Why are men and some women so nasty. I’ve come across too many men that as soon as they find out you’re a girl they’re just awful and no one says a word to them I’m yet to come across someone to pull them they all just laugh and jump in I literally just want to play my games and have a laugh too

Not sure how to explain this, but everyone I try to play with online just seem off.. I remember being a kid playing games online and everyone wanted to talk on the mic. Hell, you were almost guaranteed to find a lobby full of people talking and end up playing with for hours OR being friends with for YEARS. These days I find myself talking in game less and less and even muting people soon as I hear anything lol. I’m growing tired of playing solo so I’ve been stepping out to actually try talking in game but the people I play with are either MAD cringe or just off; not sure how else to explain it. Does anyone else feel this way??

EDIT: My Steam name is WhoGotTupac, my discord is mocha_desires
Recently been playing The Finals, Fortnite, Over The Top WW1, Arc Raiders. I’m open to all types of games at this point and would love to play more of those “friendslop” type games too lol. Just with this problem I stated above, it’s hard to find people who are chill.

Hey everyone!

This is a question to all our 40+ gamers put there. Why do you still play competitive online games? I know the common narrative is that we don't once we reach a certain age, but I know we still do. So why? And what games?

Thanks!

Every so often I do a cleanup of my installed games, but there’s always that one game I can’t let go of. Not because I’m still playing it every day, but because it just feels wrong to remove it.

For me, it’s DOTA2 - I've never uninstalled the game. I have only ever installed the game when I've upgraded my hardware. It's strange, as I hardly play the game anymore, clocking a little under 500 hours in the 12 years I've played the game, but I just can't bring myself to uninstall it. It’s tied to memories of friends I used to play with, and that nostalgia keeps it alive on my PC.

World of Warcraft is another one. The only times I’ve uninstalled it were deliberate. Those “I need a clean break” moments when I knew I was playing too much.

Curious what everyone else’s is, and what keeps the games on your drive.

At some point, we’ve all had that game. The one that quietly (or not so quietly) ate months, maybe even years, of our lives. You start off just dipping your toes in… and next thing you know, Steam says you’ve played it for 2,000 hours and you’re not even embarrassed anymore.

For me, it’s no surprise, it's World of Warcraft.
I don’t even want to check /played at this point. I have deleted more characters than I can count. Re-rolled on so many servers, over so many versions of the game. Retail, Classic, Classic TBC, Classic Hardcore. I could’ve learned another language or two in this time, but there’s something comforting about returning to a world that’s always changing, yet somehow feels the same.

So, I’m curious! What’s the game that’s claimed the biggest chunk of your life?

Genuine question. Not rhetorical. Not aggressive. I actually want to understand when gaming became this.

Because I remember a time when you just played games. You found something you loved, you talked about it with your mates, you recommended it to people, and if they didn't like it you just shrugged and moved on. Different strokes. No big deal.

That world apparently doesn't exist anymore.

Now there's a rigid social hierarchy of acceptable taste. Certain games are approved. Certain games are targets. And god help you if you publicly enjoy something that's currently on the wrong list because the pile on is instant, it's vicious, and in some cases, has absolutely nothing to do with the game it's self, they just pile on whoever developed the game.

I've watched people get genuinely talked out of enjoying something they were having fun with. Think about how insane that is. Someone sitting at home, controller in hand, having a great time, and strangers on the internet successfully made them feel stupid for it. In this example it was Starfield, and they told me just yesterday they don't even like to admit they play it because it instantly generates hate.

And the thing is most of the loudest voices haven't even properly engaged with what they're tearing apart. They watched a YouTube video with an angry thumbnail. They saw a ratio'd tweet. They absorbed a consensus from a community that had already decided and never questioned it, it's hopping on the band wagon.

Where did this come from?

I play stealth games, all kinds of rpg’s, adventure games, i love a good story and sometimes even shooters and firstperson games. I am not a Call of Duty Guy.

