# I can't enjoy video games anymore?



## DukeDuck (Jul 27, 2016)

Hi I'm a 23 year old guy. 

I've been playing computer games ever since I was 5 years old. And I've loved them ever since. Sometimes I even got addicted to them for a very short amount of time, but mostly it's just been for fun, and I've had a pretty balanced life when it comes to video games and playing outside with friends as a kid.

However now, I just cannot seem to enjoy them. I can still play them at certain times and have fun, but in a completely different way.....Let me explain. 

You see when I was a kid I used to enjoy playing action games like Call of Duty, Hitman and Star Wars Battlefront. However today, I only seem to enjoy simulation games or strategy games. I recently enjoyed a game called ' Cities Skylines ' which is a game where you have to build your own city and manage its economy. And the funny thing is that I ABSOLUTELY HATED games like that when I was a kid. I couldn't stand them but today they're the only games I can tolerate. And I like playing flight and car simulation games like Dirt and Flight Simulator. 

So basically when I was a kid, I used to play games that had an instant gratification system. That's what action games are. But strategy games have a delayed gratification system. You have to procedurally work on something and in the end you can see your hard work payoff. Delayed gratification. I enjoy minecraft for the same reason. 

I even played the new DOOM. And I only enjoyed for a brief time. I can't even enjoy that for some reason, and people LOVE that game. Keep in mind that I am was a hardcore Doom fan when I was a kid. I played the first one and the 3rd one. 

How can I enjoy games again? I want to be able to enjoy action games and feel that same thrill, but at the same time maintain this thrill of delayed gratification games.


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## Chris S W (Mar 5, 2017)

Have you played Bloodborne and Darksouls 3?


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## DukeDuck (Jul 27, 2016)

Chris S W said:


> Have you played Bloodborne and Darksouls 3?


Oh I don't really play those kinds of dark and gritty games. I know they're really good, but those kinds of games depress me so I stay away from them. I did enjoy Skyrim though. I still consider that as one of the best games I've ever played. But if I were to play it today, I just wouldn't be able to enjoy it like I used to. It's weird. But I have been playing American Truck Simulator and I find that enjoyable because it calms the nerves. I like to drive in that game while listening to country music or podcasts.


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## Chris S W (Mar 5, 2017)

DukeDuck said:


> Oh I don't really play those kinds of dark and gritty games. I know they're really good, but those kinds of games depress me so I stay away from them. I did enjoy Skyrim though. I still consider that as one of the best games I've ever played. But if I were to play it today, I just wouldn't be able to enjoy it like I used to. It's weird. But I have been playing American Truck Simulator and I find that enjoyable because it calms the nerves. I like to drive in that game while listening to country music or podcasts.


Oh OK.

We do change as we get older so maybe this change you've had isn't so weird? I also enjoyed playing Skyrim and consider it a relatively great game, but wouldn't enjoy it like I once did. But with me it's more to do with me playing it so much and don't think it's good enough to keep me playing longer. I want better games to be made, tbh.

American Truck Simulator does sound nice and relaxing to play, especially the way you play it .


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## Chris S W (Mar 5, 2017)

Muliosys said:


> It may be related to dopamine receptor down-regulation. Your body and brain are constantly trying to achieve homoeostasis, so when you repeatedly artificially increase dopamine levels (through things like playing those instant gratification video games for hours on end, or watching lots of porn, gambling for long hours, watching lots of TV, spending a lot of time on the PC or your phone, or taking drugs etc) your body says: hey we're getting TOO much dopamine here, we need to control this by shutting off receptors.
> 
> As a result, you become desensitised to the effects of dopamine because there are fewer receptors for it to activate.
> 
> ...


That's interesting and potentially helpful.


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## dead24 (Sep 24, 2011)

same here. Maybe I suffer from anhedonia? Idk I used to really enjoy and get immersed in games but now I don't feel that anymore. I haven't even played a game for several months now. I've also quit watching porn a week ago and I don't really have an urge to go back and watch. I just feel numb.

I think the absence of social connection is also a cause of this. I haven't had friends for a decade now. It's just me and my thoughts.

I think I need to go outside to nature or something to recover.


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## DukeDuck (Jul 27, 2016)

Muliosys said:


> As a result, you become desensitised to the effects of dopamine because there are fewer receptors for it to activate.


Hmm I never thought that could happen when it comes to video games though. I thought it was only the case with porn and gambling. But then how do all those video game professional athletes who play in all those competitions not let this happen to them? They all play games for 4-5 hours every single day and they still seem to love it. And they've turned it into their careers.

