There are many negative stereotypes and stigma that have been put on video games and gamers over the years. One of the biggest is that video games are “just for children,” when we all know that’s false. Another is that all gamers are “obsessive,” and they can’t help but play video games non-stop. We’ll admit that’s true for some people but not for the whole community. Even when it’s a game as compelling and content-rich as Diablo IV, gamers take breaks occasionally. That’s good because Blizzard wants people to take breaks from their titles.
Don’t believe us? During a recent live stream, Associate game director Joseph Piepiora talked about gamers who have done just about everything possible in Diablo IV despite the game having only been out for a short period of time. He addressed what they should do now that they’re “done” with the current version of the game:
“When you’ve reached all the goals and done the things you think are important, take a break.”
What a concept, right? But the developer also noted that it’s not just gamers who take such breaks. When it comes to the developers, they take breaks, too, while they’re making the title. They know that taking breaks can help you appreciate the experience more and thus makes it more fulfilling. Plus, he noted that seasonal content is coming, so by taking breaks during the season, you can be far enough away to appreciate what’s coming up.
Going back to the original topic, it’s true that gamers can’t wait to play that next big title, and there are even pro gamers who do speed runs to try and get it done faster than anyone. But there are just as many gamers who prefer to take their time with the games they play to get a richer experience. Plus, plenty of gamers have day jobs who only get to have fun at night or on weekends if their schedules allow.
We’ve all heard tales of gamers who have taken the idea of playing video games “too far,” but it’s not right to blanket the entire gaming community in such acts of stupidity and egregiousness.
Regardless, Blizzard is thrilled with how their newest title is going. It’s a big win for the company game-wise, and now that the sale with Microsoft is seemingly going through, they’ll potentially have more wins in the future.
But seriously, enjoy your video games, but know when to put them down, ok?
