Burning Out On Your Passion And Rediscovering Your Hobby

Video games combine digital art and gameplay to create stories impossible to tell in other mediums, stories that have captivated me since I was old enough to hold a controller (which is not a long time, but still). I am big into games; I play them, I write about them, I even have a Bsc in Computer Gameplay Design and Production. You’d think with that extremely humble flex under my belt it would be nigh on impossible for me not to be able to find something to play, but it is. 

Gaming burnout is a thing. A really annoying thing. And it's really hard to describe. For me, I went from being able to pick up any game and play it for hours on end to staring at the Steam Store page for similar lengths of time. I am pretty sure I could list all the categories of games on there from memory, forwards, backwards, and in alphabetical order, if you’re so inclined. 

The Buckethead Brigade’s story is still waiting to be fully told.

It’s not a case of not having anything to play either; I've recently dug deep into tabletop fantasy video game adaptations like Baldurs Gate and the Pathfinder games and there's plenty of content there to work with. At the moment, the biggest tragedy, for me, is my inability to finish my playthrough of Divinity: Original Sin 2. 

So why does this happen? What cosmic power takes my ability to flirt with poor RPG characters away? To put it bluntly, I have no idea. It could be due to the fact that my life has been so built around games that I’ve had an existential crisis and lost faith, but that’s unlikely, as I do have other things that I do just as often which keep me going. 

I’m a swimmer, I kayak, and every now and then shoot things with a stick and string like a terrible version of Hailey Steinfield. Is it, perhaps, my evolution as a person, and as I grow older I grow out of the games I loved in my childhood? I literally still have an Oshawott plushie in my bed, so it’s probably not that. My best guess is it has something to do with my mental health - I have anxiety and a little bit of seasonal depression and (as if by magic) my burnout has reared its ugly head this January. 

Me playing Mario Kart DS: I hate this stupid game! How did I lead for two and a half laps then come 8th?
Also me playing Mario Kart DS: Ooooooh Wario Stadium is next!

I wasn't about to let mental health take this away from me, so I found a few ways of ‘cheating’ my way into playing games and enjoying my passion.

“Hey Jamie, having fun yet?”

*plink*

Playing with friends is pretty much the go-to for me if I can’t play on my own. Being able to socialise while playing takes me out of my own head enough for me to enjoy what I am doing. It might seem like an obvious point, but sometimes you need a reminder why games brought you joy in the first place, and gaming with friends can do that - even if it's getting beaten 2-25 in Halo. 

Games are like anything; they make memories, and playing with friends reminds me of times when games have had an impact on me. It wakes my passion up a little bit. Playing with other people also means that you don’t have to pick what game you play, which is sometimes the biggest hurdle when it comes to burnout gaming. 

Playing with others isn't an option for everyone. It can be hard, even in the super connected modern age, to find people. Some games have awesome communities around them to join which may offer something similar, and making that connection can give you that little extra push you need to play. 

Streaming Boyfriend Dungeon counts as celebrating Valentine’s Day, right?

One of the other things that worked for me was streaming. Again, the social element plays into this - I got to talk the whole time I was playing and talk to the people in my chat. It’s a different way of playing; you have to be an entertainer while also trying to play the game, so it changed the way I interacted with the content. I was playing Boyfriend Dungeon on stream and actively talking about the characters made it easier for me to experience the game, for example. My focus was up because I had to be the narrator for swathes (probably closer to like half a swathe) of people who were watching me. Approaching my passion from a different angle gave me that extra kick I needed, and it also let me play a few games I never would have. 

Writing was my real crutch. Even when I can’t play, I can write - take this article, for example. I am engaging with my favourite medium without even touching a game. Not only that, but writing about games gives me a reason to play them when I need that little extra sense of productivity to get into them when I’m burnt out. 

As a grizzled academic with three and a half years of university behind me, I am used to being productive and feeling bad when I’m not doing things perceived as productive. Figuring out a work/life balance is something everyone should do, but if you’re like me this can be pretty difficult, which is why writing about games worked for me. Writing a review of Avorion, for example, gave me an excuse to play the game. I don’t necessarily need an excuse to play it, but it's a good way of tricking a workaholic brain into playing thirty hours of said space sandbox. 

Editor’s note: Good news Jamie, I have the perfect video game to get you out of your rut!

Speaking of balance, sometimes gaming burnout can just be that you’re bored of a certain genre, or that you just need a break in general. And that's fine. Everything requires moderation, and forcing yourself to play when you don’t have the heart for it isn't going to work. Games are very dreamy, but they are not the sun. Sometimes you have to do something completely different to enjoy the things you love most - like, for example, binge watch all of Grey's Anatomy, which is where I got that ‘dreamy’ metaphor from (thanks, Christina). 

Most importantly, don’t get frustrated with gaming burnout. Yes, it’s annoying, but you can’t fix it by shouting at your PC - and yes, I’ve tried. Being a human being is a very weird process, and finding it hard to enjoy the things you know you are supposed to enjoy is mind-boggling, but there will be a way to reconnect with your passions. If you are struggling, I hope my ramblings might spark some inspiration for you to get back in the saddle, but regardless, remember this; games will still be there when you come back.