Why Video Games Just Aren’t as Fun Anymore

From Joyful Gaming to Overcomplicated and Money Grabbing Gaming

[jznrpg]

I have as much fun playing games as I did when I was a kid just starting to play games. That was very long time ago.

[darthv72]

Maybe you do... and maybe you don't. I will say this though, the games I played as a kid were easy to pick up and play. You popped a quarter in and moved the stick around and it was just pure mindless fun.

Today's games, with their learning curves and long drawn out progression.... not so much. I do enjoy the long winded game now and then, but otherwise Im usually playing some retro goodness from my past. Space Invaders QBert, Marble Madness, Strider, Final fight... that shit never gets old.

[GamingSinceForever]

Are you really going to compare childhood vs adulthood?

[Cacabunga]

"Why Video Games Just Aren’t as Fun Anymore"
because you do not play the right ones, and most media is only obsessed about performance and graphics.

[TallDarknWavy]

It isn't the complexity of games so much as the money grubbing greed of endless remakes to boost profits, lack of creativity, no risk taking because of how greedy studio execs are, they take the safe financial route of endless microtransactions and creatively bankrupt garbage. This has been the worst generation ever by far, nothing great for exclusives.

[shinoff2183]

Me to jznrpg, guess it just depends on the person and what their open to.

[Agent75]

I started with Pong, then micro computers in the 1980s and 1990s. First console was a Mega Drive/Super NES. Today, nothing comes close. Last generation I enjoyed was Xbox 360/PS3, although I didn't play PS3 much.
Gaming as a kid is a lot different than being an adult.

[neutralgamer1992]

Micro transactions
Loot boxes
Grinding gameplay to make gamers buy XP boosters

[anast]

Those are the downside of current gaming, but the sh$% mechanics and controllers in older games are unbearable, save a very few revolutionary games.

[Abriael]

This is such an overdone take that it's getting ridiculous.

And every time someone regurgitates this this trite kind of article, they're always wrong.

[-Foxtrot]

I think the bigger issue for me these days is just time, not really the industry it’s self (which does have its issues).

I get in from work late, have to make food, might watch an episode from a TV show or watch a film from a long backlog, shower and then by the time I get to anything I feel tired, so it’s either boot a game up and get an hour out of it where you’re half asleep or just put it off until later while you decompress on your PC listening to music or something but by then it’s time to go to bed and the whole day starts all over again.

[RandomPolishGuy]

Same for me. Even if I manage to get started a game after coming from work - possibly shopping, cleaning up a bit and helping my son with homework-I just fall asleep in front of the tv. And my favourite games don't allow short sessions (or, more accurately, I don't enjoy short sessions).

[-Foxtrot]

"And my favourite games don't allow short sessions (or, more accurately, I don't enjoy short sessions)"

Yeah I'm playing Baulders Gate 3 still, probably been (or tried to) on it for like 2 weeks and I'm still roughly at the start of the game. I'm enjoying, it's great, a fantastic well made game but I either don't get time or I just don't have motivation / energy to boot it up. I played the System Shock remake before hand and it took me a little while to get fully into it before I was hooked.

[FIELDMARSHALL_P]

I usually get mine in on weekend mornings when the kids and wife are asleep. I will say on the week that wifeys monthly visitor comes I will stay up and play lol selfish I know but hey.

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

Fighting a lack of sleep is one of my bigger issues, especially when I do shift work, I just pass out on the couch, or fall asleep in my computer chair.

[TheNamelessOne]

I still really enjoy gaming *shrug*.

Outside of being an adult with responsibilities; thus less time to play, gaming today doesn't feel much different than when I was a kid.

[RaidenBlack]

To every article/opinion involving "games aren't fun anymore" .... try indies & AA, please.
Very few upcoming AAA games can give you the nostalgic fun that you're chasing, save for few like Astrobot & nintendo first party.
whereas indies is where the fun and gameplay innovation is at ... devs can experiment without the 'maxing out the visuals' pressure.
check upcoming indies like Lucky Squire, Mainframes, Replaced, Hades II, No rest for the Wicked or previous titles like Dredge, Inscryption, Animal Well etc ..... or just keep playing Dwarf fortress ~ endless fun

[EternalTitan]

You forgot AAAA games.

