Outgrowing gaming?

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Perfect*Ending

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Do you fear that one day you will have outgrown gaming?

I'm outgrowing gaming right now. It sucks. I buy games because it feels good to have them, but I never play them often. Makes no sense. I am cutting down on my purchase rate. Sometimes I play just to pass time. I spend more time on CAG than I do on a game!

Or I feel that I'd rather listen to music than to play a game. When I was younger, it would've been the reverse.

I like to buy games. Bad move for me, as I never want to play them much.



What about you guys? Ever feel that you'll quit gaming altogether?
 
I think my time of gaming is coming to an end.I just dont find it entertaining anymore.Everytime I pick up a controller I say to myself "Whats the point?".
 
Well I have around 70 Games right now and may have completed 5 of them I have purchased alot and traded trying to get my PS2 line-up mainly RPG's and other types of games I like.. I do not have lots of time anymore to play games and I don't feel I am loosing the urge to play them but with all the PS2 stuff I have and the lack there of with the newer Systems this may be in fact the last home console I buy until maybe a couple of years later depending on what the line-up looks like on the PS3...

I still may go get a PSP though, they have some good RPG's which is the bulk of what I play...
 
I definitely notice a drop-off in interest.... but not to the point of not enjoying gaming. Like you, I notice that I am still buying loads of games, and realizing a few months later that they were wastes of money as they sit unplayed. I started to notice being less interested around the time I graduated from college/got a full-time job, and moved away from home. I chalk this up to having less free time (i.e. free time is now more valuable), so I never feel like I can sit and play for more than an hour or so straight, and also being away from the friends I grew up/gamed with the most. That being said I moved/started working 2 1/4 years ago, and in that time, there has been no release that has excited me more than Halo 3.... maybe that will bring some of my interest back.
 
I'm in the same boat as I end up buying more and searchinf for gaming deals much more than I play. It mostly has to do with the fact that my friends and I prefer online co-op games and we really find it hard to carve out time to play anymore.
 
Same here I buy a lot of games, but I've cut down on it recently and starting selling and trading parts of my collection.
 
I'm not losing interest in gaming, but rather the type of games I want to play. I used to love RPG's now I pretty much don't play any, they have lost their fun factor and feel like a waste of time. I'm starting to play more adventure games with lots of story and puzzles and online multi-player games.
 
I just switched it up to pure handheld gaming. The games are all designed to play in quick bursts(Except monster hunter. That shit had to go.) yet they're not crap minigames. I just can't commit the time like I used to be able to.

One other thing is that gaming has changed a lot since I was a kid. I was allowed one console at a time and games didn't come often. My total SNES collection is 22 games and those were spread out over the course of 5 years. I had a gameboy with about 10 games and those were spread out about over 8 years. I had a PS1 with 4 games after that. Then I skipped out on some gaming and got back into it with GCN. I had a library of 58 games in 3 years time along with 20 xbox games and about 30 PS2 games. It's just too damn much.

My psp library is 10 games and I've got 6 for DS now. As long as I keep the gaming to a hobby instead of my primary pastime I seem to be alright. Just make sure you don't overload I guess.
 
Current-day gaming is kinda boring, but I don't think I'll ever get tired of my favorite SNES RPG's.. Final Fantasy 2, Final Fantasy 3, Earthbound, Chrono Trigger.. I can play them over and over and over and over and over and over and never get tired.
 
I've outgrown palying games for playing's sake so I don't buy crap. I only buy the titles I'm really interested in playing and keep a backlog of next to nothing. It's far more fun then.

Gaming will probably always be a hobby of mine, but how much time I have to do it and how much money I can justify spendign on it in the years to come remains to be seen.
 
Gaming is one aspect of me. It ebbs and it flows, and sometimes I think I've had enough, but like all true and good things, it will never go away. Anytime I think I've seen it all, in comes the next Katamari or Ouendan and I remember why games are not only good, but worthwhile.

