What is the Point of Gaming?

Hey Game Fans we’re back with another deep dive on the topic of gaming and today I’m going to take a swing at a big point that everyone has an opinion on. This is an underlying principle that i try to keep in mind with everything that i do that relates to gaming. There’s a question that comes up all the time with people who aren’t gamers (and they are wonderful people, just not one of us yet). The question usually takes the form of “Why do you do this?” Most of us have a quick answer that could be part of a funny line or a bit, but it’s a real, honest question that can be tricky to answer for other folks. “What is the point of all of these things that we do as gamers?”

“What is the Point of Gaming?”

That’s a big question and I am sure that everyone who participates in the hobby has their own version of an answer to it. I think that’s awesome, and i applaud all of you who have thought about what you see the point in gaming is. This is my answer to that question, and it has a couple of caveats that apply to it. Then, there’s another equally big question right behind it, but we’ll answer these questions out of order.

“The Point of Gaming is to have fun.”

Now that looks like a plain answer to a simple question, but there are a couple of points that need to be made along with that simple answer. Fun is the goal of the hobby of gaming, and whatever way you measure fun, gaming should provide that for you in at least some capacity. Now here’s where things get tricky. You and I may have very different definitions of what fun is, and that can be a disaster waiting to happen.


I tend to define “fun” as any experience that reduces my stress levels and enables me to cope with the rigors of day to day life. (Sorry, i have a background in psychology and tend for operational definitions where i can apply them). Now within this definition there’s a lot of wiggle room. Some games i don’t find to be fun with this definition. Some people that i game with have the ability to reduce the amount of fun i can have in a gaming experience simply by being there. Note above where i said “I tend to define…” That’s my definition. Yours is probably different. More importantly, the things that you find to be stress reducing are possibly very different from mine.


That’s completely understandable. We are very different people (probably) and we process things differently. Things that i find fun could be stress inducing for you, and vice versa. Being able to identify the aspects of gaming that you find fun is a tremendous advantage in getting the most fun out of your gaming experiences. It also gives you a leg up on finding games and gaming groups that you aren’t going to have as positive an experience with.


One of the important things that i don’t think we talk about enough in the hobby is that we all have varying amounts of free time. No one has enough free time to do all of the things that they want to do, and we have to pick and choose how we spend our time. Everyone’s time is a precious commodity, and understanding that you have choices for what to do with it can help you find the best use of that time when you decide to go gaming.

So what’s the point of all this?

Well, Everyone should be able to enjoy this great big hobby of ours and there are a million different ways that can happen. Being able to identify the things you enjoy most is a very important step on the path to getting the best results out of your gaming experiences, groups, and larger experiences. Knowing what you like and what you don’t like can help you find the best groups and games for the experiences that you find fun. You do the same thing with the food you eat, the fun you experience through gaming is just as valid an experience for you to evaluate.


Next week we’ll be back with a question that’s got even more stupendous answers. “What is Gaming?”


Game On, Game Fans, we’ll see you soon