Topic: Changing game tastes

So the other day I was talking to a co-worker the other day about games that I play and found that my taste in games have changed alot over the past few years and for various reasons but for the most part, it's due to time. Back during the 16 bit era up until the PS2 era I was mainly into RPGS and games with deep meaningful stories. Now don't get me wrong I still love a good RPG and a good story but with a job, a 15 year old son and other family obligations it's just hard for me to play a lengthy story based game. I start them but then it might be days, weeks or even months that I am able to get back to it thus by that time, I usually forget what I was doing and either face having to state over or not knowing what's going on. If I am able to play a game continuous I only play for an hour or two a night, and then a lengthy game can take me awhile to finish to say the least, thus adding more and more to my backlog. However I still enjoy gaming especially to relax after a hard days work.

This where my game tastes have changed, now I find that I enjoy games that I can play in short bursts mainly competitive type games. Games like Black Ops III, Rocket League, Street Fighter even stuff like Resogun. Stuff that I can pick up right away, get into play for an hour or two and walk away satisfied with a feeling of accomplishment, something I don't get from a lengthy story driven RPG unless I put a good chunk of time into it say a few hours rather then a couple.

So I am just wondering has this happened to any of you have your game taste change over time and for what reason?

mine have changed a bit, i used to love Stealth games but now i just find them boring and uninteresting and i used to play FPS games but then just stopped for some reason

but about time, for me it's a strange one as the only time i get to play games is when the family has gone to bed so i only get a few hours a day anyway, so you would think i would want to play short games but NO i play RPG's which means it takes me ages to finish any RPG but i don't really mind because i enjoy them so much

I'd say that in my case, now that I'm an aged gamer I haven't changed my tastes about games but surely I changed the way I play and consider them. As in the past I'm playing every kind of game, including +100 hours RPGs, arcade games, Nintendo platformers or story driven adventures. Since my childhood I divided my spare time between videogames and books and now it seems I'm applying to gaming what university teached me about literature: it doesn't matter the literary genre, but the quality of the work. But there is a big "but" to consider: adulthood means less spare time...

My gaming tastes have certainly changed over the years. I started gaming over 35 (closer to 40 now) years ago. I grew up on Space Invaders, Pacman, Donkey Kong etc, went through to games like Ghosts and Goblins, Gauntlet, Super Mario, Sonic etc and now find I can't play these superficial, mindless games any more without getting bored and craving something more. I admit at one time in the 80's, I bought games that were basically reskins (Ghost Hunters by Codemasters was basically a reskin of Super Robin Hood for example) of other games which were clones of other games - I lost count of the amount of Pacman based games I played or 2D platformers/side scrollers

If I have a short time to game, I would rather spend that time in places that not only look good but have something more - whether thats gear/weapons etc to unlock and/or upgrade or some relatively short side-quests to complete, resources to farm, parts of a map to explore for resources.

I admit a game like CoD can fulfil multiple needs, whether its that short burst fun of a few MP matches - even though I am usually looking at upgrading certain gear, completing certain challenges and unlocking camo's whilst also playing the objective, Something a bit more deep like Zombies but can take more time or finishing the Campaign, hunting down collectibles, completing challenges etc.

I can't really play games anymore just because they are ''fun'. To me I get bored without there being 'more' to it than just completing the level and then facing doing it all again - albeit with a slight difficulty increase - especially if my eyes are not getting stimulated too. I know graphics aren't everything but giving the choice of looking at something that belongs in the 80's or spending time in a beautifully realised world like the Witcher 3's - NO contest.

I have been critical of Star Wars: Battlefront because it lacks depth but I would rather play that a lot of games I could mention and would fulfil that 'dumb, mindless fun' but also has incredible visuals and level of detail in the maps that make it a joy to spend time in - particularly as a Star Wars fan. However as it doesn't offer the depth that other games I have that offer a similar experience (i.e. FPS MP), I rarely play it.

I think that after nearly 40 years, I have become more 'picky' over my gaming. Games that offer a 'story', even if its not totally unique in essence (Uncharted 1-3 for example have a similar story in essence), its still relatively unique (Each Uncharted has new situation etc) and so these tend to be my priority. I guess its not always down to the 'game-play' anymore as so many games have 'similar' mechanics. I don't buy a First Person, Third Person Shooter/Action/Adventure/RPG etc because of its 'mechanics' or 'game-play' (although I do expect a certain standard) as all of these have a lot of similarities but because of the story they offer, the characters and worlds they inhabit etc and its these 'unique' experiences I look for nowadays and so that's how my gaming has changed.

@BAMozzy: I definitely get where you're coming fun. As much as I like games that have more to them, I will admit I tend to get overwhelmed if a game is to complicated or has too much to learn at the get go. Due to my limited play time, I just want to pick up and play the game not spend my time trying to figure out the game. I know some people like that, but for me it's just a turnoff.

