Am I not a gamer anymore?

I held world record for most time spent on gaming as well as most games completed as well as competed at the highest level in both online and national tournaments in some of the most popular games of the generation like Half Life, Unreal Tournament, Star Craft, etc.

When I got my PC in 2001 dreamcast was also the last console I ever needed to buy. Multiplayer games with internet access were far superior experience, and then MMORPG's became my primary genre as I had some of the best experience in gaming thanks to Ultima Online and Star Wars Galaxies to just name a few.

Anyways, 2007 was like the last MMORPG I bought on launch Aion and played for 2-3 months. Going back to 2011 DC Universe was the next MMORPG I bought on launch with $35 for box and month free promo) as I also was playing World of Warcraft. Since then until now I have not had interest to spend $ on any new game both single player or multiplayer.

I bought Legion expansion and I spent $10 for Marvel Heroes Online during this Christmas. Over the last 3 years I also enjoyed some Path of Exile, but yea I simply cannot stand our current, modern, single player games that are super popular like the Witcher 3 cause it's something too familiar with me.

I know I will never get more epic stories from gaming like Suikoden 1/2, Xenogears, FFVIII, Grandia/Azure Dreams and many others. Bottom line, I'm only interested in virtual, persistent world games where I can have freedom to interact with others, make my own stories and simply feel immersed in a totally new universe with so many professions/classes/skills/abilities.

I have not seen such MMORPG come for 12 years and I'm still waiting for it.

For me most MMO games got boring. My first was Anarchy Online but I have played lots of them including SWG. I spent the most time on EVE but it really just didn't have the content to fit my playstyle after a while. Shooters are still fun but I like how Planetside 2 is more persistent instead of match based and how you have more freedom to play the way you want.

Your MMO problem is the WOW effect. After WOW everyone is just trying to build WOW clones. Same classes and same mechanics pasted over some other world. I think for me no MMO was ever as fun as the first one. Learning all the new mechanics and stuff. AO was actually very complex with two layers of gear with weapons and armor as one and implants as another. Everything after that was so much simpler that it just ended up boring.

Now I love strategy games like those from Paradox or strategy survival games like Factorio and Rimworld. Doesn't mean we are not gamers though.

Does it really matter the title of "Gamer" to you? You still enjoy gaming. So yeah, you do not enjoy single player games, and some will maybe tell you that unwohrty the title of "Gamer". It still means nothing, because you still enjoy games, in your way. So keep going, do what you like, Man.

You sound boring if anything.

bit sad that you've convinced yourself you can't get any enjoyment out of sp games pal. there's tons of great games out there to be experienced.

how do you get to hold the record for most games completed and most time spent gaming when you don't play sp games?

@Macutchi, if you could understand grammar then you would know that held and hold are two different words. I don't enjoy single player games cause I prefer to watch tv series/movies if I was for the stories. Today's single player game also do not last for 40-60 hours of experience with huge cast of characters, world to explore, variety of options and different ending scenarios. Also back then single player games were more challenging without the option where I can just waltz on easy mode through or finish em on hardest without any other reason but self satisfaction.

@Apsis, I did enjoy Anarchy Online myself too. It was a great MMORPG.

First bold: Dont be a dick for no reason.

Second Bold: Yes they do. Play games and you'd know that.

Third bold: Then dont put it on easy mode? Thats a self control problem you have there m8. Lots of games still dont have difficulty options. Namely the Soulsborne series.

don't know how past and present tenses affect anything i said but still, thanks for the english lesson.

seems to me like you should brush away your preconceptions, do a bit of research and try out some sp games before you write them all off with a sweeping and incorrect generalisation. or you can just stay feeling sorry for yourself and spend your time lamenting on internet gaming forums about how you're not a gamer anymore.

overly sensitive too

@Kopogero: The implant system was and still is a great idea. Nothing felt better than tweaking my character like crazy to squeeze into that 200 quality implant set that made my agent cast complete heal so fast I was considered a doctor on raids and groups!

