Why can-t we pay attention to video games anymore?
video description
Date: 2023-12-10
Related videos
Comments and reviews: 30
polygon
To me, multitasking while gaming doesn't feel at all relaxing or good. It feels hectic, and like I'm not able to concentrate on either medium I'm consuming. It might not be a surprise then that I don't play games that have auto-play features or long task lists, I usually play short indie games that are story or puzzle driven. It makes sense then that those games are hard to pair with other media, making the experience stressful. After all, you need all your attention to solve a puzzle or stay with the story.
My question throughout the video was -Ok, I get that there are games which can be multitasked, but SHOULD we? - To me, the concept of multitasking feels a whole lot like simply plugging all of our senses. Ears? Check. Eyes? Check. Complete attention span? Double check. It leaves no room to think about, or do anything else. It ties into the idea that the current generation of humans is so starved for attention span that they can't go a single minute without pulling out their phone.
I'm not able to quite put into words what I'm thinking, but I feel it's quite alarming that we can't even devote our full attention to one game anymore now. What happens when you use all of your brainpower on just consuming all day long? Who's to say but time. It might be fine, or we might be a generation that completely disassociates from the real world, I'd be curious to see!
Anyway, good video!
reply
To me, multitasking while gaming doesn't feel at all relaxing or good. It feels hectic, and like I'm not able to concentrate on either medium I'm consuming. It might not be a surprise then that I don't play games that have auto-play features or long task lists, I usually play short indie games that are story or puzzle driven. It makes sense then that those games are hard to pair with other media, making the experience stressful. After all, you need all your attention to solve a puzzle or stay with the story.
My question throughout the video was -Ok, I get that there are games which can be multitasked, but SHOULD we? - To me, the concept of multitasking feels a whole lot like simply plugging all of our senses. Ears? Check. Eyes? Check. Complete attention span? Double check. It leaves no room to think about, or do anything else. It ties into the idea that the current generation of humans is so starved for attention span that they can't go a single minute without pulling out their phone.
I'm not able to quite put into words what I'm thinking, but I feel it's quite alarming that we can't even devote our full attention to one game anymore now. What happens when you use all of your brainpower on just consuming all day long? Who's to say but time. It might be fine, or we might be a generation that completely disassociates from the real world, I'd be curious to see!
Anyway, good video!
reply
-princefado
Really good video! As someone who has played World of Warcraft on-and-off for over a decade, I repeatedly have stopped playing because I realized just how burnt out I feel from chores. I often feel really good getting chores done for the first few months of playing, but eventually I just feel -exhausted-. I felt this most recently when going back to Burning Crusade Classic. To be able to do raiding, rather than just questing/casual gameplay, you have to put in a LOT of work doing. chores. And because WoW is a subscription-based game, I often felt like I had to do as much as possible to make it worth the money I was putting into it. I love a lot of the lore and world, but I know it's just not a healthy investment for me to play for longer than a few months every couple of years.
I also have ADHD, so I do tend to multi-task, but I try to remain aware of why I'm multi-tasking. Am I actually enjoying the game I'm playing? Or am I just using it as something to fill time? And am I actually processing whatever other media I'm listening to?
I think the best games are ones that don't make me feel the need to multi-task. Or at least, not for the majority of the time I'm playing the game.
reply
Really good video! As someone who has played World of Warcraft on-and-off for over a decade, I repeatedly have stopped playing because I realized just how burnt out I feel from chores. I often feel really good getting chores done for the first few months of playing, but eventually I just feel -exhausted-. I felt this most recently when going back to Burning Crusade Classic. To be able to do raiding, rather than just questing/casual gameplay, you have to put in a LOT of work doing. chores. And because WoW is a subscription-based game, I often felt like I had to do as much as possible to make it worth the money I was putting into it. I love a lot of the lore and world, but I know it's just not a healthy investment for me to play for longer than a few months every couple of years.
I also have ADHD, so I do tend to multi-task, but I try to remain aware of why I'm multi-tasking. Am I actually enjoying the game I'm playing? Or am I just using it as something to fill time? And am I actually processing whatever other media I'm listening to?
I think the best games are ones that don't make me feel the need to multi-task. Or at least, not for the majority of the time I'm playing the game.
reply
polygon
My favorite games to media multitask with (which i do with pretty much all games) have to be minecraft, animal crossing, and diablo 3.
