Do you have a Hobby Grade Game? What is it?

[jon bones]

As I get older & my gaming tastes change, I find myself preferring quick, pick-up-and-play games that have some sort of online meta-progression layer to it.

I find that many options in that space have a lot of depth to them that allows you to make them your "only" game. More & more games are also adding GaaS Battle Pass progression systems which also seem very cool and right up my alley.

You get the benefit of quick, deep, self-contained games with a larger sense of progression - earning cosmetics or currency for characters.

The only downside here is that I have yet to find one that clicks in a way where I can really have it as my one go-to. With time constraints becoming really real, I'd like to be able to have one quick game I can play when time permits, opting to invest my time in a single ecosystem vs learning new games all the time. I've tried:


League of Legends / DOTA 2 / HotS / AoV: love the character building gameplay, hero selection, GaaS holiday events, skins, currency grind, etc but don't enjoy the long match length or reliance on teammates

Rainbow 6: Siege: love the hero selection, cosmetics, depth and gunplay, match length, currency grind, etc but didn't enjoy the reliance on communication

Rocket League: love the minute to minute game feel and match length, but I never grasped high skill gameplay. With Rocket Pass, I may try to give it another shot.

Street Fighter V: I fucking love SF, but my stick makes a racket and it just doesn't work with a sleeping baby around

Battle Royale Game: I haven't found one that I really enjoy yet, having played Fortnite & PUBG. I think the late game tension is too stressful for my tastes.



I know a lot of people here have a "main" GaaS game like this and I'm curious: What's your game and why?

 

[Hycran]

Battleborn is: FPS; hobby-grade coop campaign; genre-blended, multi-mode competitive e-sports; meta-growth, choice + epic Battleborn Heroes!

 

[Syril]

I like Warframe for its crazy acrobatic shooting, but even then it's more of a game that I'll go on and off from occasionally than play constantly.

 

[Omar310]

SFV definitely fits the bill. I constantly come back to it and it's probably my most played game this generation (which is crazy cus I had never played a FG before 2015). The game is constantly kept fresh/interesting with new characters, costumes, stages, etc. I also just really love my dude Alex.

 

[Piston]

I haven't tried it, but I have heard that Warframe is great.

I'm hoping Black Ops 4: Black Out will be the Battle Royal game for me... I just hate the feel of both PUBG and Fortnite.

League is trying a new mode called Nexus Blitz, which is phenomenal. It at most takes 17 minutes (it enters a sudden death phase if it goes on longer than ~16 minutes) and it is the most fun I've had playing the game in years. They just took it down for some fine-tuning before launching it as a permanent mode.

 

[Rahfiki]

Dragon Ball Fighterz has been my daily driver since release. Feel like I learn something new fairly frequently so it's kept my attention. Plus it's my first fighting game on pad as opposed to stick in nearly a decade so it's a fun bit of a grind to try and play like I want to. I really don't like the ranking system though and the online community kinda sucks. I get way too many people trying to message and complain after matches about what color their square is, complaining about my win-loss, etc.

I go through cycles of playing Overwatch and taking breaks but just recently I found out that Paladins is actually a good game so I'm enjoying that. All I heard around release is that it was just a different version of Overwatch but less polished and I'm pleasantly surprised that it's so much fun. It's moba-lite features are perfect for me as stuff like League has always been intriguing but never managed to hold my interest. Also, for whatever reason I can hit headshots consistently with Strix but can't play Widowmaker to save my life so it's nice to be a useful sniper again.

Warframe is definitely the GOAT GaaS but I'm taking a break. Might start back and switch to PC once I get a new computer. Just struggling to remember my old account details cuz I played at release (bought an Excalibur Prime and everything) but had to stop and just got back into it a couple months ago.

 

[fracas]

I've been playing League consistently for the past 5+ years.

Before that, it was Halo, then Halo 4 and MCC happened and yikes

 

[Astral]

I've never heard his term before. Interesting. I think any fighting game fits the bill but I never stick around for a very long time. New games come out and I, plateau quickly, and it stops being fun being in training mode all the time and fighting strangers. Overwatch is also a game I would keep coming back to no matter what but I got bored of that too. It's a shame because I'd be saving so much money lol.