As I go through life, I notice that there are things that are important and more or less permanent, and things that are not. Sometimes even important things go dormant for awhile, but they're always there, waiting for the right time. It's natural to get tired or fed up with something, especially if (for whatever reason) it's become monotonous or boring.

If you think you're outgrowing gaming, do something else for awhile. I've got enough other interests that there's never a time where I have nothing to do. The only way to find things that you're good at, or that you really like, is to try enough of them that something sticks.

Thing is...you don't ever need to outgrow anything. Unless you don't like gaming anymore, there's no reason to completely leave it behind. You may not spend the same amount of time or resources on it, but as far as I'm concerned, the more interests and experiences you have, the more interesting you become.
 
I dunno if I'll ever outgrow it completely, but my tastes have refined more over the years. I'm more of a gaming aficionado now-- I only play what meets my own high standards (not to say anyone else's opinion is wrong, I just like what I like.)

I also change up my collection a lot and keep it as small as possible, to keep me from going OCD with collecting and buying. My threshold for this is tiny, so I'm kind of the opposite of the OP-- I have no qualms selling something I won't play or use in the near future. So I game less than when I had a huge collection, but I get more out of it.

Not sure how long I'll stay interested in "hardcore" games, but I'm sure I'll play puzzle games the rest of my life, though I'd like to completely replace those with chess or Go.

I find the industry aspect interesting, especially right now. I didn't think of it at all when I was younger. There aren't many industries that so succinctly polarize the people who buy the products, to the point where it can be broken down into 3 players (and every move from each camp can be monitored so easily.) I could see myself keeping an eye on the industry, even if I stop being a hardcore gamer.
 
I see now that the key to having fun with gaming is playing what you like and what you have time for. I don't play RPG's anymore...most of them aren't worth the investment for me. If I don't like a game I don't keep playing it...I get rid of it. I still try new games but I also don't feel obligated to run out and buy the latest and greatest. A great game is usually just as great when it hits $20 or less. I just finished Ratchet and Clank (Yep the first one!) on the PS2 and I really enjoyed it. A backlog is not a badge of honor...ask yourself what you really like and will really play...chances are you could easily ditch some stuff.
 
[quote name='jkam']A backlog is not a badge of honor...ask yourself what you really like and will really play...chances are you could easily ditch some stuff.[/QUOTE]


very true. I'd go one further and say that if you have a 70 game collection, you should probably sell of like 60-65 games :lol:

It's tough at first when you have a huge collection, but I found that as the money was rolling in, my sentiment. or whatever it was that kept me from selling a game. completely vanished.
 
The only thing that's changed as I've gotten older is my patience. I remember when I was kid plowing my way through games like Super Ghouls and Ghosts, and Battletoads. Nowadays I just get so frustrated I stop playing games if I have too much of a hard time. I think a lot of it is due to the number of games I buy now compared to back then. 2-3 games a week is a lot more than the 3-4 a year I'd get from my parents!
 
I find my gaming goes periodically. By that I mean that when I find a game I really love I play it to death for a month of more then I will go back into my general gaming. I don't fear ever not gaming, but I do believe that after I get married I will be gaming a lot less, especially since my girlfriend has already told me that our kids won't play video games lol. But I think i will always game, just becus it has become a way to keep in contact and have fun with friends who live out of state or those who i don't see often. I still have tons of friend that when they come over to hang out we always end up playin some co op games.
 
[quote name='daroga']I've outgrown palying games for playing's sake so I don't buy crap. I only buy the titles I'm really interested in playing and keep a backlog of next to nothing. It's far more fun then.

Gaming will probably always be a hobby of mine, but how much time I have to do it and how much money I can justify spendign on it in the years to come remains to be seen.[/QUOTE]

same here... small backlog and all my games I pick up have alot of meaning to me. I even make it a point to examine the stuff I have every few months to see if I'm holding on to anything that really does not need to be had.
 
I seem to slow down on games during the summer, but as soon as school starts in the fall I can't get enough.

Probably a bad thing :p
 
I'm a big co-op gamer, so up until a year ago I haven't bought many new games simply because co-op wasn't a big feature.

