What should I do with my video gaming habits? [Bit of a long post]

[AnonymousMe]

Hey everyone, I am truly having a miscellaneous issue here, it’s actually making me question my own being.  I have no clear response to my problem, so I need to ask you all.  =|
 
Here’s what’s happening, for those who don’t know, Sony is closing the down the PlayStation 3 and Portable digital stores and maybe even dropping support for the consoles entirely, as some games can’t be updated anymore.  As many are currently doing, I spent these past days compiling games I’d like to get, before they disappear forever, while doing it, I had a many realizations.
 
For starters, the list I ended up with is too damn big.  I don’t have the exact pricing yet, plus I’m definitely not thinking in getting everything, but I’m sure my interests are around $500 on digital-only, it’s not including physical games.  That’s another issue, I’ve been playing for all my life, so there’s past ones I missed that I still want to get my hands on too, some going as far back as the original Nintendo.  I even have an older list of titles that has always been expanding since 2011; a list that started with six is now in the hundreds, maybe thousands.  It also doesn’t help that many are rare to find, making them very pricy, costing from $100 to $1000, maybe even more. 
 
As I calmed down and looked at both lists, I asked myself: “Is this all worth it?”  I always said to myself throughout my 20s that I’ll eventually buy them, after I settle down in a job as everybody else; that hasn’t happened yet and I don’t think it’ll still happen for years.  I like playing, I really do, but it often hurts that I have no one to talk about them or share them or play them with; I am a single-player in every definition of the word.  Also, looking at my PS4, I can say that it is the console I’ve least played, I don’t know if it’s because I’ve been losing interest or because it was more focused on multi-player or because of both and the PS5, doesn’t entice me at all.
 
Oh!  Speaking of the PS4, there is another problem with it: I WILL go through the same issue with it, only it’ll be WORSE.  It was recently discovered that its games are, like, bound to a clock battery that’ll need a server reconnection, so if the network services are terminated, it’ll make every title unplayable.  =|  In other words, I don’t own anything about it, I won’t be able to plug it in and access it, like older consoles.  >=(
 
All in all, I don’t know what to do, I’m totally lost.  Part of me says that I should give up on gaming altogether, I spend more time on my computer anyway.  At the same time, I don’t want to, gaming is the closest thing I have to consider it a passion.  Like I said before, I’ve been playing all my life, it’s not something I can just stop doing.  Plus, I think it could aid me in a way someday, how exactly?  Well, I’m also thinking of focusing on only stuff popular with gamer girls, I’ve always guessed that if I’m more knowledgeable of interests girls are keen of, I’ll have more chances of meeting a special someone that shares my enjoyment.  =)  If you all know me, you know I have to deal with other issues first though.  =(
 
Anyway people, what should I do, what do you recommend?  I could also trim down the amount of titles I’d like to try and/or buy from both lists, if that’s the problem.  Maybe I’m thinking too much about this and I should just switch to XBOX?  The store for the 360 is still up, but no one knows if it’ll stay forever, despite Microsoft owning it.  Or maybe I should have more faith in myself?  If I get a job, I’ll buy games, yes, but I have other, more important things in mind too.  What do you say?
 
P.S.
 
Ugh, I was gonna edit this thread, but I’m gonna leave it like that.  It’s late and time’s running out (The store will shut down on the 2nd of July).

 

[kaetic]

I think you might have a bit of an obsession on your hands. I don't know if it's with video games, or maybe you just need an escape and this obsession with buying video games is connected to that. I'm not judging, I had/have a similar issue with games and books. Maybe I'm wrong anyway, maybe you just like to collect.

More practically, since I wouldn't have cared for advice about my gaming addiction in the heart of it, I would stay away from Xbox, it's got the same issues as the PS4 in that you need to stay connected to access the digital games. I don't know if they'll ever shut down service... as every new console just seems to be interchangeable with the xbox One. But if they do, all of the money spent on those titles will amount to nothing. Also, will you have the time to play all of these games you want to collect? I have a lot of games I've never even touched, and a few that haven't even been opened... in the years since I bought them.

