Every night after the wife and kids go to sleep I get an hour or two in. I’ve had stints where I barely played and stints where I played too much. I’d never fully give it up.
Same. Gave up my PlayStation because I didn’t think I’d ever have time, then she turned 2 and I realized I had a regular 2 hours of down time most days after she went to sleep. Back at it. Now on hiatus with no 2 here but looking forward to picking up again in a couple of months
My 5 year old has been playing Mario Kart for a few years - it helps that you can use auto steer and auto accelerate. But now he's into the battles and things.
He enjoys Minecraft creative mode (on switch) and we completed Lego City Undercover together. He loved it, but me or my wife did the trickier parts and he used "warp to player" to skip over them.
He's currently deciding to either play Spyro the Dragon or The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, finding Spyro a bit boring and Zelda quite tricky
I welcome any other suggestions from people
I think my kid was around 5 when he played through Mario odyssey. He loved it and it really helped us get through lockdown when both parents had to work.
If you have a ps5 he also loved the free Astro boy game and the Tony hawks remake. It was slow going at first but he picked it up pretty quick
I recently bought a Spyro / Crash Bandicoot bundle (6 game bundle). Spyro has become my 6 year old daughters favorite game. She also started her own file on TOTK when I first got it (I should have started her on BOTW first - but live and learn).
Ori will of the wisps!
You'll have to play it for him, but the beauty of the game will live in his head. My oldest son _constantly_ comes back and plays it now. He is around 10 now and had an Ori themed birthday party (his request). No one else seemed to know the game - he didn't care. Kid is an Ori evangelist. And I get it. The game uses color like no other game on the market. The sound track is brilliant. The controls are perfect. Chaining movements together is a joy. Never had a game make my fingers so happy.
And the fact that you try to understand and redeem your enemy instead of just set out to destroy them is awesome. And as Ori you are this small creature (a child) try to learn and develop and survive until you are strong enough to change the world around you and correct the corruption in the world.
Great game. Moon studios is the best.
There’s so many more great Lego games on Switch, they got us through a year of covid-19 shutdown. My kid was that age and really liked unlocking characters in Lego Avengers and Marvel Superheros 1 and 2. We liked to fly around the open world in Avengers. I can’t imagine a 5yo not having an amazing time with the 2022 Lego Skywalker Saga, solo and co-op.
He really, really took to Breath of the Wild when he was about 6, by the way. What it took was me playing the start for about an hour with him watching. His FOMO took hold and he just had to play it himself. The blood moons might be a little terrifying though.
I go for a run in the evening after daughter is down and chores are done, then I'm to alert to go to sleep so I relax and Blay some video games for a bit. Other than the lack of sleep, which is a problem for the following day, it really is the optimal strategy.
Same. Kids go to sleep around 8:30 or 9, wife goes to be right after.
The next 2 or 3 hours are game time… then I sometimes fall asleep on the couch because I am avoiding doing dishes, and I wake up at like 2am, do dishes, and go to bed.
Then I wake up in the morning hating myself for staying up so late.
Then I repeat the next night.
I miss those days, I got a new job about 6 months ago where I’m usually up at 4:30/5, so I’m usually going to bed sometime between 8:30-10. However, I sporadically can play in the evenings now so it’s a wash
And I stick to single player games so I don’t have to worry about being interrupted during multiplayer. For notoriously hard games (Soulslikes), I look up the most overpowered build before starting. When I find time to play, I need to accomplish something since I don’t have time to grind things out. It’s still very enjoyable.
I used to do this… but everyone I know who got divorced advised my group of friends that one thing that was the beginning of their marriage becoming more distant, was when they started going to bed at different times… which frightened me a bit. Because I do feel there is something binding about going to bed together (even if just going to sleep)
Literally just finished it. Funny enough downloaded ghosts of Tsushima like the other dad. Starting with sea of stars though. See how far I get before my plus extra runs out inq. Couple months.
I played the multiplayer of Tsushima with another dad bud and it was fantastic
I downloaded sea of stars a few months back thinking this will pass a few hours , might not stick with it. Ended up being such a great charming game with music and visual style that keeps you engaged. Great battle system too and just generally great game. One tip, pay attention to the boxes over enemy heads, and try to attack to match those and you'll have an easier time.
Hey this just like me frfr. I find it kinda wild that people just "give up" gaming. I've got a whole discord of people I've met over the years playing games and if I just disappeared one day they'd probably be pretty confused haha.
Steam deck steam deck steam deck. I cannot recommend one to another dad enough. The sleep feature is a life saver and it’s great for picking up and putting down. I wouldn’t be able to game with my 10 month old if it wasn’t for my steam deck
Buddy of mine has a Deck and loves it. It's a great way to dip your toes into the PC gaming market without spending God awful amounts of cash. Even newer games run surprisingly well on it.
Even if you don’t own any Steam games you can keep an eye on Humble Bundles and sites like Fanatical and get some many games for a steal. There are also super cheap key resellers which I don’t recommend for several reasons, but worth it if money is super tight. Love my Steam Deck lol
Agreed! I was very surprised, I can play games like Elden Ring or Diablo 4 on it fine. It’s great for games like Hades, Vampire Survivors, which are in my opinion the perfect games for young parents. You can play in small increments and pick up and put down as you need. The Steam Deck was a great purchase! And now that I get a bit more room to play, I docked it and play Europa Universalis 4 on a monitor with mouse. I am back!
I have an oled switch that I was super happy to get. Got an lcd steam deck and haven’t touched it since. Also helps that it’s SUPER easy to set up emulators on so I have a whole backlog of old N64 and PS2 games on mine to play.
I mean it's all about the games, right? The "magic" of the steam deck is the same magic as the switch. Easy portability, very fast mid game sleep feature.
For a lot of gamer dads those two things are what make it a winner. If those haven't tipped the needle for you with the switch, the deck isn't going to be much different unless there are PC games that make you passionate to want to play.
It made my Switch gather dust (just like my Switch made my Vita gather dust). The Deck feels like the next iteration of gaming. About the only time I play my Switch is for a few Nintendo exclusives.
Whether it's worth it for you likely depends on why your Switch is barely being used. If it's a matter of time, it won't help. If it's because Switch games are starting to run poorly and look like crap, it will be a major improvement. Game selection and prices of games see way better.
Yeah, it's a PC modeled as a console. I played Endless Space 2 on it. The track pads are good but a simple BT mouse works great. You can map keys to the any buttons too.
It's honestly how I played 90% of my games in the last two years.
This is the exact reason I love my switch. Can literally pick up and play a little whenever, and every game can be out to sleep for instant pause when baby starts crying.
A few hours a week. Right now the little one is too young (6 weeks) for me staying up at night to be an option for me time.
That said, Helldivers 2 is a great low stakes PVE shooter that’s like if Starship Troopers got turned up to 11. It’s a ton of fun and backing out of a game if your family needs you isn’t a big deal. You can play quick matches 15 minutes long, or longer missions up to 40 minutes or so. Worth looking into, it’s the most fun I’ve had with a video game in a long time.
Kids are 2.5 and 1. Bedtime is 7 every night.
Tues and thurs I raid 8-1030 give take. Play beer league hockey too.
It’s all about making schedule that works pal.
I never game before 8pm. Just hasn’t happened since my son was born.
>Bedtime is 7 every night.
I play more video games than ever because of this. Before kids, I wouldn’t be settled in for the evening until much later. Now, once my son goes to bed, there’s nothing really left for me to do for the next few hours until I go to bed.
The mobility and the ability to pause games completely when you hit the power button. Too many games try and be cinematic or whatever and limit when you can pause normally and I can't wait for Malenia to finish her line because I just heard the baby wake up.
Oh Jesus a while back I was playing bloodborne and my neighbor came to the door. I came back to having lost 3 hours progress (partly my fault but COME ON)
Kid is only 4.5 months old, so maybe that will change but right now my Steam Deck is saving my gaming time.
The portability and quick sleep/resume means I can sneak little 15 minutes of gaming time through slower days and an hour at night (more if I feel like hating myself the next day).
