Despite the fact that gaming is one of the most popular pastimes among different demographics, it has certain problems, and challenges players face from time to time.
Since the variety of video games is so big, it is also natural to see different issues that stem from this variety.
The purpose of this article is to cover 6 challenges and problems video game enthusiasts encounter and how one can solve them.
Performance Issues
Let’s start with performance problems. If you have a brand-new gaming console or computer, the odds are that you will not experience this particular issue.
However, the situation changes after a while since the hardware becomes outdated. In addition, users clutter the drive space and do not bother cleaning the dust that accumulates inside their consoles or computers.
Accessory-related issues are also a thing. For instance, you might experience the mouse pad not working on mac or a wireless controller failing to connect to a gaming console.
The idea is to optimize your setup so that you can enjoy gaming to the fullest. Having to deal with stutters, frame drops, and other problems related to your computer or console’s performance is not fun.
If you run out of ideas and cannot find solutions yourself, you will need to seek professional help and pay money to get the problems fixed.
Predatory Monetization Models
One of the biggest things plaguing the gaming industry is the recent change of certain developers regarding the monetization method.
This one is particularly notable in mobile games that offer the freemium model. You get access to the content, but most of it is locked behind time gates and other obstacles. To progress faster, you need to pay money.
Some video game developers also charge AAA prices for a game that is hardly finished, fooling players into preordering.
Monthly subscription fees are not as common, though one could argue that they should be. Subscriptions incentivize developers to put more effort into polishing their games and adding new content.
Overall, gaming by itself can be an expensive hobby, and you do not want to spend unnecessary money on games or cosmetics from in-game purchases.
Gambling and Loot Boxes
Because of the growth of esports, there is also a betting industry that is not received too positively. For some, betting on matches makes watching more exciting, but the risks are not always easy to weigh, which leads to losses.
Besides gambling, there are also loot boxes, one thing that most players agree they would like to see disappear for good.
Sure, a little bit of testing your luck might seem fun at first, but if you need to invest money and are not guaranteed to get an item you need, then it is clear that this model is not consumer-friendly.
Some countries, such as the Netherlands, are banning video games that are acting predatory with their loot box systems. Hopefully, more countries will follow.
Addiction
Addiction to gambling in video games is just one side of the coin. Some players lose track of time because they get into games and spend too much time playing them.
Being addicted leads to various troubles, such as health issues, conflicts in relationships with other people, lack of motivation and interest to study or do your job properly, and so on.
The problem with video game addiction is that getting out of it can be quite difficult. If you cannot channel your motivation to do something else, you might be stuck in a loop of gaming just for the sake of gaming because you are in no mood to do anything else despite having free time.
As soon as you notice that you are spending too much time playing video games, trying to come up with excuses to play them, or even staying up late for an extra hour or two to play, rethink your approach and try to take a break before you get addicted.
Toxic Encounters
Toxic encounters are not a thing in single-player games, so if you stick to those, you can avoid toxic players.
On the other hand, if what you play is mostly online video games, then the odds are that you will have to experience playing with or against players who cannot keep things to themselves.
Most video games offer the MUTE function, but it is an obstacle in the sense that you cannot fully communicate with other players.
Ultimately, it is inevitable that you will have to deal with toxic behavior, but if you have to do it anyway, try to come up with solutions that minimize the issue.
Backlog of Games
Keeping up with all the video games that get released every year is not easy, especially if you do not have as much time to play video games as you would like.
It is hard to choose between different games, so you have to think really hard about what you want to play. And as your backlog grows, the options increase as well, which leads to even more time one needs to make decisions.
Is there a solution to the backlog problem? Probably not. Unless you suddenly get all the time in the world to catch up, you will have to make cuts and dedicate what little time you have to certain video games while leaving others behind.
