As I'm playing Skyrim punctuated by a few BF3 brakes I wondered "What would it take for me to completely give up gaming?" and I must say I was completely stumped. I seriously could not think of any real scenario's where I would truly give up my cherished games. Not for money, nor school, nor girlfriend. Sure maybe I would play more moderately but that would be it. Has this question occurred to any of you?

Well, I did stop gaming completely when I got a Job and moved to new city, and it wasnt for lack of time, it was actually during the transition of the PS2/xbox generation to the 360/PS3, I didnt see it smart to invest so early on in the consoles, and by the looks of it I was right.

It took me a full 5 years to even consider buying a console and it was only because I opted to buy a console instead of a new PC.

The only way I'm going to completely stop playing games is if something incapacitates all electrical technology in the world and destroys the means and knowledge to produce them.

There are periods where I wont play much of anything, then a week or so later I'll get back into it and carry on. That's the closest I come to stopping.

Once every game become digital download only , i will quit buying games . I will continie to buy and play old physical copy games , but i shall no longer buy videogames that are digital download only .

I honestly can't think of anything. It's just been with me that long now, I don't know what would make me give it up. Besides it causing serious deterioration in my health anyway.

When games go 100% online and the only way to buy them is through online retail, that's when I'll give it up.

Not being a douchebag, internet in Australia just blows. Hard.

Tons of cash to buy tons of books. And somewhere were I could find people to play board-games n such (I assume we're only talking video games?)

Gaming is awesome and has been my main hobby for a long time so I don't think I will quit anytime soon. Like others said, I will only give it up if it's killing me or if electricity disappears from the world. Although if I was offered 5 billion dollars to stop gaming it would be very tempting.

Well, if developers who aren't Bethesda stopped creating cRPG's entirely (Pirahna Bytes, CD Projekt, Reality Pump) that'd be enough to stop me looking to the future of gaming. Of course I'd still replay all the other past games into the very depths of Hades itself, but still.

Nothing. I am intending to enter the game development industry, giving up gaming would sorta kill my hopes and dreams for that career as well.

Actually, that's not quite true- I suppose if I was given a hell of a lot of money and a constant inflow of high-quality books, as well as several playsets of every MTG card in existance and in the future until I die might suffice.

I wouldnt. Maybe reduce my hours but not give up. Its my biggest hobby, I spend a fortune on my PC, upgrading it finding out the new info on all the hardware and I enjoy taking it to bits. Gaming is part of who I am.

I would never willing give it up. All the money in the world is pointless if you can never do what you love.

Depends on what you mean by "completely." If you mean throwing away all my old games? Probably impossible.

To stop buying new games/consoles? Hell, I'm already halfway there. I decided as soon as the WiiU was announced that I was completely sitting out the next generation, and the 2011 releases worth I felt were worth buying can be counted on one hand. If they manage to cripple or destroy used game sales, then that'll probably break the camel's back.

Then again, I've got 30 years of gaming under my belt. That's enough to hold me off so that I can, in fact, afford to tell them to fuck themselves for the sake of principles.

Death or Death of physical copy. I will fight for physical copy to remain by continuing to buy it and shun digital except when it is only way to buy a game. I don't care if internet becomes amazing in future, I am material person and want something I can touch and fill a shelf with.

Death, death of physical copy, death of OFFLINE, Nintendo going third-party or selling Zelda to EA or Activision.

I'd fondly look back and play my older games, but I'd stop being excited for the future.

When gaming degenerates to the point that it is solely an endless array of Angry Birds and Farmville clones designed around the tablets and smartphones.

I'm actually really close to giving it up right now.

I'm appaled at the way the gaming industry is treating us. I've been a loyal gamoer for years and now i'm either being punished because the developers think i'm a thief, or i'm being ignored because i'm not intrested in 3-d or motion control gaming.

Even worse is the gaming industry backing SOPA.

On top of all of this game are getting more expensive and were getting less game for our buck. its even gotten to the point where developers are litteraly cutting out the end of a game and selling it to us in DLC.

