Call of Duty, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, PubG, World of Warcraft, League of Legends… There are a lot of competitive game titles. Of course, you should be very good at gaming if you want to compete.
The same goes out to playing in a group of people who have expectations of you and want you all to win. Most of the time, it’s hard to concentrate and you become tired, then you lose and it only makes you more furious, or your gaming partners are mad at you because you made your team lose.
Situations like this can create a bad atmosphere and make you want to quit your favorite thing – playing. If you’re curious about how to play video games to have fun and not to win, we’re here to give you 10 tips about it.
1. Take breaks
We know how it can be: you’re playing a game and losing for the 5th time. Every time you lose, you tell yourself that you’ll take a break when you finally get your win or points. You should know that this kind of way of playing never works. Instead, it only makes you more frustrated and pissed.
If you want to have more fun and feel successful – take occasional breaks from playing and get busy with something else. It’s best to take a walk outside or meet friends.
2. Play in a friendly group of people
Sometimes toxicity may not come from you but from the tea you’re playing with, and it’s completely understandable. Not all the gamers in the world learn to control their feelings while they compete. People can get upset easily, yell at you or even kick you out.
The important point of gaming is that you have to find a suitable group for yourself. They need to tolerate the losses and keep up the friendly atmosphere while encouraging winning in a gentle manner.
3. Pick the right game
Most popular platforms are competitive right now, including PubG and CS: GO but it doesn’t mean you have to play them at an instant. While most of us enjoy those titles and genres, you can pick any other title you want.
There are thousands of relaxing chill ones out there, including Journey, Animal Crossing, Abzu and other ones. The other way to approach this topic is to play games with an ending that don’t have tournaments or online competitions.
4. Use the settings and modes as you wish
Even if you decided to play something that can make you feel sad, or most importantly, mad, you can try and do something with the settings of your game. Everyone knows that there are special modes to almost every game. But you can also mute the toxic players, hide the chats, create friend lists and block people who are ruining your moment.
5. Don’t drain yourself
You can think that it won’t hurt you to play extra hours or stay up one night on the weekend playing with your friends. Sometimes it really doesn’t affect you, but you shouldn’t overdo it. Nothing feels good if you do it constantly. Even if gaming is your most favorite hobby, you shouldn’t drain yourself by stuffing your schedule with playing.
6. Lower your expectations
Remember – you’re just a gamer. You’re not a professional competitor or a developer. You play for fun. So, don’t expect anything super cool if you’re giving a try in a new popular game with a bunch of professionals in it. You can upgrade your skill, yes, but never beat yourself up by cursing when you lose against someone who plays well.
7. Change your gaming style
You’re obviously taking a wrong stance for gaming if you’re playing just to win and not to have fun. Try to change that. All of the good professional gamers say that they play to develop new skills and find themselves in the gaming world. That’s how they became special. They never strike to win; they strike to develop their gaming personality.
8. Control yourself and learn to accept the loss
When you can’t quit playing competitive games – learn to accept your loss. Be aware of what emotions you’re feeling and why try to take time and think about it. The revelation won’t come to you right away but you shouldn’t give up. Tell yourself that you’re still valid and everyone faces defeat at some point, and try to let go in the end.
We learn on our mistakes and there’s no point in shaming yourself if you can simply progress instead.
9. Self-care before games
One day your friends might pressure you to play in a tournament or train for something more serious than just your usual gaming night. It can be thrilling but never forget that self-care and your real life come before games. The tips we can give are:
- get enough rest and don’t ruin your sleeping cycle;
- remember to contact your close friends and family;
- don’t skip meals and opt for healthy options;
- take walks outside or exercise – sitting for a long time can cause health problems;
- a shower is your best friend;
- keep a bottle of water next to you at all times.
10. Don’t be toxic; a game is just a game
If toxicity doesn’t come from your gaming friend, it might come out of you when you feel stressed. It’s common to start cursing or take your stress out on someone from the internet while playing online. Yet, that’s not something that will help you cope with emotions. Meditate or try yoga, or even go for fitness.
Remember – there are many ways to enjoy gaming in a relaxing atmosphere that won’t make you furious. You don’t have to cope with emotions alone and sacrifice your precious mental state for something like video games. Don’t make it overly important. In the end, games are meant for fun, and not for mental breakdowns. Enjoy them and have fun with your friends.
