Anyone else burned out on games?

fletcher21 · Post by **fletcher21** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 8:55 pm

I haven't fired up my 360 more than 5 times in 2009. I have been playing a lot of Donkey Kong Country 1,2,3 and Mario Kart for the SNES. I'm having a great time with them. I think the next time I'll fire my 360 up is for the new Madden. I was feeling very bored and not interested in the current gen games, but playing some SNES is a nice change of pace. Also have dusted off the N64 and Dreamcast. They don't make games like they used to. Games get better looking, but lack that certain charm. Anyone else on here bored of the current gen? I probably play about an hour or 2 a week, so I'm not really much of a gamer anymore. Would rather spend time outside with my bambino, and do other things. I'm kicking 30's door down, so that also accounts for it lol. I thought pk was crazy to not own a 360 or ps3, but now I completely see it. Kinda weird since I was that guy who used to play games for hours a day. Never nerdfests like Wow, but I spent a lot of hours on the sticks as they say. People can say we've never had as many games as we do now, so why is my interest at an all time low? Sony needs to release GT5.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 9:12 pm

I'm burned out on the 360...however I play MLB 09 the Show every night on the PS3. So kinda.

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 9:12 pm

I'm not bored with games as much as I just like my other leisure activities more...playing with the kids, going to my son's soccer practice/games, riding my bike, running, lifting weights, watching the NHL/NBA playoffs, watching MLB, reading, etc. My evenings are pretty much tied up until dark and then after dark I'm much more likely to do what I'm doing now, surfing while watching the NHL playoffs/Sixers or playing OOTP9, than play video games.

eman · Post by **eman** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 9:39 pm

I agree with Leebo, at this point it's more about time allocation than anything. My son (god, he's six already) and career take most of my time. For instance tonight I worked on homework with my son and then we sat down and watched a movie together. On top of that I'm a home owner and you know how that goes - there's always something.

At this point I'll routinely go weeks in between gaming sessions... that said I did manage to destroy 76 tanks tonight in Wii Play combat.

If my wife ever decided to go back to work I would gladly quit my job and dedicate more time to video games - I just dont see it happening.

James_E · Post by **James_E** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 9:54 pm

I've been burned out on console/PC games for a while I think. I keep trying out the "next best thing" (Fallout 3, MLB 09, Killzone, Resident Evil) and they're just not grabbing me.

I'm now mostly playing DS games. Simpler games in general, and I can squeeze in some game time pretty much whenever I want (ie. when wife is watching House), the DS pauses ANY game when you close the DS so interruptions are no big deal. I'll play it in bed when the wife is reading, or while waiting for my kids during their music lessons. (No I don't care what others think of a 38 year old man playing JRPGs on Nintendo DS... at least I'm not in my tighty whities installing Ubuntu on linux boxes in my Mom's basement like Rodster

)

For me I find the simpler control style, the unique games on the DS (Elite Beat Agents) and the fact that I can play MP games like Mario Kart with my kids are a draw for me. Also alot of the DS games I'm playing remind of the style of game I played when I was younger.

Hi. My name is Jamie, I'm 38 and I just bought a Pokemon game... for myself.

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 10:08 pm

I'm not playing Pokemon games, but I've also been playing my DS as much as anything else. Between Henry Hatsworth, GTA, and some puzzle games, the DS has provided a breath of fresh air compared to the hour+ sessions consoles tend to take. That said, I'm still spending plenty of time on the consoles, particularly racing games.

Actually, the MLB Network has cut into some of my gaming--it is pretty nice being able to check out how games are finishing up after putting my son to bed.

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 10:18 pm

I wouldn't say I'm burned out on games but I don't play as much as I did this time last year but that's more so because I'm playing soccer 3 nights a week and hockey once and that takes up most of the night. That said, I still get really excited about playing new games.

Slumberland · Post by **Slumberland** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 10:21 pm

HELL NO.

ddtrane · Post by **ddtrane** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 10:37 pm

Slumberland wrote:HELL NO.

My thoughts exactly. This is the best time to be a sports gamer. I can't wait until TW drops in June. Heck, this is the first sports game I will be buying for 2 systems: Wii and 360. TW became a system seller once they announced that the wii motion controller has a 1:1 swing ratio. This will be my first Wii game and with Grand Slam Tennis, my only wii games.

Spooky · Post by **Spooky** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 10:49 pm

macsomjrr · Post by **macsomjrr** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 11:00 pm

Not even in the slightest which is part of the problem. I've got a bazillion games going on pretty much every platform (handheld, console and PC) cause I like to try everything. Problem is I never finish any of them cause they are all so good:)

Darkbandit · Post by **Darkbandit** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 11:59 pm

Like a couple of other people here I have been finding myself playing more of my DS than anything.

bdoughty · Post by **bdoughty** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:36 am

I am just burnt out consoles that burn out. PS3 here I come. Now should I wait for E3 to see if a pricedrop is coming? Decisions, decisions.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 1:15 am

bdoughty wrote:I am just burnt out consoles that burn out. PS3 here I come. Now should I wait for E3 to see if a pricedrop is coming? Decisions, decisions.

