Another one bites the dust.

Hey guys, I wanted to get with you, as I really enjoy and respect this community, and many of the opinions from you folks.

I am tired of gaming. More specifically, I am tired of playing every day, and earning an achievement every day to maintain streaks. I want to simply let go of them and just play when I want to, but after 6 years, it's become an unmanageable addiction that has affected my life in several ways. Countless hours are spent planning achievements and playing games I normally wouldn't play in order to keep the damn things going. It's frustrating, exhausting, and no longer enjoyable.

Also, the over abundance of disrespectful youth have saturated online gaming, and has reduced enjoyment in that to zero. I cannot play a random game without some bastard kids ruining the experience. I haven't played an online game in years now because of this.

Gaming is no longer fun for me. And because of this, I had seriously considering simply retiring. The only thing that has really kept me going these last few years has been the great friendships I've made. For that reason alone, I will keep my equipment and will play with friends only and when I want to, not daily. I would rather play Halo 3 on Legendary with great friends over and over again instead of play shit games for achievements, completions, and gamerscore increases. I'd rather have all 6 Borderlands 2 characters 100% campaign, level 72. I'd rather play Gears of War series for fun, not 10,000, 100,000 or, 1,000,000 kills. Achievements have successfully ruined this gamer.

I started out on the Master System, playing for hours because it was fun. Now I play for hours to get an achievement. The 'grind' as it's referred to as destroyed my interest in playing games. If a game has a 'grind' achievement in it, I avoid it. It could be the years' best game, and I won't play it because of that. I also won't play games with online specific achievements. I simply hate the mass community Live has become. Only a small sample are truly worth gaming with.

I announce this because the intelligence level of this community here at GTN deserves it. The tools at virtually all the other gamer sites I frequent just don't get it - it would be a troll heaven if I were to admit this other than here.

With that in mind, the lot of you here at GTN have managed to allow me to keep some hope alive in the gaming community. Without you guys, I'd sell it all, Gamestop for cash, fuck it. I cancelled my One order, and have started to get rid of the shit games I bought just for achievements. I will keep and play what I enjoy.

Or maybe I'm just getting too old. This past weekend was planned for me by my wife and sister, and it was a really fantastic experience. I had a few experiences over the weekend that has seriously altered the way I perceive myself. One of those was the affect that gaming has made on me over the years. I have wasted so much potential because I was too busy gaming. I missed important events, I spent thousands of much-needed dollars, and I alienated myself from my friends, just for god-damned achievements.

I don't know. I am not really convinced I can make this change in my life. So, without trolling and flaming, please discuss with me what your opinions on the subject is.

Thanks in advance.

I've felt the way you have before. I'll go periods of time without even thinking of playing or am just too busy to turn the system on. But usually it just takes either a new game coming out or thinking about finishing a game I got away from to get sucked back in. I hear what you mean about grinding taking the fun out of it. I used to play games for fun, but once I got my 360 and realized I could hear that sweet sound of achievements it all changed. It became like Pokemon and I have to catch them all for whatever game I'd play. I'm slowly starting to realize I can't keep this up and I'm missing some good games because I can't 100% them. I'd suggest take a break, don't think about gamerscore or achievements and then when you least expect it you may have that urge to power the system back on and it'll flow out of you.

I have felt like that several times too mate. Just after my team got knocked out in a competition due to only me scoring and keeping us alive every week, boredom from the games that I can afford on such a low budget or grinding for that bloop. There has been times my wife has told me to go play my xbox and I've said no because I'd rather watch a terrible movie with her then play any of my games.

The last time I felt like this was just before I found GTN. The badges are just as addictive as the achievements but because of them I have found some enjoyable games within my budget to play like Dead Space. Also playing online with some of the members such as yourself instead of session after session on TA with random people has helped too.