I like games but i'm tired of feeling like i'm being fucked. The truth is that i could and should be spending my time doing more constructive things and the games industry isn't doing a good job of convincing me to stay.

All the games in the world and the data files for said games disappearing, with no way to make new games. Only way I would stop playing games.

Probably nothing realistic. The only thing I can think of would be the ability to go on any flight I want without charge, stay in any hotel without charge, eat in any restaurant without charge, as well as attend any concert/music festival without charge. Until I get those, I'll continue playing my video games.

Whether or not I will buy games in the future is a different question, but I can count the amount of games I traded in on one hand, so I have a pretty decent library to fall back on.

A girlfriend. One that I like / love that doesn't have any major hang-ups. And maybe a nice pay rise.

Well I am not playing much.
This year I have played Skyward Sword and Xenoblade Chronicles.
Last year, I didn't buy one game and everything I played was occasionally Fifa at my friends place. So for me it completely depends, I almost didn't play for over one year while then 2 games I was waiting for got published and I played for a few weeks straight on my free time.
I know there are many games I haven't played that are great and I sometimes make buys I normally wouldn't but that's pretty seldom.
So I don't think it would have to take too much but to actually do it I guess I'd ask for a ton of cash xD

sketch_zeppelin:
I'm actually really close to giving it up right now.

The truth is that i could and should be spending my time doing more constructive things and the games industry isn't doing a good job of convincing me to stay.

I feel the same way. I have slowly come to the realization that the overwhelming portion of games in the end simply have no redeeming value whatsoever. They just take your time, attention and energy and offer so damn little in return. Want an interesting story with interesting characters? Read a book or watch a series. Want a fulfilling social experience? Do something with real friends in real life.

But gaming has become a severely entrenched habit in my life. However, I feel it is withering, slowly but surely.

Pretty much lack of good games coming out for it (I'm own a Wii so that explain alot). Other than that the only way I would stop gaming completely is that I had discover a new way to pass the time and boredom that isn't using alot of bandwidth on the computer.

krazykidd:
Once every game become digital download only , i will quit buying games . I will continie to buy and play old physical copy games , but i shall no longer buy videogames that are digital download only .

I agree. I just enjoy having a physical copy of it. I know that as long as the disc and console are in good condition i can play the game without any hassle.

A prolonged survival scenario/collapse of civilization... or if the medium moves exclusively to touch screens. That's the one input method I'm fully convinced no one will ever get right.

Not much, as long as something is offered as a substitute whether it be entertaining or not

A) I get too busy to actually play video games, with whatever Free time I have being consumed by other things.
B) The only games out are shit, and I can't play anything old I own.
C) I find something far more entertaining to do instead.
D) I start travelling too often to game properly.
E) Video Game Crash, resulting in the Death of the industry.
F) I become completely and utterly flawless, capable of flying around the Universe at speeds normally incapable to that of a mere mortal - 'cause seriously, if I can explore the the deepest reaches of the Universe whenever I feel like it, I doubt I'll be playing video games anytime soon.
G) I just get bored of Gaming (It's happened before).

All it take is school for me, I've not played any games in over a week now, and have no plans to interrupt any of my studies for a gaming session any time soon.

if we're taking about the entirety of gaming, poker, monopoly, call of duty, football, etc. A hefty amount of cash, practically an immeasurable amount.

But just video gaming, SEX.

Actually, I've been toying with the idea in the wake of all this SOPA business. I don't feel comfortable anymore supporting companies that are actively trying to destroy freedom and net neutrality. I felt very guilty about it last time I bought a new game, which is fucked up... of course, the entertainment industry is so omnipresent, it's hard to avoid it unless you become a recluse. I could live without video games and movies, but no way I could deal without music.

Going blind. It's certainly be difficult to play without seeing.

Which seems likely in the future, my sight is getting poorer and poorer. I really should do something about that.

I will quit when the games coming out are disappointing messes that aren't interesting or fun at all. Cause in the end isn't it all about fun