Also ever since I turned 17, I can only play games for a maximum of 1 hour. After that they become horribly boring and I have to stop.

But I'll still try and go a couple of weeks without games to see if there's an improvement.

Do you think its possible to get desensitised to video game graphics? Because back when I was a kid I would pay a lot of attention to a game's graphics and I'd see that as a major factor in my gameplay experience. However today, I couldn't give a toss about graphics LOL. Which is funny because games today are nearly photorealistic and breathtaking to look at. I only seem to care about game mechanics now.


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## DukeDuck (Jul 27, 2016)

dead24 said:


> same here. Maybe I suffer from anhedonia? Idk I used to really enjoy and get immersed in games but now I don't feel that anymore. I haven't even played a game for several months now. I've also quit watching porn a week ago and I don't really have an urge to go back and watch. I just feel numb.
> 
> I think the absence of social connection is also a cause of this. I haven't had friends for a decade now. It's just me and my thoughts.
> 
> I think I need to go outside to nature or something to recover.


Have you picked up some other hobbies when you stopped enjoying games?


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## DukeDuck (Jul 27, 2016)

Chris S W said:


> Oh OK.
> 
> We do change as we get older so maybe this change you've had isn't so weird? I also enjoyed playing Skyrim and consider it a relatively great game, but wouldn't enjoy it like I once did. But with me it's more to do with me playing it so much and don't think it's good enough to keep me playing longer. I want better games to be made, tbh.
> 
> American Truck Simulator does sound nice and relaxing to play, especially the way you play it .


It is relaxing. A perfect game when you want to unwind after a long busy day.

I think we're getting spoiled when it comes to games. Because they keep adding in more mechanics and greater details to games as each year passes, and our expectations rises along with them.


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## Muliosys (Aug 28, 2017)

DukeDuck said:


> Hmm I never thought that could happen when it comes to video games though. I thought it was only the case with porn and gambling. But then how do all those video game professional athletes who play in all those competitions not let this happen to them? They all play games for 4-5 hours every single day and they still seem to love it. And they've turned it into their careers.
> 
> Also ever since I turned 17, I can only play games for a maximum of 1 hour. After that they become horribly boring and I have to stop.
> 
> ...


It definitely happens with video games. The dopamine spikes certainly aren't as profound as those from drugs, porn, gambling etc, so it's definitely at a different scale, and a lot more mild.

...but gaming is usually just one of several components. Most commonly we have several different sources of those little dopamine "hits" of instant gratification. Video games, TV, porn, sugar, etc. So despite it being mild, people can get the effect by doing a "little too much" of everything, a little too much TV, a little too much porn, a little too long playing video games, etc.

Regardless of which combination caused the desensitisation, the desensitisation affects everything. i.e. watching too much TV will make video games more boring for you. Playing too many video games will make porn more boring for you. etc. Of course, the activity you do too much of will usually be the most boring one, since dopamine is released in response to novelty, so if you don't play many video games but watch a ton of TV, you still get a larger dopamine release from video games, because they're "new" to you - so they'll still be more fun than TV.

...but in general if you've done way too much of ANY of those things (or even just a little too much of more than one of them) then it affects everything to some degree.

As far as those professional athletes go, they're getting some pretty extreme dopamine fixes from what they do. If you've ever played a game for money (I enjoy online poker for example) you'll know it's a real rush, unlike just playing regular video games. The bigger the rush, the worse the desensitisation.. but also the longer that you can keep indulging in that activity before it stops being fun. Porn is a great example of this - can cause some major desensitisation in all areas, but it takes a long time for porn itself to get boring because the dopamine release it gives is so significant that even a desensitised brain responds well to it (this is why you get guys with ED in the bedroom, but who still respond to porn). At some point it stops being so much about them enjoying the game, and starts being more about them enjoying the competitive aspect of it.

Think of it like a substance habit too. As you take a substance regularly, you build tolerance to its effects, but even someone who is say addicted to [insert substance] and gets weaker effects from it will still enjoy their experiences with it. They'll just typically take a lot more to make up for their tolerance. So it's a similar deal with things like gaming and TV. If you've done them a little too much without any breaks recently, your threshold for pleasure from them will have greatly increased and so you'll need more of those experiences like competitive gaming etc, pvp, gaming for cash etc that give more of a rush.

