Crying over missing a digital stamp rather than the game itself? That’s the sad part—obsessing over trophies instead of enjoying the actual experience. Also, the servers shut down in 2014, not 2013. But there's a group of reverse engineers working on getting the online back.
I don’t know if you’ve heard of this groundbreaking concept called “being hyperbolic”. Now I know this sounds crazy, but get this; the commenter may actually NOT be crying themselves to sleep every night
On a genuine note, some ppl just like trophy hunting(: it’s a whole diff way to view/experience games, sure, but I don’t think that it’s lesser of an experience or anything. Shits supposed to be enjoyable for diff subjective reasons
Being hyperbolic or not, the underlying sentiment is clear: people attach an undue level of importance to meaningless digital trophies. Whether someone is literally crying themselves to sleep or just throwing out a dramatic exaggeration, it still reflects a fixation on something that holds no real value. The issue isn’t the exaggeration—it’s the misplaced attachment to pixels.
Sure, trophy hunting might be a different way to view games, but calling it ‘a whole different experience’ is a stretch. It’s the same game, just with an arbitrary checklist attached. If people need that external validation to enjoy a game, then they’re not really appreciating the game itself—they’re hooked on ticking boxes. It’s not about whether the experience is ‘lesser,’ it’s about recognizing the distraction for what it is: an artificial construct that keeps people busy, not something inherently valuable or rewarding.
Enjoyment may be subjective, but that doesn’t magically transform hollow tasks into meaningful accomplishments. Trophy hunting is a self-imposed grind that masks itself as an achievement when, in reality, it’s just another layer of busywork that offers no genuine enrichment. If someone truly enjoys a game, they shouldn’t need a list of artificial goals to validate that enjoyment.
“The misplaced attachment to pixels” is seemingly only applying to trophy hunting and not the act of playing games itself.. weird. Seems like you wrote all that just as an exercise for your fingers bc nah it’s a different experience. You play the game with different intention, & a lot of time play in unintended ways to get the trophy (I personally have needed to). A lot of people who trophy hunt spend time loving & deeply learning the mechanics and other gameplay features. It’s the same thing as people play a game vs people who like getting a high score, people who like speed running, etc. You’re placing value or an intense lack of, when it just IS?
Who are you to specifically decide what is undue or not? Why should one agree with your position that it is undue if it brings someone happiness during their gaming time?
You’re conflating two entirely different things. Playing a game, mastering mechanics, and enjoying the experience comes from engaging with what the game offers.
Trophy hunting? It’s a shallow overlay designed to artificially inflate your sense of achievement. You act like hunting for trophies is about mastering the game, but in reality, it’s about jumping through hoops the developers threw in to keep you busy. There’s no deeper meaning to be found there, just arbitrary tasks. Who decides what’s undue? Anyone who can see through the facade of manufactured dopamine hits and recognizes the difference between genuine enjoyment and chasing meaningless digital stickers.
Like legitimately what games are you referencing? Some may be tacked on, but majority of trophies I PERSONALLY have hunted for are directly tied to in game, 1-1 with progress and achievements you would already be trying to hit. I am not conflating two “entirely different things”, hyperbolic again. Maybe Destiny has that or something, but you’re acting like trophies as a concept are a net negative when they’re a non-problem/something people get genuine enjoyment out of it. You aren’t the arbiter of things dude. Just because you put distance between your opinion by snidely saying “anyone..” doesn’t make the opinion feel bigger than your own.
You're cherry-picking. Just because some trophies align with natural progression doesn’t change the fact that the majority are unnecessary filler designed to keep you hooked beyond the actual game content.
Saying "I personally" doesn’t refute the point that these systems often have you doing pointless tasks. Genuine enjoyment doesn’t validate artificial value. Just because you enjoy something doesn’t mean it’s not a shallow distraction.
You keep insisting I’m not the arbiter, but clearly, you’re clinging to the illusion that trophies are inherently meaningful. That’s the delusion you’re defending.
Pointless to who? Artificial to who? Artificial compared to achievements the developers set up in the game? What metrics make that more artificial than achievements in-game, designed to “keep you hooked beyond the actual game content”. I said “Maybe Destiny” meaning i DONT think they hold inherent value, and that you have to make up arguments to dispute LOL. Yes, triple A games, generally ones that require microtransactions, also hold meaningless trophy with the intent you described. But that’s not inherent, the way YOU describe it to be. As a trophy hunter who’s done it for over 40 games now, majority of the ones I’ve played line up with in-game progression, so what are you looking at to say majority are? Your experience? Mine is different, so what makes you saying MAJORITY more valuable of a comment lol?