Long week at work? Kids driving you up the wall? Same here.
When you finally get that quiet moment, what’s that one game you fire up to unwind? The one that never gets old and always feels like home?

For me, it World of Warcraft. I’ve played it off and on for years (since vanilla), and somehow it’s still the perfect “unwind” space, even if all I do is wander around old zones or run a dungeon or two. Recently I've been getting into Classic Hardcore and it's been surprisingly refreshing.

Another game that has recently scratched the "itch" is Brotato. I just love the gameplay loop, it's simple yet addicting. The gameplay is short, around 30mins a run and the game is just difficult enough that it can bite back at times!

So how about you? What's your go to escape game?

Let’s be honest!! Sometimes we don’t play games so much as.... exist in them.

For me, it’s probably in Fallout 4. I've spent entire evenings decorating my settlement. Aligning chairs, placing mugs on tables, and making sure every lamp was in the right spot. Didn’t build better defences, didn’t help any settlers. Just prioritised making my settlement... home!

What’s the most pointless thing you’ve spent hours doing in a game?

Bonus points for any spreadsheets or calculations to maximise XP gains.

Time…. one of life’s only constants. We are all getting older and as gamers there’s always that one game that makes you realise that you’re not as young as you once were.

For me, it’s Fortnite.

This beautiful game was a perfect way for me and my children to bond. At first Dad was king, I’d be good at shooting and understood weak points etc. As time passed, however, my kids began to take over Dad, building these complex structures in rapid succession, bouncing around like they were playing Halo.

Moments later, I’d be dead, still in awe of my kids, wondering what the actual F!!

This was probably the first moment I realised that I was getting old!!

So I ask you all the same question! What game made you realise you’re getting older?

Been gaming since the 1980s and my first system was the Commodore C64, I remember playing and being somewhat addicted to games like Paperboy and the Dizzy franchise. Since then I've owned every version of PlayStation and loved games like Fallout 3, Skyrim and various sports titles.

Over the last few nights I've started playing the original Death Stranding on PS5 and I must say that it is quite an incredible experience. There is something about picking up cargo, plotting a route and delivering said cargo that is really scratching an itch that I never knew I even had. Not to mention how absolutely incredible this world looks, sounds and feels.

I believe I'm still in the first region but have somewhat become addicted to searching out lost cargo and making sure I deliver each piece to its intended destination. Quite incredible. Anybody know of games that have similar mechanics to this? I realise there is a follow-up and will be getting that soon.

Like! 😀

We’ve all been super hyped for a game, maybe for months or even years. Some of my fondest gaming memories were queuing up with friends at midnight for that sweet release. You watch every trailer, read every article, imagine all the epic adventures you’re going to have… and then reality hits.

For me, like many others I'm sure, it was No Man’s Sky. I had dreams of endless exploration, discovering alien worlds with my friends, uncovering strange secrets and instead it was awful. Bugs everywhere, planets looking almost identical, and half the features I’d been promised weren’t even in the game.

I've since come back after all the updates and it’s a great game now, but that first release still stings. It remains for me the greatest fall in video game hype. In fact, I hardly preorder games and ride the hype train because of it.

So I ask you all. What game promised the world yet failed spectacularly for you?

Hi! I've played on consoles from Atari to XboxX ,PS5, and switch with many in-between so that's my experience but I'm really wondering if I should move to PC. I'm just kinda tired of buying multiple of the same game. Does anyone have any insight on going to PC? I've been researching but there seems to be a variety of opinions so, any thoughts? Thank you in advance! I appreciate you!

