Video Games are like Poker.
Bear with me here. Have you actually played poker? I mean real life, smoked filled seedy basement illegal style poker with actual dollars at stake?
Then you know that sometimes no matter how bad of a hand you have, you HAVE to see it through. You've invested too much money into the pot, have no chance at winning, and now have to see this through to the end. You are pot committed. Some video games are the same way.
Like poker you're a little nervous. Sure you've played many games before but every game is a new challenge. You turn on [INSERT CONSOLE OF CHOICE HERE] and put in your new game. You start it up and within moments you know whether your cards in hand are pocket aces,
Or a off suit 10-2.
Just like your initial hole cards in Poker; some games may not seem so bad at first. You think to yourself:
"Self, it's just the opening. Let me play a little more and see where this goes."
That my friends, is the first mistake. You play a little more, invest a little more time and say to yourself:
"Self, maybe just see what happens. You've come this far, so why not?"
Mistake number two. You are now chasing and are hoping that soon that ONE THING will show up to help you. You keep playing; you invest a little more time. You now realize that you cannot win this game, but you have spent so much time investing that you must now see it through to the end. You say to yourself:
"Self, I know we can't win this, but let's see it through to the end. We've come this far. Let's finish this."
As I go home every night and slog through a terrible game I tell myself.
"Self, you should've folded when you had the chance. You're doomed now."
Don't make my same mistake. Don't hope that a game will get better. Any game that you hope will get better usually won't. Take some advice... "You've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em."
Have you ever had a game that you just HAD to finish because you invested so much time that you just had to see it through to the end? Or did you know when to fold 'em? Let me know in the comments below.
Cool Posts for Sexy People
- New on Kotaku! New Life+: If Life Were A Game, How Would You Replay It?
- Help Our Own Michael Give Kids an Extra Life!
- Nick’s Friday Round-Up: Awesome Stuff Edition
- Live-Action Voltron Short Film For You Eighties Childrenz
- Stu’s Web Wednesday: Video Games Awesome!
Links
Sites We Love
September 6th, 2011 - 21:09
You are describing the sunk cost fallacy. http://youarenotsosmart.com/2011/03/25/the-sunk-cost-fallacy/
… which is currently psychologically owning me with Tiny Tower.
Dan.
September 7th, 2011 - 13:55
that article was so true.
September 6th, 2011 - 21:10
I learned to Fold Em during Duke Nukem! Blah, what a terrible game. On that note, though, I held em’ through Red Dead Redemption (99%, ish) and was rewarded with one of the cooler endings in a game.
September 6th, 2011 - 22:02
That’s what got me through the last season of Lost.
September 6th, 2011 - 23:48
Duke Nukem for sure. I think I only got through half of it before I bailed. LA Noire wasn’t bad per se but it just didnt hook me – I would still go back to it if I had time. Quest for Glory 5 is one I folded on after the ante – such a disappointment compared to the previous four games. They completely changed it into more of an RPG than just Adventure.
September 7th, 2011 - 02:29
every shitty game my little brother ever bought… I just had to try them out anyway didn’t I?
(on a sidenote: please put signatures inside the articles too! I like seeing who is wrote what I’m reading)
September 7th, 2011 - 11:32
Oh that’s strange. Usually it does that. Odd. Anyways I wrote the article.
September 7th, 2011 - 20:23
I held them while playing God Hand and Little King Story and I enjoyed them both even if they were a little frustrating.
September 7th, 2011 - 22:34
It happens to me more than I like to admit. Lately, the first “American McGee’s Alice”. Is not that bad… But I just have to finish it despite not being to interested in it.
September 7th, 2011 - 23:36
Just got it as a birthday present. Ambivalent towards plowing through both.
September 8th, 2011 - 03:40
Yeah Duke Nukem forever, played it all the way throug. It was completely mediocre experience, just grey blandness all around.
September 8th, 2011 - 09:06
friend that\\\’s spectacular!
September 11th, 2011 - 18:06
I’m always folding – hell, I probably only complete about 10% of the games I play. With a lot of games, I just…stop playing. I’m still having fun right up to the point I stop, and I make no specific decision to stop, it just happens. Dragon Age, Arkham Asylum and LA Noire are three recent examples. Deus Ex: HR should get finished soon, unless Disgaea 4 makes it across the ocean quickly, in which case DEHR will go on the fold-pile.
Going back to the poker metaphor, I’ll often buy a seat at the table, then forget to show up for the match. Which is to say, I own at least 50 games I’ve never played – curse you for making games so easy to buy, digital distribution!