Breath of the Wild and Anno 1800 than I have in WoW for the past... year or so? I expect to fully lose my interest in WoW as I grow older, especially as the design philosophies edge ever closer to FOMO tactics and predatory, cynical systems meant to force you to keep playing to play the way you want, rather than allowing you to play the way you want out of the gate. Unlike so many on these forums, I won't stick with a title I no longer enjoy.

TLDR: No you are not alone, and I hope you find many other games that suit you instead of the MMO genre.