How I got over my achievement obsession.

[ThreepQuest64]

This sounds like a nice idea. I was 'obsessed' to the point that I'd double dip on games just to have them on a platform (Steam, PS4) that offers achievements. It took a while to notice, and there was no definite point of revelation, that was wasting my time. Of course, 'wasting' could apply to anything, but in the light of all the games I wanted to play it seemed like 'wasting' my time on such mundane and trivial tasks whereas I could enjoy another story or two by the time I got that one trophy. And suddenly I stopped hunting them. I also stopped playing games I didn't enjoy much enough to justify playing further while I could play games that are much, much more fun.

I'm not ignoring all achievements altogether, though. I still like the sound and image of this notification and the game recognizing my efforts. But I won't go over tedious gaming session just for the sake of an icon and a sound effect – they don't give me that much joy. What also helped to realize how little people care: it's not like you get ovations or any kind of recognition by having that platinum trophy. So I stopped doing it for myself and definitely doing for others. So in the end there was little to no reason to go after the 100%.

 

[Deleted member 1003]

For some reason, I'm obsessed with Achievements and Trophies when I play on consoles, but couldn't care less about them at all when playing on PC.

Click to shrink...

Bingo! On PC, steam achievements will pop but it doesn't affect me. On console, I see it like a challenge and/or checklist and I get the anxious feeling that I need to complete it. So weird.

 

[Mercador]

Oh this is a good one. I think it's something related to perfectionism. My trick is to calculate how it will costs me (in hours) to get the achievement. It generally not worth it, so I forget about it.

Edit: something that helped me is that; on X360, it was 1000pts achievement so I had to get 1000pts. On Playstation, there's no value on it (beside the type of trophy so I care less). On PC, there's so much achievements to get that I lost focus on it.

 

[Kittenz]

Love them. I don't need 1000/1000 each game but I don't know how many times good creative achievements have gotten me to play the game differently. Encourages me to try new characters or weapons or play styles, find out how that one forgotten skill really IS useful, etc.

They aren't enough to make me play games I'm not enjoying but they add to my enjoyment of the ones I do. In-game things like Halo 5 commendations or Destiny 2 triumphs too. Gives me something to try when I'm maxed at 650 so the grind feels pointless, but I still like playing.

 

[cecilpaladin32]

I still like the idea of achievements/trophies, but generally find myself caring less and less since I started playing more Switch games, other than for titles I really am hyped about AND know that a platinum is a realistic possibility for me (sorry, Yakuza games). I still do wish they were available as an option on all titles/consoles.

That being said, one pet peeve I have is games that require multiple playthroughs for the platinum/full achievements. Some games, like Bastion and Persona 5, I do everything that I can on one playthrough but don't bother finishing the plat. I may even sometimes get the hardest trophies in some games, but I still draw the line here (unless it's a hard difficulty related trophy, in which case I may consider a second playthrough after beating the game on normal).

I told myself last year, that I'd like to platinum both Dragon Quest 11 and Valkyria Chronicles 4. I've only played about 25 hours of DQ11 and only a couple of hours of VC4, and likely will never have the time to do this. Instead I find myself playing more and more indie games these days.

Funnily enough, I got one platinum trophy for all of last year - Spider-man - and by the end of the game, I was starting to hate it because the side missions were so dull and repetitive. It actually probably slightly soured my overall outlook on the game a bit, but I was so close to the plat, that I actually wanted to finish it. Hopefully I'll be smarter about this in the future.

 

[Richietto]

When I first started playing games with them I was really compelled and didn't want to play games without them but I quickly got into PC gaming in high school and quickly stopped giving a shit because Steam achievements were really pointless. That and I was always playing Nintendo games after the appeal of HD graphics wore off.

 

[JCal]

Congratz OP!

Trophies should never be the reason why you dedicate more time to a game. KH is a popular topic of discussion, it seems, so for example - I myself can't move on to another world (in KH3) without first finding every emblem, treasure chest, etc. I'm not doing this because of a Trophy/Achievement. I'm doing this because I enjoy exploring the world and listening to the music. I'm in no way striving for the Platinum, nor have I even looked at the Trophy list.

