Why Am I So Bad At Video Games? (10 Possible Reasons)

 

More people than ever are trying their hand at playing video games.

As video games have become more cinematic, it’s opened the doors to people looking for immersive experiences.

However, not all video games are the same, and you may find yourself struggling with certain genres.

 

Why Am I So Bad At Video Games? (10 Possible Reasons)

 

You may be bad at video games because of the difficulty in learning different controls, slow hand-eye coordination, a lack of spatial awareness, and not finding the right genre that best fits your capabilities.

Let’s look at these factors in more detail.

 

1. Inability To Memorize Controls

 

One of the problems some gamers have is with learning new controls.

This tends to occur when you’re switching from one platform to another.

For example, if you’ve always played on the PlayStation, then moving to a PC can be quite the change.

Playing with a keyboard and mouse is a very different experience from using a controller.

Keyboards have a lot more options.

You have to memorize which keys tend to produce what functions.

For example, most game developers will assign either the “E” or “F” keys as the interact button.

If this is the case, it may only be a matter of time before you become better at playing video games.

You just need to get used to the new controls.

When it comes to playing on the PC, you can also connect a PlayStation or Xbox controller.

Most games come with controller support.

Making the switch could help you become better at the game.

You may be bad at video games because you’re unused to how the controller or keyboard works.

 

2. Poor Hand-Eye Coordination

 

One of the most common reasons someone isn’t good at video games is that they have poor hand-eye coordination.

While some people don’t see video games as athletic sports, it does require some of the same skills used in traditional sports.

One of those skills is hand-eye coordination.

Hand-eye coordination refers to the skill that requires you to use both your hands and eyes at the same time.

You have to be able to look at something, then react accordingly with your hands at the same time.

In the world of video games, this often means watching the movement of an enemy, then steering the controller to make your character aim at the enemy to take them down.

Depending on the type of game you’re playing, hand-eye coordination may be very important.

In battle royale games, for example, if your hand-eye coordination is lacking, then you’re not going to have an easy time.

Other players who have excellent hand-eye coordination can take you down quickly.

You may never get a chance to score points because you can’t coordinate the movement with your hands with what’s going on on the screen.

Even in less competitive games, you might find yourself unable to defeat computer-controlled enemies because you can’t click the button or move your character in time based on what you’re seeing.

Your hands and eyes need to work at the same time.

Playing video games is very reactive in nature.

If you don’t have strong hand-eye coordination skills, then playing video games is going to be difficult.

You may be bad at video games because you have poor hand-eye coordination.

 

3. Difficulty Thinking Quickly

 

Because games are very reactive, if you’re unable to think quickly, then you’re probably going to be bad at certain video games.

Using battle royale as an example again, you need to be able to think very quickly to succeed in the genre.

There are dozens of players all around you shooting and using special abilities.

You need to know your character well enough and how to use their abilities to stay on top.

This often means that, when something is occurring in the game, you need to think fast to react accordingly.

If you’re unable to think fast or react quickly, then you’re going to lose.

The same goes for other games.

If you’re unable to think quickly as an AI enemy charges at you, then your character will probably die.

There’s also the use of quick-time events that are quite common in games.

In an effort to be more immersive, some games will implement quick-time events.

These are moments when you need to quickly press a button to complete some sort of action or dodge out of danger.

If you’re unable to think quickly or react quickly, then you’re going to have a tough time with those quick-time events.

You may even be unable to proceed in the game.

You may be bad at video games because you’re unable to think or react quickly.

 

4. Poor Strategy Skills

 

Some games are more strategic than you may first realize.

Some games are specifically strategic.

City builders, for example, require you to think about your world’s resources and how best to use them.

You have to ensure that your people have the resources they need while growing and expanding the population and city.

Some games also have rivals trying to take those resources from you or directly attack your city.

It requires a great deal of planning and thinking to ensure your city survives.

Even action games can sometimes require a bit of strategy.

A great example is the Dark Souls series or Elden Ring.

These games are heavy on the action, but they require you to think about strategy before each fight.

It might be learning about an enemy’s movements and strategizing your attacks based on their movements.

It might be learning about the type of weapons that the enemy is more vulnerable to or has little defense against.