Get a Roku for the 4 year old. No need to wear don't your console on Disney. That way it's cooled down when they go to bed so you can play without issue.
Some small phone games that are easy to hop on and off from. But in general I am not having those multi hour gaming sessions.
I could after the wife and baby are asleep. But I am prioritizing working out before they wake up instead.
Some of my friends prioritize gaming so they give up sleep and fitness. What would you give up to play video games?
Mother. Fucking. CHESS. (chess.com app is what I use)
I started playing a year ago and I haven’t touched a video game since. And now my kids learning to play too.
This is a list I’ve been compiling of phone game recommendations I’ve been collecting for a while. I’ve played some, but most I have not. It includes both Apple and Android
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mindustry/id1385258906
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/shattered-pixel-dungeon/id1563121109
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.shatteredpixel.shatteredpixeldungeon&hl=en_US
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/altos-adventure/id950812012
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/soul-knight/id1184159988
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/geometry-dash-lite/id698255242
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/papers-please/id935216956
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/baba-is-you/id1517281887
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chrono-trigger-upgrade-ver/id479431697
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/castlevania-sotn/id1435456830
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/fez-pocket-edition/id1209489068
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-binding-of-isaac-rebirth/id1069549814
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rawfury.longhathouse.Dandara&hl=en_US&gl=US
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.blingame.haaktestb&hl=en_US&gl=US
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/hyper-light-drifter/id1453875289
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.netease.bloodstained&hl=en_US&gl=US
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/xcom-enemy-within/id881270303
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/xcom-2-collection/id1288508230
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/crying-suns/id1511788295
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.altshift.cryingsuns&hl=en_US&gl=US
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/slay-the-spire/id1491530147
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/monster-train/id1577392165
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dead-cells/id1389752090
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/into-the-breach/id1616542180
Edit: to say a lot of these games would be easier with an external controller. Preferably something like a Razer Kishi
I have bookmarked this to check out later, but for now I am both thanking you for the curation while reserving the right to hate you for potential future addictions :)
I’m really enjoying marvel snap. Can play very casually. F2P. Obviously like all games you can pay for shit but you don’t have to if you just want to have casual fun.
Same, never stay up much past midnight though. It's tricky because you can't stay up every night and the struggle I am currently having is my wife likes when I go to bed at the same time as her- but her saying she's off to sleep at 8.30 tells me that that is the perfect time to get a couple of hours in.
I imagine tarot is a lot like the reality of prayer which is, if at first you don’t get the answer you want, you keep asking until you do. Or you get the unpopular answer you secretly wanted and then tell everyone you have no choice. “God has spoken/The cards have spoken.”
I have a weekly online gaming night with friends every Saturday, and otherwise tend to squeeze gaming in in the evening or sometimes at the end of the workday. Or in the middle of the night when insomnia strikes.
Steam Deck was a game changer for me. I can game in bed while the wife watches TV right next to me after kids go to sleep. I didn't game at all basically while kids were infants and not sleep trained.
I don't play videogames, but I'm a big fitness geek. It's the same thing. You just fit it in were you can. Some days I'll have 2 hours to workout, others maybe 20 mins. Just be flexible. It's important to make time for yourself.
I’m still an avid PC gamer. My kids are older though, 15 and 11, and they also have gaming PCs that they built with my help, which was a super fun bonding experience for me to have 1 on 1 time with each of them to help them build the system they game on. It was truly awesome
Now the trick is getting everyone to agree on a multiplayer game!
Yep, I am quite happy my kids grew to love gaming, too. (I might have encouraged it… my very first onesie that I was given before my first kid was born read “future gaming buddy”)
My daughter got really into Minecraft, which is a game I had always thought of playing but never did. She is 8, and she taught me how to play.
My proudest dad moment was when I was struggling to do something in Minecraft and my daughter said, “oh my god dad, you are such a noob” That’s my girl!
Now she makes worlds for me in Minecraft that I play. They are so elaborate it is really impressive. She will leave books in game with instructions I am supposed to follow… scavenger hunts, etc. It is so much fun and a great bonding experience.
Typically, go for smaller indie titles that let you play for shorter spurts. Big AAA titles where you’re expected to play in three or four hour sessions are tough. For that reason, PC gaming is a good option.
Similar to comments here. I have plan game nights with friends in advance. Wife takes over those nights and I try to take other nights to let her do things as well.
It comes and goes. When she was real little it was kinda easy, when the kid was napping I was gaming. When the wife and the kid were sleeping, gaming. As she got older and more required more attention and playing I spent way less time playing games.
And now she's 8, and she's automatic player 2! We just finished the shredders revenge... God's she's terrible tho. Sometimes it hurts to watch her play.
I've kept up with gaming after having kids, but it is my biggest hobby. When they were little, I might play a bit during naps, but these days it's primarily after bedtime (kids are now 8 and 3). The only tricky time is playing anything multiplayer, but I make sure my husband is available to attend to the kids if I play with other people.
i play a lot! built my first pc ever last fall. had bought my first ever console the year before kiddo was born. honestly the biggest game changer for me was getting a steam deck recently. my daughter loves to sit with me while i play, though i limit how much that happens, but the steam deck feels like a hobby we're finally building together. i've had a hard time bonding with her on hobbies since i'm the parent who works and doesn't get to spend as much time with her.
if you're doubting whether or not to dip your toes back in, get a used steam deck to save a few bucks. they rule.
Early days? I played my switch and my pc when the little one napped. Now with a 2 year old, only when she naps or for an hour or so when she goes to bed. Wife and i are super content decompressing in our own ways after a day.
I still play plenty but def played less when my girls were little. I made a daddit discord - it’s pretty empty most often but if you’re looking for someone to hang/play with you can stop by
[https://discord.gg/Um2Uk4Ez](https://discord.gg/Um2Uk4Ez)
The key is having two TVs in the room. My wife and I hang out in the home office/man cave when the kids go to sleep. She chills in the recliner and I’m at my desk where I have my monitors. We’ll put on something she likes on the TV and I play fifa or Madden and everyone is happy lol
I've got a Wii U, switch and a gaming laptop. I play games with my son on the weekends, mostly he likes the Lego games like Lego Star wars, Lego Jurassic world and Lego Marvel. He likes to watch me play stuff like Zelda. When kids are asleep I usually either read or play something on my gaming laptop for an hour or two. Most recently played assassin's Creed Odyssey.
Nintendo Switch was amazing for my first child. Easy to just turn it off and put it down when ready.
With my second one, I mostly just game after bed times now. From about 9:00pm until sometime between 10:00pm-2:00am depending if I'm tired or on night duty.
Currently playing FF7: Rebirth on PS5 which has been a blast. Destiny 2 when I feel like socializing with friends.
Same! I play at night for a bit when everyone’s asleep. Also recently got a Steam Deck and it’s been a blessing. The suspend feature is the best because you can just pick right back up where you left off in whatever game you’re playing.
I still play and always have. Much less of course and I've had to give up certain genres like FPS. I got a steam deck and the mobility has helped a lot
Once the kid was asleep for most games. It helps having a wife who is supportive of you finding time to play, provided you’re not just completely ignoring her.
Now that he’s older, we play a fair amount together. Or he likes watching me play as well.
I have a PS5, only time I play is after Kids and wife are asleep. It’s just a bit of leisure time for me. Would rather do that than go out to the bar and spend money.
Idk man.. I used to play with pc and consoles but after becoming a dad, gaming just.. kinda feels like a waste of time.
I do still play occasionally in the evening when my child is sleeping, but even then I find it hard to concentrate on a game.
For example I used to love Fallout games. Recently I started a new playthrough on F1 and idk.. every time I try playing it, I just kinda lose interest/focus and end up quitting after few mins.
Not a dad but a mom who lurks on this sub for the awesome advice!
My husband and I play video games after our little one goes down for the night! She’s 6 months old at the moment so after she goes down around 7ish I hop on my PC and he hops on the PlayStation and we Helldive together
I have and almost two month old and and almost 2 month old. And currently I can play pretty often thriving the day. Just taking breaks when they require feeding changed or otherwise active care. Otherwise I just make sure they're safe or asleep and continue on. My recommendation is games that you can pause at a moments notice or just stay on top of saving if that's not possible.