I spend extra time with a game because I adore it, not because of a list. Just my opinion. I don't mean to put anyone who enjoys hunting Trophies/Achievements down. Trophies/Achievements do have their value. They can provide a extra replayability to super short games (indies, etc) or give you something else to do in your favorite games, once you've played them numerous times and exhausted all available content.

 

[KanameYuuki]

I bought a Switch and I started to no longer care about them on other platforms as well.

Click to shrink...

That's exactly what I decided to do, I still 100% Splatoon 2 single player and been doing Smash challenges but it's more because I want to and less that I have to, I haven't touched my PS 4 / Vita games yet because I know I will start with the obsession all over again.

 

[27 Burritos]

When I switched consoles, I stopped caring so much. If it's an interesting achievement I'll do it.

 

[Dreavus]

I got way into the Guild Wars 1 Achievements in one of the expansions, Eye of the North. This was because they vaguely fed into some unlockables you could get in the next game at the time (Guild Wars 2).

I hunted down every elite skill and even did some zone vanquishing (killing every single enemy in a given instance) to up my "score" in the GW1. Overall it was kind of fun to go hardcore at a game like that, but I can't imagine doing that for every game.

Every so often I'll shoot for an achievement or two, especially if it's a game I am finished the main story with but also really liked. 99.9% of the time I completely ignore it though.

I wasn't there on the onset of gamer scores though, so maybe that has something to do with it. Mostly stuck to Nintendo consoles, and the trophies on ps3 didn't grab me at all at the time either.

 

[wondermagenta]

I used to be way into them for like the first two years of me owning a PS3 but it took only a few bad experiences with 100%-ing games (where it turned the whole experience from enjoyable into a slog and I realized I was way too focused on playing "optimally" rather than just taking the game on its own terms and trying to have fun) to completely burn me on the concept. I have the notifications turned off on both Xbox and PlayStation and I don't care to look at achievement lists anymore. I just try to do the content that seems fun to me and bail as soon as I'm starting to feel signs of burn-out (I quit Mario Odyssey somewhere between 600 and 700 Moons when I realized I hadn't been having fun for the last five to ten hours).

Thinking about it, there haven't been a ton of games in the last few years where I felt compelled to even attempt to "complete" them in any fashion. I did all the shrines in Zelda, which was fun because I actually challenged myself to find them all completely on my own. Doing fun challenges that change the game up in a meaningful way is what I've been more interested in general lately. I loved going through Critical Mode in Kingdom Hearts 2, but you're not gonna catch me scouring every world for those Puzzle Pieces.

 

[Morrigan]

It's made me enjoy videogames so much more. Instead of going back after each word in Kingdom Hearts III to find all the Mickey Mouse emblems, I just...moved on. Instead of grinding to level 99 to get that shiny trophy I just...moved on. And man, it feels so good

Click to shrink...

Good for you, OP. I never understood people who went out of their way to hunt for achievements unless this particular hunt is, you know, fun in itself. If you go out of your way to do something you find un-fun, then... why, really. Life is too short and time is too limited for this!

 

[No Depth]

 

[Skux]

I stopped caring about achievements and trophies when I learned how easy it was to cheat them.

Click to shrink...

Why would someone else's cheated achievements affect your own perception of them? Just because someone gained them dishonestly doesn't mean you can't achieve them honestly.

 

[Breakfast at Noon]

I turned them off.

 

[100%TrophyMaster]

Good for you OP. I am a sick man and continue to trophy hunt. It's like sweet lemonade on a hot summers day when those trophies pop. Mmmmm...way too into it to quit. That being said I'm actually surprised looking back—there are only a handful of games where I would state the grinding or platinum run was not fun. I usually stick to games I really enjoy so most of the time it doesn't bother me. Plus I've played some really good add-on content and dlc I probably wouldn't have tried if trophies weren't added on. I find the whole system really fulfilling from a goal perspective and it adds a lot to my gaming experience as of right now. Will be interested to see if/when that changes for me in the future.

 

[Gamer @ Heart]

I am in the camp that is happy Nintendo has not tried to copy them. I wish I could say I don't care, so its a relief when I have the option to go switch version and never have to think about it.
It's one reason why i was so happy with the dragons dogma port announcement. That game has some ridiculous stuff thats easy to miss that drive me nuts on 360. I will enjoy it and be done with it when I feel like I am like i did with VC4 and not have this nagging feeling your not really done.