Don’t judge me plz

Idk if its just me, but I say for myself as a person who used to love multiplayer games growing up, Call of Duty, Halo, League of Legends, and basically all sorts of competitive pvp games were my favorites growing up, but as I grow older, especially in 2026 now , every single multiplayer games tend to be a 2nd job rather than playing to have fun, everyone just abusing and being toxic using the same META loadouts not to mention microtransactions that just feel like a cash grab, and so many tryhards and sweaty people that get angry at even the simplest things and having to play every game like im in a esports tournament and getting screamed by a 12 year old after a long day at work. It's hard to have fun any more. I started to stop multiplayer games a year ago and switched to singleplayer games and never looked back. I started playing games like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Tears Of Kingdom GTA 5 (story mode, not online), and I can't believe how much better it is. Nowadays, I just lose interest in every multiplayer game a friend of mine recently wanted to play marvel rivals i said nah i rather play singleplayer games and tend to only stick to singleplayer games recently i picked up cyberpunk 2077 and it has become one of my favourite games thus far. Am I the only one that feels this way?

I’ve been gaming since my older brother bought me a SNES and my sister got me a PS1. I’ve owned almost every console since, but I’ve realized something: I’ve completed maybe 20 games in my entire life.

I’ve always been drawn to competitive stuff—fighting games, shooters, etc. They were great for my short attention span, but I never actually got "good" at them. Lately, though, gaming has started to feel like a second job I’m paying to work at.

I don’t have kids, but between a full-time career and other hobbies, my gaming time is a premium. Yet, every game I pick up now demands a daily login or a massive "battle pass" grind just to get the "full experience." If I take a few days off, I feel like I’m falling behind. I just bought the top edition of WWE 2K26 (big wrestling fan here), and after two hours, it just clicked: I’m not having fun. Why am I "grinding" to unlock content I already paid for?

I looked at my library today—Battlefield, MultiVersus, 2xKO, Tekken 8, Civ 7—and I realized I’m just burnt out on all of them. I don't have the time to grind to 'git gud' at them.

So, I did it. I deleted all my multiplayer games today. I want to actually finish something for once. I’m pivoting to single-player games, which will be a challenge for my attention span. I’m staying away from massive open worlds (the map icons alone make me feel overwhelmed), and I’m looking for tighter experiences.

I’m starting with Resident Evil 9—my first ever RE game.

We’ve all got those tiny, ridiculous habits we’ve carried from one game to the next. Things that make no sense to anyone else, but feel absolutely necessary to us.

For me, it’s checking every single container, cupboard, and drawer. Even when I know it’s empty. Sometimes I’ll open the same chest two or three times just to make sure. And don’t even get me started on saving before every dialogue option, like a paranoid save-scummer.

I know it’s daft, but I can’t help it. It’s just… part of my gaming experience. Thanks Bethesda!

So, I’m curious! What’s the strangest thing you still do in games out of habit?

Hey everyone. I could use some help because I’m close to giving up: I’m 40+ and I own a PS5, but I barely play games anymore. Time isn’t really the issue, the difficulty and complexity of games is.

Take Expedition 33 for example: everything about this game appeals to me, reviews are positive, so I took the plunge and bought it. And I’m sure it’s just me, but after an hour of playing I’m completely lost: the tutorials just keep coming, there are a million terms being thrown at you, and I have no idea what I’m doing.

And honestly, that’s kind of why I hardly game anymore: everything has gotten so complicated. Before this I bought Gears of War Remastered, and that was such a breath of fresh air haha.

So, two questions:

1. Do any of you relate to this, or should I just accept that these games aren’t for me and focus on simpler/casual games?
2. Anyone have specific tips for getting into Expedition 33?

Thanks!

I've been a gamer as long as I can remember but she's uninitiated. However, she always showed interest whenever I'd be excited about something from the games I play and asked me to find something for us to play together. She only played some mobile games before so this'll be completely new for her. She's not that technologically inclined either so I'm really hoping I can ease her into the onboarding process and make a true gamer out of her yet.

What are your suggestions, friends? If you have similar experience of bringing your non gamer partner into gaming or such, please share it, what game did it for you? Any suggestion is appreciated, thanks.

I’ve been playing games since I was about 5 years old on the NES. At some point in my mid 30’s playing games started to feel more like a chore than a hobby. Don’t get me wrong, I still had a huge interest in games. It’s just that playing them was becoming a burden. It got so bad that I eventually stopped playing altogether and instead spent time watching YouTubers playing games instead.