If you've ever played an MMO, I'm sure you've experienced this. First days playing the game everything is fun, even those boring fetch item quests, or chopping down a tree, or just.. being a newb and not knowing what you're doing. Then as you play longer and the novelty wears off, you start moving more towards the higher gratification options: Bosses, PVP, etc. The stuff you enjoyed just fine when you started now seems boring. Everyone always reminisces over those early days playing an MMO.

Of course in the case of a game, video games are to dopamine fixes what caffeine is to substances. Even when you massively overdo them, it's pretty harmless - but you can benefit from taking breaks here and there.

As for the game graphics thing, I think craving deeper mechanics etc is actually a slightly //positive// effect of the same type of desensitisation. Dopamine is released in response to novelty, so when we're young and our dopamine receptors are as fresh as can be, EVERYTHING is exciting to us. That means those ****ty games that just look pretty are wonderful to us, because we can stomach the bad mechanics because new == exciting. As we get older and mature a little though, that novelty effect kinda wears off and we start needing more depth to the experience.

Those are my thoughts anyway.

Also OP, what about RPGs? You might enjoy some in depth RPGs if you don't mind delayed gratification. My recommendations: Morrowind & Arcanum. My two favourite games of all time, and really they're all about delayed gratification for me because the most fun comes from carving out a specific character over tens or hundreds of hours of gameplay.


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## Chris S W (Mar 5, 2017)

DukeDuck said:


> It is relaxing. A perfect game when you want to unwind after a long busy day.
> 
> I think we're getting spoiled when it comes to games. Because they keep adding in more mechanics and greater details to games as each year passes, and our expectations rises along with them.


A valid point. But I'm more than happy with the graphics, just not the gameplay and creativity of a lot of games now.


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## dead24 (Sep 24, 2011)

DukeDuck said:


> Have you picked up some other hobbies when you stopped enjoying games?


Not really, video games is my only hobby and it makes me sad I can't enjoy it anymore as I used to.


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## DukeDuck (Jul 27, 2016)

Muliosys said:


> It definitely happens with video games. The dopamine spikes certainly aren't as profound as those from drugs, porn, gambling etc, so it's definitely at a different scale, and a lot more mild.


That does make sense. They seem to care less about the game and it all becomes about competition after a point.

I haven't played an MMO before, but I've been told they are the most addicting out of all the genres.

I do enjoy RPGs. I played the living crap out of ' Star Wars Knight of the Old Republic ' and got deeply immersed within it. And after that Skyrim. I hadn't heard of Arcanum until now. I'll check those two games out some time


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## DukeDuck (Jul 27, 2016)

dead24 said:


> Not really, video games is my only hobby and it makes me sad I can't enjoy it anymore as I used to.


Maybe you can try out different types of games that you didn't play before. The thrill experienced in multiplayer games is very different from the thrill in singleplayer games. And there are a lot of weird funny games on Steam that are different from mainstream games so you could try one of those.


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## Sky Blue (Sep 17, 2017)

Maybe you just want a game with a little more depth that you can focus on for longer periods of time, which is fine.

My tastes in gaming changed a lot as I grew older. I started finding it hard to invest long-term in single-player RPGs, or mentally strenuous games because so much else happens during the day. 

I used to love looking at random indie games, but now it feels a bit wasteful if I only enjoy one for a few hours. Time seems so much more limited now.


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## dead24 (Sep 24, 2011)

DukeDuck said:


> Maybe you can try out different types of games that you didn't play before. The thrill experienced in multiplayer games is very different from the thrill in singleplayer games. And there are a lot of weird funny games on Steam that are different from mainstream games so you could try one of those.


I actually play almost all kinds of games from first-person shooters, rpgs, action-adventure, strategy, platforming, sports etc. So that might not be the case. I'm just really low on dopamine. I think being isolated for about a decade now (zero friends) and just staying most of the time in my room has contributed to this. I now try and go outside and exercise each day. Maybe it'll help me somehow boost my dopamine.


