Summertime can a weird period for gaming. Traditionally, big publishers don't bother launching their blockbusters during the summer months, although this trend has started fizzling out over the last few years or so. Still, looking at a list of 2018 release dates shows an absolutely packed latter half of the year, leaving June, July, and to some extent August barren by comparison. Some of you may be eyeing that backlog or perhaps the PlayStation Store's summer sales.
In any case, your options are quite open over the summer, so we want to know how the season impacts your gaming habits. Do you end up playing more games because you're taking a break from education? Maybe you book time off work to relax at home with your console of choice? Or perhaps you ignore games altogether and make the most of the hot weather?
Whatever you do, be sure to let us know in our polls, and then lay out your plans in the comments section below.
Do you spend more or less time gaming in the summer? (212 votes)
- More, since I have time off school/college/university
- More, I tend to take some time off work during the summer
- More, I'm just generally less busy during the summer
- The summer makes no real difference to my time spent gaming
- Less, I tend to do other things during the summer
- Less, I'd rather make the most of the summer weather
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Do you work on your gaming backlog during the summer? (208 votes)
- Yes, I try to finish off as many games as I can before the end-of-year rush
- Not really, I just play whatever takes my fancy
- Nope, I don't even have a backlog
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Should more big games release during the summer? (206 votes)
- Yes, the summer's always too quiet
- Maybe, it depends how busy the rest of the year is
- No, the summer should stay quiet
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Comments 47
Due to my job getting more hectic during the summer months, I can only squeeze in about an hour or so every day, and that's if I'm lucky.
Winter is where I have a lot more free time.
Definitely think more games should release during the summer. Gaming habits are different now, so i dont feel that titles will be lost by releasing then. I also feel that there is just too much released at the end of the year. I genuinely worry for valkyria chronicles 4 releasing in September - with all the other titles coming out. Would hate for companies like sega to decide we dont want these titles again
I feel like my objective is to clear my backlog in the summer, but I rarely make much of a dent due to other things going on. I definitely have more time in the summer, but there's a greater desire to spend time outdoors, and also there's stuff like Wimbledon and (this year) the World Cup going on which take away gaming time.
Seems like you are collecting unnecessary personal data there
Yeah I tend to have a JRPG, Pokemon, some platformers, some old classics, and a bit of a backlog clear. Then again this summer, hopefully, I actually get a paying job for once in my life.
This year's JRPG is Ys VIII.
I'm moving house in 4 weeks and the new place will need some sorting out so I'm gunna be busy between now and the move sorting stuff out and then busy afterwards sorting new stuff out so I don't think I'll be doing a great deal of gaming between now and Christmas.
But my Switch will probably get decent use given the pick up and play nature of it, and I'll be enjoying Octopath Traveler as much as I can.
I can tell it's summer because my PS4 fan goes into warp speed.
I tend to game a lot less during the summer. A number of factors for me I guess. My kids are off school and stay up a lot later and my wife’s a teacher so the same for her. But the biggest change is how many summer evenings my wife likes to spend in the pub, going out or having a bbq. I find I don’t enjoy gaming when I’ve been drinking as I mainly play fast paced games (seriously try playing nex machina after a few beers). That and there’s just more to do. On a positive though I get my once a year go on my vita when I go on holiday.
I tend to strip down to my pants, place a cool can of beer on my belly and play games. Is that what you meant in the title?
I got a backlog, so I’m gonna try and knock out as many games as possible this summer. I plan on taking a vacation for a week this summer.
@kyleforrester87
You’re right Moving house is a complete game killler. I moved November 2016. There so much to do and we got a house that needs doing up. Luckily I have no man skills so my wife knows we have to get people to do all the work. But seriously just choosing stuff and cleaning up after tradesmen is so time consuming. Not to mention wallet destroying, just over £20k for a new kitchen. But don’t let me put you off it’s worth it. I managed to convince my wife I’d be happy to move if I could have a new tv and got a £3k OLED . So still chuffed with that
I tend to game more as I’ve more time off, I try to focus on my backlog a bit if I can but not sure this year, I’m caught up in getting into a few MP games like Smite, ESO, For Honor and R6: Siege.
Hoping to finish Pillars of Eternity, the Banner Saga, Dark Souls Remastered, Dark Souls 3 dlc (still haven’t played it!) and maybe Salt and Sanctuary to clear some backlog. Then again I’ve started replaying the Witcher 3 on Death March difficultly due to seeing a friend start it so.......
@gingerfrog Yeah we'll need a new kitchen, bathroom and redec. Not to mention furniture. I don't know if we'll have to get on it immediately or if we can get by as it is. We'll have to see how we get on in the first few days I guess!!
We don't even have summer in here, only wet and dry season.
@wiiware We have freezer mode and desert mode.
I work from home most of the time so when the weathers like it is at the moment the last thing I want to do is be cooped up in the house. Sat in the garden, laptop on the table, glass of something with ice in and me is a happy chappy.
it doesn't usually make a huge difference to me, i'd probably game a bit less, but at the minute without a decent multiplayer (imo) around, i'm not likely to play much over the summer. also, either my PC or my PS4 pumps out a fair amount of heat when games are running full tilt, and with an unfashionably hot UK summer at the moment, it feels draining to use it for anything other than watching the world cup/netflix.
It's bloody roasting up here and Glasgow hitting 31 degrees is completely unheard of. Currently too tired trying to not collapse from heat exhaustion to even think about the extra heat generated from the PS4 or PC.
I’m taking Summer classes at college in addition to working full time, so I’m sparse on time. I have a little more open up around the 4th, but it’s easy to only be able to game for 2 hours a week right now. Though I can’t go to work for the next three days. So that opens some more time up.