Minecraft, because im a builder, and resource gathering and building takes forever, Animal crossing, because its fun and not really attention sucking, And Diablo 3, because I-ve played through the main story so many times i could play the game backwards and blindfolded. Hell, i usually just mute it and put on a podcast or show and get to grinding away, trying to make up for the 130 paragon character I lost the save data for. (I-m in hell)
Honorable mentions include: Horizon: Zero Dawn, Uncharted (any of them, DnD, any lego video game on the face of planet earth, and scribblenauts.
(Also, I had lots of fun working on my megabuild in my main survival world while watching this video)
reply
My favorite games to media multitask with (which i do with pretty much all games) have to be minecraft, animal crossing, and diablo 3.
Minecraft, because im a builder, and resource gathering and building takes forever, Animal crossing, because its fun and not really attention sucking, And Diablo 3, because I-ve played through the main story so many times i could play the game backwards and blindfolded. Hell, i usually just mute it and put on a podcast or show and get to grinding away, trying to make up for the 130 paragon character I lost the save data for. (I-m in hell)
Honorable mentions include: Horizon: Zero Dawn, Uncharted (any of them, DnD, any lego video game on the face of planet earth, and scribblenauts.
(Also, I had lots of fun working on my megabuild in my main survival world while watching this video)
reply
-jilljmj
If I-m reading a story and something about it bugs me (grammar, awful dialogue, the way they are describing things, etc, but the story itself is intriguing, I will put on music so I don-t focus as strongly on the parts that bother me. When I read, it-s like watching a movie, so it acts as a soundtrack (I sometimes do this Just For Fun and not for a purpose. Sometimes I will watch some of an animated show or look at some artwork I like before I start reading, and suddenly it-s an -animated movie-! There are entire albums I can-t read things to now because it feels wrong, like -what, no, this is THAT story-s soundtrack. I can-t do that! - But -also- it helps me remember a story well after the fact. I-ve started doing it whenever I read a story, no matter what. Thank you for creating! -
reply
If I-m reading a story and something about it bugs me (grammar, awful dialogue, the way they are describing things, etc, but the story itself is intriguing, I will put on music so I don-t focus as strongly on the parts that bother me. When I read, it-s like watching a movie, so it acts as a soundtrack (I sometimes do this Just For Fun and not for a purpose. Sometimes I will watch some of an animated show or look at some artwork I like before I start reading, and suddenly it-s an -animated movie-! There are entire albums I can-t read things to now because it feels wrong, like -what, no, this is THAT story-s soundtrack. I can-t do that! - But -also- it helps me remember a story well after the fact. I-ve started doing it whenever I read a story, no matter what. Thank you for creating! -
reply
-GlaciaGalaxy
I have different games I pair with different shows, for example, When I play Ark survival evolved because ark is centered around dinosaurs and taming dinosaurs and other creatures, I like to watch Dinosaur documentaries when I play or other dinosaur-related things. For a game like Star Stable, which is a horse game, I like watching horse movies. etc etc, there are times ill play a game and watch either twitch stream sometimes -playing along with the streamer- if you will. it really depends on the game I'm playing and the mood I am in, I cannot however Play a game and watch a movie or show I have not seen and have to focus on.
reply
I have different games I pair with different shows, for example, When I play Ark survival evolved because ark is centered around dinosaurs and taming dinosaurs and other creatures, I like to watch Dinosaur documentaries when I play or other dinosaur-related things. For a game like Star Stable, which is a horse game, I like watching horse movies. etc etc, there are times ill play a game and watch either twitch stream sometimes -playing along with the streamer- if you will. it really depends on the game I'm playing and the mood I am in, I cannot however Play a game and watch a movie or show I have not seen and have to focus on.
reply
-seiretzym
this has probably been said, but game multitasking (like any multitasking) is probably strongly correlated with neurodivergence (adhd and autism spectrum. what to one allistic/neurotypical person is a task that -takes all their attention- is to another neurodivergent person too tedious to actually use up all their attention, so they need to do multiple things at once in order to get enough dopamine to focus.
so for instance me, typing this comment because just watching the video wasn't stimulating enough to my broken brain -
reply
this has probably been said, but game multitasking (like any multitasking) is probably strongly correlated with neurodivergence (adhd and autism spectrum. what to one allistic/neurotypical person is a task that -takes all their attention- is to another neurodivergent person too tedious to actually use up all their attention, so they need to do multiple things at once in order to get enough dopamine to focus.