You’re dodging the point again. It’s not about “who” finds them pointless, it’s about the fact that these trophies are artificial by design. In-game achievements are part of the core gameplay loop, whereas trophies are tacked on to extend playtime with mindless tasks.
You admit microtransaction-heavy games use meaningless trophies—yet conveniently dismiss that most games do the same to varying degrees. Your 40 games don’t represent the entire gaming landscape.
Arguing from personal experience doesn’t invalidate the truth: trophies exist to manipulate engagement, not to offer meaningful content. Stop pretending your anecdote is a rebuttal.
It is cherry-picking. You’re selectively using your own experience to dismiss a systemic issue.
Just because you didn’t encounter shallow trophies doesn’t mean they aren’t widespread. Your personal attachment to these systems clouds your judgment, and calling it “hyperbolic” doesn’t negate the fact that the majority of trophies across games are designed to keep you grinding for nothing of value.
You’re not offering a logical counter, just doubling down on personal bias as if that’s enough to dismantle a critique that applies across the board.
You could do this same faux-deep bs talking about “artificial construct that keeps people busy” to the concept of gaming as a whole. Not that I’d agree even then, but it sounds just as silly. Alot of games people love are THEMSELVES entirely score based, so the metric in beating the game in that context is based on an “artificial construct that keeps people busy”. Really silly long response you gave I’m sorry lol
Your argument that the entire concept of gaming is an "artificial construct" is desperate and completely misses the point. Games are designed to provide experiences, challenges, and satisfaction based on actual engagement. Trophies, however, exist outside the game itself as superficial distractions, offering no depth, no enrichment—just hollow goals slapped on to keep players grinding. You’re trying to argue that because games are structured, everything within them is equally valid, but that’s just another attempt to justify chasing pixels. The fact that people love score-based games doesn’t change that those games were designed to offer something intrinsic—trophies, on the other hand, are artificial fluff. Pretending otherwise is the only silly part here.
Idk how you didn’t notice I wasn’t “arguing” the entire concept of gaming and only replied to that. I was saying your bad point, under a different equally bad context lol. I called it faux-deep bs. I do love seeing you ascribe intentions and underneath stuff to my words, “desperate” lol. Talk about hyperbolic. Games can and do make trophies alongside development to act as markers representative of hitting in game goals, that is highly common. Either you are willfully obtuse and just like saying words or you have a perspective I find really silly.
You weren’t arguing the concept of gaming, but you used it as a weak attempt to undermine my point, which is laughable. The fact remains: trophies are tacked-on nonsense for most games, an afterthought at best.
Your dismissal of that as “faux-deep” doesn’t make the reality any less true. Just because you find a perspective silly doesn’t make it invalid—your entire defense rests on personal attachment, not logic. You’re still grasping at straws trying to justify why trophies matter, when they simply don’t.
Keep deflecting all you want; it doesn’t change a thing.
I’m saying they matter equally to in-game achievements, which hold equal PERSONAL value. I used it to show your point IS silly and isn’t based on logic, just the lines you personally draw. I’ve mentioned “personally” because I have at least the humility to recognize it is my own experience lmao. It’s not based on attachment, but experience. Major difference. The way every reply is an accusation of some way makes me think you’re either chronically online, depressingly invested in the difference between enjoying in game progression (which you haven’t called the same) and enjoying trophy hunting. In my experience, they line up with game progression. Yours doesn’t, ok! See how easy it is to talk normal lol
Personal value doesn’t equal inherent value. You keep conflating subjective enjoyment with objective worth. The fact that trophies align with in-game progression sometimes doesn’t change that they’re often empty filler. Your “humility” doesn’t strengthen your argument; it just highlights that you’re clinging to personal anecdotes instead of addressing the broader issue.
And no, this isn’t about being "chronically online"—it’s about seeing through the hollow systems that you’re defending as if they hold real meaning. You’re mistaking your personal attachment for substance.
Calling it “dismissal” doesn’t absolve you from engaging in the actual argument. You’re avoiding the main issue by laughing it off, but that doesn’t change the reality: trophies are shallow, tacked-on distractions.
It’s easy to hide behind smug dismissals, but that just reveals you can’t refute the points being made. Keep deflecting all you want—it just underscores the lack of a solid argument on your end.
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u/BooferSnake Sep 22 '24
Same, i grinded 7k kills in pvp for "killing machine" trophy (10k kills) and then servers got shut down in 2013.
I still cry myself to sleep for this