Do British gamers enjoy games as much as they used to?

The current state of gaming is a common theme of discussion within the gaming community, from video essays decrying the rise of micro-transactions to opinion articles questioning the ethics of publishers releasing ‘unfinished’ titles. 

But does this discourse hold water among the majority actual gamers? Results from a YouGov poll of UK gamers reveals that gamers these days are having less fun playing than they used to – quite in contrast to their US counterparts. Among those who have played for at least five years, two-fifths say they enjoy PC or console games less than when they first began playing (41%). Only half as many say they enjoy these games more (20%). Just over a third of gamers say they enjoy video games to about the same degree today (35%).

Those who began their PC/Console gaming journeys more than a decade ago are the ones who carry this sentiment most strongly. This group is two and a half times as likely to say that they enjoy games less, rather than more, today compared to when they first began playing (44% vs 18%). Among those who have played for between five to less than 10 years, a third say they enjoy games more today (34%), outnumbering those who say they enjoy it less (25%).

But what are the factors driving the reduced enjoyment of games today? Gamers pointed to several key factors, but a shift in personal priorities and reduction in the amount of free time are prime considerations. The most significant contributor appears to be increased responsibilities, such as work and family obligations, with 57% of respondents indicating this impacts their enjoyment "a lot." Similarly, 57% cited having less free time to play as a major factor. Other notable reasons include a shift in personal interests, with 30% marking it as a significant factor.

Coming to reasons pertaining to games themselves, the increased presence of in-game purchases and microtransactions is a prominent factor, with a 71% say that this has negatively affected their enjoyment of video games to some degree. About half of gamers cite repetitive game mechanics as an issue (50%), while a third of gamers also cite decline in game quality as factor (32%).

Lastly, nearly two-thirds of gamers who enjoy games less today than they used to admit that nostalgia could be a factor impacting their perception (63%). 

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