Dealing with non-gaming significant others

cerialthriller

Shared on Tue, 10/30/2007 - 10:44
    So I'm at work and I happened to read TDrag's blog. And it kind of got me thinking. I love video games and I have for a long time. When I met my current fiance, I wasn't really playing them much because I was kind of broke and working a job to try to put away some money for college. I probably wouldn't have met her if I was gaming at the time, as I wouldn't have been out of the house.
    So I was in college, didn't see her much, and I decided to get a refurbed PS2 and a couple games and I got back into gaming. And I haven't really stopped since. That was about 5 years ago. So, now I'm outta college and have a decent job and can afford all the games again. And she doesn't like it. First she was mad that I spent $400 on the 360. Now because I keep buying games. Now she's getting even madder because I am pressing to get an HDTV, that I probably shouldn't buy due to monetary reasons, but you only live once right? And I really don't complain about her buying hand towels for the bathroom that aren't to be used, or the unreasonable amount of "show pillows" on the couches and bed. Atleast a TV has uses aside from aesthetics..
    It is kind of wierd.. She was watching me play when I first started Final Fantasy X and she liked the story so much she asked me not to play unless she was watching. So I said OK, and we had a good time playing and going through the story together. So I finished the game and she said she wanted to try, so I said ok, and we played it together again but she played and I must say she did a way better job then I had done with the game. Then I couldn't get her to even try any other games.. It just didn't make sense.
    So maybe a month ago we were in Best Buy and they had Guitar Hero 2 on sale for $79.99 and she said she always wanted to try it, I kind of did but it was still kind of expensive for me to possibly not like it. So we buy it and sometimes she will play that but not really that much. But I love it and played it alot.
    But I guess in the grand scheme of things this is a minor issue, this is really the only thing that we don't agree on, and all other parts of our relationship are outstanding. I don't think she has a problem with my playing games, but more of a problem of me "wasting money" on them, but I don't see it as a waste really. She loves to watch her stupid reality shows and everything, and the monthly bill for DirectTV costs more then the $60 a month I spend to buy a game. I would imagine I am not the only one with this type of problem, have any of you guys had success getting rid of this situation without stopping your gaming? We don't have kids and probably won't anytime soon, neither of us want them at this point, so it's not an issue about being a neglecting father or anything like that, and I don't let it interfere with anything that we want to do together so I really don't see the big deal...

Comments

JPNor's picture
Submitted by JPNor on Tue, 10/30/2007 - 11:07
Grab either GH3 or a second guitar and battle each other. If she is anything like my wife (extremely competitive), she will ignore everything else that needs to be done around the house just to kick your ass in a guitar battle!
Cold's picture
Submitted by Cold on Tue, 10/30/2007 - 11:17
I worked in a blurb about gaming during our wedding vows, that did the trick.
cerialthriller's picture
Submitted by cerialthriller on Tue, 10/30/2007 - 11:40
lol cold, till Death or Warcraft Raiding do you part. and jpnor that would only work if she wasnt utterly horrible at guitar hero. I think that's why she doesn't like it, shes bad at it, lol.
TANK's picture
Submitted by TANK on Tue, 10/30/2007 - 11:46
Getting a GameFly account will reduct the cash outlay for games. If you even only buy 1 used game a month, you're still saving money with Gamefly. As for gaming, my wife will sometimes play if it's a full screen two player co-op type game. So basically she can run around and think she's playing and i can protect her ass from getting killed :lol: . We played some of those D&D style ones back on Xbox. But for the most part she's not interested. She kind of had interest in the Wii though but the lack of games made me sell it. Maybe when there's more compelling content for it, i'll pick one up again. But she has no interest at all in shooter type games. She's probably dig UNO and some of the arcade stuff though. She plays these types of games online on the computer where she earns points towards coupons and crap like that.
jikado's picture
Submitted by jikado on Tue, 10/30/2007 - 12:19
It's a fine balance that needs to be watched, gaming and spending time with her. Just don't ever let games come before sex, that's a big no-no, and will probably get your 360 thrown onto the street. Talk with her, and explain to her that these games are what make you happy when you can't be with her.
kade47's picture
Submitted by kade47 on Tue, 10/30/2007 - 12:22
My wife never had a problem with games, she knew from the start it was a part of me. But she did not like to play them. The first game she finally picked up just to try was Oblivion, she loved watching me play it. She ended up putting in so many hours into that game. Then she saw me play Final Fantasy and she ended up loving it as well. Then it was her idea to buy FFXI and try it. She is completely addicted now. So maybe you should introduce your wife into Oblivion or FFXI. Just a thought.
CapnHun's picture
Submitted by CapnHun on Tue, 10/30/2007 - 13:08
OK, that 'I probably shouldn't buy cause of monetary reasons' jumped out at me. I suspect the real issue here is financial, not the fact that you game. HDTV's are expensive. We can't afford one and if you can't afford one maybe you need to negotiate an entertainment budget and save up for it. Let her have an entertainment budget too and put all the gaming and DirectTV expenses in their respective budgets.
DrPlague's picture
Submitted by DrPlague on Tue, 10/30/2007 - 13:30
My wife knows that gaming is my fun, my hobby. Sometimes I go overboard. I think the 2nd 360 pissed her off, but I don't buy 1000 dollars worth of shoes. I call it a wash and so should you.

Join our Universe

Connect with 2o2p