 

[m0therzer0]

This used to be World of Warcraft for me, now it's Overwatch. Having little kids limits the time I can spend gaming in a single session, so 10 minutes for a couple matches is totally fulfilling for my limitations.

 

[Doomshine]

I loved Destiny of Spirits on Vita for this, you could start it up whenever and do some trading, fights, leveling up your spirits e.t.c. Unfortunately it was shut down in 2015 and I no longer have something like it on the system.

 

[Yossarian]

I like Warframe for its crazy acrobatic shooting, but even then it's more of a game that I'll go on and off from occasionally than play constantly.

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Good shout though. Might be the sort of thing the OP is after: deep system's and progression built around pick-up and play missions.

I'm in the same boat as you, as in I have short intense periods where it consumes me, interspersed with looooong gaps; but I've got friends that spang it solely.

 

[Boat Times]

I'm surprised by this for sure, but for me it's Overwatch. At first I only gave the beta a shot because it's a Blizzard game and figured it's at least worth trying out. I'm still playing the damn game today. It's still fun. I mean, I may play other games sometimes as well, it's not the ONLY game I play but it's the only game that I consistently play at least once a week (usually more). I don't even play in the competitive modes. I play strictly arcade mode and usually in a mode called Mystery Heroes, where whenever you die you spawn as a random character and cannot switch until you are killed. It's a really fun game, and when playing in Arcade mode you don't see as much toxicity as I've heard can be found in the game.

 

[jon bones]

I tried Warframe a few times but found it a little tricky to wrap my head around. I do like what it's going for - lots of little grindy missions.

SFV definitely fits the bill. I constantly come back to it and it's probably my most played game this generation (which is crazy cus I had never played a FG before 2015). The game is constantly kept fresh/interesting with new characters, costumes, stages, etc. I also just really love my dude Alex.

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Yes, I love the support SF gets - so much great looking content so regularly.

League is trying a new mode called Nexus Blitz, which is phenomenal. It at most takes 17 minutes (it enters a sudden death phase if it goes on longer than ~16 minutes) and it is the most fun I've had playing the game in years. They just took it down for some fine-tuning before launching it as a permanent mode.

Click to shrink...

Oh shit.... guess I'll re-install and check this out. I love the LoL art style & skins.

I go through cycles of playing Overwatch and taking breaks but just recently I found out that Paladins is actually a good game so I'm enjoying that. All I heard around release is that it was just a different version of Overwatch but less polished and I'm pleasantly surprised that it's so much fun. It's moba-lite features are perfect for me as stuff like League has always been intriguing but never managed to hold my interest. Also, for whatever reason I can hit headshots consistently with Strix but can't play Widowmaker to save my life so it's nice to be a useful sniper again.

Click to shrink...

I actually liked Paladins more than Overwatch because it has more GaaS hooks in it. OW loot boxes are supremely unsatisfying.

It's a shame because I'd be saving so much money lol.

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Having little kids limits the time I can spend gaming in a single session, so 10 minutes for a couple matches is totally fulfilling for my limitations.

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These are two of my chief reasons to trying to find the right game for me. With a kid on the way, I need to adjust my gaming time and budget.

 

[Ant_17]

Not sure i get the thread, but my go-to game is always Tekken. I can jump in and play anytime.

 

[low-G]

Doom is probably one of the few actual hobby grade games.

Lasted 25 years. People still making maps and mods for it. Still holds up. People making full retail games using its engine and its derivative engine after all this time.

 

[oneils]

You call it hobby grade and i would call it "1000 hour game." The closest i've come to that is diablo 3. I think i have maybe 1000 hours across ps4 and pc.

I have a few of 500 hour games that never quite make it 1000 hours: path of exile, skyrim, fallout 4, mass effect trilogy, and gta v.

I'm on the lookout for a "2000 hour" game. Haven't quite clicked with anything at that level but i'd like to!

