I think it really depends on the game.
An MMO or a sandbox game I can sink hours and hours into. I don’t know how many hours I’ve lost to games like Minecraft, Rimworld, etc. Even if those types of games might have “objectives”, I’m more likely to just kind of do my own thing.
And I had something like 500 days logged in with my Final Fantasy XI character. It was my default game and I kept playing because I always felt I had something to do and people to meet.
Narrative focused games? Nope. While I might enjoy playing, the narrative can feel more like a chore in a game that has too much stuff to do, especially if mechanics or areas are locked behind it. I will end up ADHD because I hit a block or feel like the game is forcing me to do the main story when I don’t want to.
I had that happen in Fallout 3 where I was just wondering around, having fun exploring and stumbling on things, and I end up finding someone I didn’t even know I needed to look for connected to my dad and suddenly I felt I was being pulled away from what I found fun.
Might be why I really liked 76 despite the hate it got/gets.
Like I feel they should want right wing nuts to be mad about the game. They won’t stop talking about media that are mad about and so many conservatives will still buy the thing even just to destroy it and virtue signal to the other idiots.
The left? Some may still buy it, but most don’t talk about it at all. The idea of “go woke go broke” has always been a message of intent, not reality, at least in the modern era.
Nothing makes me want to try a game or watch a show more than legitimate, non surface level representation that incels whine about.