 

[molnizzle]

I bought a Switch and I started to no longer care about them on other platforms as well.

Click to shrink...

Same. I'm very thankful that there's nothing like them on Switch. I'm finally free of that compulsion.

 

[eXistor]

I cared when they were a new thing, but after a while I realized they're basically carrots on a stick and literally zero people care about other people's gamer score/trophies so I stopped caring as well. I'll still try and get some trophies if they're easy or within reach, but otherwise I just let it go.

 

[gschmidl]

I got over achievements before they existed. I was playing Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine, which has the same Indy Quotient (score) system as Fate of Atlantis. By finding secrets etc, you could get a maximum score of 1000/1000.

So I played and played to get to the full score... and the game dumps you back to Windows without acknowledging it. It doesn't even SHOW you your full score.

And I never cared again.

 

[Yasuke]

Click to shrink...

Not in my black history month.

 

[Deleted member 10060]

Just turn off notifications and soon you'll forget achievements even exist.

 

[TheBaldwin]

For some reason, I'm obsessed with Achievements and Trophies when I play on consoles, but couldn't care less about them at all when playing on PC.

Click to shrink...

Same, and i think thats why i started having alot more fun on PC and switch at times.

I just dont want to spend ages gridning away at achievements and ruining my playthrough or experience, unless its something i want to do.

I might take advice in this thread. And Op your right in that by just actually looking at the experience you had with a game, can really make you think 'this game actually isnt that great, i dont want to waste time on it' or 'wow that game was fun, i dont want to ruin my experience with it by grinding away at a pointless achievement'

Trophies are cool, but nobody cares or looks at them.

 

[Deleted member 12186]

I still go for them and it generally varies. If I ever feel that by pursing trophies I am compromising my enjoyment and can see my view of the game deteriorating, I try to just pass.

This isn't always the case like some games grab me and are addictive but in general I'm not dreading it so I think it's okay. One example of a game I dropped was Red Dead 2, absolutely horrible experience for such a good main narrative, I won't do online as I realize it would tarnish my view of the game and I'd end off on a low note as opposed to a high one.

 

[Brite_Boy]

I used to be worried during first playthrus that I would miss trophies. I would use a guide and it would make the initial playthrus a chore.

I've since found a middle-ground that works best for me. I play all games just as I would normally and only go back to games I really enjoyed or couldn't get enough of and eventually get those plats.

 

[MonokumaAppears]

Yup. Super Meat Boy, Ikaruga, and other games that just grind you into the ground
Have to be somewhat of a masochist, so I guess you're just swapping one vice for another.

 

[Monkey D.]

When i was younger i really cared for them. During my 360 days it got so bad i was buying games just to get more gamerscore. Rockstar tabletennis and viva pinata come to mind. Or collecting everything in assassins creed 1-2. Damn.

That changed alot and i dont really care anymore. It can help to give a game a little more life before i drop it but that happens very rarely anymore. I still have to finish red dead 2 .

I also stopped buying every game day one. I only buy a singleplayer game after i finished the previous game. So until i dont finish red dead i dont buy god of war and Detroit.

Iam sitting on assassins creed origins for over a year and iam in the second city just now....

After work i often dont want to "waste" that time playing games. So it will take a couple months before i buy these other games. Lol.

What i did for some time was set myself a goal to finish a game. Either play different games 1 hour at a time or play 2 missions a day. That's how i finished watchdogs 2. I think i start doing that again. It didnt feel like a waste when i set myself goals.

 

[Nathan.exe]

Happened to me when i tried to platinum Trails of Cold Steel. Some of the dumbest fucking "achievements" ever. Never again.

Click to shrink...

lmaooo after 2 platinum trophies from Falcom games I was done for life.

 

[Shiranui93]

Similarly to OP, I stopped caring about achievements or trophies when I started tracking my games via backloggery.com.

 

[justin haines]

Last time I even looked at them was the first Gears.

I just can't worry about something so meaningless, but I never 100% games either. I have fun til I'm not and move on.

 

[Mauricio_Magus]

I do like Achievements when they are well designed but usually I finish a game and I'm done.

I realized that life is too short for some random trophy that no one cares about I guess, but it is nice to do everything you can do you on your favorite games.

