Struggling to find motivation for the game...

[Hsn97]

I’m really struggling to get back into playing NH. I got back into playing it in September in time for the start of the autumn update. But I lost interest and even though I intended to pick it back up for Halloween I just never did. And now I’m really bummed that I missed the Halloween event, so I want to play even less.

I thought about TTing back to do the Halloween event but I just feel that because I didn’t play for so long I’ve not got anything prepared and it'll just be so much faff. So again, it puts me off playing.

How do you guys deal with burnout / lack of motivation?

 

[Fridaynightcatlady]

I played non stop until winter (SH) so I’d say July or mid July, and stopped playing completely. Winter is usually my least favorite season in AC and I dislike seeing my island covered in snow, lol.

I started playing again now in spring but I don’t force myself to play. I started editing a few things in my island, had fun talking w my villagers, decorated for Halloween and that’s it. I wouldn’t say I’m entirely back playing as say, early this year, but I definitely log in once again and do a few things

 

[Monokuma73]

There's no universal advice where someone lost interest playing any game or doing something. You are the one, who knows better if this is happens or not.
Everyone is different, and if something is still a "fuel" for one person, will not work for another one.
Maybe this game wasn't for you since very beginning, maybe you've spent too much time in this game or maybe you had high hopes?

 

[Hsn97]

There's no universal advice where someone lost interest playing any game or doing something. You are the one, who knows better if this is happens or not.
Everyone is different, and if something is still a "fuel" for one person, will not work for another one.
Maybe this game wasn't for you since very beginning, maybe you've spent too much time in this game or maybe you had high hopes?

I’ve always loved AC games, ever since my first one as a kid. I was so excited for this game to but I feel like I’ve struggled to gel with it. I really want that excitement and spark I felt when booting up other versions before but I’m just not finding that with NH and I don’t know how to get that inspiration back.

 

[cococay]

I think if you’re still not completely motivated that you just need to continue your hiatus for a bit! When the game came out in March i played non stop until around mid-May, and then I was completely burnt out. I took a break and kept saying to myself like “nah not today, maybe next week, just not feeling it yet.” Then honestly one random day last week I just had the urge to see how my island was doing since I hadn’t even seen any of the new updates (dreaming, wedding series, fall). I played a little bit and I was hooked again! But if you don’t get that roped in from it, I think you’d just need more time. That way you’re not giving it up completely but it will always be there if you feel like it

 

[WaileaNoRei]

Personally, as someone who has never lost interest in this game in over 1200 hours, I say if you have lost interest then just give yourself permission to not play until you want to do so.

I add the part about loving the game personally to say that there does not even need to be anything objectively wrong with the game for you to not play. There’s nothing wrong with losing interest in something, on in your interest in the game ebbing and flowing. It doesn’t make you less of a ‘real fan’ of the animal crossing franchise or anything. Especially this year I think it’s important to give yourself a break where possible.

finally, I’ll just say that for me, nothing makes me less interested in something than being forced to do it. So you may even find your interest coming back more once you decide to just let yourself quit.

good luck, and sorry this game has not been all you hoped. Disappointment in something you’ve been looking forward to is a terrible feeling.

 

[Monokuma73]

@Hsn97 I noticed some players with experience, played many AC games for years being disappointed for some reason, some of them tried to find reassembles to previous iteration.
I can tell, just from my perspective - always playing a games "with no goal" to have own vision, not necessary vision of building / designing, but vision of my own pleasure coming straight from the game.
Playing a game shouldn't be a torment - it's relax, pleasure, joy - everything what is related to good feeling. I never let myself play games against me, when I felt "it's enough".
Despite the fact I spending at least couple hours per day with ACNH, trying to find time for different games or activities.
I play ACNH because I like it, because I want it. I'm not have unrealistic expectations and I'm using what is given to me. I never want to compare myself to others, as I know - some islands will be better, some worse. Just "simulating live" on my island and this is a pure pleasure.

