Video games, how much do you spend and how much time spent on it?

[QuarterMillionMan]

I don't play video games but it is big business. On CNBC they constantly feature the companies involved, Electronic Arts, Nvidia, Activision Blizzard, Take Two Interactive. We all heard of Game Stop. I reiterate that I don't play video games but I can name some of the top games off hand, Mincecraft, World of Warcraft, NBA 2K, etc. My friends on FB used to send me invites to play Candy Crush, and other stupid games, lol. Anyone care to share how much you spend and how much time you spend on it?

[ua_guy]

I got hooked on Wordle last year and would maybe spend 5-10 minutes per day depending on how hard the puzzle was.

The last time I got into video games was when I was a kid, except for a brief stint with the Nintendo Wii in the late 2000's. It was a Christmas gift. That was short-lived, kind of a flash in the pan, but it was fun for a while.

[kork13]

I have one of those addictive personalities, so if I start playing, I'll likely stay on it for hours, to the exclusion of more important things, like my family, work, sleep, eating, etc. So for that reason, I mostly avoid playing video games... Especially if it's got a compelling storyline for me to get sucked into.

In the past, I've played the StarCraft & Diablo series of games extensively. As a kid we had a PlayStation 2, playing alot of James Bond & Kingdom Hearts. But as I said, today I try to mostly avoid it. I've recognized that playing video games is basically an escapism method I'll use when I'm trying to avoid something else... So not very healthy.

But I do play the daily Wordle (I'm limited to a single word, so the forced control is helpful). I'll sometimes play a couple random time-waster games... But I'll eventually recognize that I'm spending too much time on it & uninstall it.

I haven't spent a cent on video games (for myself) for probably over a decade, when I bought StarCraft 3. I'll sometimes burn expiring Google credits (which I earn from Google surveys) on a game that I'm interested to try, but I'm not willing to waste my own "real" money on something that I know will only be a negative influence for me. We've gotten a couple used ($30ish?) video games for our boys, but they're education-focused games (Leap Pad), and we tightly restrict how much time they can play on them (generally 1-2hrs a week, max).

[disneysteve]

I play a modest amount of games on my phone. All free. I play none on the computer and we don't have a console system. DD does have a Switch but no Wii or PS2 or whatever the latest version is.

On my phone, I play a few different word games, 2 slot machine games, a logic game, and the random other game here and there.

So I spend zero on video games though I do play some on a daily basis. That's one of the many things I love about smart phones. There is a ton of free entertainment available with them.

[bjl584]

I haven't been into gaming since the early 2000's. I had a PS2 shortly after it came out

[amarowsky]

Happily still playing video games! Although much less than I did in my 20's and earlier.

Probably averages out to 5-9 hours a week. I play games on any system/platform that friends/family want to play on. Ps4/switch/PC/mobile/plenty of mobile &hand helds including steam deck.

Most often I play warzone with my little brother and friends, chess with my grandpa and other friends, and Mario Cart/golf/some others with my other friends who have kids (we all play after our kids go down, maybe 2 times a week for 1.5 hours)

My solo game time, had fallen. But I'll still play solo a bit here and there.

Great way to socially connect with friends and family

[james.hendrickson]

Present company excluded, for most people isn't videogaming a classic way to waste time on unproductive activity?

[disneysteve]

Present company excluded, for most people isn't videogaming a classic way to waste time on unproductive activity?

Or it can be a way to relax and unwind after a busy day. Or interact with friends. Or exercise your mind. If you’re unemployed and living in your parents’ basement playing games all day, that’s one thing. But I see nothing wrong with games as entertainment. No different than “wasting” a few hours to see a movie.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

We're a gaming family. Either mobile, or on computers or system. DH and Kids all have switches and they play with friends. We don't let the kids use the internet but we use it. DH used to work for gaming companies and played a lot. He still does at work as a connection thing. He and I used ot play a lot before kids. We also used to do D and D and Magic. Kids though have a way of sucking a lot of time.