Also, I don't know how many of those digital games will really disappear altogether. There are emulators for many older games available for free online, so I wouldn't panic too much. If your focus is on collecting, and you'd like the games to be worth something to sell in the distant future, I would just buy physical copies. At the very least I would trim down the list as much as possible to make it more affordable for you.

 

[Finished]

Try to download free copies if possible. I had a baby game system (Wii) with every game that ever existed for it. I modified the console to accept and run the shared copies. I will NEVER pay for anything that requires a remote server connection period. I won't even use Alexa. Everything I own needs to be stand alone.

If you can find anything in life that gives you joy and doesn't hurt others I say go for it.

 

[AnonymousMe]

I think you might have a bit of an obsession on your hands. I don't know if it's with video games, or maybe you just need an escape and this obsession with buying video games is connected to that. I'm not judging, I had/have a similar issue with games and books. Maybe I'm wrong anyway, maybe you just like to collect.

More practically, since I wouldn't have cared for advice about my gaming addiction in the heart of it, I would stay away from Xbox, it's got the same issues as the PS4 in that you need to stay connected to access the digital games. I don't know if they'll ever shut down service... as every new console just seems to be interchangeable with the xbox One. But if they do, all of the money spent on those titles will amount to nothing. Also, will you have the time to play all of these games you want to collect? I have a lot of games I've never even touched, and a few that haven't even been opened... in the years since I bought them.

Also, I don't know how many of those digital games will really disappear altogether. There are emulators for many older games available for free online, so I wouldn't panic too much. If your focus is on collecting, and you'd like the games to be worth something to sell in the distant future, I would just buy physical copies. At the very least I would trim down the list as much as possible to make it more affordable for you.

I'm pretty sure I do not have an obsession in my hands, otherwise I would spend every penny I earn in games.  In fact, I'm actually a hoarder.  =P  Oftentimes, I save money and plan on buying stuff I want, but never do it, I spent it on things I need in the moment instead, for the most part.

Umm... that's a bit tricky to respond at the moment, because I don't have a schedule.  I am planning on making one though, to sort out and have time for everything I want and need to do.  So, yes and no, to answer the question, I could game away with all the free time I have, but that would just be counterproductive.

I have never been a PC gamer though and don't want to be either, it's too expensive and complicated for someone who's not tech-savvy, like me.  Also, I don't want to sell them, I understand how that would be a waste, but that's how collector's usually are, aren't they?  *sigh*  Maybe if I had a job I would think differently, heck, I probably wouldn't have made this thread in the first place.  I'll see if I can trim the list, if I'm only left with games that girls like, that'll be fine with me.

If you can find anything in life that gives you joy and doesn't hurt others I say go for it.

Go for what?  What would you have me do?
Piracy, emulation, hacking, etc. are not options for me, besides not knowing anyone that could do it, I don't think I'd be able to do it myself.

 

[ringwood]

Here you go, this might make you happy: https://www.gamesradar.com/ps3-and-ps-vita-stores-will-remain-online-as-sony-reverses-course/

P.S. - If video gaming is your passion, there's no harm in that. My motto: everything in moderation. If it's taking over your life, then it's an issue. Take it from a 49-year old gamer! I spend a ridiculous amount of time playing games I love - case in point, almost 200 hours logged into Assassin's Creed Valhalla in about 1 1/2 months - some days when I had time, I spent 10+ hours playing. BUT - I also worked, took care of my family, did the things that needed to get done. Nothing wrong with devoting lots of time to a passion, whatever it may be.

 

[AnonymousMe]

Here you go, this might make you happy: https://www.gamesradar.com/ps3-and-ps-vita-stores-will-remain-online-as-sony-reverses-course/

P.S. - If video gaming is your passion, there's no harm in that. My motto: everything in moderation. If it's taking over your life, then it's an issue. Take it from a 49-year old gamer! I spend a ridiculous amount of time playing games I love - case in point, almost 200 hours logged into Assassin's Creed Valhalla in about 1 1/2 months - some days when I had time, I spent 10+ hours playing. BUT - I also worked, took care of my family, did the things that needed to get done. Nothing wrong with devoting lots of time to a passion, whatever it may be.

