I came back from about a year break because I felt that all too familiar itch to play wow again. I was actually excited to play again. I got in game and there’s just no spark. No passion. Just a feeling of “oh…this is disappointing”. I figured a break would have made more of a difference.
I’m not sure how to describe it. Wow used to be my life for literal years and I did eventually start playing less and less. I quit in early '21 because I didn’t really care for SL but I thought well with this much time away and I’m getting that itch again, sure it’s only $15.
When I’m in game it’s just big time “eh I could be playing something more fun”. I even gave TBC classic a try (I absolutely adored it when it was current) but I just got bored.
I don’t like feeling like this. I wish I enjoyed wow more than I do but is this what truly “being done with the game” feels like? I’m not bitter. I’m not angry. I just don’t feel much of anything toward wow right now. Sorry for the rant just wanted to vent some feelings to fellow wow players.
I think a big part of it is this knowing in the back of my mind that I should be something more productive. So sometimes I guilt myself while playing like “look at how you’re wasting your life when you could be exercising or learning a new subject or completing your work.”
I get around this by reminding myself that having rest time is important. It’s okay to relax and just zone out a bit, but as a result, I don’t push too hard with WoW, which works very well for me.
I think I used to try to achieve more with WoW because I didn’t push myself much IRL, so it’s just a matter of balancing things for myself. And this isn’t to judge how anyone else plays the game. I think everyone has their own style and way of doing things. E.g. there are people who are perfectly productive and can still push keys. That’s their own form of fun and relaxation.
Also I find that it helps me to play other games as well, even if I’m subbed to WoW. I got rid of this mindset of “since I’m subbed, I have to play 24/7.” It’s kinda stressful. I still play some Dota, and I really want to play Ghostwire Tokyo once I clear some assignments this month. I think that helps keep me a little bit more optimistic about things because I’m not putting all my eggs in one basket.
So all this is to say that maybe you gotto just figure out a system that works for you. You owe it to yourself to take care of yourself.
I use video games as a reward at the end of my day when EVERYTHING else is done - housework, working out, chores, work, etc.
I used to not do this, but at least now in my life I can say that when I’m playing video games everything else is taken care of. So no worries for me. I guess it’s just part of growing up it’s all about balance.
Thanks man! I did think the spark was back but clearly it isn’t. I’m just going to keep looking for my passion. I honestly wish it was wow but I think I’ll have to look elsewhere for now. Hopefully DF will bring it back. Plenty of time.
The passion of the current designers is centered on things like using spreadsheet metrics to design convoluted reward systems that feel bad to the players, and marketing and monetization systems that will convince people who regret paying for a 6 month sub they didn’t use much of to get a pretty mount to do it again.
I think something that can help alot is just finding fun in pretty much anything. I used to be someone who really hated everything about whatever game i played. One day I realized I was the main influence on why its bad and began to approach things from a different angle. Many people don’t get the option to complain about a game they play, sometimes you just have to see the fact that you can play a video game and it takes emotional space at all as a blessing. Once you see a video game as something you can focus on but, ultimately means nothing beyond what you ascribe value to, things become so much easier.
The game is fun if you are on top of the food chain and you are dominating on every aspect of the game.
However, on WoW becoz the game is accessible 24/7, there are many people who are very competitive and plays long hours and they could easily take the game domination from you. Becoz you are no longer dominating, you get bored. You compare yourself to those active players and you realize that your toon is so weak compared to them.
On me, I still enjoy WoW as Casual… becoz I dont compare myself anymore to 24/7 hardcore people. I just compare myself to players of my same ilevel. I just go with lower difficulty content that they do and I am happy becoz my toon is doing great when compared to them.
Yeah, I dont play PvP anymore. I know I would be at the bottom of the foodchain when I play that game these days. But I used to play PvP back then when I was very competitive and hardcore 24/7 on this game.
This is a good point. I found myself hating wow for a good while. Recently I put about 250 hours (I know a drop in the bucket into the time we’ve all put into wow) into Elden Ring and loved every second of it. After beating it I just felt a big “what’s next” void. I did some soul searching and realized I really did just fuel my own hatred of wow for many months and decided to let it go.
I may have tried to return too soon but I’m not upset about it.
Surely this isn’t the only way wow can be enjoyed, right? I remember enjoying the game so much when I was a bumbling noob who didn’t know any better. Ignorance is bliss. I think for a select few things, that’s a true statement.
I don’t think it’s that I compare myself to those at the top, I think it’s knowing the gap in power is so incredibly massive compared to what it used to be.
Meaning, back in TBC or Wrath the power gap between the top players and those just muddling around in “normal 10 mans” wasn’t near as vast as it is between M+15 players/mythic raiders and those that just raid normal. The power gap seems insurmountable unless you dedicate your entire life to this game and I guess I’m just not willing to do that anymore.
That’s why you have to erase in your head the power gap. Just compare yourself to players of the same ilevel and be contented with it. That’s what I am doing right now.
Eh. I dunno. It’s hardly insurmountable. Think of it this way: to get 278 gear, you need to do at least 1 +15 in a week. Doesn’t even have to be timed. You can just amble your way through it, just like back in the day in BRD. The key is finding like-minded people. My crew right now who I stumbled into just several months ago, is full of similarly minded people. No one is ssuper competitive or rude about people who mess up or aren’t optimal.
A lot of WoW is the people you play with. Been like that since day 1.
There’s no need to no-life this game. Plenty of people here rocking KSM and all 270+ gear are parents with multiple jobs and other duties, yet they manage to play, have fun, and feel good about their power level. That’s certainly the case for me. I get to play pretty much between 10PM and 12AM, and even then, only sometimes for M+ which needs uninterrupted time which is very hard with a toddler.
Sounds like you just don’t find the game fun anymore, which is fine. As many have noted, we all take breaks. perhaps you just need a longer one, start fresh with the new xpac perhaps? Coming in at the tail end of an xpac (I know we have 1 more season) can always feel a bit intimidating — but only if it you let it do that to you. I know I took a long break between end of Cata and start of Legion. Skipped Panda and WoD entirely. Granted, Legion was a GREAT xpac to return to. If it was just BfA… I might have stayed away lol.
I had the exact same feeling with Diablo 2 and 3 (haven’t played enough to the 1st to get that feel).
When it’s done, it’s done and there’s nothing wrong about it, I played WoW hardcore during Vanilla & TBC, then I took a very long break and came back during WoD until the very end of Legion and came back again 3 weeks ago in Shadowlands and I pretty much enjoy it.
The main thing with video games is to be entertained, when it’s not the case anymore it’s better to move on.
Sometimes I remember some old games that I played and tell to myself “Hey! That game has been a good ride”
Life can be such a bytch, but never lie. Find your next action and draw the course, have a good one
It happens when things get old to you. Just natural. I go through wanting to play WoW in short bursts (generally at the beginning or end of expansions—the middle is always a lull), but this game can’t hold my attention like it used to.
And forcing yourself to find that feeling is just gonna make you more annoyed or angry or depressed or all three.
Just do something you enjoy, if it isn’t WoW, that’s fine. Gotta break that addiction some day and realize it’s just a game, not worth getting yourself into a dump about it.
it’s all about balance.