The truth is that as enjoyable as achievements can be sometimes or as rewarding as they can be knowing that you beat xxx has slightly ruined gaming too. Very few people play games for fun now. My first system was the Master System and I remember the good times I had sat there on my bedroom floor with a friend or 2 taking turns to beat levels or bosses. As technology and games advanced bigger and better consoles and games came out. Now they just recreate the same things over and over like most sports games like NBA, Madden or FIFA (I know that there are little differences each year but come on) or sequels to a best seller trying to make more money out of a franchise like Gears of War, Mass Effect or Bioshock and the worst offender so far, Assassins Creed.

My advice would be take a break from achievements. If you find playing with friends relaxing then do that for a while. Although I can't chat during our sessions with B8TINGU I do find them enjoyable. Have some you time if you need it and try again afterwards. An achievement a day was my way too. Now I'd rather spend a long time playing The Godfather with the achievements popping few and far between then play something like Avatar TBE just for the score.

As for missing out on stuff and alienating yourself you're talking to a pro at that here. I dropped out of college doing media studies (something I enjoyed and still do) because I'd rather sit at home playing games. When I was homeless I carried my xbox and games on me at all times when sofa surfing. When I finally got a flat of my own I had to be forced out of there one night a week to play pool for a local team. I dropped out of the team after 2 months as I would rather have stayed home. I met my wife on one of those pool nights so it wasn't all bad. I used to sit there in a cold flat because I couldn't afford the gas to heat it up, all the lights would be off to save electric and I would eat one meal a day because all my money was going on games. I even used to argue with my wife about the amount of time I used to spend on there and my excuse used to be it's my stress relief. Now I find have to boost online achievements or grind other achievements rather stressing themselves and would rather sit down and laugh to a comedy to unwind instead.

What you do is up to you at the end of the day mate. Look at the pros and cons, think to yourself can I game for fun and not fall back into the ways of achievement popping just to hear that sound. It's not easy to keep out of that rut once you get out of it but believe me it is doable and it can put some of the fun back into it. Either way just take care of yourself.

I'm not done with gaming, I'm just done with score and achievement and completion hunting. After 230 games finished, I look back at those games and wonder what was I thinking? I did this for gamerscore? I miss the real gaming I used to do, like you've described - pure entertainment. I can't recall when it became an addiction, but I knew I had an issue when I was freaking out at the Nine Inch Nails concert because I didn't have an achievement yet. I bought Cracking Sands on WP and earned the easiest one I could get while the opening act was playing. At that moment, I realized all this. I was at a NINE INCH NAILS concert, my favorite band ever, for the first time ever, and I was preoccupied with achievements. I unlocked it and then sat down and look around. People were dancing, cheering, having the times of their lives, and I just sat there playing Xbox. What other times could I have been dancing, cheering, having the time of my life but instead chose Xbox? I remember when my daughter was born a little over two years ago, I had just got my windows phone, and we were in the hospital, waiting for her to come. I was playing Xbox instead of being with my wife. I remember events in my life and they are all tainted with achievements. I wouldn't go on a damn vacation last summer because I needed to keep my streaks alive. My family went and I stayed home.\

I realized this as I witnessed NIN perform and saw the thousands of people screaming and singing and dancing, and it was a beautiful moment for me. I tried to let go yesterday, but I decided to play for fun, and unlocked an achievement. Otherwise my streaks would have ceased yesterday. I may or may not play tonight. If I do, I won't work towards an achievement intentionally. If I get one, so what. The streaks will die eventually. I am no longer attached to them.

Ian. I'd rather play in silence with a friend, a game I enjoyed all over again, instead of what I was doing. That's what I miss. I don't like who I had become while so obsessed. It's all about to change.

Not worry about streaks fixes everything you complained about. As for looking back at your 230 games and asking "what for?", that's for the meta game of gamerscore. You have 174K! That's a ton of freaking points! According to the most comprehensive list of gamerscore I've seen you are ranked 7,709 (of 48,580,414) in the world. That's top 1% all day long man, and it's a hobby you've loved for ages, you shouldn't be ashamed of it. So look, man up already.