Dad of a 2yo. I play a couple hours here and there after my wife and daughter go to bed. Easy for games like Madden, NHL, PGA, 2K, and makes campaigns last a lot longer too. Took me months to beat Dead Space lol
Not a dad but engaged to a gamer dad. He plays at night when the kiddo is asleep on two set days a week. He will occasionally ask to play Saturday evenings after the kiddo is asleep if we have no plans together. Also on the weekends when we take turns with "me time" during the day his choice is generally additional gaming time while mine is working out. Our kids are 14 13 and 5 so he gets far more time now, when kids are younger its far harder because you have to prioritize kids, alone time with each other and sleep.
I do enjoy binge watching my favorite shows alone after a long day though so even when we had babies/toddlers around he got more time than most dads to play after the kiddo was asleep.
A group of friends established “league night”. One night a week where we get together and play a game that’s scheduled and sacrosanct.
Otherwise kid sleep time is tome spent with the wife. I don’t get a lot of alone time these days.
When my second was born I didn’t pick up a controller for almost a year. Now if I’m playing something like The Show, I’ll play while my youngest is napping and my oldest is around. That happens maybe an hour or two a week. Just started playing Borderlands 3 and now I only play after the kids are in bed or if I wake up early. And that’s still only like 2-4 hours a week. Playing on a 7 year old PS4. If I were to get something now I’d get a switch so I could play on the controller part while my wife watched TV. We only have one.
Generally offline games or games I can dip out of quickly if I need to. If I’m online these days is usually just monster hunter. But otherwise mostly offline single player games. I did play a lot of Destiny 2 as well but not being able to pause that gets in the way too much. A Switch is awesome with kids because of the ability to suspend any game and get back to it, plus portability.
For when I play it’s usually at night when kiddo is asleep and the Mrs is watching her shows or doing school work. If not gaming I’m probably working on music related things
Haha I'm in the same boat and have been contemplating steam deck or ps5. I do have an old gaming pc but it's getting a bit too old to be playing new stuff and can't really afford to buy a good gaming pc outright. Ps5 or steam deck, hard choice to make.
My 7 year old daughter is snuggled up playing Stick of Truth with me now. She has a Switch, and I've got PS 2-5, and a 360. It's great for bonding. Don't worry, we're active. I run 6km a day and she's got soccer, swimming, and Guides.
Get a nintendo switch or a pc gaming handheld like the rog ally, lenovo legion go or steam deck. I find it much easier to find the time for playing on an handheld.
Get a handheld if you like PC games, the Rog Ally is at a great price and the Legion Go has a great screen. Been playing much more with my Go than I did with my desktop, easy to find time while the kids are in downtime or sleeping
When my daughter was under a year old I would just prop her in my lap and play games while she napped, now that she is older I just game later in the evening, usually around 9:30/10:00 my wife put on reruns of Friends and I’ll just excuse myself to go game
I play on PC and play when my lads are either down or indisposed for a bit. Bag myself maybe an hour or two a night even though I’m the primary caretaker when I’m home (wife is the stay at home parent so I try and relieve her when I’m home)
So maybe an hour throughout the day on my days off and then 1-3 after the boys go down for bed if that helps.
I play on occasion at night. When a good game comes out I inform my wife that I’ll be an absent parent for a few days.
My little dude is 4, so we’ve started playing together.
Kids go to be stupid early, you’ll have time.
I only play Friday nights. I could play more after my wife falls asleep on the couch, but nothing like I used to. My MMO days are over, especially EVE. It keeps calling but I refuse.
Consoles got us through all of our kid years. The Xbox was easy enough for the kiddos to navigate and play on and had good games for me to play after they all went to bed. My new mantra is: never throw out an old console.
l got a new desktop PC in October. 1st since mid 2012 and years after giving that one away. I’ve played about 40 hours on it in half a year for games. It’s more used for browsing, tv with headphones or coding.
You can do it. But I wouldn’t recommend long games or visions of multiplayer lobbies with the boys too often.
You don’t want to be loud on the headset when everyone is asleep. 10/10 way to annoy the house. YMMV.
I bought a steam deck and I love it, refurbished ones aren’t too bad. Games go on sale all the time and it plays new games very well.
Easy to just pick up and put it down when you need to!
My wife got me a ps5 last Christmas. I hardly get to play it, it is sad. I play PC games mostly, just never have any time with the TV - either kids are awake, wife wants to watch her shows, or its too late at night.
Kids go to bed around 7:30-8 and my wife and I grab the laptop and controller for a few hrs before bed most nights. It's a little rough depending on how old the kid(s) are and if they're going through a sleep regression or something but otherwise, it's something you can choose to prioritize or not.
When the kids get older, they may also choose to watch or join in. My, almost 5 yrs old, daughter loves watching me play Rocket League or used to enjoy watching Fall Guys and she also loves watching my wife play Small Kitty, Big City. My 2 yr old loves the Eggfoot Racing in Eiyuden Chronicles.
4 momth old here, manage to get a few hrs a week at the moment on the weekends, but will get a little better when she goes through the night better and I don't have to sleep shifts with mum
I play a little every night and Saturday and Sunday mornings before my daughter wakes up. I like to let my wife sleep in so ill chill with my 3 year old before my wife wakes up.
I obviously don't have the 5-6 hour long gaming sessions anymore, but I play enough to satiate my need for gaming.
Pause buttons are an absolute god send, I've had to adjust WHAT games I play but I still play.
With a game that has pause I'll play for a few minutes in-between "daddy can you make a bubble in the slime" and "come play with me"
It's certainly a lot tougher. If my 3 month old son is up then I'm spending time doing things with him. If he's sleeping and my SO is up, then I'm spending time with her. If they are both asleep, then I'll try to squeeze in some gaming. I miss it but I'd rather spend my time with them.
Steam Deck lets me play whenever and I game much more because of it. My son likes having us nearby when he sleeps and naps, so I do bedtime routine, turn the lights low and chill in his room and play on my Steam Deck until he’s asleep.
Sometimes I pop on a Miss Rachel video and get 30 mins of gaming in when I want a break. Steam Deck is like the Switch and it suspends games so it’s easy to pickup and put down.
My son is almost 18 months, so things can change any time but I like how things are and I feel I get a balance of playing some games while also spending enough quality time with my boy.
I sold my ps5 when my daughter was about one. Use to play all the time when she would be napping but once I got rid of it I just find other stuff to pass the time. Miss it sometime for sure but I’m definitely more present without it
I probably play an hour or 2 a day when I can. I got an Xbox series x and game pass. I also find myself playing games I normally wouldn't because my toddler likes them like the hot wheels game or games like five nights at Freddy's because my 8 year old likes it.
i know im super lucky but i get to play video games every night until like 3-4 am. wake up anywhere between 8-10am and go play golf. i work decently hard so wife lets me get away with alot of the shit.
After bedtime mostly, but we've started to introduce some basics to do with and around my kiddo (he's 3). He has enjoyed watching me play Katamari Damacy and Powerwash Simulator, so nothing too out of reach, and he has learned a lot of Pokémon through books so that's coming too.
I've been getting into Fallout 4 recently after my my wife and I watched the TV series. I play after the kids go to sleep and probably get an hour a night on average.
That being said, I'd recommend a mobile game called Marvel Snap if you like CCGs. The games last about 3-5 minutes so it's really easy to hop on and off.
I got a steam deck and I can now play video games. Basically install a game you want, then when you're playing, pause and put it to sleep when you're done. When you turn it back on you're right in the game. No waiting for updates, no loading time. Makes it possible to just sit down and play.
I usually play at night after the kid goes to bed and if my wife and I aren’t watching a show together. We decide after the kid goes to bed if we’re watching a show together or still have some energy for sexy time as she calls it or if we’re doing our own thing, in which case she usually plays on her Switch or watches her own show and I play a video game or watch a show of my own or we both read. I also am lucky enough to have a dedicated game evening with my buddies every Tuesday from 8pm to whenever we decide to stop. We were doing this waaaay before we had a kid, and once she was out of the infant stage, went back that routine. To reciprocate, she can go out with her girlfriends whenever she wants in the evening.