Also, the obvious tip, play more Nintendo games as there's no Achievements in there.

Also as you said, I love to just make a list of games I have finished, that's my own "Achievement list". I love to add a game to that list and then move to the next one. Something like REmake 2 being so damn good actually makes me want to do everything but for KH3... I finished it and that was it, it's fine.

 

[Wozzer]

Actually found myself nostalgic for achievement hunting this past week, even as far as picking up some Xbox games for achievement hunting fun like back in the Xbox 360 days before platform value become a lot more spread. Stumbled upon this Gamasutra blog that captures my feels pretty well.

I'm certainly a gamer that finds value in micro challenges and chasing carrots on a stick, adding enjoyment to my gaming sessions but I'm also a gamer that enjoys playing games where (I feel) they're best (which is typically PC) and not missing out on exclusives for the sake of platform presence (which has been PS4/Switch this generation thus far), which feels at odds with collecting things on a given platform.

I'd strongly welcome a cross-platform 3rd party service to tie 'achievements' across platforms together. The folks over at MGS are attempting this, but the current feature set and overall utilization is underwhelming.

 

[Dog]

Haven't cared in years but for some reason I want all of Apex Legends ones. Think I just need one or two more now.

 

[Driggonny]

I've never felt particularly obsessed with achievements. I feel like 90% of the time I look at a list I get annoyed just thinking about what I'd have to do for them. But if I enjoy a game/franchise enough then I might try, but only after a first playthrough. First playthrough is always blind unless I get stuck. Trophies are like a replay value thing for me.

 

[Deleted member 49319]

Just embrace it, instead of getting over it.

 

[diablogg]

In game reward achievements that unlock stuff is the only "achievement bug" I've ever caught and the only 3 examples I can think of are The Binding of Isaac & The Binding of Isaac Rebirth because you unlock cooler items and challenges for your runs by achieving more things, and super recently Resident Evil 2 for all the concept art and models (plus I just love that game and I suspect in 10 years I'll have played at least 100 runs like I did with the original.)

And do I want to get over those kinds of achievements? Heck no I wish more games would do it =).

For real though I'm glad you got over your achievement addiction, I rank it up there being as soul sucking as people who start a game, end up not enjoying it and just force themselves to complete the game because... Well who knows. Stop playing games you don't enjoy!

 

[Moppy]

Was never really "obsessed" I don't think, even when I was way more into them. I guess going from Xbox 360, to mostly PC, back to mostly Xbox One is what kind of killed it around the first time?

Now I just "go after them" if it's a game I'm really, really into and want to wring more life out of.

Edit - I've also had the opposite happen this gen too, though. I was enjoying Just Cause 4 a month or two back, and liked messing around in the world so much that I kind of thought "huh, maybe I'll go after all the achievements for fun while I'm here". Then I realized the game has a huge achievement syncing bug if you get disconnected from SE servers, and was missing a bunch of mid-game campaign related "unmissable" achievements. After that, kind of felt whatever about trying for the rest, knowing I didn't care enough about the 100% completion feeling to go back through the campaign on a new file to get what I was missing.

 

[dmoe]

Same. I'm very thankful that there's nothing like them on Switch. I'm finally free of that compulsion.

Click to shrink...

I don't double dip on switch due to the lack of acheivements. ;(

 

[Dream Machine]

I'm grateful that my brain is wired in such a way that I never cared about achievements at all.

It's a legit sickness with some people.

 

[molnizzle]

I don't double dip on switch due to the lack of acheivements. ;(

Click to shrink...

Just embrace it. Switch can cure you, just like it cured me!

 

[Hippopuncher12]

I stopped caring about trophies a couple of years ago but I just started going after them again a few months ago and I can tell I missed them. I don't even touch my Switch or X1X because if it has the options of having trophies I am getting it on my Pro.

 

[hibikase]

Glad to hear it Ein

 

[BlueManifest]

I don't like achievements the way they are currently

I would be fine if games would focus on 3 or 4 achievements with no filler, examples

Achievement 1 started playing the game
Achievement 2 finished game / saw credits
Achievement 3 saw secret ending / beat special boss

Those are the only achievements a game needs nothing else

If it's not like this then I rather have none