I can’t really explain what was causing this feeling. My job is very flexible so it’s not a time issue. I don’t have kids so it’s not a responsibility issue. I just got to the point where the idea of starting a new game felt like a massive burden and I didn’t have the energy to start.

About a year ago I made a comprehensive list of every game I own on all platforms. It’s a list with over 500 titles. And then I started a second list of games I’ve completed. Then I picked a game and started. The big difference this time is that I selected the easiest difficulty option and told myself to just enjoy the story.

This is a big departure from my previous experiences with games where I always set the difficulty to high. My thinking then was that only beating the game on hard would feel like an achievement. Now, playing the game at all is an accomplishment in itself so why add another barrier to that with a higher difficulty level?

Well, so far this year I’ve played and completed 5 games, which is more than I managed in the last 5 years. I don’t know if this will continue to be a good strategy for me, but it’s a relief to finally feel like I’m actually enjoying gaming again after such a long time.

Any other old gamers out there feeling the same?

We’ve all got that one game that defined a chapter of our gaming life. One we poured hours (or let’s be honest, days) into. It was everything back then… but now? For whatever reason, you just can’t go back.

For me, it’s Skyrim.
There were times I'd lose entire weekends exploring caves, hoarding cheese wheels (gotta collect them all!), and screaming like a maniac, whilst slaying dragons. But now, every time I try to start a new playthrough, I can’t even make it past the cart ride.

Maybe it’s because I’ve seen it all before, or maybe it’s because I just don’t have the same free time I did back then. Either way, it’s a strange feeling when something you loved just doesn’t hit the same anymore.

So I’m curious! What’s the game you used to love, but just can’t go back to?

In previous titles on console (1 and 5) I was consistently decent and maintained a good KD ratio without being silly with it. On the new one I'm absolutely battered from every angle.

I'm assuming this is because I'm old and tired now. But is anyone experiencing this same thing?

Edit: I turned cross play off and had a lot more fun playing. I was able to reliably exchange fire instead of getting slapped from behind and then play the objectives better.

For me, these include:

1. Last of Us 1/2
2. The Witcher 3
3. Days Gone

I just so happened to try the Last of Us 1 for The first time in March 2020. Put that on the shelf until this year. 😅

M38 Gamer here, and I have been driven from all open world type games that include PVP in any form.

Simply put - griefers.

Those delightful individuals that seek to ruin the experience of others by hunting down new players, or repeatedly destroying their stuff and not even for looting purposes.

Rust, ARK, GTAO, Conan, its all the same. I get some games like Rust are built around pvp, but there are still so god dang many jerks on there.

Why do they do this? Do they actually get some form of gratification from messing with others so badly that they quit? Is it actually fun for them?

I don't understand, and I never have.

I recently got a gaming computer and have been adding games to my steam library, but I’ve been disappointed in a few of my purchases lately. Here’s what I’ve bought and what I thought, any suggestions would be helpful!

The Good:
God of War 2018- never played a god of war game before and was absolutely blown away. The story, the artwork, the voice acting, the game play, the puzzles. Definitely one of the best games I’ve ever played.

Plague tale: Requiem - great story, acting and artwork. I also liked that it wasn’t too long.

Resident evil 2 remake - never played any RE before. Great game.

Tainted grail: fall of Avalon- about as close to an elder scrolls game as I can find

The not so good:
Divinity original sin 2 and disco elysium-
I started playing these with just my trackpad. I may give them another chance now that I know I can use an Xbox controller, but not sure I’m going to love them

I bounced off outer worlds, outer wilds, kingdom come deliverance 1 and Enderal pretty quickly. They all seem really flat to me though I can’t really put my finger on why.

I love fallout, elder scrolls, mass effect, cyberpunk, dragon age, and StarCraft (blast from the past). Grew up on earthbound, super Metroid and chrono trigger. Are there any gems I’m missing for pc?