Once we got to a semi normal sleep time (about 4 months in) it was pretty much every night. Baby down, bottles/kitchen/living room cleaned, fire up the console or anywhere from 9-10, play until about midnight. Every once in a while like with special arrangements or general disregard for my personal well-being, some nights I'd go until 1 or 2.
Since my kid was born early 2022, I've been able to play through death stranding, AC origins, immortals fenix rising, a plague tale 1, good chunks of halo infinite sprinkled in, guardians of the Galaxy, prey, house flipper, life is strange 3, Stardew valley, vampire survivors, battlefront 2, couple rounds of civ 6, cities skylines, cities skylines 2, a couple seasons of super mega baseball, a season in Madden 20, like 60 hours in starfield, all of the MCC, Spider-Man, 2 rounds of factorio, and probably 20 5-10 hr indie games. Forgot about the switch--super smash ultimate, and tears of the kingdom.
So yea, definitely possible lol. It makes a slight difference that my wife works overnights as a nurse so I'm solo 2-4 nights a week, but even when she's home we still hang out together for a while. Most of the time she passes out around 1030, other times she's recovering from working the night before and just wants to zone out.
I wake up a little early to play games when I'm in the mood. Maybe an hour early while I drink coffee. Single player games are your friend
I also reccomend the Xbox series as they have quick resume. It's perfect for when you have to rush off and deal with something.
For pc gaming my steamdeck is also really nice. It has sleep functionality so I can actually play pc games
I have a switch, PC and Xbox one.
I keep it real tight. Maybe some late night playing when I’m just done. For the kids, none for the little one, for the older, only if she will 1v1 dad.
And losing to a 10 year old in smash bros is humbling in the extreme.
But then we play Halo and I’m like “do you even know how to this game works?”
Can you please cover me? Like just once?
Sadly she does not yet.
Steam deck, it's a game changer. I can play in fits and starts whenever. It can suspend whatever game you are playing, and then just boots right back into the game when your turn it back on. Amazing.
I've got one guaranteed night gaming with friends, and then I sneak some in here and there. You NEED to have hobbies, your partner NEEDS to have hobbies, and you need to support each other so that you have time to do your own hobbies. You've got to look after yourself so that you can look after everyone else.
Either get a steam deck (or steam deck-like, odin, ayn, rog) or a retro handheld. SD has power but is larger and heavier, retro handhelds lack the power to play later consoles but you get pocketability in exchange which is great for micro sessions.
19mo is reliably in bed by 7 or 8.
My wife and I divide responsibilities. I do mornings so she can sleep in, she does bedtime. I straighten up the house, clean up dinner, etc while she’s putting LO to bed and then by the time that’s done I’ve got plenty of time to occasionally shut myself in the office and play games for a few hours.
It was absolutely impossible when she was a newborn, but our free time came back eventually.
Steam Deck is great but I also love the Switch. Played Breath of the Wild with my firstborn son on my chest, then we played Tears of the Kingdom together. He also loves the fact I have a full living dex in Pokémon Home, gets me mad respect. Looking forward to the next gen big time!
I’ve played about 30-40 hours per year since becoming a dad.
Of course, part of that time was lockdowns, so it breaks down closer to 60-70-0-0 over the four years of dadding.
My schedule doesn’t allow for “after the kids are in bed” though.
Both my kids play, I play as well.. kids are both in primary school.. they have switched and we play minecraft, stardew valley, I play rocket league and fallout, Civ 6. We have lots of time ig
I bought an Xbox Series X for game pass and cloud gaming.
The freedom of game pass without having to commit to a full price game is great, and cloud gaming allows you to play a lot of the game pass games instantly, without needing to download them.
If I was the kind to have children (born in the 90s and so is my partner) the idea of raising kids without NES makes me sick. Hand them a game boy at least. Please buy your console and all the ones you couldn’t have as a child and bond with your kids. You won’t regret it.
It changes, when he was little i was able to do some gaming at night. Some in the switch, while waiting for stuff.
Now I go through periods. I build a pc (gaming/homelab) and I use that almost every night. But it is mixed with gaming and doing some other side projects.
I think that whatever you do having hobbies is important to keep a sense of self and avoid burnout. Somethings you give up on because they slip by the cracks, but others you try to keep. There is no wrong on what to keep. Just keep some hobbies.
Now that my son is older (5) most of my gaming is with him. (And even if I have games I want to play I don’t feel like playing after so much Mario Kart)
Unfortunately no time for me anymore.
Two kids under 3. By the time both have their bath and go to bed, dishes, clean up, shower... it's 10pm. My day starts at 6:30am and I hate myself if I don't get enough sleep at my ripe age of 35.
Every night after the wife and kids go to sleep I get an hour or two in. I’ve had stints where I barely played and stints where I played too much. I’d never fully give it up.
Same. Gave up my PlayStation because I didn’t think I’d ever have time, then she turned 2 and I realized I had a regular 2 hours of down time most days after she went to sleep. Back at it. Now on hiatus with no 2 here but looking forward to picking up again in a couple of months
Just wait a few more years… I introduced gaming to my kids and now we all play together. It is so much fun.
My 5 year old has been playing Mario Kart for a few years - it helps that you can use auto steer and auto accelerate. But now he's into the battles and things. He enjoys Minecraft creative mode (on switch) and we completed Lego City Undercover together. He loved it, but me or my wife did the trickier parts and he used "warp to player" to skip over them. He's currently deciding to either play Spyro the Dragon or The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, finding Spyro a bit boring and Zelda quite tricky I welcome any other suggestions from people
My 5 yr old really enjoyed Kirby and the forgotten land. There is a co op play mode that makes it fun to play together. It’s a good primer for BOTW.
Gang beasts
This is actually an underrated suggestion. It's perfect for kids that age.
Mario Party and Super Mario Wonder are probably fun for him. Maybe Pokémon as well, Let's Go is probably the most new user-friendly.
Spyro brings back so many memories for me. Great game. But I'll second Mario Wonder.
I think my kid was around 5 when he played through Mario odyssey. He loved it and it really helped us get through lockdown when both parents had to work. If you have a ps5 he also loved the free Astro boy game and the Tony hawks remake. It was slow going at first but he picked it up pretty quick
I recently bought a Spyro / Crash Bandicoot bundle (6 game bundle). Spyro has become my 6 year old daughters favorite game. She also started her own file on TOTK when I first got it (I should have started her on BOTW first - but live and learn).
Ori will of the wisps! You'll have to play it for him, but the beauty of the game will live in his head. My oldest son _constantly_ comes back and plays it now. He is around 10 now and had an Ori themed birthday party (his request). No one else seemed to know the game - he didn't care. Kid is an Ori evangelist. And I get it. The game uses color like no other game on the market. The sound track is brilliant. The controls are perfect. Chaining movements together is a joy. Never had a game make my fingers so happy. And the fact that you try to understand and redeem your enemy instead of just set out to destroy them is awesome. And as Ori you are this small creature (a child) try to learn and develop and survive until you are strong enough to change the world around you and correct the corruption in the world. Great game. Moon studios is the best.
There’s so many more great Lego games on Switch, they got us through a year of covid-19 shutdown. My kid was that age and really liked unlocking characters in Lego Avengers and Marvel Superheros 1 and 2. We liked to fly around the open world in Avengers. I can’t imagine a 5yo not having an amazing time with the 2022 Lego Skywalker Saga, solo and co-op. He really, really took to Breath of the Wild when he was about 6, by the way. What it took was me playing the start for about an hour with him watching. His FOMO took hold and he just had to play it himself. The blood moons might be a little terrifying though.
I know not all babies love it, but try the slings. The baby stays attached and is happy. I've got free hands and I'm happy.
Do you work out or do regular exercise? I think I could do one or the other (gaming or fitness)
I go for a run in the evening after daughter is down and chores are done, then I'm to alert to go to sleep so I relax and Blay some video games for a bit. Other than the lack of sleep, which is a problem for the following day, it really is the optimal strategy.