My apologies for responding late, ringwood.  I had my school's quarter finals last week, so I had to focus on that.  =/  But I'm good now.  =)

Thanks for letting me know about that, it's not a permanent solution, but at least it buys everyone more time.  I will still buy some games for the PSP though, it'll feel nice to dust off my old console.  So yeah, I'll devote many hours to those games.  =)  I like gaming, always have, always will.

 

[non_entity]

Have you thought of becoming a streamer?

Some of the top streamers for Escape From Tarkov for example make millions per year apparently. I was actually shocked.

 

[Macsimum Myers]

Hey everyone, I am truly having a miscellaneous issue here, it’s actually making me question my own being. I have no clear response to my problem, so I need to ask you all. =|

Here’s what’s happening, for those who don’t know, Sony is closing the down the PlayStation 3 and Portable digital stores and maybe even dropping support for the consoles entirely, as some games can’t be updated anymore. As many are currently doing, I spent these past days compiling games I’d like to get, before they disappear forever, while doing it, I had a many realizations.

For starters, the list I ended up with is too damn big. I don’t have the exact pricing yet, plus I’m definitely not thinking in getting everything, but I’m sure my interests are around $500 on digital-only, it’s not including physical games. That’s another issue, I’ve been playing for all my life, so there’s past ones I missed that I still want to get my hands on too, some going as far back as the original Nintendo. I even have an older list of titles that has always been expanding since 2011; a list that started with six is now in the hundreds, maybe thousands. It also doesn’t help that many are rare to find, making them very pricy, costing from $100 to $1000, maybe even more.

As I calmed down and looked at both lists, I asked myself: “Is this all worth it?” I always said to myself throughout my 20s that I’ll eventually buy them, after I settle down in a job as everybody else; that hasn’t happened yet and I don’t think it’ll still happen for years. I like playing, I really do, but it often hurts that I have no one to talk about them or share them or play them with; I am a single-player in every definition of the word. Also, looking at my PS4, I can say that it is the console I’ve least played, I don’t know if it’s because I’ve been losing interest or because it was more focused on multi-player or because of both and the PS5, doesn’t entice me at all.

Oh! Speaking of the PS4, there is another problem with it: I WILL go through the same issue with it, only it’ll be WORSE. It was recently discovered that its games are, like, bound to a clock battery that’ll need a server reconnection, so if the network services are terminated, it’ll make every title unplayable. =| In other words, I don’t own anything about it, I won’t be able to plug it in and access it, like older consoles. >=(

All in all, I don’t know what to do, I’m totally lost. Part of me says that I should give up on gaming altogether, I spend more time on my computer anyway. At the same time, I don’t want to, gaming is the closest thing I have to consider it a passion. Like I said before, I’ve been playing all my life, it’s not something I can just stop doing. Plus, I think it could aid me in a way someday, how exactly? Well, I’m also thinking of focusing on only stuff popular with gamer girls, I’ve always guessed that if I’m more knowledgeable of interests girls are keen of, I’ll have more chances of meeting a special someone that shares my enjoyment. =) If you all know me, you know I have to deal with other issues first though. =(

Anyway people, what should I do, what do you recommend? I could also trim down the amount of titles I’d like to try and/or buy from both lists, if that’s the problem. Maybe I’m thinking too much about this and I should just switch to XBOX? The store for the 360 is still up, but no one knows if it’ll stay forever, despite Microsoft owning it. Or maybe I should have more faith in myself? If I get a job, I’ll buy games, yes, but I have other, more important things in mind too. What do you say?

P.S.

Ugh, I was gonna edit this thread, but I’m gonna leave it like that. It’s late and time’s running out (The store will shut down on the 2nd of July).

Wow.
I just Played the PS 3, Then the 4, now the 5. The graphics get Better each time. I've been PC gaming since before the internet.
I still play Wargaming's World of Warplanes on my PC. Or try, when I can get up the gumption.