so for instance me, typing this comment because just watching the video wasn't stimulating enough to my broken brain -
reply
-bjorn4978
they're just boring now, you feel guilty buying a game new due to the ridiculous price tags for pixels when its mostly copy/paste, but if you wait for a discount your going in at a disadvantage later on due to being -new-, console exclusives. the stress of life in general makes it hard to switch off and enjoy when you have bills looming over your head all the time, wasnt like that as a kid, all you had to worry about was what was for dinner that night, even then youd eat it cold because youd be in the zone with the boys.
reply
they're just boring now, you feel guilty buying a game new due to the ridiculous price tags for pixels when its mostly copy/paste, but if you wait for a discount your going in at a disadvantage later on due to being -new-, console exclusives. the stress of life in general makes it hard to switch off and enjoy when you have bills looming over your head all the time, wasnt like that as a kid, all you had to worry about was what was for dinner that night, even then youd eat it cold because youd be in the zone with the boys.
reply
-kavalogue
What a load of crap. What I quickly noticed was everyone in this video was happy to mindlessly consume media. They're not picking and choosing between any two pastimes as is, their pastimes literally seem to be just accepting whether they be playing a trash afk mobile game or watching ultra in at the moment mainstream shows, they're issue is mindlessly consuming and not multitasking. Constantly taking in information they don't care about just for the sake of doing so is what's killing their enjoyment.
reply
What a load of crap. What I quickly noticed was everyone in this video was happy to mindlessly consume media. They're not picking and choosing between any two pastimes as is, their pastimes literally seem to be just accepting whether they be playing a trash afk mobile game or watching ultra in at the moment mainstream shows, they're issue is mindlessly consuming and not multitasking. Constantly taking in information they don't care about just for the sake of doing so is what's killing their enjoyment.
reply
polygon
The best remedy for this is a total internet detox for a few months. If that evokes feelings of dread and anxiety, followed by a string of rationalisations, then you have a problem. Trust me. After the boredom subsided you-ll start reading books again. You-ll go on walks just for the sake of it. You-ll be able to have actual conversations without checking your phone every ten minutes. You-ll pay more attention to the media you consume and you-ll stop doing so compulsively. Try it.
reply
The best remedy for this is a total internet detox for a few months. If that evokes feelings of dread and anxiety, followed by a string of rationalisations, then you have a problem. Trust me. After the boredom subsided you-ll start reading books again. You-ll go on walks just for the sake of it. You-ll be able to have actual conversations without checking your phone every ten minutes. You-ll pay more attention to the media you consume and you-ll stop doing so compulsively. Try it.
reply
-mariusmiller5702
I media multitask when something doesn't take up an ideal -RAM- in my head. Reading a textbook is super boring but if I listen to my music while I do it, I can focus on the text much better. However, that does also mean if I am listening to something and my eyes try to read something- I completely miss whatever might have been said aloud.
It might also be worth noting that I actively have ADD so I often have to -optimize- my levels of sensory inputs anyways.
reply
I media multitask when something doesn't take up an ideal -RAM- in my head. Reading a textbook is super boring but if I listen to my music while I do it, I can focus on the text much better. However, that does also mean if I am listening to something and my eyes try to read something- I completely miss whatever might have been said aloud.
It might also be worth noting that I actively have ADD so I often have to -optimize- my levels of sensory inputs anyways.
reply
polygon
The thing about -chore- games to me is that they are still games that I do enjoy playing rather than just a chore. With Magic The gathering Arena or monster hunter world whenever I feel like I -have- to play rather than -want- to play or do something else in the game, that is when I stop playing it because I don-t want my game to be a chore, I already had or have enough of those while I played them, what-s the point of playing a game if I don-t have fun?
reply
The thing about -chore- games to me is that they are still games that I do enjoy playing rather than just a chore. With Magic The gathering Arena or monster hunter world whenever I feel like I -have- to play rather than -want- to play or do something else in the game, that is when I stop playing it because I don-t want my game to be a chore, I already had or have enough of those while I played them, what-s the point of playing a game if I don-t have fun?