I play games to unwind, so I like games that can be played fairly easily and that don't require a ton of thought. Multiplayer games require too much thinking on my part so I don't tend to play them for long.

 

[Doomshine]

^Ah yes, Diablo-style loot games are also good for this.

 

[.exe]

Used to play League for a long time. Spent... a lot on it over the years, but I quit. I don't want to get into any of those 'hobby' games anymore, because I just know I'll spend a stupid amount of money or time getting (time limited!!!) skins, gear, or other garbage. Though nowadays it's all lootboxes anyway and I don't buy those on principle. I found that I generally feel better playing a variety of games instead of keeping up with one. Destiny 2 eventually became a weekly chore instead of a fun pastime and it seriously ate into the time I had for games in general. It felt good to let it go.

 

[jon bones]

You call it hobby grade and i would call it "1000 hour game." The closest i've come to that is diablo 3. I think i have maybe 1000 hours across ps4 and pc.

I have a few of 500 hour games that never quite make it 1000 hours: path of exile, skyrim, fallout 4, mass effect trilogy, and gta v.

I'm on the lookout for a "2000 hour" game. Haven't quite clicked with anything at that level but i'd like to!

I play games to unwind, so I like games that can be played fairly easily and that don't require a ton of thought. Multiplayer games require too much thinking on my part so I don't tend to play them for long.

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Yes, "1000 hour game" is exactly what I'm looking for.

Animal Crossing is my 'unwind' game, and the new one can't come out soon enough. I like to have a balance between that and one game that I can sink my teeth into from a competitive standpoint.

 

[Deleted member 18021]

I guess FFXIV counts for me.

That's from playing roughly 1-2 hours a day for a few years, sometimes 3 hours when major patches hit. As patches wind down (like now), I usually just do a couple of daily roulettes and get some gathering/crafting done.

 

[oneils]

Yes, "1000 hour game" is exactly what I'm looking for.

Animal Crossing is my 'unwind' game, and the new one can't come out soon enough. I like to have a balance between that and one game that I can sink my teeth into from a competitive standpoint.

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I thought stardew valley might be such a game, but I've found that games like animal crossing, harvest moon and stardew valley don't quite scratch the itch for me. I'm not sure why. I think they require a bit too much planning sometimes and find myself thinking too much, ahead of time, about what I want to do and then lose interest.

LOL! I like to be pretty brain dead when playing games. So brain dead that animal crossing sometimes takes too much thought. Not sure which game I should be focusing on.

 

[Rellodex]

I keep coming back to World of Warcraft, and still playing with the same general group that I first explored the free trial with almost 10 years ago.

I remember growing up a lot of people were like this with Counter Strike. They'd sit in their room all day and night, playing CS on their favorite server, and voice chatting on Ventrilo.

In college I remember people doing this with stuff like Call of Duty.

I still generally try to only play one game at a time. If I played everything that looks good, and worked through my backlog, I wouldn't have time to enjoy my non-gaming hobbies.

 

[Slam Tilt]

Currently it's Fortnite and ARMS for me. Boot up, play for 20 or 30 minutes, get some satisfaction, stop.

 

[vaderise]

Hearthstone. I ALWAYS keep coming back to Hearthstone.

 

[JCHandsom]

For a while it was Overwatch, but I've sort of moved on and am sticking with big story-centric games.

 

[CountAntonio]

Rocket League for sure. Always room for improvement or a new car looks to work on.

It was Fortnite for the last few seasons but I think I'm done. Just can't get over that gunplay.

I was Hoping MHW would fit the bill but the endgame is just extremely weak.

Hoping FO 76 becomes my second one soon.

 

[Musubi]

Final Fantasy XIV. Its the only time I've been a part of a static group for raiding in a MMO for an extended period of time (like 3 years at this point).

 

[Unicorn]

Probably any Elder Scrolls game. Tinkering with mods, inis, graphic profiles, etc.

Lately, it's gotta be No Man's Sky on PC. The modding scene is pretty decent (Haven't looked at mods post NEXT) and has provided lots of features to NMS that were later roped in as official updates.