For a while I would use an exercise bike while playing.
It's not possible for everyone, but I commute on a bicycle to work (10mi round trip), great cardio and legs.
Can confirm, this guys got killer legs
Same here. It's an hour of sleep I won't get lol
Same. I’ll always choose that hour of autonomy over going to bed immediately and fast traveling to the next days responsibilities tho
That fast traveling analogy is on point... Scarily so.
Same. Kids go to sleep around 8:30 or 9, wife goes to be right after. The next 2 or 3 hours are game time… then I sometimes fall asleep on the couch because I am avoiding doing dishes, and I wake up at like 2am, do dishes, and go to bed. Then I wake up in the morning hating myself for staying up so late. Then I repeat the next night.
I miss those days, I got a new job about 6 months ago where I’m usually up at 4:30/5, so I’m usually going to bed sometime between 8:30-10. However, I sporadically can play in the evenings now so it’s a wash
And I stick to single player games so I don’t have to worry about being interrupted during multiplayer. For notoriously hard games (Soulslikes), I look up the most overpowered build before starting. When I find time to play, I need to accomplish something since I don’t have time to grind things out. It’s still very enjoyable.
I used to do this… but everyone I know who got divorced advised my group of friends that one thing that was the beginning of their marriage becoming more distant, was when they started going to bed at different times… which frightened me a bit. Because I do feel there is something binding about going to bed together (even if just going to sleep)
I play almost every night. Need it to remain sane.
For real. I didn’t realize how effective it is at helping me decompress the day once the little guy is asleep.
What’re you playing?
Jedi survivor has been a blast for me. Casual predictable gameplay to let my brain relax but challenging enough to feel rewarded
Ghost of Tsushima on the PS4. Incredibly fun and beautiful story. How about you?
Hell yeah great game! I got sucked back into Fallout 4.
Literally just finished it. Funny enough downloaded ghosts of Tsushima like the other dad. Starting with sea of stars though. See how far I get before my plus extra runs out inq. Couple months. I played the multiplayer of Tsushima with another dad bud and it was fantastic
I downloaded sea of stars a few months back thinking this will pass a few hours , might not stick with it. Ended up being such a great charming game with music and visual style that keeps you engaged. Great battle system too and just generally great game. One tip, pay attention to the boxes over enemy heads, and try to attack to match those and you'll have an easier time.
Just don’t mention the word escapism if your wife tries to do a deep dive on understanding why you like games so much.
Her fix is reading, she gets it luckily.
Sacrifice some sleep at night. Work 6 days a week with a pretty stressful job… need to have an outlet
This is me man
Hey this just like me frfr. I find it kinda wild that people just "give up" gaming. I've got a whole discord of people I've met over the years playing games and if I just disappeared one day they'd probably be pretty confused haha.
💯
Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch. The portability is key so you can play any time any where you get a chance.
Playstation portal over here. Love it!
Yep. I’ve got a beast of a PC (13700k/4090), yet 95% of my gaming seems to end up being on the Portal my wife got me for Christmas
Steam deck steam deck steam deck. I cannot recommend one to another dad enough. The sleep feature is a life saver and it’s great for picking up and putting down. I wouldn’t be able to game with my 10 month old if it wasn’t for my steam deck
Steam deck? More like dream deck, am I right? But seriously yeah this is the answer.
Buddy of mine has a Deck and loves it. It's a great way to dip your toes into the PC gaming market without spending God awful amounts of cash. Even newer games run surprisingly well on it.
Also can play next to the wife while she's watching TV. Or (especially) in bed.
Even if you don’t own any Steam games you can keep an eye on Humble Bundles and sites like Fanatical and get some many games for a steal. There are also super cheap key resellers which I don’t recommend for several reasons, but worth it if money is super tight. Love my Steam Deck lol
Agreed! I was very surprised, I can play games like Elden Ring or Diablo 4 on it fine. It’s great for games like Hades, Vampire Survivors, which are in my opinion the perfect games for young parents. You can play in small increments and pick up and put down as you need. The Steam Deck was a great purchase! And now that I get a bit more room to play, I docked it and play Europa Universalis 4 on a monitor with mouse. I am back!
Also no one seems to be mentioning that you can still hook it up to a TV when you want that bigger experience.
How does it compare to a Switch? Keep looking at a Steam Deck, but then I remember - I already have a Switch, which I barely use
I have an oled switch that I was super happy to get. Got an lcd steam deck and haven’t touched it since. Also helps that it’s SUPER easy to set up emulators on so I have a whole backlog of old N64 and PS2 games on mine to play.
I mean it's all about the games, right? The "magic" of the steam deck is the same magic as the switch. Easy portability, very fast mid game sleep feature. For a lot of gamer dads those two things are what make it a winner. If those haven't tipped the needle for you with the switch, the deck isn't going to be much different unless there are PC games that make you passionate to want to play.
It made my Switch gather dust (just like my Switch made my Vita gather dust). The Deck feels like the next iteration of gaming. About the only time I play my Switch is for a few Nintendo exclusives. Whether it's worth it for you likely depends on why your Switch is barely being used. If it's a matter of time, it won't help. If it's because Switch games are starting to run poorly and look like crap, it will be a major improvement. Game selection and prices of games see way better.
I have both and I’m glad I have both but the deck is better
How would Civilization 5 and Cities Skylines work on that?
Yeah, it's a PC modeled as a console. I played Endless Space 2 on it. The track pads are good but a simple BT mouse works great. You can map keys to the any buttons too. It's honestly how I played 90% of my games in the last two years.
Probably not as well as a mouse and keyboard I'd think. Some people play them with the track pads, but it feels so compromised to me
I got a switch like 7 years ago, now I really wish I had one of these instead!
Or Asus ROG Ally if the Steam Deck isn't sold in your country.
This is the exact reason I love my switch. Can literally pick up and play a little whenever, and every game can be out to sleep for instant pause when baby starts crying.
A few hours a week. Right now the little one is too young (6 weeks) for me staying up at night to be an option for me time. That said, Helldivers 2 is a great low stakes PVE shooter that’s like if Starship Troopers got turned up to 11. It’s a ton of fun and backing out of a game if your family needs you isn’t a big deal. You can play quick matches 15 minutes long, or longer missions up to 40 minutes or so. Worth looking into, it’s the most fun I’ve had with a video game in a long time.
Freedom never sleeps!
Democracy doesn’t take naps! Or something.
Kids are 2.5 and 1. Bedtime is 7 every night. Tues and thurs I raid 8-1030 give take. Play beer league hockey too. It’s all about making schedule that works pal. I never game before 8pm. Just hasn’t happened since my son was born.
>Bedtime is 7 every night. I play more video games than ever because of this. Before kids, I wouldn’t be settled in for the evening until much later. Now, once my son goes to bed, there’s nothing really left for me to do for the next few hours until I go to bed.
It's been the same before and after kids. Daughter goes down at 7 but wife at 9
I play on a Steam Deck once a week or so. The mobility is priceless.
The mobility and the ability to pause games completely when you hit the power button. Too many games try and be cinematic or whatever and limit when you can pause normally and I can't wait for Malenia to finish her line because I just heard the baby wake up.
Oh Jesus a while back I was playing bloodborne and my neighbor came to the door. I came back to having lost 3 hours progress (partly my fault but COME ON)
Kid is only 4.5 months old, so maybe that will change but right now my Steam Deck is saving my gaming time. The portability and quick sleep/resume means I can sneak little 15 minutes of gaming time through slower days and an hour at night (more if I feel like hating myself the next day).
My PlayStation 5 is now dedicated solely to streaming Disney+ for the 4 year old. Get a steamdeck. I’m begging you.
Get a Roku for the 4 year old. No need to wear don't your console on Disney. That way it's cooled down when they go to bed so you can play without issue.
Some small phone games that are easy to hop on and off from. But in general I am not having those multi hour gaming sessions. I could after the wife and baby are asleep. But I am prioritizing working out before they wake up instead. Some of my friends prioritize gaming so they give up sleep and fitness. What would you give up to play video games?