 

[DarkSlayer1331]

I played every day religiously from the day it launched until sometime in mid May. Then I just kept putting it off, and I'd have to go back to catch up, and then I didn't play for weeks. Until the summer update in mid July. Before that point I was so overwhelmed with "what should I do with my island?!" that I think it just got to me. And then I just started coming up with small projects to do that I could work on as I wanted to. I actually figured out how I wanted my house to be with the rooms and redecorated it for that. I made this little Shell area on one of my beaches. Then it was fall and I started decorating my "main areas" with fall stuff... then Halloween's Spooky stuff! And I got a small picnic area up on one of my mid level cliffs... and now it's November! So had to change things, turn around some spooky stuff so it's just pumpkin looking, take down certain things like the standing lamps.

What it comes down to is... what do you want to do with your island? Don't worry about what you haven't done, or what you missed out on. There are so many people every day who are getting this game for the first time. So later on this month, there will be a bunch of people who haven't played Halloween either. You can play through it for the first time next year, and really... that's not so far away. Not really. The time will go by regardless! Just look forward to what will be coming and figure out what you want to do with that!

 

[niko@kamogawa]

There's no secret really. Just play moderately and leisurely. Don't kill yourself clearing all content in one sitting. Set small goals. Always have this mindset of playing the game when you feel like it.

 

[Jessi]

Honestly I feel this. If it wasn't for wanting to complete my island theme I probs wouldn't be playing as much

 

[Mairen]

You should remember there are other games out there besides animal crossing. If you are forcing yourself to play a game, then it becomes "work", not "fun". Simply play when you want to play, and when you need a break, take a break a play something else, it's really that simple! ^-^ I dont think there's anything magical anyone can say that can make you suddenly excited to play animal crossing again, so don't be hard on yourself or overthink this. Just do what makes you happy

 

[Wickel]

I've been there. I completely skipped July and now I'm loving the game again. Sometimes you just need a complete break. There isn't any other game I play the way I play AC, which is like non stop.
I'd just take a break. The great thing about this game series is that it doesn't matter if you don't show up for a while. Events will all come back around again!

 

[meggiewes]

I don't force myself to play games. I have too little free time to force myself to do something I'm not enjoying. I do one of my other hobbies instead. Animal Crossing will still be there for me when I want it.

 

[maddycha]

i burnt out for a little after i "finished" my island, but i like to set little goals for myself that keep me motivated playing!
i'm a bit of a completionist so there's always more things to do, but definitely don't force urself to play or feel bad for taking a break!

 

[amemome]

I totally get this feeling. I still play every day for dailies, but the initial dedication I had just isn't there anymore. It helps to step away from the game. Nobody is forcing you to keep playing and unlike in previous AC games, villagers don't move away if you don't play and there are no penalties for not picking up the game! If it helps with burnout, I'd just check in once a week to make sure things are ok, or set some easy goals for your island that avoid events if those negatively affect your ability to enjoy the game (events really burn me out... especially the "gather the crafting materials and DIYs" events).

 

[daffodilcrossing]

I like taking breaks, usually what helps me get back into it though is seeing photos on Instagram of people hanging out with their villagers. Especially if they have a villager I have I’m like “wow I miss that villager, I should get on and see what’s happening”. I think the fact that villagers don’t move out randomly like in new leaf helps ease my guilt of not playing for a while. Autumn is my favorite season so it’s helping me play more because in august I barely touched the game. I guess like logging on and just seeing my island helps too bc I like to explore and see what I can do with what I made. Although burnout is natural considering with quarantine and such we’ve had way more time to play then I think Nintendo intended for us to have right after release lol

 

[KittenNoir]

I take time off when I have work and get back into it and when I get back into it I enjoy it even more than I did the last time. I would say go back and play Halloween its very easy to get all the diys if you just time travel to the next day that's what I had to do because of work