Why do you play video games?

newtonja

newtonja

Sometimes I ask myself why I play video games, why do I sink hours playing Zelda link between worlds, Earthbound, or Xenoblade. Then I ask why we as people play video games. the obvious answer is that it is fun, but why is it fun.

I'll kick off the thread by why I like to play video games. when I play a video game I don't just want to beat it, I want to crush it. for example in paper Mario the thousand year door, I will do every thing to make me more powerful: invest in the rat dude so that I can have tons of money to buy powerful items, use badges to increase attack to make myself feel powerful, and invest in Bp to so that i can use powerful attacks. also I will spend tons of time grinding in earthbound so that I can crush all the enemies. as you can see I like the fact how video games empower me, they give me a sense that anything is possible, that I can be as strong and as powerful as I want.

before i start the discussion I just want to establish that i don't want to see any "I play video games because they are fun" I want meaningful reasons why they are fun. And with that out of the way, Why do you play video games?
 
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funny is correct.
Funny because buying a game, you create the goal to finish it, start again if you lose, do not like making mistakes in life that you struggle to fix them, video games are the our world where we have fun in winning and losing, it's what we do in the time free.
I think so
 
To chill with friends if we're all at our homes doing nothing.

For a while now I have had next to zero interest in turning it on though. Sorry PS4.
 
I've just been playing Painkiller for about an hour and at this moment, I feel a lot more relaxed than I did an hour ago (which is kind of strange because Painkiller is balls to the wall action). Perhaps it's just the catharsis value of shooting the face off a horde of charging undead monsters.
 
Because I'm generally good at them, even if I am terrible at everything else in life. It's just nice to be good at something. it's like a constant.

It doesn't matter that I have no job, no gf, as long as there is something I'm good at, I feel a lot better.
 
Explained by a great player himself:

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I guess you could say dendi is hooked.
EHHHHHH?

I play games because I enjoy projecting myself into realities other than my own. I have a tendency to do that randomly throughout the day. I'm not sure if its creativity or mental illness, but I enjoy it!

I guess I relish the challenge as well, otherwise I wouldn't play competitive pokemon and dota 2
 
It's a challenge, it's always nice to immerse myself in something that would be completely impossible in ordinary existence. And I agree that it's more immersive than movies or books, generally, probably because you're in direct control of the character, most allow you to shape the story, personality and so on based on your actions so it lets you put yourself into the character far more, you get concerned if the character's in danger, since you feel more like the character is an extension of yourself. ...And it's fun.
 
I like playing video games because they provide different, unique, mathematical structures. On the surface it's basic problem solving, but try to do anything competitive and you start really exploring the thought process behind the game.

This is very true of speedrunning as well as competitive Pokemon. Routing a game is like mathematical proof writing. You need to give conclusive arguments showing why what you do will produce the theoretical fastest time. Of course, the execution is fun for other reasons, especially if you run a game which requires a lot of improvisation and quick thinking.

I guess my real goal in playing a video game is the same as for any other game. I want to see something I've never experienced before. The beauty of games is that creators can in very simple ways form something completely unique.
 
I started playing Pokemon because I love Pokemon, then the games become fun.

I started playing Taiko Drums because I wanted to improve my ability to count rhythmic beats, which was what I was worst at in music.
It did improve heaps. But now I have problems with my muscles (due to my medication) that I can't play piano anymore.
So now, playing Taiko is just for fun.

I started playing Jubeat because most of my friends are playing.
 
I play video games because I love good stories, I don't like to go out on Friday nights(not a big party fan), and all my friends seem to do it so why not hang out with them. Also I am pretty good at them so I enjoy doing something I am good at. Finally because I love it as a stress reliever.
 
blarajan said:
i..enjoy them?
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Heresy! You can't play games because you enjoy them! There must be other motives!!111

But no really... Whats wrong with just liking them as a reason? I mostly use games to get away from my real life, which isn't all that great atm. They allow you to do almost anything you want. Galactic Hero? Check. All Star F1 Racer? Check. God? Check. Fantasy Elven Archer? Check. And a myriad of things in between.

I play because I love the experiences they give me.
 
Video games are suitable replacements for social activity.

In other words, disregard people, acquire pokemans.
 
DHR-107 said:
Heresy! You can't play games because you enjoy them! There must be other motives!!111

But no really... Whats wrong with just liking them as a reason? I mostly use games to get away from my real life, which isn't all that great atm. They allow you to do almost anything you want. Galactic Hero? Check. All Star F1 Racer? Check. God? Check. Fantasy Elven Archer? Check. And a myriad of things in between.

I play because I love the experiences they give me.
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The reason why I would like answers more than I like them is because one, I think it is a pretty safe assumption that we all like video games, and two I am looking for the reason you like them, the reason why they are Fun, do you know what I mean?
 
for me video games, and even moreso the internet, are a way to escape from real life. Sometimes life is just horrible, and you need some way to get away from it all. If I feel really depressed, I go play some Zelda, Pokemon or ace attorney. Even if I choose to play a game that's depressing (every Layton game.....), it feels good. I like being able to let my feelings flow in the form of tears, prompted by something that isn't to do with real life. Crying about irl things just makes it worse, but crying for video games or animes or whatever feels good, I enjoy it.

so I guess I play video games for fun \o/
 
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