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How To Get Your Boyfriend To Stop Playing Video Games? (21 Ways)

Being in a relationship without getting maximum attention could be frustrating, especially when your partner is addicted to video games.

It takes courage to be in a relationship with someone who loves to play video games, and it takes an extra bold step to maintain your partner and remain happy. 

Dating someone who loves to play comes with pros and cons. The pros are that you get to see life from a different perspective like them. You sit in a spot and still have fun, have a playful, goofy, and intelligent partner, and learn many things from them.

But when your partner gets addicted to his video games, it becomes unbearable. It affects you so much that you begin to spend less with him, struggle for attention, or get completely ignored. Sometimes, it could make you want to quit the relationship. Other times, you may want him to see how angry you are, but he doesn’t notice it. 

A lot of girls have been through this, while others are currently experiencing it. But it’s not that bad. There are ways to manage this kind of situation, and if you keep reading, you’ll learn 21 ways to stop your partner from gaming.

 

21 Ways to Get Your Boyfriend To Stop Playing Video Games

1. Know his weak points

In every issue you face, it’s always good to be sure you know your partner well to know what to do. His weak point could be related to a person or thing. Don’t threaten him with them. Instead, find a way to use them to stop his gaming habits. 

For instance, if your partner loves a particular meal, you could distract him with that. Doing this is to make him focus less on gaming, and if you can achieve it, it would help shape things.

 

2. Give him some space

Sometimes, when you free a man to do the things he loves the most, you get more access to stopping them from doing those things. So, understand that he loves his ‘me’ time and let him have it. Let him have his fun. 

He’ll eventually get bored of the video games after a while and call you back. When you make it evident that you give him space because of his video game addiction, he’ll get the message and reduce it drastically or entirely if he’s a caring boyfriend

3. Suggest other fun activities he loves

To stop something, you have to replace it with something else. If your boyfriend’s gaming habits are getting out of hand, you could try finding out the other activities he's interested in doing. Make a list of all of them and suggest that you both spend time together trying them one after the other. 

It may not completely stop him from playing video games, but it will significantly reduce his time playing them. Involving him in other fun activities will also give you quality time to relax with him. 

4. Talk to him about it

Another key thing is communication. Talk to your boyfriend or husband about his video gaming habits. Tell him how you feel when he's spending time gaming, and you have to sit idle doing nothing or do something you don't want to instead of spending time with him. Gamers give maximum attention to people just like they do when playing video games. 

You could talk to him about it when you're sure he's most comfortable listening to you, maybe during a long walk or over drinks. You should let him know. Don't forget what could be a problem for women may not be an issue for men.

5. Find out if there's a problem

Sometimes, when you have a problem, you tend to get addicted to things that give you peace of mind. The same thing could be happening to your boyfriend or husband; he could be going through an emotional or financial issue or work stress. He may also be having problems with sleep. Men react to stress differently; some can express themselves while others can't. 

Your boyfriend or husband may fall under those who can't. If you observe, this may not be the only wrong thing; he may reject food as well, stay unnecessarily quiet in his space, or take his attention away from other things. 

 

6. Try to love video games

try to love video games

The right way you can get his attention to computer games is to love them too. Don't get this mixed up with addiction. Talk about them with him and feel good about it. It's easier to stop your partner's video game addiction when you spend time playing them with him. 

Men love it when their girlfriend loves what they do, and they tend to listen more when they observe that act. You involving yourself means you're also giving your relationship and boyfriend the right amount of attention. So, try to love video games like him but don't get addicted to them.

7. Set a specific time for gaming

Having a specific time for everything helps to minimize the hours spent on playing a video game. You could advise your boyfriend to set a particular time to play his video games. It could be three hours after work, an hour after food, or just before dinner. 

You could also help him do it for the betterment of your relationship. One way is by setting the time and gently reminding him about it when observing his moves to start playing a video game. Your boyfriend has to be willing to let you do this too.

8. Make compromises

For every relationship to work, you have to make compromises. Your husband may be addicted to a particular video because you barely spend time together. Check your schedule, and be sure to create some time for you two to interact. 

Like you would want him to stop playing video games, try not to get addicted or attached to your hobby too. Let him see your effort to make the relationship grow. It doesn't matter how little your effort is; it would encourage him to change for the better. Don't forget it starts with you.

9. Tease him about his gaming habits

This act is fun, but only if your husband or boyfriend is okay with jokes or teases. A man with a video game addiction may reduce gaming when you tease him about playing computer games. It may take a gradual process, but it would send a message of discomfort to him with time. 

He would stop playing games when you're around, especially if you both want to spend more time together. But don’t annoyingly do this, the reason being that it could cause a setback in your relationship. Do it in a friendly way. 

 

10. Be friendly and consistent about him stopping his gaming addiction

If you feel your partner is addicted to games, there’s no point in being violent or selfish about it. This moment is when you need to give him maximum attention as his girlfriend. Find ways to encourage him to concentrate on other things. 

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It could be as simple as taking some time off to shower, have a change of clothes, or eat a particular food if you feel he’s addicted to video games. You could also suggest he tries another hobby that interests him apart from playing his video game.

11. Don’t make it your priority

Remember, you are responsible for yourself and your health. Your boyfriend or husband may be addicted to playing a video game, but it’s not up to you to put in the most effort. It's up to him, and without his willingness, you can't do much to push the progress. 

As you put in your best to help your boyfriend out of the addiction, look out for yourself too. It will help the process go faster; the reason being that you get to have time and space to grow but at the same time, help him overcome his addiction.

12. Organize hangouts

organize hangouts

Another tip to handle a video game addiction is to organize hangouts. It could be between the two of you, or you could invite friends too. You could go to the beach, to the cinema, bowling, or carting. 