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## unemployment simulator (Oct 18, 2015)

I have less desire for playing these days, there is a few reasons why. the market has changed completely and the types of games I like aren't being made as much, also the way they make games now has changed in a way I don't really like. modern consoles with the time it takes to set up a game by the time I have done all that sometimes my enthusiasm has already died!... i'm probably playing more retro games these days but even with that I find I don't play as much as I would like to, I have a huge backlog of games to work through and I think its becoming more like a job lol which is probably killing the enthusiasm. I have got more into a collector mentality with it really. I probably watch more gameplay on youtube than I do play games myself now. some people say they wish they could play less videogames, I wish I could play more!

fwiw tastes change, and you might find you can't go back to those old games. I get a bit like that with music sometimes or some other hobbies. it is possible to still play games from different genres as you age though, I can still appreciate a good blast on an arcade game as much as a more deep strategy experience. it could just be how your brain is wired to relate to that entertainment, like I mention there are other forms of entertainment which I am and have been fussy and obsessive about, i'm not entirely sure if it's something that really needs "fixing" as such, it could just be the way you are. but if you miss those experiences and want them back then its probably gonna come down to changing your perspective towards them. find ways to appreciate arcade games and look at the positives with them. this might help; 

arcade experiences have;
quick burst of entertainment, if you have a limited amount of time or your attention span is short on any given day something quick and pick up and play might be good?

they sometimes offer an aethestic which is different to that of a sim or deep strategy game which helps give you a break from the tedium of something more sombre,serious.

they are sometimes a bit more lighthearted and you can find humour in them, sometimes they are wacky, try and think it of as this is how its meant to be presented, so I will just roll with it.

sometimes they can get you out of the house, if you find a good arcade near you that has some new or classic cabs you can go down there with a bit of money and try out all the ones on offer, it will be a new experience if you haven't done it previously. you could also make it a night out and see it in that positive light, maybe grab a beer first?


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## Scrub-Zero (Feb 9, 2004)

I can't bring myself to play anything either. Even games I Love like classic SNES games. I played Castlevania IV a bit yesterday, trying to fight off my depression and I quit after a few stages. I usually will play it from beginning to end and then quit. Same with Battletoads. I can't even be bothered to try and finish it now.

Even Brutal Doom Bores me and I love Doom to death.


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## AngelClare (Jul 10, 2012)

DukeDuck said:


> How can I enjoy games again? I want to be able to enjoy action games and feel that same thrill, but at the same time maintain this thrill of delayed gratification games.


I was burning out on gaming too until VR. VR for me is like falling in love with gaming all over again.

I play simulators in VR but you don't need VR to play simulators. Racing and flight combat sims are a real joy. There's so much technical detail to understand and mastery will take years. But you're learning about a real thing, not just a game.

I would recommend buying a Joystick and throttle or just a racing wheel. Those will bring life to gaming again.






I've been playing this VR game a lot. It's just the most fun I've had gaming in years.






I'm an old gamer too but VR has made me a kid again. I'm totally addicted like I was when I was a kid. (which is not a great thing when you have lots of adult responsibilities)


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## railcar82594 (Mar 1, 2016)

OP, you may want to check the 'WAB' reviews. A lot of games by major publishers are not even really fun anymore.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2gKbE9RbeM

I usually stick to one or two games at a time which could last a long time, mostly sim type such as FSX. Currently I'd been playing Elite: Dangerous almost exclusively for the past two years.


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## twitchy666 (Apr 21, 2013)

*this planet's contents are made too pretty*

I sold my consoles to students at university at age 17

I found Atari ST in a skip

3D
animation

never need any stereo. we have two ears. no need to scope where sound comes from. just mono sound. subwoofer is. no dingly-dangly make up pretence

uhh... analog game controllers OK. and vinyl and styluses are

8-bit games with up, down, left, right with a button was fine. challenging, fun gameplay

no need for hair grease. first-person led the way! still too much add-ons


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## Skygrinder (Nov 30, 2017)

I play mostly RPGs and some competitive games and I can relate to this. When I was a kid, I was able to enjoy linear rpgs with linear character progression in terms of stats and skills, but as I was growing up and played more advanced rpgs where developers allow you to create your own character, pick your own skills, talents, perks...and so on it really started to affect how much fun I can have with rpgs that are more linear and story driven. In fact, I can barely stand them now. 

Not too long ago Tales of Berseria was released on PC. I used to play all "Tales of" games when I was a kid, also breath of fire and final fantasy. Anyway, I was super excited to try out a modern "Tales of" game, which is Tales of Berseria, but when I got my hands on it and started playing, I finished the starting area of the game and stopped playing after that. I just couldn't get any satisfaction because I almost had no control over the character customization. For both appearance and more importantly skills and stats.

Nowdays, I only play Path Of Exile, because there's just such a huge variety in builds for your character that it's impossible for me to not have fun. I've played Path of Exile since beta and I STILL haven't played even close to everything that this game has to offer in terms of character builds. And on top of it, they add new content every 3 months. If you like this kind of game (Like diablo) then Path of Exile is a gift that keeps on giving.