Now though, we've got all sorts of co-op games out, or games upcoming that are designed with heavy co-op in mind.
 
I just don't have the time to play games anymore. I do play the handhelds when I'm at the laundrymat but thats it.
 
Yeah, my problem these days is just finding the time to sit down and play for an extended period like I used to. I still love gaming though, and don't see that changing anytime soon.
 
[quote name='aihuman']I think my time of gaming is coming to an end.I just dont find it entertaining anymore.Everytime I pick up a controller I say to myself "Whats the point?".[/QUOTE]


why the heck did you join CAG a couple months ago if you dont even want to game anymore?
 
I agree with the majority of posters. I don't think I'll ever completely outgrow gaming, but in the last few years I've definatly lost some enthusiasm, and I definatly don't play as much as I did in High School & College. For me it's not the industries fault, but rather my priorities. Hell, if I had it my way I'd stay at home, read comics, and play video games all day long. I suspect when & if I have children my play time will really cut down.
 
I must be losing interest because I think pretty much everything sucks now, or is over-rated. I think the Wii is total crap, I haven't played mine for more than ten minutes in a sitting since launch. The only games I put any decent time into are Oblivion, Roller Coaster Tycoon, Zelda LttP & OoT. Maybe games are too generic and disposable now? Maybe I'm just bored of them... I don't know.
 
I can't play like I used to, and put 6 hours+ into a game in a single day, but now I'll come home and put an hour into an rpg a few times a week. I'm getting better at only buying games I really want to play, and I still only have a PS2, the problem is the list of games I really want to play even on just the PS2 will take me forever. It's nice because I get every game for between $10 and $25 on ebay by being so far behind. I still haven't even played MGS 2 and 3 yet...
 
As others have mentioned, I don't think I'll ever fully outgrow gaming either.

What I've noticed lately is that I'm becoming more picky about what I play. I also have seen how much time I've put into gaming drop over the last couple of years.

Mostly because of how busy I've been with my classes and other important things in my life taking priority over gaming.
 
I've all but quit playing video games. I bought BioShock and am going to buy Halo 3, but I really don't have the time/energy to play much anymore.
 
for the moment, gaming has become more of a collecting hobby than a playing hobby, I find myself searching for rare titles and just buying them to put away. but I still try to play when my time allows me. I will say that the day I leave gaming behind is the day everything goes to digital distribution and hard/physical copies are no longer sold at retail.
 
I don't think I'll ever truly tire of gaming completely. Games continue to get better in terms of graphics and gameplay and even storyline (many AAA titles have plots better than most blockbuster movies nowadays). As long as the industry continues to push the envelope and not become stagnant, I'll probably always have video games in my life.
 
I doubt that I'll grow weary of gaming, but if it does happen, it's a long way off.

It is sad though, that as one's disposable income increases with age, so does the possibility of one "outgrowing" gaming.
 
For those that have dropped off of gaming, what have you spent your time doing instead?

I'm a very busy business professional (I'm actually at work right now waiting for something to run in the background) and I find myself spending more time gaming than ever before. With my busy schedule it is much easier to find time to game than other leisure activities I enjoy (sports and outdoors). I also often find myself too tired to go out and do something active. TV and movies doesn't really do it for me anymore because I find it hard to turn off the frantic pace I work at in my professional life. Video games work because I am actively engaged the entire time.
 
I always think about outgrowing gaming... but it is what it is,.... I'm going to enjoy it as much as I can until I choose not to. When I see gaming grandama, they're old they enjoy games, why can't I. So I don't plan on quitting gaming, I'm sure my tastes may change, but as long as I can play I Will play.
 
Keep in mind that there is a scenario which is the exact opposite of "outgrowing gaming" where the end result is the same.

Outgrowing gaming inplies that something about your tastes have changed. There is the other possibility that your tastes have remained the same, but GAMING has changed, or moved a direction that you dont appreciate as much.
 
have i cut down on my purchase rate in the last few years? yes, by a good amount. do i think im outgrowing gaming and will someday stop? not a chance.
 
