With the holidays rapidly coming up as we close out the year 2013, the Daily Reaction crew of Sebastian Moss and Dan Oravasaari discuss why more of us need to appreciate the world beyond our monitor, and how small changes could improve our gaming experience.
Dan: Working within the games industry has always been a lifelong goal of mine, and even though some could say I have obtained that goal, there are many sacrifices that I have had to make in order to get as far as I have. But, as we reach the holiday season, I find myself reflecting on all of the time spent staring at a computer monitor or television screen, so that I could complete my job. Hours lost to terrible video games, articles that no one cares about and scouring the web to keep up to date on the industry.
All of this has made me realize that burying my head too far into my passion, too far away from the world around me, has not only let parts of my life slip by, but somewhat spoiled part of the goal I originally had. This is simply because, not being able to step away from something for too long leaves you unable to appreciate the things around you, no matter how much you care about them.
So, having finally come down from having to get through numerous next-gen reviews, I spent some time with family, and friends, just stepping outside of my usual bubble of the games industry. It wasn’t until I got back, that I realized how much more I enjoyed the simple act of playing a game. Moving away from long drawn out emotional experiences or summer blockbuster styled games, finding the simplicity of something like LEGO Marvel Superheroes was a treat.
I think that with any industry that is so vast and encompassing it, it is easy to forget the simple things that brought each of us here and on top of that, forget to open our eyes to the things outside of it. This is why we wanted to make sure to take a day out to remind each and everyone one of you that sometimes you can have your cake and eat it too. As much as we love having you around to discuss the games industry with us here at PSLS, don’t forget to make some time for those around you, it just might make your next gaming session all the more meaningful.
Seb: I’ve been working at PSLS for over four years, and yeah, it has consumed my life. Gaming became everything, and it was a difficult cycle to break – no sleep, no breaks, no social life, nothing.
Then, a few months back, as some of our Bad Gamers listeners will know, I got pretty damn ill, broke some bones, required a bunch of meds and still have a terrible cough that Dan has to edit out of each show. It was hard, the one thing I had done for years – the longest career of my life – was difficult to do as I was sick, and I had little to fall back on.
Like Dan, now that I appreciate the other, simpler things in life, it’s made things far better. With the PS4 out, it’s better still – it’s awesome to play games with friends, to mix it with a more varied life that makes each playtime all the greater.
As the title suggests, this is all about the importance of the real world, so I’ll keep it brief – enjoy everything, as horrifically cheesy as that sounds. Also, with the way some people view the industry, the fanboys that Daily Reaction regularly makes fun of, it could help them realize priorities.
How do you spend your time away from the games industry? Let us know in the comments below, email us at DailyReaction@PlayStationLifeStyle.net or tweet us at Seb and Dan.