I have candy crush and play when waiting somewhere or townville right now. But FWIW, we don't watch much TV so I figure it's a trade off. We just bought the kids this taiko drum game and drum set. We used to play guitar hero or rock band with the kids. We have DDR at home with them. We also like to go to Dave and Busters and have since they opened in the 90s when we were young and without kids. So our gaming days happened years before kids.

DH and I were in college in the 90s when gaming systems became big. He played hours of doom, mario kart, and starcraft. I played a fair amount of mario kart considering. We've had most systems throughout the years and played quite a bit. I think we are in the generation of "tech nerds" who came of age when computers and gaming was starting.

My DK1 is about to start D and D this weekend I'm so excited for her. I loved D and D in high school.

[Petunia 100]

I play games on my phone, but never buy anything. Puzzle type games mostly. On my laptop I will sometimes play backgammon online against a computer player, that's free. There is a logic puzzle site I enjoy called Conceptis. It's not free, but it doesn't cost much. You have to buy credits, and then you use the credits to buy puzzles. Sudoku puzzles, kakuro puzzles, and nonogram puzzles. They offer other puzzles as well, but those 3 are the ones I like. For $12, I can buy enough credits to last me a year or so.

[anhtuvp]

It all depends on the mood I have and how free I am. But on average every night I play at least 1 hour. Video games relax me a lot.

At the moment I play Fortnite with my friends, sometimes I also play CSGO. When I still have harder levels that I can't pass in games I use hacks

[myrdale]

I grew up with Nintendo / Game Boy / Super Nintendo / Nintendo 64 / Play Station 2, 3, 4.

Outside of the GTA series I've primarily used the Play Stations for DVD/BluRay players. The freebie Red Dead Redemption 2 game that came with the PS4, I doubt I have 2 hours of play time in it.

Outside of consoles, I've played my fair share on the computer. Everquest is the one I've played the most. My main character is literally old enough to buy alcohol at this point.

I've built three separate computers with the most recent being intended for VR. I went with the HTC Vive. It was a lot of fun, but more of a novelty than anything else.

I'm back on Skyrim now. It is a different play through each time.

Minecraft is a true sand box.

Like everything its got to be handled in moderation. I still have a full time job, and friends, and the gym, and sleep.

One book I read a long while back discussed Mongolian monks spending weeks making sand mandala's, and when their master piece is complete, they pick up a broom and sweep it away. I don't think their time is any more or less wasted on that than mine is on a Sunday night EQ raid.

[anhtuvp]

I probably average a few hours a week, depending on how busy life gets. Some months it’s just a casual round of FIFA or a couple of matches in League of Legends, and other times I’ll sink way too many weekends into a single-player RPG. Spending-wise, I try to be careful, games can get expensive fast if you’re picking up new releases all the time. To stretch the budget, I usually buy digital keys instead of paying full retail. Lately I’ve been using cdkeyprices.com since it compares prices from different stores and helps find the cheapest legit option. Makes it easier to grab a game I want without feeling guilty about the price tag.

[Tabs]

I have always been a (PC) gamer, and game daily, so unfortunately, this is definitely one of my uh financial sore spots. However, I buy most of my games on sale on Steam, and in the meantime, still have an impressive backlog to wade through. Also, as time goes by, and as I understand my gaming preferences better, I have been much more selective about what I am willing to pay money for.

[disneysteve]

I play a modest amount of games on my phone. All free. I play none on the computer and we don't have a console system. DD does have a Switch but no Wii or PS2 or whatever the latest version is.

On my phone, I play a few different word games, 2 slot machine games, a logic game, and the random other game here and there.

So I spend zero on video games though I do play some on a daily basis. That's one of the many things I love about smart phones. There is a ton of free entertainment available with them.

Since this thread got dredged up...

I have on a couple of occasions paid for the ad-free version of a game on my phone. Once I found that I really liked a game and could tell that I'd be playing it long term but it had really annoying ads, I have sprung for the ad-free version. It's typically $4.99 and I think I've done that maybe 3 times so hardly a significant expense but more than zero.