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## DukeDuck (Jul 27, 2016)

unemployment simulator said:


> arcade experiences have;
> quick burst of entertainment, if you have a limited amount of time or your attention span is short on any given day something quick and pick up and play might be good?
> 
> they sometimes offer an aethestic which is different to that of a sim or deep strategy game which helps give you a break from the tedium of something more sombre,serious.
> ...


It's true, I do enjoy a lot of classic games more than modern games. Classic games have a certain comfort and charm that these new games do not. However modern simulator games are fantastic. Because the whole point of a simulation game is to emulate the real experience of whatever it is the game is recreating. And fancy graphics and gameplay mechanics really help in that aspect.

Arcade games are fun. I used to go to them a lot, but haven't in a while. I like going there with a friend, but we usually end up having the maximum amount of fun with air hockey, than with the video games lol


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## TuxedoChief (Jan 11, 2015)

I'm playing more emulated PS1/2 games than I am current gen releases. 

Majority of games toady I feel like I'm just forcing myself to play...I can't tell if it's because games are getting worse, Or I'm just getting older.


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## ChaosKiwi (Dec 6, 2017)

I'm in the same boat I used to love playing video games for hours everyday. Now I can't get into them like I used to even though I want to so badly. I try and force myself to play a game but I end up just turning the console back off... I really think it has something to do with my depression.


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## ShadowOne (Jun 27, 2016)

ChaosKiwi said:


> I'm in the same boat I used to love playing video games for hours everyday. Now I can't get into them like I used to even though I want to so badly. I try and force myself to play a game but I end up just turning the console back off... I really think it has something to do with my depression.


ive had it happen to. It happened when the main games out were Witcher 3 and MGS5, i really couldnt get into anything and it all felt like a chore to get through (i borderline disliked witcher 3, while everyone else seemed to love it). I was unhappy with my outside life that i felt like i was spending all my time in games and i was still super unhappy with myself in general that it sucked the fun out of it

sometimes it just takes the right game to get you back into it. For me it was smaller indie games that didnt have such a huge time investment, like Child of Light and Ori and the Blind Forest.

And doing things outside of games when i had the energy, so it felt like games were a reprieve from life instead of the only thing


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## dead24 (Sep 24, 2011)

ChaosKiwi said:


> I'm in the same boat I used to love playing video games for hours every day. Now I can't get into them like I used to even though I want to so badly. I try and force myself to play a game but I end up just turning the console back off... I really think it has something to do with my depression.


I feel exactly the same thing! I have new games given to me by my sister that I want to play but I can't get even get myself to turn on the console. And sometimes when I do start a game, It feels like a chore and I'm just going through the motions instead of being immersed. My depression, anhedonia, apathy has really gotten into me but I can't get myself out. :crying: I wanna go back to enjoying games and life in general.


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## Sky Blue (Sep 17, 2017)

TuxedoChief said:


> I'm playing more emulated PS1/2 games than I am current gen releases.
> 
> Majority of games toady I feel like I'm just forcing myself to play...I can't tell if it's because games are getting worse, Or I'm just getting older.


I've been replaying a lot of classic RPGs.

I love the design but some of them have wonky mechanics I'd forgotten about.


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## Scrub-Zero (Feb 9, 2004)

Sky Blue said:


> I've been replaying a lot of classic RPGs.
> 
> I love the design but some of them have wonky mechanics I'd forgotten about.


Which RPGs have you been playing?


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## Sky Blue (Sep 17, 2017)

Scrub-Zero said:


> Sky Blue said:
> 
> 
> > I've been replaying a lot of classic RPGs.
> ...


Chrono Cross and FF1.


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## Scrub-Zero (Feb 9, 2004)

Sky Blue said:


> Chrono Cross and FF1.


Those are great games 

I would suggest The 7th Saga and Arcana on Snes if you haven't played those. They have a lot of charm. And the 7th Saga has a very unique cast of character, like an alien, robot and demon. All the monsters are animated too so the game looks quite nice for the time.


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## Sky Blue (Sep 17, 2017)

Scrub-Zero said:


> Sky Blue said:
> 
> 
> > Chrono Cross and FF1.
> ...


Hmm, not sure if I remember those but I guess I can find out this weekend. I typically like nonhuman characters if a game has them.

I've been waiting on a technician to come out for days though. I hope it's the cute Comcast guy.


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