Scientific Study Concludes Finishing RPGs Evokes The Strongest ‘Post-Game Depression’

    Posted by Turbostrider27

    22 Comments

    1. It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to finish an RPG, but I did it recently with Final Fantasy 9. The time investment and trials I’ve had with that game coupled with the ending was post-game depressing for sure.

      It was a good feeling, I want to feel it again

    2. Soupjam_Stevens on

      I believe it, played through Persona 5 during a pretty rough time in my life and I remember like actively dreading coming to the end of it, that gameplay loop of alternating between dungeons and life sim was just so comforting. I know people sometimes complain how long that game is but I would’ve played another hundred hours

    3. signofthenine on

      Makes sense. RPGs tend to have the best character writing (IMO), and due to length, you tend to spend a lot more time with the characters.

    4. I mean, they are one of the longest types of single-player games. As for both JRPGs and WRPGs, there is a clear end point. For many people, finishing up The Witcher 3 after a 2nd playthrough was like saying goodbye to an old friend.

      There are other types of games with longer playtimes, but those don’t provide a clear end, and usually you reach more of a point where you are ready to move on to a different game.

    5. Witcher 3, Final Fantasy 7 Remake & Rebirth, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2… after rolling credits on all of them I’ve had a couple days where I’m just like: “Fuuuuuck, I’m so sad it’s all over. What now?”

    6. iloovehugecock on

      I don’t think many games get you as invested in and connected to the characters as well as an RPG does, just by dint of how much time you spend with them and developing them. RPGs are also generally very story heavy games, and usually have deep and rich characters.

      I don’t play many these days as I don’t have the time, but I remember playing FF8, 9 and 10 as a kid and feeling quite depressed and lonely after finishing each of them. It happened again a few years ago when I finished Persona 5. You spend so much time with them it’s kind of like breaking up with friends or watching them move to another country or something.

    7. Educational_Ad8448 on

      Sure, I’ll buy that. Witcher 3, P5, Metaphor, E33 and Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter are some personal examples.

    8. finished KCD2 for the first time last night. woke up feeling a henry sized hole in my heart. can confirm the study.

    9. Good thing I pretty much never finish them. The only RPGs that I’ve completed has been Cyberpunk and The Witcher 3. didn’t make me depressed tho

    10. PrideOfEverblight on

      After Clair Obscur I was incredibly sad and didn’t play for weeks. Picked up Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 and now I’m doing every possible thing (DLCs included) that i can before I finish my 250+ hour okay thru. I know it’s gonna hurt when I’m done so I’m not fast travelling and just enjoying my remaining time in Bohemia.

    11. Shupedewhupe on

      I’ve definitely felt this after games like the Witcher 3 and Mass Effect. I’m finally playing the Kingdom Come games now and even though I’m only on the first one I’m already dreading the end and that ‘what now?’ feeling.

    12. Man, I felt that after finishing Grandia back in the day. Didn’t touch my console for two weeks after that. Nothing felt the same, lol.

    13. Lengthiest_Dad_Hat on

      I think the best indicator to me that a game was really good is if I finish it and then immediately start it over because I don’t know what else to play

    14. Wdym? Doing this for three decades. Have no time for depression, too many games to play.

    15. > The first-ever scientific study into the feeling of “post-game depression,” the oddly empty, wistful feeling of sadness you get after finishing a video game

      Sadness and depression are two *very* different things.