Finding new and interesting stories and that break the mold aren't easy but they are out there. In the end if you play games you are a gamer. Doesn't matter what games!

This... spot on.

If those are the kind of games you've been playing, you have only skimmed the surface. They're fun games, don't get me wrong, but they're all very cookie-cutter, formulaic, run-of-the-mill.

I'd argue that you got yourself burned out on the "wrong" kind of games, and you simply need to rediscover gaming again. Your standards, preconceptions, and standards are also outdated and will need adjusting; there are many rich singleplayer gaming experiences to be had that might only last a few hours, but only cost 5-10 dollars and are incredibly worth it. As for as multiplayer goes, there are plenty of options out there.

So are you a gamer? I don't know, why don't you go find out! :D

This entire post seems like it was written just to build your fandom. Not really impressed...

Branch out into other areas. A game like FSX, will last longer than 40-50 hours. Even if one were to fly daily, it would take years for one to fly between all 24,00 airports in the game. Then there is Train Simulator, it too would take quite some time to do with all the scenarios to complete just in the base game and that does not include any DLC and mods.

Games should challenge one besides tell stories, try the Homeworld franchise, it tells a story as well as challenge you. Try the Company of Heroes franchise as well.

Sounds more like you've become a gamer now, and before you were a professional time waster. Did you enjoy sinking that much time into games or did it feel more like work?

When I stopped trying to "complete" games for the sake of completing them, I started enjoying gaming a whole lot more, even if I did it less often.

Here's thing you need to do. Take a break from gaming all together! Take a vacation, hiatus whatever, the moment your mind tells you miss gaming, you'll be back to being a gamer, you'll miss it.

@apsiscomputers: Agree. MMO went the way of the dodo, now, Action-games are popular

I need to start doing this. But the thrill of achievements is too damn much.

TC, it's better this way, more time to do other things TBH. Play games when you feel like it.

The only games I ever got all the achievements in were Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and Shadow Complex on XBLA. I like achievements, I just never feel the need to get all of them in every game. Just the ones I think would be the most fun.

@Kopogero: Do you play Video Games of any kind? Because that's what a "Gamer" is, for how much time you can invest in the hobby or not, shouldn't be up for debate.

I like to think myself as someone who plays games quickly, and if heavily enjoyed? sticks with said game for a long time, most those games I really enjoy are 100% once finished, and many of them are considered "difficult".

However, that's just preference for what I like to do with games and don't judge how others like to enjoy games.

Game-on dood.

You should give up gaming while you still can,before it's to late.You should go into boxing and go for the golden gloves and then become a dentist.Why not?

I do not really care if a game has achievements or not. I play games to play games, not see how many inconsequential trophies I can get that do not add to any of the gameplay.

I play video games when I want, and dont play videogames when I dont want to. I dont give half a shit about title.

if you play videogames then you're gamer

and by videogames, i mean games with actual "video" in it, like cut-scenes.

I don't really play those online MMO type games, i'm more into the open world or linear story games, but whatever floats your boat...

If a game has cut scenes, it is just showing off laziness on the development team. How about giving a gamer actual content?

Did you ever play Dead Rising or the Orange Box? Those were some incredible achievements.

Nope. I never played either of those games.

Do you play any kind of virtual games? If yes then you are a gamer.

It does not matter that you do not run out and buy all the new games or go crazy on sales.

you are still a gamer. Just an MMO gamer.

I was the same way. Bloodborne was the first game that snapped me out of it. I'm playing Nioh now. SP gets boring because most SP games are too easy. Soulsborne/Nioh don't have that problem.

MMOs train your brain to play fetch and gather repeatedly to slowly build gear and level until that is all you want to do. I burned out on WoW and after taking a long hiatus and coming back I found the draw of that style of game had died in me, and I thought I would never game again. Honestly, if that is your thing and you don't want to break away from it, a game like Conan Exiles or Ark is sooooo right up your alley that you are cheating yourself by not trying it.