Even in battle royales, there’s an element of strategy that you need to know.

Battle planning can lead to higher chances of victories.

If you’re unable to strategize, then you might find playing certain games quite difficult.

Not every game is mindless hacking and slashing.

You may be bad at video games if you’re unable to strategize.

 

5. Lack Of Experience

 

A lot of newcomers to gaming might feel frustrated when they can’t easily play games from the start.

However, a lack of experience may be exactly why you’re bad at video games.

The good news is that as long as you keep playing, you can develop that experience and become better at playing video games.

The hardest part is developing that experience from the start.

Experience can help you play video games because a lot of video games can be quite similar.

Ubisoft, for example, tends to make the same game over and over with just different settings, voice actors, and skins.

Once you play one Ubisoft game that’s part of a series, you basically know what to expect from other games in the series.

Playing those games is a bit easier since there isn’t much of a learning curve.

Experience also helps with understanding controls.

It’s common for the “O” button on a PlayStation controller to be a dodge action, for example.

The more experience you gain, the easier playing video games will become.

You may be bad at video games because you don’t have enough experience yet.

 

6. Lack Of Patience

 

If you don’t have a lot of patience, then you’re probably not going to be very good at video games.

If you’re the type to rage quit and never return the game, then you’re never going to become better at playing it.

Playing video games and becoming better at playing them requires patience.

You won’t learn better hand-eye coordination overnight.

It takes time to develop that skill.

The same goes for strategic planning.

You have to keep playing the game to see what works and what doesn’t.

You need to be able to learn from your mistakes.

You won’t learn from your mistakes or the game if you don’t have the patience to do so.

Like with any other kind of skill, it takes time to build it.

You can become better at playing video games.

You just need to give it time.

You may be bad at video games because you lack the patience to learn a new skill and develop it.

 

7. Difficulty With Stress Management

 

Games can be very stressful.

Some games are relaxing and meant to help you decompress after a hard day at work.

Other games put you in very stressful situations.

If you can’t manage your stress well, then you might find playing video games hard.

For example, if you’re someone who becomes very emotional while stressed, then you may be unable to play the game as a result.

You may be too busy feeling those emotions that they distract you from what’s going on on screen.

If stress tends to make you angry, then you might rage quit and be unable to push through and learn more.

Instead, it stops you and keeps you at your current skill level.

You’re not developing your skills because your stress is getting the better of you.

Managing your stress can help you push through certain parts of a game and become better at them.

You may be bad at video games because you’re unable to manage your stress well.

 

8. Lack Of Spatial Awareness

 

A lot of people also have problems with spatial awareness.

This essentially means that you can only focus on one part of the screen.

You might have tunnel vision focused on your character, for example.

This makes games difficult because you’re unaware of what’s happening around you.

You’re only focused on your character.

Certain games have more consequences with a lack of spatial awareness than others.

Battle royale games, for example, require you to look all over your screen at any given moment.

You can’t just focus on what’s right in front of your character.

You have to be looking for the other players who are jumping down from the roof or sneaking up behind you.

The same goes for action games and even puzzle games.

You need to be aware of what’s going on around you.

You might be bad at video games because you lack spatial awareness.

 

9. Playing The Wrong Type Of Game

 

There’s also a good chance that you’re bad at video games because you’re playing the wrong type of game.

If you’re terrible at battle royale games, maybe you should try another type of game.

You might find that you’re great at city-building games, survival games, or even action games.

The great thing about video games is that there’s no shortage of genres.

There are even visual novels that just require you to make decisions.

You should try out a few different genres to see which ones match your abilities.

You might find that playing video games is more enjoyable afterward.

You might be bad at video games because you haven’t found the right genre yet.

 

10. They’re Cheating And You’re Not

 

A final reason that you might be bad at video games is that other players might be cheating.

This tends to be common among PC players.

You might feel as though you’re doing poorly in a game, but in reality, it’s only because the other players are cheating.

They might have some sort of cheat active that allows them to shoot through walls, for example.

This gives them an unfair advantage.

It’s no longer a contest of skill and opportunity.

It’s a contest against those who can use cheating software without getting caught in the process.

The best thing to do in this case is to report the players or find a different game to play.

You might be bad at video games because the other team is cheating and using it against you.