reply
-TEO. 187
Multitasking is unfortunately the only way I can focus, my grades drastically improved when I started having a screen reader read my reading assignments aloud to me while I wandered around BOTW collecting resources. I went from clawing my way out of academic suspension to the dean's list
The key is staying aware of the fact that the game is a leisure outlet and that it's okay to pause when I need to take notes
reply
Multitasking is unfortunately the only way I can focus, my grades drastically improved when I started having a screen reader read my reading assignments aloud to me while I wandered around BOTW collecting resources. I went from clawing my way out of academic suspension to the dean's list
The key is staying aware of the fact that the game is a leisure outlet and that it's okay to pause when I need to take notes
reply
-mike_base
I listen to The Aunty Donna Podcast while playing games now and I find it helps me focus while playing latey as well as makes me lmao so it's a win/win unless I'm playing an extremely specific attention-requirement-heavy game like Disco Elysium or other similarly text- or context-heavy rpg. I'm currently running through the Assassin's Creed catalog though, so for that, funny af podcasts work a real treat.
reply
I listen to The Aunty Donna Podcast while playing games now and I find it helps me focus while playing latey as well as makes me lmao so it's a win/win unless I'm playing an extremely specific attention-requirement-heavy game like Disco Elysium or other similarly text- or context-heavy rpg. I'm currently running through the Assassin's Creed catalog though, so for that, funny af podcasts work a real treat.
reply
-jontee4free
I will sometimes give full attention to a game, but it has become rare for me to even fully listen to a game. I feel like it definitely depends on the game. When playing -neir- or -fractured but whole', I always had both headphones in and full attention. But so many games do just get plain grindy and I'd rather be listening to something else while I work.
reply
I will sometimes give full attention to a game, but it has become rare for me to even fully listen to a game. I feel like it definitely depends on the game. When playing -neir- or -fractured but whole', I always had both headphones in and full attention. But so many games do just get plain grindy and I'd rather be listening to something else while I work.
reply
-AquaDancer598
This is so interesting, because for me its not that I need something to watch or listen to while I'm gaming, it's the opposite. I'm happy to listen to the music and audio in a game and get completely focused in on that, but I can't even watch a tv show without doing something with my hands, much less listen to a podcast.
reply
This is so interesting, because for me its not that I need something to watch or listen to while I'm gaming, it's the opposite. I'm happy to listen to the music and audio in a game and get completely focused in on that, but I can't even watch a tv show without doing something with my hands, much less listen to a podcast.
reply
-excess_alex. mp4
I am definitely a media multitasker. I only really play simulator games, so it lends itself to listening to something in the background. Though, I've found I really can't watch something like a really compelling Netflix series. I really enjoy listenable content like video essays or shows like Great British Bakeoff.
reply
I am definitely a media multitasker. I only really play simulator games, so it lends itself to listening to something in the background. Though, I've found I really can't watch something like a really compelling Netflix series. I really enjoy listenable content like video essays or shows like Great British Bakeoff.
reply
-tomasdelcampo2
Ever since I randomly started watching some older more boring anime while gaming I have now gotten through like a few thousands episode while gaming in the last 3 years. I feel like I'm maybe not always paying that much attention to the animes so I just have some random ones playing in the background
reply
Ever since I randomly started watching some older more boring anime while gaming I have now gotten through like a few thousands episode while gaming in the last 3 years. I feel like I'm maybe not always paying that much attention to the animes so I just have some random ones playing in the background
reply
-whatevz4092
12th time trying to watch this video to the end. :/
Damn, v. games are so boring now that I can't also watch a video about them being boring.
At 5th minute now. Hopefully I will finish this video after about 20-30 attempts. :/
It's not about you, it's about the topic.
So strange.
reply
12th time trying to watch this video to the end. :/
Damn, v. games are so boring now that I can't also watch a video about them being boring.
At 5th minute now. Hopefully I will finish this video after about 20-30 attempts. :/
It's not about you, it's about the topic.
So strange.
reply
-ailhou2802
My boyfriend multitasks a LOT, he will often be playing 2 video games at the same time, while also watching videos/shows and voice chatting with friends. Meanwhile, I personally already have trouble focusing on just one task without zoning out in the middle. I don't understand him!
reply
My boyfriend multitasks a LOT, he will often be playing 2 video games at the same time, while also watching videos/shows and voice chatting with friends. Meanwhile, I personally already have trouble focusing on just one task without zoning out in the middle. I don't understand him!