Great thread, I had the same conversation with a friend recently. My tastes have changed with generations. I loved the sprawling 16bit adventure games like Super Metroid, Zelda as well as arcade based games like SF and MK. However, the PS One moved me into more adult fair that involved blowing stuff up and running people over because I was 14 or so and that was cool.

On PS2 and Gamecube I started on horror survival (Resi evil etc.) and FPS where possible. This continued into last Gen when I had the time and money to buy new games and loved huge sprawling open world games. However, during that time I had kids and lost lots of time and so gravitated towards story based games that would keep me gripped and I could finish off.

On PS4, I have actually started looking at new genres and indie games that give me more emotional content. I've still tried to keep up with huge open world games but it is taking me months to get anywhere (Far Cry 4, MGSV, Fallout 4). I think I will take a break from these games as I just don't have the time. My favourite playing experience of the last year was Everybody's Gone to the Rapture which probably says a lot about where my tastes are at the moment.

My tastes have definitely changed, although some or more by design than by my actual decision making/growing up

When growing up, I never could get into adventure/RPG games, with the exception of Ultima IV on Master System (I dont know why). Games such as FF and the Link series never really interested me, with arcade conversions and sports/racing the main attractions, along with Streetfighter. MK, KOF etc

Now i've shied away from beat-em up's with the online structure just not doing it for me, as the generations have passed. This in turn lead me to not bother so much, with the recent USF:IV package on PS4 likely to be my last 2d fighter for a while.. However on the flip side, games like The Witcher and to a lesser extent Fallout 4 have become my go to type of game. Whether its a simple case of tastes have changed with growing older, i'm not sure, but I do find the singular aspect of games like this, more pleasurable than most...

Either i've changed for the better or i'm a miserable git.. I'm not quite sure (My missus will probably side with the latter)

Don't think my taste has changed a whole lot, I do notice that I tend to play more genres these days. Naturally, as life gets in your way, and you're left with less spare time, I don't have a whole lot of time for long RPGs anymore, definitely not the 100+ hour JRPGs. Or I'm just getting impatient! Anyway, I tend to prefer shorter games over lenghty games. But the upcoming Legend of Zelda, I don't care if that's going to take more than 50+ to complete, I'm going to do it anyway. Now I'm thinking about it, I'm still playing the Witness as well. However that game works really well in short bursts, so perhaps it just depends on the kind of game.

@dellyrascal: I use to enjoy fighting games like SF and MK now though it seems I can't get into them. I think that is because back during the 16 bit era I always had someone to play them with be it my brother, or friends now not so much unless I go online. Also now I just don't have the time to learn a whole complicated list of 30+ moves for a fighter let alone counters and such against other fighters. Now I just tend to play the story modes.

@Tasuki: the majority of games I play don't tend to be overwhelmingly complex although I do appreciate that can be a different level for everyone. The majority of gains tend to have a similar set of movement mechanic mechanics. Playing Uncharted is very similar to playing Gears of War or Tomb Raider in essence. There is small difference in the controls but in essence these are very small differences. The same goes for the majority of FPS games too so its not like I have to learn the movement mechanics. A lot are sequels or within the 'franchise' and so its not like they have much more to learn. Stories tend to take care of themselves. Even RPG's tend to have similar mechanics to FPS or third person games which also have there similarities so a lot of knowledge is transferable between games meaning there isn't that much to learn.
Things like weapon/gears stats and how they work in the game are also transferable but some of it also comes down to just playing and what 'feels' right for me. When I get comfortable with the layout or a specific weapon, I try something else although if I only have a short time or new map, I revert back to things I feel comfortable with.

@Tasuki pretty much the same as you. I have recently tried to juggle a few bigger games and its impossible. Recently I have wholeheartedly ditched RPGs, it can only be for the reasons you state. I cant get the motivation for Fallout or the Witcher. Even dragon age and pillars of eternity were a chore. I never thought I would ever say that.

Genres I never play anymore although liked them previously; football management sims, text adventures, 3d platform games, flying sims, real time strategy and horror games.

Genres I didn't know of or disliked which I prefer now;
Telltale type short games, Musuo games, driving games.

Genres I have always liked;
Shoot em ups, 2d platformers, Tactical turn based Rpgs,

@TripleGK: Mines kinds similar to yours, when I first started gaming it was all sports and racing games with the odd shooter thrown in, now I hardly play sports games and never play driving games (for the same reasons as you, they just got too repetitive for me), over time I've developed into a huge RPG fan while still playing shooters, in recent years I've gotten into Jrpgs after initially hardly ever playing the genre, same with tactical rpgs. I'd say my gaming tastes have definitely broadened over time while I've developed a desire for games which tell a good story in particular

My tastes have always remained the same I like 2D Platformers, JRPGs, Adventure games, and Fighting games... I quit gaming for a while when those genres seemed to die during the first half of the PS3 generation and i came back once they made a return in the second half... the only two genres that I used to love but don't anymore is football management games (Championship Manager 01/02 is one of my favorite games of all times) and Wrestling games... I think the lost interest in those genres have to do with the fact that I also lost interest in football and wrestling