It started to feel like a waste of time. As someone who is into gaming since years I want to finally quit it and not look back.

One might think I am here to shoot against gaming and I want to set clear that this is my opinion and yes, I am here to shoot against gaming in a way but I still believe gaming can be an enjoyable and a valuable experience.

The reasons I love gaming

Playing games was a huge part of my life. Every time I had nothing to do and was about to be caught by boredom I had a way to escape it by turning to games.

If I was tasked to talk positively about gaming I would say it encourages you to be part of a story in a world you cannot discover in real life or to spend time with your friends in a way that makes you happy. This would not be a lie.

I played games for the same benefits. I enjoy playing single player games where I have to master a quest or finish the story. Especially games with a story: I really like making progress in them because I get to know the storyline every time I finished a level or chapter.

Moreover I love the moments when I was playing with my friends for the laughs that strengthened our friendships. In my time it was Minecraft or Fortnite where we would try to achieve something different for the fun, together. It was about discovering something new.

Where is the problem?

The problem is that those times are kind of over. Or better said the way I think about gaming has changed. Playing games with my friends is not as fun as it was. We are not discovering new things because we already know the mechanics. It has become much more...basic. We play just because that is what we do.

While single player games are still nice I do not get the same joy out of them as in the past. The stories are still great. However my motivation for finishing them vanished for the most part.

It all feels like a waste of time now. My time spend on games dropped real hard in the last months and personally, I believe it is time to end this completely because there are so many things that can be enjoyable in life beside video games and are giving me some long term benefit.

Surely there is the argument that enjoyed time is time spent well – I cannot agree.

I am concerned that video games are similar to social media with the quick dopamine hits one gets from engaging in it.

Joy that comes from short dopamine hits like when scrolling on social media or winning in Fortnite is different from joy that comes from long term accomplishments like mastering a skill. Joy and happiness that comes from long term accomplishments is the key to a fulfilling life.

That is why I believe gaming is a waste of time. I get nothing from it that benefits me in the long run while also feeling like I could have spent my time on things I enjoy more.

What now?

I quit gaming for good. At least for the whole next month. I will not play any video games in November and after that I shall see whether or not I want to bring back video games back into my life.

It is time to stop wasting life in video games and replace it with things that truly matter to me. Perhaps, I will find more time for this blog. :-)