This can be a hard realization to come to for some. In MMOs, the tendency is to play for a long period of time and invest a lot of work. What that means is that, even as the pleasure diminishes, the compulsion remains. It can be hard to come to terms with giving up all that work to move onto new horizons. That is the sunken cost fallacy or, as gamblers put it, being “pot committed.” Don’t think of the time spent as work. Instead, remember the game fondly for the joy it once brought.

The fact is, not all games can be fun forever. Eventually, the surprises fade. Sometimes, the content becomes stagnant. Which leads me to my next point…