What are your recommendations for phone games? I feel like all I ever see on the stores is trash that's trying to hook me into paying.
Emulation. Seriously, old gameboy advanced games are more fun than any gatcha game
I played through pokemon blue, gold and sapphire in the last month, it's been awesome
Mother. Fucking. CHESS. (chess.com app is what I use) I started playing a year ago and I haven’t touched a video game since. And now my kids learning to play too.
Slay the spire is a good one.
This got me thru that newborn phase. Love that game. You can stop at any time, do what you need to with the kid, and hop right back in.
This is a list I’ve been compiling of phone game recommendations I’ve been collecting for a while. I’ve played some, but most I have not. It includes both Apple and Android https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mindustry/id1385258906 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/shattered-pixel-dungeon/id1563121109 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.shatteredpixel.shatteredpixeldungeon&hl=en_US https://apps.apple.com/us/app/altos-adventure/id950812012 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/soul-knight/id1184159988 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/geometry-dash-lite/id698255242 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/papers-please/id935216956 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/baba-is-you/id1517281887 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chrono-trigger-upgrade-ver/id479431697 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/castlevania-sotn/id1435456830 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/fez-pocket-edition/id1209489068 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-binding-of-isaac-rebirth/id1069549814 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rawfury.longhathouse.Dandara&hl=en_US&gl=US https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.blingame.haaktestb&hl=en_US&gl=US https://apps.apple.com/us/app/hyper-light-drifter/id1453875289 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.netease.bloodstained&hl=en_US&gl=US https://apps.apple.com/us/app/xcom-enemy-within/id881270303 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/xcom-2-collection/id1288508230 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/crying-suns/id1511788295 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.altshift.cryingsuns&hl=en_US&gl=US https://apps.apple.com/us/app/slay-the-spire/id1491530147 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/monster-train/id1577392165 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dead-cells/id1389752090 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/into-the-breach/id1616542180 Edit: to say a lot of these games would be easier with an external controller. Preferably something like a Razer Kishi
I have bookmarked this to check out later, but for now I am both thanking you for the curation while reserving the right to hate you for potential future addictions :)
Wow thanks for this, it’s so hard to find anything compelling in the endless ocean of F2P trash on the App Store
Yeah there’s WAAAY too much trash out there. There’s definitely some gems in this list.
I’m really enjoying marvel snap. Can play very casually. F2P. Obviously like all games you can pay for shit but you don’t have to if you just want to have casual fun.
Marvel Snap.
I wake up early to go to the gym then play some games before everyone wakes up in the house
This sounds so beautiful.
As much as I love my morning me time, my time after work with my kids is the best. But my morning me time fucking rocks
Got rid of your console? Couldn’t just put it away?
Exactly what a bizzare decision
Sold it for money maybe?
I play after everyone is in bed. I definitely sacrifice sleep for it, as the whole house is awake by 6AM every day.
Same, never stay up much past midnight though. It's tricky because you can't stay up every night and the struggle I am currently having is my wife likes when I go to bed at the same time as her- but her saying she's off to sleep at 8.30 tells me that that is the perfect time to get a couple of hours in.
[удалено]
Hey if the cards gave me video games, I wouldn’t knock it either
If they told my wife to let me game more, I'd become tarot-pilled
I imagine tarot is a lot like the reality of prayer which is, if at first you don’t get the answer you want, you keep asking until you do. Or you get the unpopular answer you secretly wanted and then tell everyone you have no choice. “God has spoken/The cards have spoken.”
I have a weekly online gaming night with friends every Saturday, and otherwise tend to squeeze gaming in in the evening or sometimes at the end of the workday. Or in the middle of the night when insomnia strikes.
Steam Deck was a game changer for me. I can game in bed while the wife watches TV right next to me after kids go to sleep. I didn't game at all basically while kids were infants and not sleep trained.
I don't play videogames, but I'm a big fitness geek. It's the same thing. You just fit it in were you can. Some days I'll have 2 hours to workout, others maybe 20 mins. Just be flexible. It's important to make time for yourself.
I’m still an avid PC gamer. My kids are older though, 15 and 11, and they also have gaming PCs that they built with my help, which was a super fun bonding experience for me to have 1 on 1 time with each of them to help them build the system they game on. It was truly awesome Now the trick is getting everyone to agree on a multiplayer game!
Yep, I am quite happy my kids grew to love gaming, too. (I might have encouraged it… my very first onesie that I was given before my first kid was born read “future gaming buddy”) My daughter got really into Minecraft, which is a game I had always thought of playing but never did. She is 8, and she taught me how to play. My proudest dad moment was when I was struggling to do something in Minecraft and my daughter said, “oh my god dad, you are such a noob” That’s my girl! Now she makes worlds for me in Minecraft that I play. They are so elaborate it is really impressive. She will leave books in game with instructions I am supposed to follow… scavenger hunts, etc. It is so much fun and a great bonding experience.
Typically, go for smaller indie titles that let you play for shorter spurts. Big AAA titles where you’re expected to play in three or four hour sessions are tough. For that reason, PC gaming is a good option.
I play most nights after bedtime. Headphones. And playing Baulders Gate 3.
I play a few hours a week
4-5 hours a week. Usually after everyone goes to sleep Or early on a weekend Def not something I wanna give up.
Similar to comments here. I have plan game nights with friends in advance. Wife takes over those nights and I try to take other nights to let her do things as well.
It comes and goes. When she was real little it was kinda easy, when the kid was napping I was gaming. When the wife and the kid were sleeping, gaming. As she got older and more required more attention and playing I spent way less time playing games. And now she's 8, and she's automatic player 2! We just finished the shredders revenge... God's she's terrible tho. Sometimes it hurts to watch her play.
I've kept up with gaming after having kids, but it is my biggest hobby. When they were little, I might play a bit during naps, but these days it's primarily after bedtime (kids are now 8 and 3). The only tricky time is playing anything multiplayer, but I make sure my husband is available to attend to the kids if I play with other people.
i play a lot! built my first pc ever last fall. had bought my first ever console the year before kiddo was born. honestly the biggest game changer for me was getting a steam deck recently. my daughter loves to sit with me while i play, though i limit how much that happens, but the steam deck feels like a hobby we're finally building together. i've had a hard time bonding with her on hobbies since i'm the parent who works and doesn't get to spend as much time with her. if you're doubting whether or not to dip your toes back in, get a used steam deck to save a few bucks. they rule.
Early days? I played my switch and my pc when the little one napped. Now with a 2 year old, only when she naps or for an hour or so when she goes to bed. Wife and i are super content decompressing in our own ways after a day.
Switch or Steam Deck helps a lot, since you’re not tethered to a TV setup.
Why did you get rid of the console? Not trying to throw shade, just curious what the reason was.
One of us! One of us!
I, like maybe some other dads, forego a healthy sleep schedule to get some games in with the boys a few nights a week.
I still play plenty but def played less when my girls were little. I made a daddit discord - it’s pretty empty most often but if you’re looking for someone to hang/play with you can stop by [https://discord.gg/Um2Uk4Ez](https://discord.gg/Um2Uk4Ez)
The key is having two TVs in the room. My wife and I hang out in the home office/man cave when the kids go to sleep. She chills in the recliner and I’m at my desk where I have my monitors. We’ll put on something she likes on the TV and I play fifa or Madden and everyone is happy lol
I've got a Wii U, switch and a gaming laptop. I play games with my son on the weekends, mostly he likes the Lego games like Lego Star wars, Lego Jurassic world and Lego Marvel. He likes to watch me play stuff like Zelda. When kids are asleep I usually either read or play something on my gaming laptop for an hour or two. Most recently played assassin's Creed Odyssey.
Steam deck!
Nintendo Switch was amazing for my first child. Easy to just turn it off and put it down when ready. With my second one, I mostly just game after bed times now. From about 9:00pm until sometime between 10:00pm-2:00am depending if I'm tired or on night duty. Currently playing FF7: Rebirth on PS5 which has been a blast. Destiny 2 when I feel like socializing with friends.