[quote name='Dr Mario Kart']Keep in mind that there is a scenario which is the exact opposite of "outgrowing gaming" where the end result is the same.

Outgrowing gaming inplies that something about your tastes have changed. There is the other possibility that your tastes have remained the same, but GAMING has changed, or moved a direction that you dont appreciate as much.[/QUOTE]
I've gotten to a point in my life, where I think I have a few more things on the importance list over gaming. So while I don't think I will out grow gaming, I am getting to a point where I will cut back on my gaming purchases. I really don't plan on buying to many games actually the rest of this year, Halo 3 and Smash Bros. and likely NBA 2k7. (Got to keep my sports fix ;))
 
[quote name='mr ryles']I've gotten to a point in my life, where I think I have a few more things on the importance list over gaming. So while I don't think I will out grow gaming, I am getting to a point where I will cut back on my gaming purchases. I really don't plan on buying to many games actually the rest of this year, Halo 3 and Smash Bros. and likely NBA 2k7. (Got to keep my sports fix ;))[/QUOTE]

oh and I have to get Guitar hero III as well, but that about covers it.
 
I have outgrown it to a point. I used to be the kind of person that had to have all of the systems and keep every game that I bought. Now, I would be pretty much content with a 360 and Xbox Live.

I think games are absolutely amazing now though, the kind of stuff I used to dream about when I was younger.
 
Damn, I wish I had time to read this thread throughly. I'll come back to it later, but I'll post my few thoughts now.

I don't think I'll ever outgrow gaming. It's been a major component of my life since a child, first to escape, and now as I grow older, I play to learn.

I've been stubborn about my career choice since I was eight. Since then, I've always been on the path to becoming a game designer, and I'm graduating college in December with a bachelors in Digital Entertainment and Game Design.

One of the things I've held dear to is that to understand how to design games, you must play them. Inside and out, break down every aspect possible and absorb everything you can. I most definatly still enjoy them, but they're also learning experiences, as I evolve my design.

Which is why I wish I had the time to analyze everyone's responses on this..I wonder if it is truly "outgrowing" gaming, or is it a lack of gaming growing alongside us?
 
I've recently been wondering this a bit about myself, but like some others in this thread (Scorch/Old Rasputin/Dr. MK) I think that the video game industry is stagnating. Sequel after sequel is churned out and we are supposed to eat it up? The few unique projects that do come out and have success are copied ad nauseam. I can only take the same recycled shit for so long, you know?

I know that sometime in the near future, graphics will plateau and that will result in a forced emphasis on gameplay. Once that happens, developers will have to repeatedly create inspired and exciting games to generate sales. Until that happens, I plan on being selective in what I play and devote energy to. There are still many great games both present and past that I haven't experienced yet - that alone should keep me busy for a while. So, I think it is my reaction to the currently unappealing video game culture that is more of an issue, not necessarily a loss of interest on my part.
 
Everyone "outgrows" gaming in one way or another. When we were all kids we had more time to play games, but now that we actually work theres less time to be had .

I think getting married has cut down my gaming a bit, but what it ends up doing is having me search for more co-op games that way we can both play together.

Ultimately those that "outgrow" gaming from my experience have it replaced by something as equally bad or more expensive: drugs, women who spend all your money or beer.

When Johnny has more fun with sex then playing games doesn't mean he's outgrown gaming tho.
 
I don't think I'll ever out grow gaming, but I have made a few cutbacks. I've tried to cut back on buying games and getting rid of games I'll never play again. I still have 420 games and over 50% of that is a backlog. I'm also trying to buy the stuff I really want and not buy games just because they are cheap (like I use to do). I stopped caring about wanting to compete with people for collection size. I also use to buy every RPG, just because it was an RPG and I like them, but then I found myself beating maybe 3 of them. Now, I just buy the RPGs I really want, and I'll even pass on it for being rare (if it's something I will not play).

My gaming has been at a low for a while, mostly because of being busy with college and I have a problem posting here (and other forums) too much (that mostly hurts my other work). I still game every single day, for around 1-6 hours a day (no girlfriend = more gaming time).
 