 

[TropicalStarfish]

-The short of it-
The modern gaming industry is quite rotten to the core, with the exception of Japan and indie devs. There's no substitute for real life: real life fun, the outdoors, real life connections with other people. Gaming can be fun; but, so can developing a skill, and it may even pay off, if you become skilled enough. And, retro gaming is always an optional fallback; enough games were made between the years of 1985 and 2005 to keep one busy for 10 life times. You won't break the bank getting into that, and thankfully, there are true creatives, still around, in the indie game dev scene
---


I was a gamer from the time I was 3 or 4 years old till about my early 20's. Some one, I can't recall who now, from this site, dropped a few programming books on me, and at the time I was stirred, and committed to learning some programming all of the sudden.

Ever since that point, I just haven't really been into gaming, as much as I used to be. I was never a hard-core gamer or anything, I had other interests, I believe; but, I rarely spend anywhere near the amount of time playing games that I used to.

I'm in my mid 30's now, and, I just don't have the reflexes to play competitively like I used to. On top of that, I don't really care so much.

Gaming isn't what it used to be, anymore, anyway. Like you said, these companies expect you to own nothing, and be happy about it. You are a farm animal to be exploited to them. Sure, there may be some really passionate game designers out there in the indie scene, or in Japan; but, after a while... I don't know. I've just lost interest, I guess.

Imagine, however, if you could devote 1/2 to 3/4th's the amount of time you spend playing games, to creating them, or learning a skill.

I don't **** around with Playstations and Xboxes and all that stuff... Enough games were created between the years of 1985-2005, such that, you could spend 900 years and probably just barely complete all of them; and all you would need is a computer and some emulator programs.

I also don't take kindly to what the gaming community has become. It's a lot of gambling type loot boxes, free2play games that make you pay for in game items that AREN'T EVEN REAL! lol. And, I think tricking out your car is a waste of time, I'm not going to give my precious dollars to to all these ********.

If it were me. I'd install GNU/Linux on that ps3, sell the ps4, and move on.

That's my 2 centz... I had my fun, back in the day; but, there is no substitute for real, genuine, real life fun. And there is no substitute for real life connection with other people. Gaming can be fun, I still do it, here and there; but... You gotta go outside once in a while and look at the birds and the grass. Or at least pick up a book now and then and learn something new.

A lot of the games these days suck anyway, and even if they don't, you have to really lower yourself and accept some pretty awful conditions and terms to even get them working anymore. I don't want to be supporting pure and greedy exploitation. It's supposed to be about fun, adventure, learning, and amazement; not some dopamine circuit overdrive hamster wheel to keep people emptying their wallets. I mean, I suppose that's kind of what the arcade era was about in it's own way; but, you were at least out of the house and interacting with people back then, and you could always watch if you couldn't afford to play.

If becoming a programmer, 3d modeler, texture artist, musician, etc.. etc.. etc.. doesn't interest you, give retro gaming a try. I believe it's a pretty vibrant community with a lot of diverse people. And, it's not completely necessary to become a big spender to participate in it, you can if you want to for the collecting and bragging rights, but, it isn't necessary. A computer, emulator, and control pad will work just fine.

Anywho...

 

[lotsarocks]

I like a lot of the responses here, I think many have a lot of great advice. What matters most is if giving up video games would make you feel a sense of peace or contentment? If the answer ultimately is no, and it's a hobby that brings you great enjoyment overall, both to play and to collect, then I don't think it's something you need to give up. If you feel perhaps it is more an issue of finances and efforts to track down these rarer games, then it might benefit you to fine-tune your list and maybe work out some titles that take priority due to the time constraint. I sympathize with that though, I understand why support is removed on older systems or series, but it can be really frustrating.

 

[sparkyn98]

I have never been a PC gamer though and don't want to be either, it's too expensive and complicated for someone who's not tech-savvy, like me.

So.... I can't speak to the PS as my oldest played it but my other two boys and I were all XBox gamers. What I WILL say is that when my boys introduced me to Sea of Thieves, I ended up buying a gaming computer and I play that and a few other games on it with the XBox controller. I also know several others who do the same.
Now, you'll hear controversy over why buy a computer and then slow down your response time by staying on a controller, etc, etc. BUT... what I am saying is IF that's the ONLY thing holding you back... don't let it.