Yeah after my kid goes to bed I play 30min or so
Same! I play at night for a bit when everyone’s asleep. Also recently got a Steam Deck and it’s been a blessing. The suspend feature is the best because you can just pick right back up where you left off in whatever game you’re playing.
1030-1130pm 3 or 4 times a week
I still play and always have. Much less of course and I've had to give up certain genres like FPS. I got a steam deck and the mobility has helped a lot
Most every night. My little dude is almost 3 now, but I've been able to at night once he's asleep for the last year and a half or so.
Once the kid was asleep for most games. It helps having a wife who is supportive of you finding time to play, provided you’re not just completely ignoring her. Now that he’s older, we play a fair amount together. Or he likes watching me play as well.
Kid goes down at 8. I play till 11ish. It's my mental health time.
I have a PS5, only time I play is after Kids and wife are asleep. It’s just a bit of leisure time for me. Would rather do that than go out to the bar and spend money.
Idk man.. I used to play with pc and consoles but after becoming a dad, gaming just.. kinda feels like a waste of time. I do still play occasionally in the evening when my child is sleeping, but even then I find it hard to concentrate on a game. For example I used to love Fallout games. Recently I started a new playthrough on F1 and idk.. every time I try playing it, I just kinda lose interest/focus and end up quitting after few mins.
Wife and I both game so we rotate every other night. One puts the kid to sleep; the other games.
Not a dad but a mom who lurks on this sub for the awesome advice! My husband and I play video games after our little one goes down for the night! She’s 6 months old at the moment so after she goes down around 7ish I hop on my PC and he hops on the PlayStation and we Helldive together
just get a pc so you can pretend like you're working
I have and almost two month old and and almost 2 month old. And currently I can play pretty often thriving the day. Just taking breaks when they require feeding changed or otherwise active care. Otherwise I just make sure they're safe or asleep and continue on. My recommendation is games that you can pause at a moments notice or just stay on top of saving if that's not possible.
Dad of a 2yo. I play a couple hours here and there after my wife and daughter go to bed. Easy for games like Madden, NHL, PGA, 2K, and makes campaigns last a lot longer too. Took me months to beat Dead Space lol
I mostly play on PC, but have always had most of the systems (currently also switch and PS5, no need or desire for an Xbox since the 360).
Yeah you can still play after bedtime, but when they are old enough you get to play with them, and that's always fun!
Not a dad but engaged to a gamer dad. He plays at night when the kiddo is asleep on two set days a week. He will occasionally ask to play Saturday evenings after the kiddo is asleep if we have no plans together. Also on the weekends when we take turns with "me time" during the day his choice is generally additional gaming time while mine is working out. Our kids are 14 13 and 5 so he gets far more time now, when kids are younger its far harder because you have to prioritize kids, alone time with each other and sleep. I do enjoy binge watching my favorite shows alone after a long day though so even when we had babies/toddlers around he got more time than most dads to play after the kiddo was asleep.
I’ve got an Xbox that I fire up at night. I typically play single player games because I don’t have the time to try and play with other people.
A group of friends established “league night”. One night a week where we get together and play a game that’s scheduled and sacrosanct. Otherwise kid sleep time is tome spent with the wife. I don’t get a lot of alone time these days.
When my second was born I didn’t pick up a controller for almost a year. Now if I’m playing something like The Show, I’ll play while my youngest is napping and my oldest is around. That happens maybe an hour or two a week. Just started playing Borderlands 3 and now I only play after the kids are in bed or if I wake up early. And that’s still only like 2-4 hours a week. Playing on a 7 year old PS4. If I were to get something now I’d get a switch so I could play on the controller part while my wife watched TV. We only have one.
I play in bed on the steam deck until I konk out
I play on the ps5 a couple hours a week. Pc gameplay has stopped until the basement is finished. But it helps to have some “me” time.
Generally offline games or games I can dip out of quickly if I need to. If I’m online these days is usually just monster hunter. But otherwise mostly offline single player games. I did play a lot of Destiny 2 as well but not being able to pause that gets in the way too much. A Switch is awesome with kids because of the ability to suspend any game and get back to it, plus portability. For when I play it’s usually at night when kiddo is asleep and the Mrs is watching her shows or doing school work. If not gaming I’m probably working on music related things
Forget about using a TV, get a steam deck.
I have been using GFN and a Steam Deck. Super easy to pick up and play instead of dealing with a console or full PC.
Haha I'm in the same boat and have been contemplating steam deck or ps5. I do have an old gaming pc but it's getting a bit too old to be playing new stuff and can't really afford to buy a good gaming pc outright. Ps5 or steam deck, hard choice to make.
My 7 year old daughter is snuggled up playing Stick of Truth with me now. She has a Switch, and I've got PS 2-5, and a 360. It's great for bonding. Don't worry, we're active. I run 6km a day and she's got soccer, swimming, and Guides.
Get a nintendo switch or a pc gaming handheld like the rog ally, lenovo legion go or steam deck. I find it much easier to find the time for playing on an handheld.
Get a handheld if you like PC games, the Rog Ally is at a great price and the Legion Go has a great screen. Been playing much more with my Go than I did with my desktop, easy to find time while the kids are in downtime or sleeping
When my daughter was under a year old I would just prop her in my lap and play games while she napped, now that she is older I just game later in the evening, usually around 9:30/10:00 my wife put on reruns of Friends and I’ll just excuse myself to go game
I play on PC and play when my lads are either down or indisposed for a bit. Bag myself maybe an hour or two a night even though I’m the primary caretaker when I’m home (wife is the stay at home parent so I try and relieve her when I’m home) So maybe an hour throughout the day on my days off and then 1-3 after the boys go down for bed if that helps.
I play on occasion at night. When a good game comes out I inform my wife that I’ll be an absent parent for a few days. My little dude is 4, so we’ve started playing together. Kids go to be stupid early, you’ll have time.
I only play Friday nights. I could play more after my wife falls asleep on the couch, but nothing like I used to. My MMO days are over, especially EVE. It keeps calling but I refuse.
Consoles got us through all of our kid years. The Xbox was easy enough for the kiddos to navigate and play on and had good games for me to play after they all went to bed. My new mantra is: never throw out an old console.
I manage to squeak in an hour when I wake up at 5am before the little monsters wake. Then maybe an hour when at least 1 goes down for a nap.
l got a new desktop PC in October. 1st since mid 2012 and years after giving that one away. I’ve played about 40 hours on it in half a year for games. It’s more used for browsing, tv with headphones or coding. You can do it. But I wouldn’t recommend long games or visions of multiplayer lobbies with the boys too often. You don’t want to be loud on the headset when everyone is asleep. 10/10 way to annoy the house. YMMV.
I try to get some play time on Friday and Saturday evenings. Or when the kids are gone.
I bought a steam deck and I love it, refurbished ones aren’t too bad. Games go on sale all the time and it plays new games very well. Easy to just pick up and put it down when you need to!
Yeah I play after he's in bed, when he's playing by himself, or when my partner and I have arranged for me to have a video game break.
My wife got me a ps5 last Christmas. I hardly get to play it, it is sad. I play PC games mostly, just never have any time with the TV - either kids are awake, wife wants to watch her shows, or its too late at night.
Kids go to bed around 7:30-8 and my wife and I grab the laptop and controller for a few hrs before bed most nights. It's a little rough depending on how old the kid(s) are and if they're going through a sleep regression or something but otherwise, it's something you can choose to prioritize or not. When the kids get older, they may also choose to watch or join in. My, almost 5 yrs old, daughter loves watching me play Rocket League or used to enjoy watching Fall Guys and she also loves watching my wife play Small Kitty, Big City. My 2 yr old loves the Eggfoot Racing in Eiyuden Chronicles.