Pokemon has historically been a hobby-grade game for me. The planning and training of teams and individual pokemon to play against friends.

BATTLETECH is also easily hobby-grade given it is just an adaptation of the hobby-level tabletop P&P game. RogueTech enhances that even further. The new DLC coming will only blow the hinges on those modding doors as well.

 

[Zippedpinhead]

It's not a GaaS but honestly, Binding of Isaac:rebirth. Enough new content that you can't be bored. Enough randomness and difficulty to challenge you consistently.

 

[Rowsdower]

So like a "go-to" game then?

For me, it's the Forza Horizon series. From 1 to the upcoming 4, I have spent over thousands of hours playing. It's the perfect series to just jump in and drive around. It's saved me from stress a lot.

Plus, getting better times, scores; saving up for that car I really want; going online; making custom challenges, etc. Always something to work towards, but on my own time.

I will always own an Xbox just for this series.

 

[Trace]

Rocket League or Destiny.

Rocket League the gameplay is just so damn satisfying, and Destiny manages to bring me back in every now and then when it gets good meaningful content.

 

[Davoid]

Ehhhhhh, probably Splatoon 2 and Go.

 

[GasProblem]

Don't have a game like that at the moment. I guess It's Call of Duty for me. Play a couple of Team Deathmatch games and quit.

Can't wait for Animal Crossing Switch as my daily play for 10-20 minutes game. Same for Smash Brothers.

 

[Grapezard]

Smash Bros 4, 100%. I end up going to sites like Anther's Ladder pretty often.
It'll be Ultimate in December.

 

[Torpedo Vegas]

When I don't know what to play, or something new hasn't come out for me to buy. I play Minecraft. Hundreds of hours of Minecraft.

 

[jon bones]

Hearthstone. I ALWAYS keep coming back to Hearthstone.

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I have been playing on/off since beta and while I love the polish and cosmetic hero changes... the core game play and business model have turned me off to it over time. I grew up on MtG so I need more depth than what HS offers.

Final Fantasy XIV. Its the only time I've been a part of a static group for raiding in a MMO for an extended period of time (like 3 years at this point).

Click to shrink...

I loved FF14 for many hours, but I hit level cap and as a SCH healer the dungeons became serious business. Too serious.

If Player Housing was handled way better and Triple Triad was bigger I would still be subbed.

It's not a GaaS but honestly, Binding of Isaac:rebirth. Enough new content that you can't be bored. Enough randomness and difficulty to challenge you consistently.

Click to shrink...

I can't really click with rogues. There is no meta progression, so I just bounce off them.

So like a "go-to" game then?

For me, it's the Forza Horizon series. From 1 to the upcoming 4, I have spent over thousands of hours playing. It's the perfect series to just jump in and drive around. It's saved me from stress a lot.

Plus, getting better times, scores; saving up for that car I really want; going online; making custom challenges, etc. Always something to work towards, but on my own time.

I will always own an Xbox just for this series.

Click to shrink...

More of a GaaS go-to. Forza Horizon is one of my favorite series' BTW. I think the addition of Player Housing and changing seasons pushes FH further into GaaS territory and I am here for it.

Can't wait for Animal Crossing Switch as my daily play for 10-20 minutes game.

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I thought stardew valley might be such a game, but I've found that games like animal crossing, harvest moon and stardew valley don't quite scratch the itch for me. I'm not sure why. I think they require a bit too much planning sometimes and find myself thinking too much, ahead of time, about what I want to do and then lose interest.

LOL! I like to be pretty brain dead when playing games. So brain dead that animal crossing sometimes takes too much thought. Not sure which game I should be focusing on.

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Animal Crossing is my GOAT mindless game. Stardew Valley kills me with the time limit, but I could just leave Animal Crossing open on my desk and it would make me happy.

 

[DevilMayGuy]

Path of Exile for me. I play it all the damn time, and new leagues keep popping up and keep it interesting

 

[Davoid]

Oh, and pac-man. I've been finding myself just popping that in all the time for a quick round or two.