[JackBNimble]

If gaming isn't fun for certain individuals, then maybe they should try a different hobby. Just a suggestion... but why would you waist your time playing if you don't enjoy it anymore?

[Knightofelemia]

I am having fun gaming only games I am bored of are loot and shoots and shooters but I will still play L4D2 love that game.

[Chocoburger]

In terms of quality and exciting titles, the gaming industry has been on a steady decline over the past few years. 2018 - 2023 were the worst years I could remember since the Famicom / NES debut. There were very few highlights outside of Death Stranding, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, and probably Tears of the Kingdom (I haven't played it yet, though). 2024 has, Astro Bot, and Visions of Mana, I'm not sure what else. I won't count TOMBA! re-release since its just a PS1 game port, not a new game, Sonic X Shadow Generations is also an old game, but with newly added content.

Yeah, games aren't as fun anymore for me, so I've been focusing on older consoles, I don't mind the worse graphics, as long as they're fun. There's a lot more creativity and wacky fun from the past that still hold up great today.

[isarai]

Honestly the pillars of good game design are treated so frivolously and disposable these days for the sake of padding playtime with a bunch of shallow fluff and/or monetization. Nintendo seems to be the only ones who consistently still sees the value in simplicity. Games don't have to have 600 pieces of gear, 1,000 collectibles, countless fetch quests and a dozen square miles of nothing.

The slow resurgence of the AA industry is slowly course correcting things, but even they seem to be stuck on this souls-like trend fluffing a 6hr game into a 30hr game by just making you die and lose progress over and over.

[Lightning77]

1. ) Investors

Easy, because back then then it was player focused industry that catered to the gamers first. Releasing high quality games covering all genres was just a thing back then. It wasn't until investors saw a huge boom in gaming through out the decades and want in on the pie. Whenever investors got involved that's when quality, uniqueness and accessibility (day one downloads, patches,) went down hill.

Investors tell the studios leaders and directors or heavily suggest to make a certain type of game, because that kinda games sales, think Microtransactions, Battlepass LS type of stuff. So games feel samey or not very unique or engaging. This whole trend started with Cod during the PS360 days. When shooters couldn't be stopped. Now devs and studios follow a trends instead of doing their own thing. Where the money is basically.

2.)/Cost/time

Unfortunately the cost for games are getting out of hand, 300m$ for a game before marketing is damn near unrealistic to maintain because of complicated hardware and complexities of general development are also making games take so much longer. 4.5 to 6+ years to release a game is is crazy. Plus lack of releases dates, delays etc is also the problem. Now there's good and bad games in all generations of gaming of course. Back then if a game under performed critically or in sales they still made a sequel and improved on everything. There was no lay offs and studio shut downs. Studios and games were not DOA.

3. ) Video game social media drama/influencers.

One of the most annoying ones of all imo. It seems almost impossible to be excited, or express excitement for a game without backlash from ppl, or not liking a game. Excited for Assassins Creed? Don't be because the samurai is inaccurate in rank or status in Japan or he's African American! That whole thing made to the Japanese government officials in which, surprise they didn't care... Hogwarts games controversy, The Last Of 2 controversy. Or you can have a game with no controversy and you'll have influencers telling you to be hyped as hell for a game or not to be hyped for a game. This the thing, influencers have more power then you may think and can make or break a game. If they like a game they'll tell their fans to get hyped and buy it, those ppl will tell their casual fans to buy it because their favorite influencers, streamer YT etc told them to get it. If said influencers hate said game, then the opposite effect happens. It gets annoying when you express excitement (or why you're not excited ) for a game that influencers doesn't like (or does like) and have him try to convince you why it's bad(or good) and why you're wasting your money or why you should thrown down 100$ for a special edition. Very, very annoying. Think for yourselves every once im awhile ppl. It's cool to have someone you follow but you need to question him/hers opinions and motives at times for some of them. Don't feel bad if you don't like a certain game or being excited for a certain game.

Back then you got feedback from friends or early message boards with certain games but it was never, EVER toxic in any capacity everyone generally respected each other's opinion.

[Charal]

Man, this is way too long 😅

[Lightning77]

I think allot lol.

[CantThinkOfAUsername]

There's nothing wrong with being excited about a game, however, feeding a company like Ubisoft gives them the idea that they should continue doing more of the same. They don't innovate and keep using the same design formula across different games because people pay them not to.