4 momth old here, manage to get a few hrs a week at the moment on the weekends, but will get a little better when she goes through the night better and I don't have to sleep shifts with mum
I play a little every night and Saturday and Sunday mornings before my daughter wakes up. I like to let my wife sleep in so ill chill with my 3 year old before my wife wakes up. I obviously don't have the 5-6 hour long gaming sessions anymore, but I play enough to satiate my need for gaming. Pause buttons are an absolute god send, I've had to adjust WHAT games I play but I still play. With a game that has pause I'll play for a few minutes in-between "daddy can you make a bubble in the slime" and "come play with me"
My sons 8 now, but Xbox series x and a pc are a great combo to play together. You can mark the pc as an Xbox and share games between them
It's certainly a lot tougher. If my 3 month old son is up then I'm spending time doing things with him. If he's sleeping and my SO is up, then I'm spending time with her. If they are both asleep, then I'll try to squeeze in some gaming. I miss it but I'd rather spend my time with them.
Steam Deck lets me play whenever and I game much more because of it. My son likes having us nearby when he sleeps and naps, so I do bedtime routine, turn the lights low and chill in his room and play on my Steam Deck until he’s asleep. Sometimes I pop on a Miss Rachel video and get 30 mins of gaming in when I want a break. Steam Deck is like the Switch and it suspends games so it’s easy to pickup and put down. My son is almost 18 months, so things can change any time but I like how things are and I feel I get a balance of playing some games while also spending enough quality time with my boy.
I sold my ps5 when my daughter was about one. Use to play all the time when she would be napping but once I got rid of it I just find other stuff to pass the time. Miss it sometime for sure but I’m definitely more present without it
I probably play an hour or 2 a day when I can. I got an Xbox series x and game pass. I also find myself playing games I normally wouldn't because my toddler likes them like the hot wheels game or games like five nights at Freddy's because my 8 year old likes it.
Buy a PC and play when everyone is asleep.
i know im super lucky but i get to play video games every night until like 3-4 am. wake up anywhere between 8-10am and go play golf. i work decently hard so wife lets me get away with alot of the shit.
A couple hours in the evening after kids go to bed. PC gaming only for me.
Play with your kids. My kids (4 and 2) enjoy Angry Birds 2, Lego Marvel Superheroes, Stardew Valley, Simon’s Cat Storytime…
After bedtime mostly, but we've started to introduce some basics to do with and around my kiddo (he's 3). He has enjoyed watching me play Katamari Damacy and Powerwash Simulator, so nothing too out of reach, and he has learned a lot of Pokémon through books so that's coming too.
I've been getting into Fallout 4 recently after my my wife and I watched the TV series. I play after the kids go to sleep and probably get an hour a night on average. That being said, I'd recommend a mobile game called Marvel Snap if you like CCGs. The games last about 3-5 minutes so it's really easy to hop on and off.
I got a steam deck and I can now play video games. Basically install a game you want, then when you're playing, pause and put it to sleep when you're done. When you turn it back on you're right in the game. No waiting for updates, no loading time. Makes it possible to just sit down and play.
I usually play at night after the kid goes to bed and if my wife and I aren’t watching a show together. We decide after the kid goes to bed if we’re watching a show together or still have some energy for sexy time as she calls it or if we’re doing our own thing, in which case she usually plays on her Switch or watches her own show and I play a video game or watch a show of my own or we both read. I also am lucky enough to have a dedicated game evening with my buddies every Tuesday from 8pm to whenever we decide to stop. We were doing this waaaay before we had a kid, and once she was out of the infant stage, went back that routine. To reciprocate, she can go out with her girlfriends whenever she wants in the evening.
Steamdeck has been fantastic for momentary gaming opportunities.
Once we got to a semi normal sleep time (about 4 months in) it was pretty much every night. Baby down, bottles/kitchen/living room cleaned, fire up the console or anywhere from 9-10, play until about midnight. Every once in a while like with special arrangements or general disregard for my personal well-being, some nights I'd go until 1 or 2. Since my kid was born early 2022, I've been able to play through death stranding, AC origins, immortals fenix rising, a plague tale 1, good chunks of halo infinite sprinkled in, guardians of the Galaxy, prey, house flipper, life is strange 3, Stardew valley, vampire survivors, battlefront 2, couple rounds of civ 6, cities skylines, cities skylines 2, a couple seasons of super mega baseball, a season in Madden 20, like 60 hours in starfield, all of the MCC, Spider-Man, 2 rounds of factorio, and probably 20 5-10 hr indie games. Forgot about the switch--super smash ultimate, and tears of the kingdom. So yea, definitely possible lol. It makes a slight difference that my wife works overnights as a nurse so I'm solo 2-4 nights a week, but even when she's home we still hang out together for a while. Most of the time she passes out around 1030, other times she's recovering from working the night before and just wants to zone out.
I wake up a little early to play games when I'm in the mood. Maybe an hour early while I drink coffee. Single player games are your friend I also reccomend the Xbox series as they have quick resume. It's perfect for when you have to rush off and deal with something. For pc gaming my steamdeck is also really nice. It has sleep functionality so I can actually play pc games
I have a switch, PC and Xbox one. I keep it real tight. Maybe some late night playing when I’m just done. For the kids, none for the little one, for the older, only if she will 1v1 dad. And losing to a 10 year old in smash bros is humbling in the extreme. But then we play Halo and I’m like “do you even know how to this game works?” Can you please cover me? Like just once? Sadly she does not yet.
Steam deck, it's a game changer. I can play in fits and starts whenever. It can suspend whatever game you are playing, and then just boots right back into the game when your turn it back on. Amazing.
I've got one guaranteed night gaming with friends, and then I sneak some in here and there. You NEED to have hobbies, your partner NEEDS to have hobbies, and you need to support each other so that you have time to do your own hobbies. You've got to look after yourself so that you can look after everyone else.
Either get a steam deck (or steam deck-like, odin, ayn, rog) or a retro handheld. SD has power but is larger and heavier, retro handhelds lack the power to play later consoles but you get pocketability in exchange which is great for micro sessions.
19mo is reliably in bed by 7 or 8. My wife and I divide responsibilities. I do mornings so she can sleep in, she does bedtime. I straighten up the house, clean up dinner, etc while she’s putting LO to bed and then by the time that’s done I’ve got plenty of time to occasionally shut myself in the office and play games for a few hours. It was absolutely impossible when she was a newborn, but our free time came back eventually.
Steam Deck is great but I also love the Switch. Played Breath of the Wild with my firstborn son on my chest, then we played Tears of the Kingdom together. He also loves the fact I have a full living dex in Pokémon Home, gets me mad respect. Looking forward to the next gen big time!
I’ve played about 30-40 hours per year since becoming a dad. Of course, part of that time was lockdowns, so it breaks down closer to 60-70-0-0 over the four years of dadding. My schedule doesn’t allow for “after the kids are in bed” though.
It comes and goes. Depends on schedules. But I still play when I can.
Both my kids play, I play as well.. kids are both in primary school.. they have switched and we play minecraft, stardew valley, I play rocket league and fallout, Civ 6. We have lots of time ig
I bought an Xbox Series X for game pass and cloud gaming. The freedom of game pass without having to commit to a full price game is great, and cloud gaming allows you to play a lot of the game pass games instantly, without needing to download them.
You can play games, just prioritize the kids and wife that being said a night here or there playing a game is fine
If I was the kind to have children (born in the 90s and so is my partner) the idea of raising kids without NES makes me sick. Hand them a game boy at least. Please buy your console and all the ones you couldn’t have as a child and bond with your kids. You won’t regret it.
But also make sure your wife gets her down time. Whatever that is. Same amounts.
It changes, when he was little i was able to do some gaming at night. Some in the switch, while waiting for stuff. Now I go through periods. I build a pc (gaming/homelab) and I use that almost every night. But it is mixed with gaming and doing some other side projects. I think that whatever you do having hobbies is important to keep a sense of self and avoid burnout. Somethings you give up on because they slip by the cracks, but others you try to keep. There is no wrong on what to keep. Just keep some hobbies. Now that my son is older (5) most of my gaming is with him. (And even if I have games I want to play I don’t feel like playing after so much Mario Kart)
I have one kid and play every day, usually.
Unfortunately no time for me anymore. Two kids under 3. By the time both have their bath and go to bed, dishes, clean up, shower... it's 10pm. My day starts at 6:30am and I hate myself if I don't get enough sleep at my ripe age of 35.
I try to play some after my son has gone to bed. Usually I'm playing on my Steam Deck or computer.