Well, for the most part.

When I was growing up, I was pretty much the most hardcore Halo guy I knew. I made some great friends playing that game online, and only ever met them in person once. But, those were guys I would talk to for years.

I wasn’t the kind of guy that would be all hardcore into yelling at folks online, but I was content with making a room with buddies and playing in there for hours. Halo 3 came out and we did the same things, took off of work the day it came out, and played for 24 hours straight.

While I was playing, I used to wonder what happened in “adults” that disintegrated that desire to play these kinds of games.

Halo: Reach came out and I took the day off for the Beta. Which sucked because if I remember correctly, the beta had major issues and I wasted a day off. My buddies and I loved the beta.

I never bought Halo: Reach.

Looking back, I think that was the tipping point. I have no idea why, but the desire to get Reach was never high enough like it was years previous. However, I did get NHL that year, and I continued to play that all the time. I should note that when I talked about “video games”, I don’t consider NHL in the discussion. I can play NHL for hours on end, but for action, racing, and just about any other game - the desire has left.

My buddies and I all picked up GOW3 and played that for a good few weeks, but it wasn’t the same. I joke about it often, but now I have a son, and a job that takes up the majority of any free time. A job I love, mind you. I think they all play a combined factor.

I can play NHL in 15-30 minute snippets with my brother online, or by myself for a few minutes. I’ve gotten to the point when I play online, I mentally go down a list of things that I could be doing instead and then begin to regret ever powering on the XBOX.

But, what would the younger me to the present-day me?

He’d probably say something snarky and go grab a Subway sandwich. Lucky prick.