I know it’s a bit ridiculous to feel burned by a game, but after a couple of recent issues (the annihilation of my beautiful camp in Fallout 76, chiefly), I feel burned on gaming in general.
I actively feel dumb about that.
I had been really enjoying myself with the broken mess that is Fallout 76. I enjoyed it right up until the moment it took a colossal dump on my gaming time and wiped out progress. Despite that, I had still wanted to play it, but I forced myself not to out of principal. Who’s to say it wouldn’t happen again? And again?
I’m also getting burned out on Destiny 2.
Now, I love Destiny. I loved the first game far more than the sequel, but I still love the moment to moment gameplay in Destiny 2. I was looking forward to seeing what the annual pass for year two held…right up until I saw Bungie’s roadmap.
They are making it seem like it’s a better deal, all this new “content,” but none of it is what I had wanted and come to expect from any Destiny expansion: story DLC.
When Bungie highlights two exotic quests, new triumphs and lore books, some new gear, and a couple of new raids as the annual pass content, that does (and did) nothing for me. I am burned out on new multi-step bounties, especially when they are now replacing proper expansions (e.g.: The Dark Below).
They are busy work. And I don’t care for busy work.
Case in point: I’m doing a bounty right now where I have to do 40 Gambit matches. 40. The bounty is filled with other requirements (like 500 auto rifle kills), but as I played some Gambit today and had no fun at all, I was asking myself: what am I doing this for?
I don’t think anything in Destiny’s bizarre history has turned me off as much as this particular infographic.
The game, and the direction Bungie is taking, are turning me off in a fundamental way. None of that annual pass content interests me.
I’m genuinely glad for people who are excited about it, I’m just not one of them.
Bungie won’t miss me.
Between the Fallout 76 nonsense and the present/future of Destiny 2 nonsense, I’m very suddenly finding myself feeling burnt and burnt out.
It’s ridiculous, really; there are a grillion games I’d like to play, but I’m decidedly unmotivated to start any.
I don’t like this feeling.
Perhaps the time of year isn’t helping, and I know my general mindset is fairly poor as of late (apparently by “as of late” I mean “the last couple of years”). I’ve found when I feel like this, I often dive in to a game I don’t care about (at least at the onset), because I don’t feel invested in the experience prior to beginning it. With lower expectations, I seem to be able to enjoy myself more which, I understand, sounds quite dumb. Games are meant to be experienced if not enjoyed. Why my preconceived anything should play into it is beyond me. I like to go into as much as I can with an open mind; right now I feel closed for business.
I know some people love this time of year, but it really just sucks so hard for some of us. I’m one of those us.
I grammar good.
You know what? I think I’m going to force myself to play something new today. Even if it’s just five minutes, even if I’m not into it, even if any number of other excuses; I’m going to play something new today. Worse case scenario: I don’t break out of this funk and things remain situation: crap for motivation. Best case scenario: I start a game and enjoy it and POOF! On my way to enjoying gaming again.
If none of this made sense, you have my apologies. I was all prepared to write about something else today, but this is all I can think of, gaming-wise. I’ll save my “If Cloud Was An Animal Crossing Character” piece for Friday.
Have you ever felt burned by a game? If so, which game?
Categories: games
Rebekah Lang 
It happens sometimes to feel burnt out from games. Try some random games here and there to see if something catches your attention or focus in another hobby you have.
Last time I felt burnt from a game was probably Agents of Mayhem. Halfway through that game I was really hating it. It was too late to go back and I really wanted to justify the full price I paid for it. I’m still mad at this game…I was so hyped!
Anyway, have a nice week! I hope you can get better! Are you watching the Game Awards tomorrow? I hope they announce some fun stuff!
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I’m definitely going to do that, it’s a good idea! I’m honestly thinking about games I have no thoughts about just to see if I can shake things up.
Oh no, you wound up hating it?! I’m sorry. What a crappy feeling. :( Even worse because you had been looking forward to it.
