Due to personal circumstances, I have got to give up video games for the foreseeable future. Not absolutely all games I might add, just my main source - which is my Xbox. I haven't played my Xbox in just over 5 months. It's been a bit of a change going from playing once a week at least - my Sunday evening ritual - to nothing. 

I know some people will look at me with raised eyebrows when I say I do miss it. Playing video games was a huge hobby of mine, like a lot of other people. It helped me relax and escape from the everyday world. Some people play a round of golf, I choose to climb pixel mountains.

To get my regular video game fix, I have spent some time watching YouTube videos. I used to watch gaming videos a lot before I moved away from my Xbox; but now I'm getting a lot more out of it than I did. It's somewhat replicating the pleasure received from playing games myself. I like watching a few different Youtubers: Markiplier, Jesse Cox and Yogscast being a few. Some don't understand why you watch someone else play a game. I've heard things like: 'Why not play it yourself?' It's a fair enough point, but you watch Let's Plays mostly for the person's reaction, not always the gameplay.  

Jimmy Kimmel actually did a bit on his show about watching Youtubers play games - (with the lovely Markiplier as a guest)

Lately, I've been wondering if you can still call yourself a gamer if you've been out of the loop for a few years? Maybe even just a couple of months.

While I am away, I can play on my old MacBook; which includes GameBoy Advance emulators, The Sims and Tomb Raider II. I also dug out my struggling GameBoy Color as I knew I would be away for a while. Meanwhile, my Xbox is safety tucked away in a cardboard box. I won't be able to buy brand new games, but watch on longingly as they are announced and reviewed. Probably playing vicariously through Youtube.

But, I think I can always call myself a gamer; no matter where I am or what I happen to be playing at the time. It shouldn't matter if you play on a Playstation 4, a PC or N64, we can all call ourselves gamers at heart.




Lauren