reply
-Artur_1504
I can understand, when playing games like fifa and hearing a podcast at the same time. But watching a tv show And playing a video game, thats something i will mever be able to do. Sometimes i check Twitter when there are loading screens etc, bit the the maximum
reply
I can understand, when playing games like fifa and hearing a podcast at the same time. But watching a tv show And playing a video game, thats something i will mever be able to do. Sometimes i check Twitter when there are loading screens etc, bit the the maximum
reply
-WilbertBeltman
I usually media multi task with things that don't require full attention, like grinding in a game, where I have to do the same thing over and over and over which is kinda boring to hyper focus on it, with other games I will put my full attention into it
reply
I usually media multi task with things that don't require full attention, like grinding in a game, where I have to do the same thing over and over and over which is kinda boring to hyper focus on it, with other games I will put my full attention into it
reply
-gupdoo3
I think for some people ADHD can also be a contributing factor. Before I was diagnosed I used to conceive of myself as having -one and a half brains--- two tasks would overwhelm my brain but one task always made the leftover space in my brain feel restless.
reply
I think for some people ADHD can also be a contributing factor. Before I was diagnosed I used to conceive of myself as having -one and a half brains--- two tasks would overwhelm my brain but one task always made the leftover space in my brain feel restless.
reply
-n_logan2350
I used to always watch videos while gaming but I found that when I did that I would just forget important details about the game. Im already a forgetful person and I didn-t want to play through an entire game and not remember a lot of it so I stopped.
reply
I used to always watch videos while gaming but I found that when I did that I would just forget important details about the game. Im already a forgetful person and I didn-t want to play through an entire game and not remember a lot of it so I stopped.
reply
-SiimKoger
If it's an automatic chore than sure I can listen to something, but never multiple media at the same time unless TV is just for ambience.
I want to immerse myself when I watch a movie or TV show. I want to laugh and cry, to become the characters.
reply
If it's an automatic chore than sure I can listen to something, but never multiple media at the same time unless TV is just for ambience.
I want to immerse myself when I watch a movie or TV show. I want to laugh and cry, to become the characters.
reply
-collidingwithmars
i actually had a pretty bad habit of playing only binding of Isaac every day while multitasking other media (podcast, tv show, new album etc) and it made my game backlog grow A LOT. I'm rly glad to see I'm not the only person who's done that
reply
i actually had a pretty bad habit of playing only binding of Isaac every day while multitasking other media (podcast, tv show, new album etc) and it made my game backlog grow A LOT. I'm rly glad to see I'm not the only person who's done that
reply
-bascal133
My brain is poisoned at this point where I feel restless if don-t have music playing, I even have headphones in in the shower it-s like my brain is so used to stimulation now that I have a high tolerance and need something to focus on all the time
reply
My brain is poisoned at this point where I feel restless if don-t have music playing, I even have headphones in in the shower it-s like my brain is so used to stimulation now that I have a high tolerance and need something to focus on all the time
reply
-jettoscranda
I love listening to podscasts when doing chores, or playing games that don't require your total focus to follow a storyline. Like drving, flying and shooting, and stuff like this that requre more of a muscle memory rather than brain attention.
reply
I love listening to podscasts when doing chores, or playing games that don't require your total focus to follow a storyline. Like drving, flying and shooting, and stuff like this that requre more of a muscle memory rather than brain attention.
reply
-moroi3397
I don't think I put things in the background to consume that media. I just want to hear somebody talking.
I -listened- to Markiplier's entire playthrough of Prey, and now that I actually play it, it's still an entirely blind experience.
reply
I don't think I put things in the background to consume that media. I just want to hear somebody talking.
I -listened- to Markiplier's entire playthrough of Prey, and now that I actually play it, it's still an entirely blind experience.
reply
polygon
I'm a millennial and this just doesn't make sense to me.
I play video games to escape my mundane reality and go to an alternate world.
Why would I do anything else in -the real world-, if I'm actively trying to temporarily escape it?
reply
I'm a millennial and this just doesn't make sense to me.
I play video games to escape my mundane reality and go to an alternate world.
Why would I do anything else in -the real world-, if I'm actively trying to temporarily escape it?
reply
-naanviolence8260
I find multitasking video watching with gaming to be very difficult. I always end up turning off any outside music or distractions. If one source of stimulation isn't enough, I doubt two insufficent sources will be.
reply
I find multitasking video watching with gaming to be very difficult. I always end up turning off any outside music or distractions. If one source of stimulation isn't enough, I doubt two insufficent sources will be.
reply
Add a review, comment
Other channel videos