[anast]

Upvote - I agree with almost everything you mentioned. Yes, most influencers are parasites, but I'm past people affecting my tastes. People make their choices and I make mine.

[Retroman]

"WHY VIDEO GAMES NOT FUN ANYMORE "
In my "Personal " opinion and experience. developer's keep repeating games since 2006 nothing is actually New and innovative . don't know about you guys but I'm dead tired of open world military type games, fps, online multi-player games. Boring now.

[anast]

VR is the next new thing, but it will be awhile before it becomes a staple.

There are not enough actually creative people to go around in an industry that hit its creative peak faster than film. I suppose people could be more selective, but they won't.

[Agent75]

Also because people keep buying the same rubbish every year. Yearly updates at £70 a pop.

[EternalTitan]

Ubisoft and Activision yearly filth arent fun anymore.
recent Doom and Devil May Cry are real video games.

[ravens52]

Don't game. Problem Solved. 🤷🏽

[gold_drake]

i dunno, im still having quite aaalot of fun, but im definitely way more picky about what im playing and willing to pay

[SPEAKxTHExTRUTH]

Gee let’s see, MT’s, day one patches, mandatory online connectivity, 5+ years to make a single game and worst of all FANBOYS. What does all this have in common? The internet. The internet has made gaming horrible while simultaneously making gaming great. Double edge sword…

[ZeekQuattro]

I don't know about all that. I sill have a lot of fun playing them. Most recently Steam World Heist II. When I can lose time because I want to play "one" more stage that's a strong indicator that I'm having fun. Same for any other game I play that pulls me in like that.

[PhillyDonJawn]

I like adventurous and games that get your mind running. Not in a problem solving/puzzle sense but in a exploration way. Get wondering and make you wanna see more. This why red dead redemption 2 was game of the gen for me. Lots of Easter eggs and exploring always led to something crazy. A lot of game today aren't made with that sense of exploration and wonder. They take short cuts cause the development was rushed and don't live up to potential.

The ori games were fantastic and the best platform era we've had in a long time. Other platformers don't have enough meat on the bones.

[PRIMORDUS]

They are fun, your just playing the wrong ones. LOL. Been playing my fav MMO for 12yrs, Guild Wars 2. I will admit, the same games over and over year after year needs to just go on a long vacation, COD, Far Cry, Assassin's Creed. I want Beyond Good and Evil 2, that game should have been out long ago, same with GTA VI, I think 5 yrs is enough for another sequel.

[Johnh5223]

I had a blast playing yoshi’s island maybe the death of platform era took the fun out

[hiawa23]

Been a gamer since 1980, and have owned almost every console made from then to now. My favorite games were 2D sprite based games from the 8/16/32 bit and arcade days.

Today, as a 50 year old I still love those games of the past and my gaming tastes have changed since the 80s and 90s, but I love the games of today for my Switch, SeriesX, and PS5.

I don't play games if they are not fun or enjoyable to me, so I guess it all depends on the gamer. There are many different games out and I would think a gamer should be able to find something fun to play as everything Nintendo makes is almost nostalgia for previous generations.

[purple101]

I think the first time you played Mario 64, it was amazing, because it was new,

the first time you played Mario kart in 3d (compared to ones 16bit one) it was new,

when you played ps2 games for the first time many of them were new,

the only recent 'new' game I can think of was gravity rush 2, new in play style.

vr could be worth a go - to get the magic back. deffo some new experience to be had there.

[jambola]

I don't know
only speaking for me, but even as someone who has lost a looot of interest in newer games these last few months
older games I'm experiencing for the first time are doing a lot for me

just a lot less annoying modern things I hate the further back i go

[Demetrius]

Psychonauts 2, ratchet and clank, destroy all humans remake, tchia, all made me realize how much I missed light hearted action adventure games. They all have great graphics too, over the years steady playing the serious toned gems like last of us 1&2, dying light series. Metro series, mad max, and others I realized like damn I miss games like spyro etc. Gaming is always dope to me, I don't let others opinions about games I like sway me from enjoying them. I buy what game I want, it's funny how nowadays mfs get mad cause you like a certain game and hate that you're not on the hating bandwagon culture.

[xenz]

I’m still having a lot of fun playing World of Warcraft retail and Classic. Many fun games out there.

[bunt-custardly]

Maybe because you're older.

