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曉 Akatsuki
Notes on decision paralysis, agency, and gaming.
25 stories · Page 2 of 3
The Algorithm Is Making Your Taste Smaller
Recommendation systems are good at finding things you'll click on. That sounds like the same thing as finding things you'll like. It's not.
Why Game Pass Stresses You Out
Game Pass was supposed to be paradise. Hundreds of games for one monthly price. No more agonizing over which one to buy. Just install and play.
The Friend Who Says "You Have to Play This"
Your friend just finished a game. They loved it. They tell you about it for an hour. Then they say it: "you have to play this."
Demos Are a Trap You Set for Yourself
Steam Next Fest happens. You queue up six demos to try. You spend an evening playing 30 minutes of each. You wishlist three of them. You go to bed feeling like you accomplished something.
You Don't Have a Time Problem. You Have a Mood Problem.
The most common thing adult gamers say is "I don't have time anymore." This is sometimes true. Often it's not. What's actually true is that the available time and the available mood don't line up.
Why Comfort Gaming Feels Lazy But Isn't
You finish work. You sit down to play. You have 80 unplayed games. You launch the same game you've been replaying for three years.
The 30-Minute Lie
You sit down with an hour. You tell yourself: I'll just play 30 minutes.
Decision Fatigue at 9pm
You're trying to pick a game at 9pm. You can't. You scroll, you hover, you close the launcher.
You Can't Be Playing Three Games at Once
You have three games in progress. You started a 50-hour RPG, you have a competitive multiplayer in rotation, and you're working through a narrative game on the side.