The Kotaku website describes an interesting phenomenon: They have spoken to a number of gamers aged between 20 and 40 who all share one thing in common: they can no longer play certain games because they associate them with too many memories of past partners. One 24-year-old says he is now not only single, but he can also never enjoy Genshin Impact again.
Why is the player now avoiding Genshin Impact? The US site Kotaku has spoken to various gamers: they share their stories of games they once loved but can no longer touch after failed relationships.
A 24-year-old says he had been friends with his later girlfriend for a long time. However, they grew closer during the pandemic when both were playing Genshin Impact.
We started playing together, took in-game photos, went on in-game dates. In the end, we decided to give it a try together.
A Fireworks in the Game, but the Relationship Ends
The young man says: The relationship was not going well, and in February they watched a fireworks display in Genshin Impact together, because there was a special event happening. That was the last time they played together. The next day, the relationship was over.
I started to avoid Genshin Impact, even began to hate it. I recently tried to play the game again, but the memories of my ex-girlfriend are still there. I decided to uninstall the game again.
What other stories are there? Kotaku spoke to some heartbroken men:
A 30-year-old was introduced to the high art of the Japanese role-playing series Persona by his girlfriend. But just as he finished the third palace in Persona 5, the relationship fell apart. He has not touched the game since.
A 40-year-old went through a divorce while he was playing Horizon: Zero Dawn. He had played for 14 hours when his marriage fell apart. He still remembers that day. He said he slept on the floor when he had to tell his children that he would be moving out. Every time he enters Aloy’s world today, he feels that pain again – even after many years.
A 31-year-old says his girlfriend once told him she liked the “Harvest Moon” games as a child, so he showed her Stardew Valley. He bought the game on three platforms. The 31-year-old says that after a nasty breakup, he now has the game for Switch, PC, and PS4, and he has never touched it again.
Are there also women who feel this way? Yes, Kotaku quotes a 33-year-old. She says:
I will never play League of Legends again. My ex-boyfriend played it all the time, and he met the woman he cheated on me with in the game.
If this feels too bitter for a Sunday evening, we have an antidote for you:
Thanks to my love for MMOs, I found the love of my life
The title image is a symbolic image: Photo by Hutomo Abrianto on Unsplash
