Can you believe it? Christmas is less than fortnight away already and as we draw closer, the more time we seem to have on our hands. University is done for the semester, offices are closed, and kids run amok with school out and a horde of presents lying just out of reach. As many will tell you, it’s a time to be with family and close friends yet on Christmas Day, everyone has their own rituals, especially when it comes to gaming.
As the tenets of parenthood dictate, Dom’s Christmas morning is often spent playing with his son, Noah, while tearing the paper away from his own stash of games and consoles. With a long day of gift-giving and eating ahead, it’s only when night falls that he manages to retreat away from the all the festivities and get down to business with those new games he’s accrued, after Doctor Who of course.
Dave’s more or less in the same boat. With Christmas celebrations in full swing, his only source of virtual entertainment is that offered by his smartphone and handhelds – if he remembers. Still, he recounts the Christmas days of old when he’d quite happily sit with his latest haul of games, plugging away until dinner was eventually served.
For Teflon, the Christmas period gives him the perfect excuse to play games with his brother. This, he says, includes the usual spot of FIFA and Mario Kart, ideal for getting those competitive juices flowing before the Christmas cracker tug-of-war. They also partake in a litter of co-op games too, the winter break allowing Tef to tackle those games clogging up his backlog.
It’s only in recent years that I’ve staved off my Christmas binging tendencies. Throughout childhood and my teenage years, it would provide an opportunity to break off from the family and play video game non-stop without incurring the usual complaints. Now I’m in my early twenties, and thereby able to buy what I want, whenever I want it – usually – some of the magic from year’s past has faded. Still, when everyone’s distracted by whatever the TV’s playing, I like to slip away for a couple of hours, immersing myself in the latest games joining the collection. During the build-up and subsequent lull, however, the Christmas period is spent entirely on decluttering that backlog. Well, I say decluttering – it often results in getting knee deep in whatever RPG takes my fancy and going from there.
So, what are your personal Christmas gaming habits? Do you spend the holiday period blitzing the backlog or do you kick back, waiting to see what stocking fillers there are to play as the turkey goes in the oven?
Youles
Well if it’s anything like last year, it won’t be anything online! Gutted I missed out on GTAV covered in snow! Hope it’ll be the same this year, and I’ll be able to get online.
My habits will remain mostly the same – play when the kids are in bed, post 7pm (ish) or if the wife “allows”. That said I’ve bought my son Skylanders Superchargers so I’ll probably playing a shit-load of that on Christmas Day, against my will. We still haven’t finished Trap Team :(
Severn2j
Substitute Skylanders with Lego dimensions and that second paragraph is my Christmas exactly..
cam_manutd
Generally I like to get a few games round Christmas and play the hell out of as many of them as I can. This has been the case for the past 7 years. AsN I have gotten older, I have gained more responsibility and also a missus. So my time will be reduced.
I’m targeting completing a few games. Fallout 4, Final Fantasy 7, Mad Max and The Witcher are high on my list. There are still PS3 games I would like to sink my teeth into like Fallout New Vegas and Skyrim.
More than likely, I imagine I will still be playing Rocket League a lot (damn that game-nearly at 1000 games played).
Youles
And I believe there’s a new Rocket League update out today, adding Christmas themed antennas etc – more reasons to play!! Bloody good and addictive game ;)
Jim Hargreaves
Rocket League will definitely feature in my Christmas celebrations. I believe the Ice Hockey mode is out soon too!
Youles
Oh yeah, looking forward to the hockey! It’ll be extra crazy if the puck can’t climb the walls and it simply rebounds off of the sides.
spurs78
Rocket league has got to be a contender for game of the year i haven’t stopped playing it nearly every day since launch!
Kennykazey
We usually play split-screen games at Christmas: Gran Turismo/Forza, Halo, Mario Kart, Smash Bros.
It’s why I’m having to carefully pack both an Xbone and a Wii U in my luggage before heading to my parents place for Christmas.
Thankfully the Xbox fits within hand-luggage rules, I just gotta pester the security check at the airport with it first. Hopefully they won’t require me to unpack the entire thing…
TSBonyman
I usually go game-free for a few days over Christmas. I’m thinking about taking my PS4 with me this year to play Until Dawn but it might be a bit much for my dear old mum. :)
I’ll have the Vita with me but will probably spend more time reading when there is any downtime from the eating and drinking.
Steelhead
Personally I don’t game at on Christmas day. During the day I spend time with the kids and the night with the wife. That may change one day when the kids are old enough to start gaming, which I’m really looking forward to.
Steelhead
It’s a shame as I have Shovel Knight for Wii U sitting under the tree and can’t wait to give it a go.
gazzagb
I think I’m like you Jim, my Christmas days playing the latest and greatest are now over.
Plus, usually on the days after we’re always away visiting family so I would usually have to get my binge done just in 1 day, I don’t think I could handle a whole day of just playing games anymore. An hour or two and I’m usually done!
bunimomike
I usually hit a big game pretty hard and try to finish it before the holiday season is over. Previous titles have included the likes of Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag or Shadow of Mordor. However, this time around… I really don’t mind. Just happy to have more time to myself whether it’s with Hannypoppie, co-op gaming or enjoying some absorbing solo campaign action. So many titles to choose from.
beeje13
Probably little to no gaming on the big Day, but I usually get myself a game Christmas eve or just before, AC4 and Dragon Age inquisition have been those the past two years. Might not this year as I still haven’t yet started UC3 of the NDC, or The Wolf Among Us, or Game of Thrones! Not to mention 3 halo games of The MCC.
My mum has too much money to spend at Sainsbury’s on food so I think I will help her out and get Forza 6!
Oh, got AC Rogue on PS3 after trading in about 6 old games for it. I’m definitely well stocked!
Crazy_Del
Well I will be playing Just Cause 3 during the week and next week. Unfortunately I am working on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day so might be absolutely knackered. Christmas Day with my folks so gaming is very limited! But if I can it’ll be Mad Max as I have asked for Mad Max 3D Blu Ray for Christmas xD
Also Whiskey and Jack Daniels will be involved….. a lot ^^