There are many reasons why we play video games. For me it depends on my mood, I often pick up different games for different reasons. For example I'll play a platformer, (particularly 3D platformers now), if I want a sense of challenge but also a sense of abnegation; these reasons also work well for beat-em ups and 3D brawlers such as Dante's Inferno, Devil May Cry, and Dynasty Warriors. All of those games give me both challenge and abnegation. In fact that's frequently the combination I look for as racing games is something I also have a passion for, particularly the less realistic ones such as Need For Speed or Burnout. Again, it's challenge and abnegation there; though perhaps there's a little more sense pleasure involved there with the feeling of speed and the visceral nature of crashing, racing etc. as well as the soundtracks for those games which are genuinely great. Sense pleasure also kinda comes into play in the previous genres. I especially like the art style in many 3D platformers such as Alice: Madness Returns and Psychonauts, and I find myself enjoying the cheesy guitar riff filled music in Dynasty Warriors such that the game would be far less enjoyable without it.
Now, occationally, my mood will change and I'll look for something completely different. This is when I go for RPGs or open world sandbox games. In those cases I play for the story first and foremost (as it should be), though I like the sense of discovery also; this was probably my strongest draw for gaming as a teenager, but I find as an adult I don't have time for narrative and discovery to be the primary focus for my gameplay choices, and I have a much greater need for abnegation because I often feel the need to wind down and just relax, which is precisely what abnegation is, the need to switch off.
Occationally, I'll have a complete change of mood for a few days and become interested in old style PC strategy games; usually city builders and the like such as Sim City, Roller Coaster Tycoon, Heroes Of Might & Magic, Civilization, Tropico and more. I love these games when the mood is right. For this the sense of expression is clearly the biggest draw, though again, abnegation is there too. I find myself drawn into the micromangement of the games at times.
It's interesting to me that there are a few aesthetics that I don't really find all that engaging. I almost never play multiplayer and have no desire to do so, so fellowship and competition are out, and I rarely desire strong fantasy roles so the likes of survival horror and stealth action rarely engage me. That said, my other hobbies include tabletop roleplaying and wargaming which are almost exclusively about fantasy, fellowship, and competition; so perhaps I ignore those aesthetics in video games because I'm already fulfilling them in my other hobby.
Most of my understanding of my reasons for gaming are taken from the 'Mechanics, Dynamics, Aesthetics' papers and discussions in game theory. Extra Credits did a great video on the topic which I'm sure people will enjoy. I'll post it below.
So yeah, that's why I play, as well as what I play. Largely for abnegation, but also for challenge, narrative, discovery, and expression depending on my mood.
