One thing I’ve noticed is that I’ll take a long break from a game I enjoy and later I want to go back to it and pick up where I left off, but I know I’ll have to re-learn it all over again before I can start having fun. I don’t want to have to expend the mental energy learning it again when I just want to have fun, so I instead end up watching YouTube or tv shows and not really enjoying my free time.

Now, whenever I start a new game I make a folder where I keep any spreadsheets or information I collect while playing, and most importantly keep extensive notes, including keybinds and UI to refresh my memory. This saves me from a lot of those squinty eye moments saying “ooohh how tf do I do that again…” and having to research something online.

So I know this is a meme but I wanted to say that if anyone out there, particularly younger people, finds this ringing loudly true to their own experiences, you may be experiencing medical depression. Sure you get more responsibilities as you get older and your passions change, but if you notice something feeling off about this sensation and many things you formerly enjoyed you start avoiding because forcing yourself to enjoy them just makes you feel crappy, it isn't necessarily normal.

I say this because I went through it and I didn't get help until my late 30s and I regret every day that I didn't. There is nothing wrong with asking for help, talking about it with others, and not accepting it as a "normal" part of growing up. Without help it will take a toll on your career and relationships and your health.

Reach out.

Don’t optimize the shit out of the game, just play them for as long as they are fun and ditch them afterwards.

I had stopped gaming for about 5 years to focus on my career and starting a family. I'm now turning 40 this year and have been dabbling with games again but nothing really stuck until I started the Trails in the Sky trilogy. I ended up playing it a few hours every other night. Something about it was so refreshing that I'm now about to wrap up the 3rd game.

Like others have mentioned, perhaps your mood or perspective changes as you get older and it's just about finding the right game to play.

That's just burnout

I stopped being as interested in video games and gravitated toward board games. It’s an activity I can do with friends around a table instead of sitting alone staring at a screen. And the same puzzles are present in board games plus you get the social aspect.

A lot of modern games just adhere to a basic formula and as such, I tend to get bored of them after a while. First Horizon? Nice. Second Horizon? More of the same. Horizon DLC? Even more of the same. It gradually got a bit more boring with every new entry.

So what I did was...I got an Xbox 360. Loaded it up with 5TB of games. And then I just picked something random to play. It made me discover Catherine, such a weird and awesome game.

I think, getting out of your comfort zone can refresh your enjoyment of gaming.

Let's see what else I can find on that thing...

Getting into Quake Champions helped cure this after realizing how bad most competitive fps games are now

Comes and goes in waves for me. I find games wbere me and my friends are just having fun still brings that feeling.

Single player board games. Sounds lame but look up hunt a killer stand alone..

As a child who grew up with nothing but a family computer I dreamed for the day we would have free games everywhere. Boy did I get my wish

When I feel like this is just crack open

Red Alert 2: Yuri's revenge

Master of Olympus Zeus

Anno

Games were better in my day.

But tbh my love of gaming has died since you had to pay for online consoles and your can't have bants on COD anymore.

Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan this hit hard

Coming from pc gaming, both multiplayer and single player i felt at a stage I was just not into gaming anymore. Went and got a Switch, turns out I just needed a change. Maybe try some indies as suggested. I had 65 hours on stardew valley, man that game is like crack.

I feel personally attacked

I love chess and card games