I was writing this out on my local !letstalkaboutgames@feddit.uk and realised I was basically making a patient gamers post, so here's a copy and paste:
Despite everything you might read from gaming journos about corporate greed destroying the gaming industry I still think it's an amazing time to be into video games. I'm absolutely spoiled for choice with games to play and I think it's just down to not caring about online multiplayer or getting caught up in marketing hype.
You don't have to pay through the nose to buy a fancy machine to play half-finished blockbusters, there are decades of classics that you can still play. Borrow a friend's old console and play some old games-of-the-year, find some random classics on Humble Bundle or GOG, see what random freebies I've posted in !freegames@feddit.uk, stick an emulator on your phone or find one that runs in a web browser.
Example: I played Metroid Prime after seeing a Lemmy post talking about. I could either:
- Dig out a GameCube or buy a Wii on eBay for £5 and find a copy of the game at CEX if I fancy the retro experience
- Buy the remastered Switch version if I fancied splashing out
- Just pirate a ROM if I feel rebellious
- Dump my own ROM and play it on PrimeHack if I feel like tinkering
This is just one example of a great game that passed me by, there are thousands of others out there. We have a crazy amount of choice not only of what to play but how we choose to play it. The bittersweet part is that this could all change so enjoy it while you can!
My gaming time has drastically reduced since our first kid was born. I still manage to get an hour or two in the evening (if we don't watch a movie/series or don't have plans). On the other hand, I noticed I started getting bored of lengthy games and wanted to switch to something else around the 20 hours mark.
What helped me, is finding and playing well-rated singleplayer games that can be completed in only a few seatings, typically <10 hours. I use https://howlongtobeat.com.
But I also come back to endless games (Escape From Tarkov or League Of Legends) when I have friends to play with. You gotta find the balance that fits your schedule and tastes, without turning gaming into a chore.