[P_Bomb]

When I get in a rut, I sometimes jump to a different genre. Like, if I’m all RPG’d out, I’ll beat a fighting game. Then maybe take a sharp turn again and do a walking sim. Or moonlight on a different console, just to gimme a new perspective. Ruts happen.

[jonivtec]

we are just.....getting older...they are still fun but we have less time to enjoy them.

[Profchaos]

Games can still be as fun but they also explore more emotions than just fun now.

As technology has evolved games have to and I'm saying this as a huge proponent and lover of retro games as someone who grew up with a nes controller in their hand and still plays old-school games alongside new ones today.

During the 8/16 but era the majority of games were platformers or had platform elements short sharp simple and fun and birthed some of the greatest games of all time like super Mario bros 3

Technology has opened the door to more emotional story telling like the last of us and brought to life the ability to live out a fantasy like being a criminal in GTA. However fun games can still have a place like Astro bot to me Astro bot represents that same feeling that crash Bandicoot had in 96 a real sense of wonder.

I'm not saying there were not games that could deliver emotional storytelling back in the day earthbound springs to mind as a game that's stayed with me it was fun but there was more to it.

I'm not saying old-school games were perfect there was more misses than hits if you rented lots of games in that era you probably remember the feeling of getting a game and being disappointed but glad you didn't buy it like the lion king game on mega drive and new games are absolutely far from perfect with new monetisation trends really making me despise the live service genre.

It's also generational my generation is used to paying full price for a game and getting a game that ends but the younger generation are becoming increasingly used to getting a free game and pumping money into a never ending sandbox like Roblox or fortnite this doesn't appeal to me at all but like blink 182 didn't appeal to my parents I'm not meant to get it.

[Pyrofire95]

Because there's no Left 4 Dead 3.

[tombfan]

They're fun, we're just old.

[anast]

I suggest the writer take a break from gaming. I went on a well over a 10 year break. I only played at friends' houses from time to time, but for the most part I was doing other stuff. Even though the monetization and the level of shilling was beyond what I had thought possible, when I returned everything was fresh.

[chicken_in_the_corn]

This article is everything wrong with modern gaming. Maybe try playing them instead of blindly hating them.

[jambola]

Everything?
predatory microtransactions?
half finished live service messes?
mobile garbage?
yearly reskins?

[FreeFallFrenzy]

The only difference between games from when I was kid and now, is the games don't cheat anymore

[Good-Smurf]

Sad to admit that nowadays I play more games on emulators and on consoles from 20 years ago and enjoyed far more than most modern games on current gen platform.
The hard cut off for me was at the end of 7th gen most games after that became too complicate with high learning curve and sophisticated to pick up and enjoy.
Games nowadays are such a slog to go through then either too damn big, buggy unfinished or too grindy with monetization schemes meant most games are not worth getting day one.
Then there's the unique struggle of an adult you that ever even having a free time to play these humongous unoptimized photo real time and money wasters at all.
Problem is most games now don't respect your pace of play and time, they only make bloat ass games filled with roadmaps and monetization when they can just do smaller much tighter more enjoyable game for less, they just don't get it, and all seemed to move backwards into the future.
Indies are there but are mostly cases of trial-and-error affair and Nintendo still doing it mostly right but why do you have to make it expensive and sometimes too much hand holding?

[Kakashi Hatake]

Play fighting games. Can get in and get out. All competition and test of skills. I enjoy a good adventure game but the ones I choose are few and far between. Tekken 8, MK1, and Street Fighter 6 have been a great get away from long winded games.

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

Some of these issues can be solved by just being more choosy with the game you purchase/play, although, I will admit that I'm becoming more attracted to simpler games because I can learn them and master them faster than other games.

[OldDuffer]

Each to their own. I got hooked on games since pong and space invaders came out when I was 15ish. Ive owned just about every machine you can play a game on since and spent over 2 decades as a AAA dev myself. Its my 60th birthday next week, but I play as much today as I ever have and still find gaming enourmously fun.
We are all different of course, but Id suggest those that no longer have the joy they used to are more likely to find the change is with them, not games.
The joy of there being so many publishing streams these days is the plethora of ideas that can be brought to market, and those looking for a quick 'pick up and play title' can surely find one in the excellent small indie titles that get released every week.
For me, the only change in the equation is dicoverability, we have so many releases it can be hard to find the stuff that appeals... But its out there 😊