Outside of deck builders, my interest in any sort of competitive gaming is basically dead.
I just don't have the patience anymore to "git gud".
I find myself gravitating towards a lot of smaller indie titles, shorter games, things that are less twitch skill based, and games that focus more on story/atmosphere.
Mostly, this is a result of just not having the time (which is more of a feeling than reality) to sink 40+ hours into a title.
Lastly, I've been gaming for so long that I immediately recognize game loops and staples in game design. No matter how good the game may be, I'll often get bored with what typically feels like filler to me.
This is the main reason I find myself trying out weird indie games like The Black Watchmen, Not for Broadcast, Obra Dinn, the Lost Phone games, Her Story, Orwell, Stories Untold, The Talos Principle, What Remains of Edith Finch, Firewatch, etc.
I probably play more interactive fiction and puzzle games than anything else at this point.
That's not to say I don't play AAA, but I'm currently at various stages of completion for GOW Ragnarok, Spiderman Miles Morales, Baldur's Gate 3, Elden Ring, Horizon 2, and several others.
I think one major issue is that sitting down for an hour isn't going to give you much feeling of accomplishment in most AAA games these days.
I'm also 41.
Outside of deck builders, my interest in any sort of competitive gaming is basically dead.
I just don't have the patience anymore to "git gud".
I find myself gravitating towards a lot of smaller indie titles, shorter games, things that are less twitch skill based, and games that focus more on story/atmosphere.
Mostly, this is a result of just not having the time (which is more of a feeling than reality) to sink 40+ hours into a title.
Lastly, I've been gaming for so long that I immediately recognize game loops and staples in game design. No matter how good the game may be, I'll often get bored with what typically feels like filler to me.
This is the main reason I find myself trying out weird indie games like The Black Watchmen, Not for Broadcast, Obra Dinn, the Lost Phone games, Her Story, Orwell, Stories Untold, The Talos Principle, What Remains of Edith Finch, Firewatch, etc.
I probably play more interactive fiction and puzzle games than anything else at this point.
That's not to say I don't play AAA, but I'm currently at various stages of completion for GOW Ragnarok, Spiderman Miles Morales, Baldur's Gate 3, Elden Ring, Horizon 2, and several others.
I think one major issue is that sitting down for an hour isn't going to give you much feeling of accomplishment in most AAA games these days.