It can strike without warning. It may linger for a few days, a week, or if you are really unlucky, longer. It is a frustration shared by many a longtime gamer. What is it of which I speak? *Queue dramatic music* Gamer Burnout!
I am sure many of you have encountered this scenario before. You’re going about your regular gamer ways, mashing it up, maybe with some buddies online, or taking your time in a single-player campaign, when maliciously, it creeps in. An odd sense of dissatisfaction begins to overwhelm you and suddenly your beloved pastime becomes an exercise in agitation.
Deciding then that it may just be this game, you install something else, but what is this? That feeling is still there!? Okay, okay don’t panic just yet. What is it they say, third time’s the charm? So you pull out some old dusty titles hoping that ‘ye old classics’ will do the trick, but alas, that feeling still lingers. You, my friend, have entered the realm of -*Queue another round of dramatic music* Gamer Burnout!
It Creeps
I have suffered from bouts of gaming burnout more often than I can recall. I have seen it work its machinations on many others as well. You may have stumbled across these topics before when perusing your favourite gaming forums, “What should I play?” or “Someone HELP! I am so booooored!!!” These are often a sure indication of a burnout.
Here is another good example. While looking at others Xfire profiles you might notice that their recent gaming history looks like some kind of eclectic gaming bazaar. This in itself is a sign of desperation. The defining factor here is that each title will barely garner a few hours of play, if that. To those affected nothing feels good enough, absolutely NOTHING! So they jump from title to title in search of hope.
So why do we get like this? And more importantly, is there anything to be done about it? Well, one of the largest contributing factors I believe is that of one’s mindset and mood. Your current mood has much influence over your enjoyment of any title. It may sound unbelievably obvious, but you will be shocked at how often you can fall prey to it. Even a great title can seem “meh” when you are feeling a little off without realizing it.
Well what is a gamer to do then? I have assembled a few steps which may help you to curb your burnout.
Step one – Acknowledge the problem.
Many people fail to even notice that they have entered this state of burnout and will often just blame it on the games. Once you know there is an issue, you can do something about it. “Hi. I am Myles, and I have a problem” Moving on.
Step two – Look for inspiration.
You may want to turn to forums and friends during these (hard) times. It may help to see what others are getting excited about and maybe you can join in.
Step three – Try something outside your gaming comfort zone.
In this situation it can work absolute wonders! Try something totally outside your gaming and genre preferences. Often something totally new is enough to get the fire ignited again.
I would also like to point out that MMO gamers suffer from this more so than any other demographic of gamer. Many have been playing their MMO of choice for a while, sometimes going on years. Frequently I have seen people online stating how bored they are of their MMO, but they cannot seem to drag themselves away. Best thing I can suggest if you fall into this category is to see Step One. You, my friend, are a habitual addict.
Step four – If all else fails have a gaming sabbatical.
There is a world full of other “stuff” to do out there. Many dedicated gamers out there (myself included), are so trapped in their gaming routine that they miss out, or neglect, other interests. So stop sitting in front of that PC, console, handheld, or whatever and get out there and do something non-gaming related. Actually meet some people. There are, however, two stipulations. First – you must get to know them as more than just “HaloPWNER”, “Dethkiller” or similar names. Secondly, there must be physical proximity.
Hopefully this will be enough to get your gaming rhythm back, and if not, maybe you are just out-growing gaming in general. If that is the case… like seriously! What the hell!?
Do you suffer from gaming burnout? And if so, then how do you deal with it?
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