Introduction
If you’re suddenly bad at games or have went through periods in the past where you’re suddenly playing bad then you might feel frustrated that you’re not doing everything you can.
You may even start doubting yourself about how good you really are which can actually lead to feeling pretty bummed out about the prospect of playing the game at all.
Rest assured, there are signs that can become easier to spot (if you’re aware of them) of things you may or may not be doing including certain things that are influencing how you’re playing.
Sometimes it can be something really simple that needs to be changed which can get you back on your A-game in just a few moments.
Whatever it is that’s making you play bad, here are some of the top reasons why including what you can do about it.
6 Reasons Why You’re Suddenly Bad at Games (and What to Do About It)
1. You’re not using the right hardware
If you’re regularly changing gaming stations or setups then it’s very easy to assume that a mouse is just a mouse, or a keyboard is just a keyboard, however, it’s often found that most people perform better on a gaming mouse or keyboard as they often provide better tactile feedback for the user.
This means you’ll be more aware of the buttons you’ve pressed including how hard you’ve pressed them; they may even provide a click that gives you auditory feedback that they’ve been registered such as on a mechanical keyboard.
As well as that, gaming mouse options often provide DPI or sensitivity adjustments meaning you can easily pick the right sensitivity that suits you.
For example, lower sensitivities tend to be better for shooter games as it means you can align your pointer easier, however, higher DPI settings might be better for something like an RPG game as you might need to pan your camera quick to see enemies behind you.
If you’ve changed setups and are using different equipment then it’s worth trying to get the same equipment that you perform better on or to invest in some gaming hardware that you can transport to your intended destination that you can adjust to your needs.
2. You’re tilted
In the world of competitive gaming, the word tilted basically means you’ve let your emotions and anger affect the way you’re playing.
It’s easy to assume that you should still play the same way regardless of your anger, however, emotions can easily hijack your ability to make rational judgments or decisions in the heat of the moment.
In fact, we’ve even seen people throw entire tournaments because they were tilted by either intentionally dying or simply walking out of the event.
Whilst playing, if you find you’re getting tilted often then it’s worth practicing mindfulness.
Mindfulness is basically where you’re trying to be consciously aware of those moments when you’re feeling your blood start to boil.
Before it reaches the tipping point, if you’re observing how you’re feeling then it’s much easier to snap yourself out of it and ask “is the anger I’m feeling warranted?”, or you may even ask “has getting angry benefited me before?”, etc.
If you can become the observer rather than always being on autopilot, it’s much easier to control your emotions rather than them controlling you.
3. You took a break
It goes without saying that practice makes perfect, and in the case of games, practice definitely makes perfect.
In fact, taking a break for even just a few days can easily throw you out of the loop where you’ll need to spend weeks practicing every day to get back to where you used to be.
As a caveat, we aren’t arguing that you ditch all responsibilities or activities in favor of games — in fact, that can be detrimental in other ways too, however, if you want to stay ahead of the curve then you’ll need to play regularly to hang with the best.
We recommend creating a schedule that offers you the ability to play a few hours each day which can then be balanced between essential chores such as work, cleaning the house, and basic hygiene tasks.
4. You changed the games you were playing
This is kind of the same as taking a break from games: if you stop playing games and/or change the genre/style of the game then you can easily lose those basic skills that you were previously so good at.
Just because MOBA games and shooters are both competitive doesn’t mean you’ll keep the relevant skills needed to stay good.
Games are very nuanced and so are the changes that come with swapping between games; in essence, you either need to choose what you want to be good at or at least play both games as much as each other to stay attuned.
The best way to strike a balance is to pick one game that you want to be competitive in and the rest should be casual games that allow you to destress or take a break from the norm.
This means you’ll be able to afford more time towards staying good whilst also having some downtime on games that require less finesse and thus requiring less mental effort or change.
5. You’re unmotivated
It goes without saying that if you’re unmotivated then you’re going to struggle at staying in the mindset of wanting to be competitive when playing your games.
In essence, motivation is the key to wanting to perform well or play better.
Some people are lucky and never seem to run out of this fuel that keeps them wanting more, however, for the average person, you’ll have to put up with your motivation coming in waves.
Knowing when you’re in a rut is a powerful observation as it means you can easily start questioning your thoughts and feelings similar to what we mentioned above about being mindful.
If you can question why you’re unmotivated then you’ll be much more likely to find a way to unravel what’s holding you back.
As a caveat, you won’t always get the answer you’re wanting — sometimes you might need to take a long break to freshen up your experiences with the game; that’s just how the cookie crumbles sometimes.
6. You’re under the spotlight
Playing under the spotlight, such as when playing with new teammates, can easily affect the way we play.
Everyone wants to perform optimally when the moment strikes, however, the pressure can sometimes be too great which ends up causing mental blocks that stop us from playing as fluidly as we’re usually used to.
In fact, most great gaming moments are a product of what some refer to as a “flow state” which is where your mind is totally unhindered and seems to know exactly what it needs to do causing you to perform so well.
These “flow” moments are often produced when you’re most comfortable and confident meaning you should try to get to grips with your nerves if you can.
A good way to overcome performance nerves or anxiety is to practice with your new teammates beforehand to familiarize yourself with their style — this also takes some of the pressure off you because you’ve already played with them before you need to perform for real.
Conclusion
In conclusion, suddenly playing bad is often a result of lack of practice, taking breaks, and letting your emotions get the best of you.
Hopefully, our article should have explained all of those reasons succinctly so that you’ll be more aware of them next time.
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