I really wonder something. For you guys "outgrowing" gaming, how old are you? I'm wondering if you're somewhere between 19 and 22.

I know around the age of 22, I almost stopped gaming completely. Ok, not quite, but it was almost time. Between going to school, going to work, and seeing my girlfriend (who wanted me to spend every free second with her), I really didn't have time to game. I bought maybe one game over a year (outside of getting games for Christmas) and barely played.

It's funny, as my girlfriend and I moved in together and I had a bit more time in the evenings (after I graduated from college), my love of gaming returned. I also had time. It never went back to how it was in the old days (spending almost entire games playing), but I probably game now in the vacinity of 5-10hours a week. Some weeks more, some less. Just depends.

I really think outgrowing gaming is like outgrowing tv. Sure, what you watch is different, and some people do break away completely. But, if you play video games as a child/teenager, it's really because you enjoy gaming. The types of gaming and your dedication will change (just like most people watch different amounts and different shows throughout their lives). But, I think the vast majority of gamers have no intention of "out growing" it.

I think the recent hype of the Madden and Halo 3 releases in the newspapers really show that gamers are skewing older now, so many gamers haven't outgrown it yet.

Now, outgrowing games and not having a "great" game to play is different. Sure, there are always droughts of games, but that doesn't mean you don't enjoy them, just that there isn't anything new to play (though, this shocks me, since there seems to have been so many good games released over the last 5 years, I can't imagine that anyone has put all the time into these games that they deserve. You can probably pick up a great game that you will greatly enjoy for under $10.)
 
[quote name='lordxixor101']I really wonder something. For you guys "outgrowing" gaming, how old are you? I'm wondering if you're somewhere between 19 and 22.

I know around the age of 22, I almost stopped gaming completely. Ok, not quite, but it was almost time. Between going to school, going to work, and seeing my girlfriend (who wanted me to spend every free second with her), I really didn't have time to game. I bought maybe one game over a year (outside of getting games for Christmas) and barely played.

It's funny, as my girlfriend and I moved in together and I had a bit more time in the evenings (after I graduated from college), my love of gaming returned. I also had time. It never went back to how it was in the old days (spending almost entire games playing), but I probably game now in the vacinity of 5-10hours a week. Some weeks more, some less. Just depends.

I really think outgrowing gaming is like outgrowing tv. Sure, what you watch is different, and some people do break away completely. But, if you play video games as a child/teenager, it's really because you enjoy gaming. The types of gaming and your dedication will change (just like most people watch different amounts and different shows throughout their lives). But, I think the vast majority of gamers have no intention of "out growing" it.

I think the recent hype of the Madden and Halo 3 releases in the newspapers really show that gamers are skewing older now, so many gamers haven't outgrown it yet.

Now, outgrowing games and not having a "great" game to play is different. Sure, there are always droughts of games, but that doesn't mean you don't enjoy them, just that there isn't anything new to play (though, this shocks me, since there seems to have been so many good games released over the last 5 years, I can't imagine that anyone has put all the time into these games that they deserve. You can probably pick up a great game that you will greatly enjoy for under $10.)[/quote]

I'm 30 and for me, I wouldn't say I've outgrown gaming. Rather, I've changed the types of games I play. Being an adult with precious few free time, I've got to cherry pick and hope I don't miss out on great games. This means less RPGs (my favorite genre) and RTS and more FPS or action games. :cry: Only rare RPGs/RTS of exceptional quality like Disgaea, FFT, or (the hopefully awesome) Starcraft 2 will I even bother to look at let alone purchase. Now it's all about Bioshock, Halo3, Soul Calibur 4, DoA4, Orange Box, etc. Life does intrude a lot and with dating, socializing w/ friends, and the time spent on work, I really doubt that'll change any time soon.
 
Like many have said in here, I don't think a lot of us will "outgrow" gaming, rather than we except the fact that we are older and have things above gaming on the importance list and can set gaming aside.
 
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