You bet I’m watching the awards! I hope we see some neat stuff and I REALLY hope they bring in an orchestra for the show! It’s my wish!
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It sounds to me like you need to play a few self-contained experiences rather than ongoing, open-ended online stuff like Fallout 76 and Destiny 2. I’d even steer clear of open-world games for a little while. It’s easy to get burned out on stuff that feels like it has no end, even though that open-ended nature is also one of their best qualities, depending on your mood!
Last time I felt this way was Final Fantasy XIV. I played that game for three and a bit years almost to the exclusion of everything else, and while I enjoyed it, by the end of it I was beginning to resent the experience somewhat — not only for the busywork you describe above, but also for the amount of time it was taking away for other games! I ultimately set it aside, and probably won’t go back unless they do something really amazing with the upcoming new expansion. I don’t regret the time I did spend with it, however.
Get yourself on a nice adventure game or linear RPG, or if you really want a quick hit of fun, some sort of arcade game. Something you can finish and get a nice virtual “pat on the back” for beating :)
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I definitely need to play something different, that’s for darn sure!
See, I relate to that, too. It’s unfortunate when something you enjoyed turns into almost a chore. I am glad you are without regrets for what you put into it!
I honestly think I want to just play something mindless and exciting. I don’t know what that is yet, but I’m pondering!
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Totally feel you on the Destiny 2 “new” content. It’s becoming so modulated and is taking the fun out of the game (which has such fantastic gameplay!)
But I definitely know what you mean. It forces people to play certain modes that they don’t want to and that’s annoying and pushes me away. There should be more options than the “complete 40 annoying gambit matches”!
I’ve never seen a game with more potential miss the mark so many times in a row as far as endgame content and expansion content goes.
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I agree; they seem to be making the oddest choices. I don’t know who they are trying to appeal to now. It feels like a rudderless ship.
Oh man, the busy work in these bounties. I ask myself now: is that gun, armor, ship, sparrow, worth it? My answer is pretty universally no.
Again I agree with you. Sadly, but I agree with you.
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Just been enjoying Tomb Raider; don’t think I’m getting back to Spiderman no time soon. If ever!
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I’m sorry about Spider-Man, but I’m glad you’re enjoying Tomb Raider!
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I’m sorry to hear about your unfortunate Fallout 76 base issue. You’ve been one of the only people who hasn’t been railing on Fallout 76 recently and is refreshing that at least it sounded like you were finding some enjoyment with the game though the criticism has been wholly justified.
I’m actually playing a game that originally burned me out: Hollow Knight Voidheart Edition. My first playthrough was annoying but this time around has been a lot better both due to my prior knowledge and also stumbling around in a better order and getting some better items to help with the more challenging areas. I hope that you find a game to play that’ll leave you less burnt out.
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Aw, thank you. It was so stupidly frustrating. I’m glad I forced myself to put it down. But yes, I really had been enjoying it.
I love that you were able to go back to Hollow Knight and have a better experience this time. Do you think you enjoy it more because you had to work harder for it the first time? I’m honestly curious. I just think about awful and difficult bosses in games (I’m looking at Midir in Dark Souls 3, specifically) and I wonder if the eventual victory was even better because I had to work at it so hard. I have no idea.
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I love a hard won victory but there came a point where the struggle wasn’t matching the payoff. The most frustrating part for me was that some of the boss designs basically put you with attack patterns that leave little room to avoid or so many opponents that you can’t avoid damage or heal. Hollow Knight takes inspiration from Dark Souls but sometimes in the wrong way.
I’ve gotten further in than before but some of those problems are popping up again. I hope to finish but sometimes feeling like I’m making any progress is uncertain.
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That’s the balance, for sure. I enjoyed Dark Souls 3 overall, but some of those Souls bosses are stupidly hard (or at least they were for me). So I feel you.
Feeling like you aren’t necessarily making progress is so frustrating. I hope you are either able to push through or that you found something else of interest to play.
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