I’m over 65 and have been playing video games since the Intellivision days, though I was never very good at it. These days, I use a PS5.
I’ve enjoyed games like The Last of Us, Days Gone, Zelda, and many others. I used to play almost daily, especially since the PS3 era. But recently, my hands and wrists have started hurting, so I haven’t played in weeks. Surprisingly, I don’t miss it. If I never played again, I think I’d be okay.
It made me wonder—are we playing because we truly love gaming, or is it just an easy habit to fall into? When was the last time any of us took a break for a week, just to step back and reset?
Gaming is a hobby that can consume thousands of hours. Maybe we could use some of that time to level ourselves up instead of our avatars.
It’s normal to step away. When my kids were born, I stopped gaming completely for years. But now that they’re getting into it, I feel like playing again. Sometimes it’s a relief to quit for a while, but eventually, you might miss it.
For me, it’s on and off. I can go months without gaming, and I don’t mind leaving a game unfinished. Other times, I’ll be glued to an RPG for weeks. It’s just entertainment, like watching a movie or reading.
@Koa
Same here. If I’m hooked on a good game, I’ll binge for a while. But when I lose interest, I might not touch it for months. Sometimes, it’s nice to just take a break and read a book instead.
Our first system was an Atari—I even remember that awful E.T. game! Then I got an NES when it launched. Since then, it’s been SNES, PC gaming, PS2, PS3, Switch, Xbox Series X, and more PC gaming. I don’t think I’ll ever stop.
Too much of anything can be bad. But there’s nothing quite like getting into a new game. I take breaks between games often, but I always come back to it.
I’ve been gaming for over 40 years, and I get it. Some games or even entire genres don’t excite me anymore. I used to love driving games, but as they got more realistic, I lost interest. Same with multiplayer because of the toxic environments.
That said, I just finished 100%ing Satisfactory, and I loved every minute of it. Maybe we just need new kinds of games as we age. I still enjoy the escapism gaming offers—it’s a break from real-world responsibilities.
“Level yourself up instead of just your avatar”—that really hits. Maybe don’t play every day. Fit it in when it feels right. It’s not gaming that’s the issue; it’s how we manage it.
I’ve taken breaks plenty of times. The last game I played was on November 15th. As we get older, there’s just more to focus on. That said, I’ll probably game more when I have some free time soon. Half the fun for me is just chatting with friends while playing multiplayer games—it’s a way to stay connected.