To reduce his time playing a video game, you could buy tickets for both of you to go and see a live game; basketball, soccer, baseball; something to detach him a bit from playing computer games. According to relationship experts, this plan has worked for a few couples, so you could try it out too.

13. Make unusual plans

Sometimes, spontaneity helps solve a situation. You have to be creative about this plan. He’s your partner, and you know his personality well to plan an unusual date. Come up with a plan you know would be too unique and exciting for him to resist. 

Make it align with his interests, so he doesn’t find it difficult to replace his gaming time. The aim is to create a new fun time away from his comfort zone. It should be something that would make him willing to sacrifice his gaming time to make it work.

 

14. Set conditions

You could set conditions for your partner to meet before gaming begins. For instance, you tell him to finish some leftover chores before he starts playing video games. He could take the bin out, do the dishes, mow the lawn, or dust some furniture. 

The conditions you set would help manage the way he uses his time, give you both time to reconnect, and keep his gaming addiction in check. But be subtle about it; he’s your partner.

15. Ask friends and family for help

When it seems so hard to solve a particular, extreme situation, it’s good to reach out to family and friends for help. It doesn’t mean they’ll solve the issue for you, but they’ll develop helpful suggestions. 

Friends and family members have a way to strengthen you when you’re facing challenges with your husband. Reach out to them and explain how you feel about your partner’s gaming habits, especially women going through the same thing.

16. Introduce a couples game

Your boyfriend or husband may be addicted to his video game because you don’t relate together as a couple should in a relationship. So you could come up with a couples game; they help partners to bond more. If you could come up with a few each week, it would help your man spend less time gaming. 

You could use those that would make you get to know each other better. Look for game ideas that are interesting to both you and your partner and make them as frequent as you can. They would help him stay off computer games, and they could be a form of hobby for him.

17. Throw tantrums when he picks his video game console

Throw tantrums whenever you see him pick up the necessary pieces of equipment for games. He may see it as ‘one of those things women do,’ but when you keep doing it, he will sense that he’s spending too much time on games. Don’t give him any space to play video games, even if he asks for a little time. 

He may ask for 10 minutes, but it could increase to an hour or more. As soon as he starts playing, you could hold on to something that would be important in playing the game, blocking the computer’s power button or holding on to the video game console. 

 

18. Get busy when he’s not playing a video game

get busy when hes not playing video game

Your husband needs to know how you feel when he wants to play video games. Women are known as emotional beings, but in reality, men feel unhappy about things women do too. While gaming is a big deal to him, your partner should know you also have a hobby you can get busy doing. 

If you do this a few times, he would consciously know when not to play video games. You could act precisely the way he does while gaming, but it shouldn’t be frequent, so it doesn’t ruin your relationship.

19. Bring snacks for a little break

When guys are gaming, they love to munch on some snacks or light food. You get his favorite and call him to take a little break for some food. He may ask you to bring it closer to his gaming spot, but you should convince him to pause for a moment and eat something. It’s a quick and temporary way to help stop him from gaming a bit. Everyone loves to eat, your partner inclusive. You should try it out.

20. Set a time limit for his video game session

Sometimes stopping men from playing a video game could be a challenge. Like women don't like to be prevented from doing certain things, the same happens to men, mostly when it involves a video game.

If you force it, you become the inconsiderate person in their relationship. You could both start by asking him to strike a balance between his video game session and the time you spend together as a couple. Gradually you could increase the limits until everything falls into place.

21. Be patient

After trying out every possible technique to make him stop, you need to be patient for the changes to work. You may need to repeat a few methods as often as possible to encourage your partner to stop gaming. Don’t forget; not everyone is like you and, a relationship is a two-way thing. So while trying your best to make things work, give him some time to come around, and a caring partner will do.

FAQs

Can video games ruin relationships?

It depends on the type of relationship and the individuals involved. There are a few relationships that video games have ruined, and some others, the partners, managed to make them work. However, the success or failure of a relationship depends on the two people involved.

What do you do when your boyfriend is addicted to video games?

To find a solution to any problem, you have to know the cause of it first. Try to find out why he’s addicted to video games, talk about it with him, and gradually find a way around the situation. Every boyfriend is different, so your solution would depend on your boyfriend’s personality.

Why should you date a gamer guy?

There are many advantages when it comes to dating a gamer guy. They are quite intelligent and have broad imagination when it comes to thoughts. You won’t have personal space issues when you’re dating them, and you get to have fun in different ways. You also get to have the best gadgets.

Are video games immature?

Video games are not immature. Playing video games is like playing random games with friends or family. Although a few people think it’s too time-consuming, mostly when you’re addicted to it. But it’s like one of those fun activities you have to relax your mind. Those are not immature, which means video games are not childish too.

How many hours of video games is unhealthy?

For adults, there’s no specific number of hours for playing video games. It becomes unhealthy when you misplace your priorities, abandon your needs, or spend the number of hours meant for something more substantial on playing video games. When it gets to that point, it’s addictive.

In Conclusion

It may not be easy dating a gamer, but if you use any of the tips I mentioned, it would be easier for you to manage your relationship with your gaming boyfriend. Did you like this article? Don’t forget to drop a comment and share it with others.

Utilize this tool to verify if he's truly who he claims to be
Whether you're married or just started dating someone, infidelity rates have risen by over 40% in the past 20 years, so your concerns are justified.

Do you want to find out if he's texting other women behind your back? Or if he has an active Tinder or dating profile? Or even worse, if he has a criminal record or is cheating on you?

This tool can help by uncovering hidden social media and dating profiles, photos, criminal records, and much more, potentially putting your doubts to rest.

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