1. NIN - poor planning on your part, you could have done it the car.
2. Not going on vacation - okay that one was stupid, but cell phone would have fixed that
3. Birth of your child - been there, trust me it's NOTHING but sitting around for hours on your part waiting

Your gaming didn't ruin any of those moments, except the vacation one. And if you'd rather play the same game over and over again with your friends - DO that! You don't need to 'retire' or be overly dramatic and self reflective. To me, gaming for us is like an old man who went out and worked on cars or worked in his wood shop. It's a hobby! Have fun and don't let it take over your life.

alienated friends? yep i did that and lost my wife in the process. And she was actually pretty cool with my gaming habit. She even has helped me win some challenges by making sure i didnt have to leave the room for food or what not. Problem was I chose gaming over social and family events that were important to her and that took a big toll on us. The fairly large group of friends we were hanging out with 6 or 7 years ago(360launch) has changed a bit with new people and I dont know a lot of them now. Just last Saturday I went on a party bus for my friends 40th B-day and I was talking to this girl on and off all night, as the night was coming to an end she realized I was Shannen's ex and said I was a jerk for not introducing myself that way. She knew my ex for 4 years and im just meeting her? wth?

I haven't played much at all this year, sad that it took my wife to walk away for me to wake up and get my social life back but I thank her for it, its been a great year for the most part. I might be having a little too much fun at times. Reconnected with a lot of old friends and made a bunch of new ones. I went from buying 4-5 retail games a week to just 2 this whole year. I played Diablo3 once and Battlefield4 two or 3 times. I still play on my phone at lunch time or when Im waiting somewhere for something. I still enjoy it but its not as important to me as it was before.

I have made some good friends on Live and miss the regular group I competed with and boosted with but as you said im just not into the grind anymore. Im sure one day though Ill feel the need to compete again so im keeping my score whore stash..lol I have gone through stages of my life before where I stop gaming and concentrate more on being social but I always seem to return at some point.

remember when beating a game meant seeing the ending or the credits? now it means 1k, why? why spend hours collecting crap for 20gs? yep achievements have ruined it in that respect, some lists are better that others and do a good job of getting you to check out all a game has to offer but a lot of them just add time by making you do something thats not too much fun....

Oh and hang in there Porsche, hope all is well

Well, change your gaming habits.

I think the term "retire" is thrown around far too often. You can't really retire from a habit.

You don't retire from smoking or drinking.

You guys are awesome, thanks for the insights and opinions, and you're all correct in your various ways. I simply reached a point where it's no longer enjoyable. And retire is incorrect vernacular; it's a common word in our lexicon, which is why it's over-used. I am adjusting behaviors and eliminating bad habits.

I have to admit, I breathed a heavy sigh of relief after the processes were over at 360Voice and I saw my streaks hit zero.

"Good thing I have access to porschephiliac's entire MP3 collection streamed off his computer. It keeps me busy on days like yesterday when he never shows up to game. And so ends the 2428 day streak. So sad... "

I have never felt more free and alive.

I have never felt more free and alive.

Originally Posted by porschephiliac

See? I told you! I cared maybe the first week, then I was out of the habit. I go home, play a little of whatever, don't care if I get a cheevo, maybe go to bed at a decent time (which makes the wife happy). Life's good, play for fun man.

Sorry, it's just that you see the same guys "retire from gaming" over and over, and always make huge deals out of it (watcher comments, blog posts, forum threads, challenge walls) about how they are done or whatever.


Then they score a crap ton in a contest, or keep a score streak, or something, and then "retire" again.


So, it isn't you porsche, but there are plenty of gamers that need to get kicked in the junk every time they go to all the social sites to say they are retiring, again.

I understand Futiles. I have witnessed it before, and really didn't want to be one of those guys, but I felt it proper to inform the friends. I'll still be active with the communities, just no longer obsessed with streaks.

Losing the streak was a huge relief for me as well, I hated when the ex would say something like lets go up north this weekend? Even though its a lot easier now with the phone and all, its nice to not worry about it anymore.

And since my console stopped reading discs last Christmas, it's been phone, W8, or downloaded stuff ever since. I am surprised I managed this long. But 6+ years is a long time wasted on a statistically meaningless hobby.

Haven't played in 2 days, and I feel amazing. I really do feel free.