[hbosch]

I do the work I probably should be doing, or side projects, or spend time with my kids, or go on a walk, or follow up on that thing I've been putting off, or any of the other million things that are more productive and fulfilling than video games are. It's embarrassing to admit that I was a grown man who would put off basic, important tasks just to play games but I did. Now I don't.

It's not even really about choosing not to, either... it really does feel fundamentally like I cannot even derive a dopamine response to video games at all anymore, period. Same could probably be said about doom scrolling social media or whatever else. I just get no false positive feedback loop from the act.

[ragequittah]

If it works for you keep it up. As someone who finds video games an art form I find the 'avoidance to do better things' quite similar to someone who might avoid reading or watching movies as a hobby.

I suppose if you just play the same game day in and day out and it has no real substance (which admittedly is probably the largest gaming segment) it might be a good thing to get rid of the habit. But some games are masterpieces and they often hit very different than other mediums because you are the protagonist making choices. In my opinion some of the best stories come in the form of games and I find it a real shame there's a portion of the population who think they're a complete waste of time.

I think there's also something to be said here about being addicted to work. I know such people and it's just as sad even if it's what society expects of them.

[hnuser123456]

You can't judge someone for not liking a certain hobby. I spend a few hours gaming before bed each night after the bare necessity chores are done, but I have a nagging feeling in the back of my head that there are better things I could be doing with my time, and that's a healthy feeling. I've also had a time in my life where I spent almost all of my awake time trying "artistic" unique indie games, all very highly reviewed and well-made, and while yes, it is a unique and enjoyable art form, it still felt empty in a way. It's still all just pixels on a screen. Yet another Unity game. Yet another fetch side quest. Meanwhile I was unemployed and too depressed to make a good effort at applying for jobs, my self esteem so low that I felt nobody would hire me, living in a crappy old apartment in a crappy part of town, a major downgrade from how my life started.

[phaser]

I think the context here is important. regardless if videogames are an artform or not. putting off work, parenting or whatever are priorities in life to get a videogame fix is not the same as playing video games in your leisure time when is not an impulsive decision