[Misc] Would you play a video game for 500 hours?

[BBassic]

Modern video games boast longer and longer playtimes – but does the idea of spending hundreds of hours on a game make you feel excited, or exhausted?

https://www.theguardian.com/games/2022/jan/12/would-you-play-a-video-game-for-500-hours

I buy Football Manager every year and sink at least 700 hours into it each time.

Gaming is my primary hobby and, whilst I don't put 500 hours into every game, I do play a lot of games. I used to feel a bit of guilt about it, in my twenties mostly, but now I'm approaching 40 I no longer care.

 

[Wozza]

I used to feel a bit of guilt about it, in my twenties mostly, but now I'm approaching 40 I no longer care.

Opposite here. Used to 'waste' a lot of time playing games in my teens and 20s. Devoted much less time as I've gotten older.

 

[BBassic]

Opposite here. Used to 'waste' a lot of time playing games in my teens and 20s. Devoted much less time as I've gotten older.

I've definitely gotten better at carving out time for it rather than what I would do in my 20s which was forsake everything else for playing games. So I guess whilst I still play a lot of games I'm a bit more measured in making sure other aspects of my life, girlfriend, friends, work etc. aren't suffering.

 

[Mellotron]

Can’t nowadays. In my teens and 20s sure.

Also, if I had Bernard’s Watch, it’s exactly what I’d do. Along with catching up on sleep and learning foreign languages.

 

[Barham's tash]

Having two kids makes it impossible but I still fire up CM 01/02 of an evening when the Mrs has gone to bed and the kids are asleep. 500 hours? Maybe not but I’ve got save games from this year which are maybe 150/200 hours.

It helps that I’ve always been a night owl and can survive on 5 hours sleep a night.

 

[Swansman]

In the past I have played some games for more than 500 hours. Probably more than 5000 hours as well. Some regrets over it as I could have used that time better and its not likely to happen again.

I think it also develops your brain in a certain way that has both advantages and disadvantages.

 

[beorhthelm]

thats less 2 hours a day for a year. in online gaming worlds thats not even trying.

 

[B-right-on]

I'm of the age when I remember Space Invaders first hitting the pubs and the very first TV games consols that had black and white tennis (which was literally 2 lines used to move up and down to hit the ball).

I played a bit but never got into it. Seen others become obsessed with games and spend countless hours stuck in front of the TV. I can't see it being healthy for them.

Neither of my kids got into it until the lockdown. My youngest (14) got into Minecraft on her laptop. She's now obsessed with it and spends far too long on it.

 

[BBassic]

In the past I have played some games for more than 500 hours. Some regrets over it as I could have used that time better and its not likely to happen again.

I used to think this too but enjoying your leisure time is time well spent.

 

[Swansman]

I used to think this too but enjoying your leisure time is time well spent.

But did I enjoy it more than other activities that might have required a bit more effort, or was it just the most comfortable way to kill some time? Not sure.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

I remember getting addicted to Gods when I was in my 20s.

I used to stay up playing until the early hours. Finally completed it.

I see it's now available remastered as well https://store.steampowered.com/app/628720/GODS_Remastered/

 

[Luke93]

During lockdown I rediscovered the time needed for long gaming sessions. Will easily sink 500+ hours into a game
I enjoy. But now I find myself just playing the same games when I have time, instead of sitting down and starting a new one.

 

[Munkfish]

I have done with Warzone for over the last couple of years. First time I’d picked up a controller in years.

 

[Insel affe]

I play soccer manager bought the new one an ipad app, it is ok, I like the match and it is not too complicated.
probably play about half an hour a day, if i can be bothered, did a long binge over Christmas of about 3hours.

Long gone are the days, when I stayed up for hours playing football manager or die piggy die.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

No.

 

[The Clamp]

My boredom threshold for any computer game is about 15 mins. I wish I was into it sometimes, looks like it could be fun.
But when I think of anyone over the age of about 20 playing video games it conjures up an image of some pot bellied sad sack, slumped on a ratty couch with a joint in an over full ash tray next to him and a load of washing up in the sink. Depressing.

 

[Rambo]

I could quite easily spend my life playing Cities Skylines. Thankfully my computer won’t run it without setting on fire and this saves me a serious amount of wasted time.

Again like someone said, having 2 kids too it’s nigh on impossible to invest the time you need to.

Maybe when I retire.

 

[herecomesaregular]

I had a C64 then a Megadrive Loved having mates around for EA Hockey and Micro Machines. But could never get into anything solo, just seemed a waste of time with little tangible results. It was the mates together in the same room I enjoyed as a teen and in my 20s. However, that's probably a generational and age thing. Both ex gf's had boys in their late teens and early 20s and they were obsessed with Gaming. I did understand her encouraging it: kept them off the streets and out of trouble and then via internet gaming still in touch with their mates (and strangers of course, which can be double edged). Cheaper than going out to the pub and less likely to be snorting cocaine. It's a different world nowadays. So 500 hours gaming perhaps doesn't seem too much to me. My brother will only let his son have a crappy old wii while his mates have ps4 and ps5. As a 13 yo he's getting very frustrated. Brother thinks he should be doing more practical things and be out and about. But there is counter argument to that as above and times have changed bro. Just because you don't understand it doesn't mean it's bad or can be stopped by over severe parenting.

 

[BBassic]

My boredom threshold for any computer game is about 15 mins. I wish I was into it sometimes, looks like it could be fun.
But when I think of anyone over the age of about 20 playing video games it conjures up an image of some pot bellied sad sack, slumped on a ratty couch with a joint in an over full ash tray next to him and a load of washing up in the sink. Depressing.

That is a shockingly accurate description of my younger self.

These days though the joints are gone, the pot belly is sadly still evident but smaller and the housework is all handled before the game boots up.

 

[The Clamp]

That is a shockingly accurate description of my younger self.

These days though the joints are gone, the pot belly is sadly still evident but smaller and the housework is all handled before the game boots up.

Good man

I wish it was my thing, would love an escape like that. It would make a quiet night shift a lot more interesting.