The fear of missing out is a natural trait of us social creatures (yes, including you, my fellow introverted basement-dwellers). Of course, most of us naturally manage our FOMO because we have no choice. We can’t play everything.
In gaming circles, we’re fortunate enough to have so many high-quality experiences releasing week on week. Anyone who says they don’t know what to buy or play, usually does so with the caveat that it’s because there’s so much choice. It’s a silly, wonderful first-world problem for many and as you can guess, the backlog is strong in this one.
I’m in the privileged position of having the opportunity to review many games and I would never be conceited enough to complain about it. Though it does take a huge chunk out of my gaming time, meaning there are many titles where I entirely miss out on that zeitgeist moment.
Even removing review work from the equation, I’m certainly not alone, as is apparent from talking to pretty much every gamer out there. Let me get to the point.
I generally push FOMO aside and throw stuff to the backlog. I love Nier Automata, for example, but it was long after people had stopped talking about it that I actually got to play it. The conversation had happened but I’m cool with that. What sucks is when you miss the boat on something that’s difficult to capture after the fact.
For this reason, I decided it would be fun to share my biggest regrets about missing the hype train. The following are games I really wanted to play from launch and get stuck into the online conversation but where my FOMO turned to MO.
Overwatch
This one appealed at reveal. It got me in feels. And irrespective of my zeal, there wasn’t a good enough deal. Why pay full price when I can have a takeaway meal?
I’ll stop.
I’ve never been big on the multiplayer first person miltary brown/grey shooters of yesteryear even if I can respect their appeal. I was, however, massive on Quake III Arena and many of Unreal Tournament games. Those fast OTT arena shooters were my jam. That and colour was back. Hot off the heels of Splatoon, Overwatch was something that, on paper, I would enjoy.
It didn’t take long for Overwatch to become a competitive play powerhouse and aside from being the top subject in gaming media and conversation, goddamn it looked good. I was busy though.
Splatoon 2
The joy of playing the first Splatoon at launch cannot be understated. That first couple of weeks where the internet hive mind hadn’t had time min/max the fun out of it yet. There was a level playing field and time to explore a bit and learn the maps from scratch. It was glorious. And messy.
Granted, the sequel was always going to have a hardcore following who knew the mechanics inside out before it even released mechanics, it was never going to be quite the same, but the Switch had a shiny new player base to work with and there had to have been enough players like me who hadn’t had a round on the original in the last three years or so, right? Well, I’ll never know, I missed it.
But Wait, There’s More
Now, these two examples both have active communities and there’s technically no reason why I can’t jump back in. I’ve even played a bit of them, and I know full well that, to an extent, they cater for players of various skill levels.
However, there’s something inherently annoying about trying to learn the ropes when it feels like everyone around you knows the score.
That said, missing out isn’t limited to multiplayer. This next one killed me. Well it didn’t, but that was the problem.
Demon’s Souls
From Software’s first Souls flew under the radar for many, myself included. Some years later, I jumped in and loved it.
What I didn’t love, was the fact that I knew full well the servers had only recently shut down. Never would I experience the thrill of jogging through Stonefang Tunnel’s winding paths heading straight for a fat batch of Unknown Hero’s Souls only to be jumped by an eight-foot Temple Knight who proceeds to jab his claymore up your backside.
But damn, ‘The Future of Gaming’ showcase read my mind so I’m good here. Well kind of, the FOMO is setting in because, well, what if I cant even get hold of a PS5? Oh damn, I’m sweating. No, you’re crazy.
Red Dead Redemption 2
I did this to myself. Completely. I read and read and read. And not just reviews. I don’t even know why! I didn’t buy it; I didn’t play it.
Now I know of all its supposed flaws and I will be actively looking for them without meaning to. Social media killed this one for me before I got a chance. And it’s my bloody fault. Maybe I’ll pick it up in a decade when I can’t remember any of it.
Blame Game Pain
I know missing out on these games, or even thinking about those wow moments that are hard to recapture, is on me. I could have planned, not bought some games in a Steam sale that I’ll never play, not asked to review five games at the same time, it would have been easy. But something’s got to give.
These are cases where FOMO struck, and I let it be. And sometimes it sucks, but that’s fine. You can’t have everything.