World news and discussion on TalkFuse.
Feature: Playing Until We Get It Right – How Perfectionism Appears In Gaming
An opinion feature on Nintendo Life examines how perfectionism shapes the way some people play video games, drawing on the writer's own experiences with titles like Breath of the Wild and Harvest Moon DS. It explores why players feel compelled to complete games "correctly" rather than simply enjoy them, and offers psychological insight into breaking that pattern, which matters because it reframes gaming as a source of stress rather than relaxation for some players.
The piece cites a 2023 study describing "self-critical gamers" who play compulsively to avoid criticism and protect self-esteem, and features comments from Daniel Kaufmann, a psychologist and director of gaming services at Kindbridge Behavioral Health. Kaufmann advises players to pursue only goals that genuinely matter to them, to consider whether a game respects players' time or is designed to exploit it, and describes how he tailored his own Breath of the Wild playthrough to focus on elements he found meaningful, such as the Divine Beasts and Master Sword, rather than completing every side quest.
In short
- Feature explores perfectionism and compulsive completionism in gaming habits.
- Psychologist Daniel Kaufmann urges players to pursue only personally meaningful goals.
- 2023 study links this behaviour to self-esteem protection and fear of criticism.
Explained simply
Video games can offer a break from everyday pressures, but some players feel driven to finish every task or make every choice correctly. Games such as Breath of the Wild and Harvest Moon DS give players many goals, and the freedom to choose among them can make it hard to know when to stop.
A 2023 study described “self-critical gamers” as people who may play compulsively to avoid criticism and protect their self-esteem. Psychologist Daniel Kaufmann, who works with gaming services at Kindbridge Behavioral Health, has discussed ways to focus on goals that matter personally and to consider how a game uses players’ time.
This matters because gaming can become a source of stress as well as enjoyment. The question is how players can decide what makes a playthrough meaningful to them, rather than feeling obliged to complete everything.