Unless 50 bucks is gonna break you, I suggest just getting the damn thing now.

bdoughty · Post by **bdoughty** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 2:02 am

dbdynsty25 wrote:
bdoughty wrote:I am just burnt out consoles that burn out. PS3 here I come. Now should I wait for E3 to see if a pricedrop is coming? Decisions, decisions.
Unless 50 bucks is gonna break you, I suggest just getting the damn thing now.

I was hoping for a drop to $299. Disposable income is tight right now. Plus you have to buy the games and an HDMI cable (probably a cheap one from monoprice). It adds up.

Spooky · Post by **Spooky** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 8:57 am

It's weird, my initial desire to play games isn't really any less. It's just when I actually have the time to play them I lose that desire or decide to go do something else (like sleep). I still get excited for new games and then after an hour or two of play time I start to lose interest.

I actually just bought a couple 'light gun' games for the Wii. Haven't bought a Wii game in forever. But I have had a lot of fun with them over the weekend for sure. Oh and I did get that MadWorld game as well and it's great fun.

I think the Wii is a perfect console to gravitate towards when you're burned out on the 'regular' stuff. I do get burned out on the Wii very easily but it seems to make a nice alternative solution until something sparks me on the other consoles again.

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 9:16 am

I tend to go through dry spells but I'm playing a good amount right now. My wife has been busy with teaching lately, so that's left me with more time to myself than usual. I've been enjoying RE5 and The Show on the PS3, and I just picked up Killzone 2 and Left4Dead because Gamestop was having a sale on used games. And I still play Rock Band 2 pretty regularly.

Gaming has replaced a good deal of my TV watching. Outside of sports and a couple of shows, I only watch TV if my wife wants to or there's a movie I want to see.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 10:32 am

It's all about priorities, but not just overall life priorities.

Family and work always have come before hobbies for me. That order hasn't changed.

What has changed are my priorities within the very limited amount of "me time" that I have. Gaming always was at he summit; Six years ago I never thought of doing anything other than gaming once my wife and kids went to bed.

But over the last few years, gaming has moved toward the bottom of that list. I'm putting an increasing focus on fitness, so I'm spending more free time running and shadow boxing. (Can't wait until I can hit the bag again!) Plus I enjoy watching sports on TV, reading on the Web and finding and listening to new music. I also have a much more active social life outside of the home than I did six years ago, as we have met a lot of new people through our kids and their school and sports activities.

Another deterrent to gaming for me is the "arms race" nature of the hobby, especially with consoles. It's so much like the U.S. vs. the Soviets in the nuclear missile race of the 60s and 70s.

A new system comes out; most guys get that system. So others end up getting it even if they're not 100 percent sure because they don't want to miss out.

A new game comes out that everyone raves about for Xbox Live play. So hell, everyone at DSP gets it because they don't want to miss out. And that game usually has a shelf life of four weeks or less before it's discarded for the next big thing.

I just got sick and tired of the churn. It was more than just being tight with money, too. It was time. Time to scope the new games. Time to find the best price. Time to go buy that game. Time to sell it on eBay or trade it in toward another game when it no longer was the game du jour.

Time. Time. Time. The cliche fits: I just don't have time for that sh*t any more. More clearly, I don't WANT to make the time for that sh*t any more.

To me, the halcyon days of video gaming were during the early days of Xbox Live.

It was so simple then. Most of us had Xboxes. Most of us had XBL. Both were reliable. There were only four or five true quality XBL games at the time, and we all gravitated to them and had vibrant, active Poker Nights five nights per week. And those games had legs, mainly because there wasn't a long list of Grade-A titles waiting in the wings to replace them.

"F*ck you, Carl." Dick Fain. Mowing down the North Koreans across the river in Ghost Recon 2. "Ooohla-boolah" with Close Combat: First to Fight. GRIT. BBReBozo and I pumping lead into Neckthai's dead carcass in Rainbow Six 3. GREAT nights of racing with the original MotoGP. "PASS THE F*CKING PUCK, JACK!" and DDTrane yelling "CHOO, CHOO!" when he scored in NHL Rivals.

There's also no question that the novelty of reliable online gaming with voice communication and ease of matchmaking was a huge spur to more gaming for me. I couldn't believe what I was seeing or hearing those first few months with XBL. Now all of us take that completely for granted. The "new car smell" has disappeared.

Those early days of XBL were good times. Those were my best times in video gaming.