My habits don't really change in the summer. I don't have school and I only work two days, so I just game whenever I want, same as usual.
I'm busy with my job throughout the year, so summer doesn't make much difference to me. As for backlog, I'm slowly reducing it throughout the year when I'm not busy with new games.
I probably game less anyway but right now work is mad, I have an interview on Wednesday to prep for and moving house in August. Would love to be playing a bit more but no chance just now really. I need to stop buying games though!! Can't wait to get into fallout 4 after I finish dark souls.i think the switch helps as I don't have to line up being free and the missus not watching love bloody island on tv (UK tv, if you've not heard of it, your lucky). Plus the world cup has been pretty decent, been watching quite a bit so that uses up the spare time to.
P.s. I kind of don't like the term backlog, ive stopped using it as it makes it sound like it's a chore to get stuck into it!!!
@Knuckles-Fajita Alternatively: seems like you’re running a fun Friday poll ahead of the weekend.
The time of the year makes no difference to my gaming time,although with my job being out in this scorching weather all day it seems to drain me of energy for when I get home so I end up nodding off whether I'm gaming,watching tv,reading etc.
I have a week off in July with a few things planned and a week off in September in which I have a few days planned in London for a concert but for the most part the summer is treated just like any other time of the year.
Now I’m trying to finish my backlog before games like Spider-Man.
Btw, it’s winter now where I live. Rekt.
my backlog is unreal having my coffin fitted with power point as i will never catch up in my lifetime
Considering I live down under, I'm still playing my winter backlog.
@Knuckles-Fajita Dont worry BLP happy pills we have all the information we need.
So heres your yearly subscription to Nigerian escorts. Thanks in advance.
clearing backlog sounds like a chore of a duty rather than having fun and or pleasure of that said game lol..
Haven't put in a vote my gaming happens don't change anymore I only play early in the morning or late at night since I had a kid
Summer is one of the best times to play games, so it's frustrating how few games are released.
Summer makes no difference to me. I am watching the World Cup though so I am not gaming so much but I would still prefer a steady stream of games throughout the year rather than have them all arrive in a few months at the end of the year and the end of Q1 - the end of the financial year.
Summer ends up with me either clearing backlogs or playing the games I ended up having to miss out on during those 'busy' release windows. I guess it can work out cheaper as the games I do buy are those that I had to miss out on and are now cheaper. Looking at next summer, games like Days Gone, Metro, Anthem, Division 2 etc will likely be the games I end up buying/playing...
@themcnoisy Can't tell if racist or a combination of escorts and the Nigerian Prince scam.
Either way, they better be male escorts thank you very much.
@get2sammyb Alternatively: Learn to joke.
Ya know, GDPR jokes.
I finally finished Uncharted Lost Legacy. I think I want to use the rest of summer to finish games and delete them.
@RogerRoger Don't you like summer? =P
Kinda weird time to ask these questions in the middle of winter. ☃️
Would say my gaming levels don't change, prefer to be indoors as I suffer with hayfever and also don't like the heat. Good time to go through the backlog too
I play more in the summer.its super fun.word up son
I was watching basketball playoffs in the summer.spend time with my girl.watch tv shows.spendings hours watching you tube videos .watching netflix movies.watching
my daily retro sitcoms tv shows.etc.its crazy.and my backlog is legendary.im still playing ps3 games.i just bought disgaea collection.saints row 3.dragon age collection.and a great gun rpg in resonance of fate.i got ps2 games on my ps3 .and ps1 games.and my ps4 pro also.👍😱😁.etc.word up son
i game some mornings but on other days i go in the man cave and make stuff from all my wood,i make pink floyd related tables ,bread bins and laptop tables...ive also got a pc in the shed with split screens so i watch a fim or two at the same time...
This summer I should spend less time gaming, because I'm working on art and game development myself and have to improve myself a lot. Still, Monster Hunter World just steals away my time and my life lol. I've returned to it since two weeks ago and I'm playing non-stop. I guess I'll just never make it as a game dev
I'm a carer, so the only real difference the summer makes to me is whether it gets too hot indoors to have the console on.
I hate the hot weather we get in the UK, mostly because it's usually humid, and our house doesn't cool down much overnight - so basically you're sweaty and uncomfortable all day, and then you can't get a proper night's sleep. We don't have air-con (most UK homes don't, for those who aren't aware), and at a certain point all a fan does is blow warm air at you. I've had enough already and am longing for winter.
Your summer is actually winter here, but I do get to play more during winter vacation from university, mostly trying to clear my backlog.
By summer, in the other hand, there are always some great releases. Thankfully I can also play more by then.
Right now i game about the same during all seasons. The one exception is the last 2 weeks of December. My vacations are now usually more short ones in the spring or fall instead of a long one in the summer, and I leave my PS4 at home.
Few big titles released in the summer is no problem as a game can be played many months after release.
It's winter right now in Australia, and where I am is the perfect temperature, not hot and not cold. Perfect time for fun, outdoor activities. Summer is too hot and humid to be outside for long, so we tend to stay in and game more then.
GTA San Andreas seems to be a recurring summer tradition over here.
This year I'll add Sonic Mania Plus to that, which nostalges me straight back to the summer of 1991, when my friend got to borrow his uncles MegaDrive over the vacation.
@NintendoFan4Lyf well i know my workload increases through the summer months
but that's retail for you
Summer doesn't change a thing. I still work 40 hours weekly regardless.
However I am gonna try to go to Six Flags in August, and also visit SacAnime.
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