It’s funny how interests and hobbies can change as we get older. When I first started gaming, I played on consoles specifically Xbox. I played PC games occasionally, however, I devoted most of my time to first-person shooters like Halo or Gears of War. Now, I find myself playing more TTRPGs and board games with video games popping up every now and then. I wanted to share how gaming has changed for me and how I pick the games I play.

When I was in high school, I looked forward to when I hopped off the school bus, finished my homework, and I would sit downstairs in my basement to play Xbox. I would stay up till 3 AM playing a game and then sleep in until 10 or 11 the next day. Those were the good old days. I remember certain events in my life based on a video game I was playing. For example, I remember Batman: Arkham City because we had a snow day my senior year in high school, so I played Arkham City for hours underneath a cozy blanket. Once I went to college, gaming permanently shifted for me, although I didn’t know that then.

In college, I didn’t bring my Xbox with me and that was for the best. College was an adjustment and I think if I had my Xbox with me, it would have made me less social and less focused on my classes. While in college, I joined Video Game Club (VGC) a club that had meetings monthly, but meetings were marathons starting at 8 PM and ending at 8 AM. VGC helped me meet other gamers along with exposing me to board games. The first time I played Red Dragon Inn was at VGC; we had a huge group! Red Dragon Inn is a game I play all the time to this day. Gaming changed for me when I went to college as it taught me that I wouldn’t always have the time to play video games. When I did have the time, I cherished it a lot more.

After I graduated from college and started working full-time, my time to play video games shrank further. One of the biggest things I struggle with is having the energy to play video games. After I get home from work, exercise, and eat dinner, I’m tired. When I say tired, it’s not that I’m about to fall asleep, instead, I don’t have the energy to devote to something rigorous. If given the option, I’m more likely to pick a cozy game than a first-person shooter.

This leads me to the point which is how my gaming preferences have evolved. I will always have a soft spot for first-person shooters, that will never change. However, I tend to gravitate towards cozier games. I’m currently playing Hidden Through Time 2 and it’s been lovely. Hidden Through Time is a hidden objects game series and it’s been the perfect game to play during the week. It’s something I don’t have to concentrate on. It’s not that I don’t play more intensive games, but during the week, it’s nice to have an easier game to play.

When I pick out the video games I want to play, I have a process in place. I have a sticky notes app on my phone and one of the notes is a list of all the video games I want to play. In addition, I have the release dates next to the games, so I know when they come out. This has kept me organized and reminds me of the games I want to play and when. Before buying a game, I have started regularly watching gameplay from the game I want to buy. With video games now costing $70 per game, I want to know what the game looks like before I buy it. I never used to do this before and I don’t know why. I have spent a lot of money on games I would never play again which could have been avoided if I wanted gameplay videos before purchasing the game.

Video games will always carry some nostalgia for me. To be realistic, I know that my time to play video games will only get smaller in the next few years. I don’t feel sad about it. I think it’s helped me become pickier and only play games I know I will enjoy. I have also thought about replaying some of my all-time favorite games since it’s been several years since I played them last. Hobbies can change over time and long gone are the days in which I would play Halo on Legendary difficulty. I’m over it.