 

[CrazyS]

Hey everyone, I am truly having a miscellaneous issue here, it’s actually making me question my own being. I have no clear response to my problem, so I need to ask you all. =|

Here’s what’s happening, for those who don’t know, Sony is closing the down the PlayStation 3 and Portable digital stores and maybe even dropping support for the consoles entirely, as some games can’t be updated anymore. As many are currently doing, I spent these past days compiling games I’d like to get, before they disappear forever, while doing it, I had a many realizations.

For starters, the list I ended up with is too **** big. I don’t have the exact pricing yet, plus I’m definitely not thinking in getting everything, but I’m sure my interests are around $500 on digital-only, it’s not including physical games. That’s another issue, I’ve been playing for all my life, so there’s past ones I missed that I still want to get my hands on too, some going as far back as the original Nintendo. I even have an older list of titles that has always been expanding since 2011; a list that started with six is now in the hundreds, maybe thousands. It also doesn’t help that many are rare to find, making them very pricy, costing from $100 to $1000, maybe even more.

As I calmed down and looked at both lists, I asked myself: “Is this all worth it?” I always said to myself throughout my 20s that I’ll eventually buy them, after I settle down in a job as everybody else; that hasn’t happened yet and I don’t think it’ll still happen for years. I like playing, I really do, but it often hurts that I have no one to talk about them or share them or play them with; I am a single-player in every definition of the word. Also, looking at my PS4, I can say that it is the console I’ve least played, I don’t know if it’s because I’ve been losing interest or because it was more focused on multi-player or because of both and the PS5, doesn’t entice me at all.

Oh! Speaking of the PS4, there is another problem with it: I WILL go through the same issue with it, only it’ll be WORSE. It was recently discovered that its games are, like, bound to a clock battery that’ll need a server reconnection, so if the network services are terminated, it’ll make every title unplayable. =| In other words, I don’t own anything about it, I won’t be able to plug it in and access it, like older consoles. >=(

All in all, I don’t know what to do, I’m totally lost. Part of me says that I should give up on gaming altogether, I spend more time on my computer anyway. At the same time, I don’t want to, gaming is the closest thing I have to consider it a passion. Like I said before, I’ve been playing all my life, it’s not something I can just stop doing. Plus, I think it could aid me in a way someday, how exactly? Well, I’m also thinking of focusing on only stuff popular with gamer girls, I’ve always guessed that if I’m more knowledgeable of interests girls are keen of, I’ll have more chances of meeting a special someone that shares my enjoyment. =) If you all know me, you know I have to deal with other issues first though. =(

Anyway people, what should I do, what do you recommend? I could also trim down the amount of titles I’d like to try and/or buy from both lists, if that’s the problem. Maybe I’m thinking too much about this and I should just switch to XBOX? The store for the 360 is still up, but no one knows if it’ll stay forever, despite Microsoft owning it. Or maybe I should have more faith in myself? If I get a job, I’ll buy games, yes, but I have other, more important things in mind too. What do you say?

P.S.

Ugh, I was gonna edit this thread, but I’m gonna leave it like that. It’s late and time’s running out (The store will shut down on the 2nd of July).

Besides being so attached to gaming find new passions you can spend your time.Just budget your time well and leave little time for gaming

 

[user 190861]

I'm 75 years old and still playing Role Playing Games on my PC. I buy a new PC system about every five years so my PC's graphics will be able to handle the latest games, and still be backward compatible with games I played back in the 1980's . I'm always on the look out for a new RPG that I can play. Somew of my oldest games are only playable on the Desktop (Solo) whereas my latest games (i.e. Elder Scrolls on-line and Guild Wars 2) you can play with other folks online in real time. I've often though of getting a game console system like PS5, but I' so use to using a keyboiard and mouse to play, I feel the hand controllers woul;d be difficult to learn.

 

[MrLonely86]

You should open youtube channel and buy yourself 50 000 $ car from playing video games.

 

[humbertplug]

As for your interest in gamer girls, it's great to have common interests but don't let it overshadow your genuine passion for gaming. Keep being yourself and explore games you genuinely enjoy. Relationships are built on shared interests, but being true to yourself is equally important.