Is the hobby better now than in 2003? Absolutely. More powerful hardware, better choices of hardware, a cornucopia of great games. So I don't want this to read like, "It was better because I was there, ripped out of my brains and having a great time."

Hardly. But I think anyone who shared in the DSP magic of those times must have at least some fond memories of that period when we all fired up our big, black bricks and had 10- to 12-men Poker Nights four nights per week.

That loving feeling started to fade for me probably around 2005, and I was out of consoles within a year.

I still enjoy my PC racing sims. But I only race one or two nights per week now. That's good enough for me, satisfies my gaming and racing jones. I only play three older titles -- Live for Speed, rFactor and NR 2003 -- so it's nice and simple.

The Wii also is fun with the kids on the weekends and for simple stress relief through a game of bowling. But that's about it. We only have three Wii games and aren't looking to build a massive library. Keep it nice and simple.

Take care,
PK

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 10:40 am

I am more selective about what I will buy, that's for sure. I used to pick up games I might be interested in because of word-of-mouth here or good reviews. Now I try and only buy what I think I'll really play all the way through or games that will have long legs (like The Show).

My online time has been cut down because, since having a kid, I can't stay up as late as I used to, and I can't really play online if my wife is in the room (usually when she's playing online poker), because at least while playing a single-player game, I can still talk with her. The last game I really went nuts with online was CoD4.

We're actually going to set up a separate TV/gaming room soon, and I hope I can get back to the poker nights.

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:01 am

My gaming goes through ebbs and flows, depending on a number of factors including new release schedules, other leisure activities, time spent at work...etc.

I went through a DS phase a few years ago where I loved playing games that were smaller in scope that you could easily get in and out of in <20 minutes. I had great fun playing a few seasons in NHL 94 online leagues. Then I got a 360 and enjoyed the fuller experiences that offered after not really using a home console for about 2 years.

Right now my 360 interest is waning a bit after a pretty crazy stretch from about October to February, but I still enjoy some NHL 09 or Rock Band with an occasional game of Call of Duty 4.

Gaming always has been, and I suspect it will always be, quite fun for me. No reason to 'commit' yourself to it or force it, and breaks from gaming are good. When I desire to do other things I will, but I always come back sooner or later to gaming in form or another.

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:47 am

Naples39 wrote:MyGaming always has been, and I suspect it will always be, quite fun for me. No reason to 'commit' yourself to it or force it, and breaks from gaming are good. When I desire to do other things I will, but I always come back sooner or later to gaming in form or another.

What he said

... I have never gotten to that breaking point.

Plus, I dont have kids so lord knows I have plenty of free time to do anything.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:04 pm

XXXIV wrote:Plus, I dont have kids so lord knows I have plenty of free time to do anything.

Enjoy your time. It's a totally different lifestyle, one that's very rewarding but when it comes to gaming it's them first and not of the console variety. We started a family rather late, my kid is still too young and like Mac, I have so many games that I just don't have the time to finish and they're still sitting around. With the weather warming up and heading to longer days I doubt I'll ever finish them.

Overall my interest is still there, especially when it comes to sports and shooting games but between family and travels I don't get to play as often. However one game that just rocks online and I'll never get tired of it, is NHL 09 OTP.

The current NHL playoffs does take a lot of time from gaming for sure.

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:30 pm

NO WAY!!!

Been playing Bioshock again, MLB 2k9, both NHL games, L4D.. to name a few.

I did read somewhere that you can trade your ps2 into Gamestop for $100 towards a ps3, making it $299 for those of you looking to get one.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:39 pm

pk500 wrote:
To me, the halcyon days of video gaming were during the early days of Xbox Live.

It was so simple then. Most of us had Xboxes. Most of us had XBL. Both were reliable.

"F*ck you, Carl." Dick Fain. Mowing down the North Koreans across the river in Ghost Recon 2. "Ooohla-boolah" with Close Combat: First to Fight. GRIT. BBReBozo and I pumping lead into Neckthai's dead carcass in Rainbow Six 3. GREAT nights of racing with the original MotoGP. "PASS THE F*CKING PUCK, JACK!" and DDTrane yelling "CHOO, CHOO!" when he scored in NHL Rivals.

PK

Couldn't Agree more! Unfortunately all the additional consoles that came out after the Original XBox split everyone off into different camps and diluted the "comradery" we all had. Those Ghost Recon, TOCA and Rivals Poker nights were some of the most fun I have had in gaming. I get a little sad when I realize those days are gone

Post by **Jared** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 1:03 pm

I think that some of the sports games lately have been excellent (e.g. The Show). I think it'd be great to be in this gaming environment as a 20-year old. However, from my experience, having a one-year old really just kills gaming, especially one that likes to stay up until midnight. I'd love to get a few hours of The Show in, or play some soccer games online, but that time isn't there anymore.