#23 The importance of being bored
It’s one of those weeks where I’m sorely lacking in writing inspiration.
No one really needs to hear my views about how great Miles Morales is (it’s really great) or how underwhelmed I was by Day’s Gone (it’s fine, but there’s much better games out there which you could be playing). And like the rest of the industry I’m sat waiting with baited breath for Cyberpunk 2077 to finally launch next week. I’ve scanned various gaming feeds and websites in search of topics to write about, but everything i’ve found has left me a tiny bit bored.
But the truth is, this boredom enforced lull is probably a good thing. One of the biggest problems with the gaming community, and something I’m certainly guilty of, is that we’re always wanting something new - even when we’ve just got a shiny new toy. But it’s this culture which creates unrealistic expectations and forces developers to crunch, because we’re never just happy.
We need to be better at being bored. I read a brilliant piece in Edge this week about the role boredom, downtime and monotony plays in video games - how it creates expectations which can be challenged and also makes a game world feel more lived in. And I think there’s a lot game marketers and the wider community can learn from this. Our obsession with leaks and spoilers means that we’re never truly satisfied, whereas if we learnt to deal with boredom a tiny bit better, the highs would be so much higher.
This is even more important, as dealing with a lack of news about upcoming big titles creates invaluable space for smaller publishers and studios who are trying to do something different. I’ve been reading amazing things about A Short Hike for a couple of years now and have had it downloaded on my Switch since it released. But my constant need to play something new and shiny, means I’ve not taken the 2-3 hours it will take to enjoy what promises to be a memorable experience.
No one’s winning here - I’m frustrated by the lack of a shiny new toy, when I’d probably get even more joy from this smaller gem; the studio doesn’t benefit from me recommending the game to other players and the big developers continue to feel the unreasonable weight of our demands.
It’s not just the gaming world which is guilty of this - you can see it all across pop culture. And this demand for constant delivery ruins franchises - every single one of the most recent Star Wars trilogy could have done with at least another year in the hopper. And I’m as big a fan of the MCU as anyone, but I don’t think anyone would deny that a year off is the best thing that could have happened to Marvel. It’s a chance for the audience to reset their expectations and build anticipation, rather than just falling into the next film. And it’s a chance for Marvel themselves to reflect on what’s working and what’s not.
Of course, doing this isn’t easy. It’s hard for a console developer or studio to keep quiet and let boredom do its work when fans are banging at the door demanding new information. But, it’s important that we give them the chance to do so - I’d love to be genuinely surprised again by my entertainment, rather than just have my expectations met by a steady stream of marketing reveals and leaks.
If all goes to plan, i’ll write one more issue of Press A to Jump before Christmas, then give myself a break over Christmas. If you’ve enjoyed reading it this year and want to give me a little Christmas present, please consider clicking the share button below…