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5 Reasons Why You’re Bad At Video Games (and What You Can Do About It)

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Are you constantly losing in competitive matches or finding things aren’t going your way during gaming sessions?

If so, you might be bad at video games and we’re here to tell you why that is, and what you can do about it.

In truth, player skill levels are just as varied as our personalities or looks, there’s nothing really wrong with being at the bottom of the pile.

If you’re not convinced though, keep reading on.

1. You don’t take them seriously

You might think that spending a couple of hours a day in a few deathmatches is enough to make you good at a game, however, most pro gamers play for up to several hours every day whilst studying and reflecting on everything they’re doing.

Freeing up this kind of time isn’t easy, especially if you have a job and other commitments like a family, but this is what it takes to be above the average (at least).

If you know you can’t offer up that kind of commitment to a game then there’s no shame in accepting that you probably won’t reach the upper echelons of competitive gaming and you’re better off just playing for fun.

With that said, if you’re still insistent on leveling up your gaming skills then it might be worth creating a schedule so you can coordinate with your partner or family when you’ll be playing and when they can expect you to be available.

This will prevent any frictions from occurring because you’ll at least have given them the courtesy to have a rational discussion about your playing habits that you can all mutually agree on.

2. You don’t pay attention to micro or macro

Micro and macro in games are extremely important since they affect your character’s overall control including where you’ll be positioning yourself for advantageous fights. Micro is more about smaller inputs like how you move in a game, whereas macro is about the larger decisions e.g. planning for future events to make the best out of a situation.

You might think this all happens naturally, however, those who pay attention to both of these things can show a notable improvement in not much time. If you want to improve your micro and macro then it’s worth watching streams from the pros or hiring a coach who can give you feedback on what you’re doing in-game.

Depending on the game, there should be quite a few micro and macro videos on YouTube explaining how to make the most of your in-game actions.

3. You don’t watch your replays

You might find the prospect of watching your replays boring but it’s actually a great way to spot mistakes or to see where you could have improved things like positioning or overall control of your character. People who take the time to watch replays are generally better than someone who don’t so it’s a very useful tool to take advantage of if you can.

Some games have built-in replay functionality allowing you to load your previous games to watch them back, however, you can use a video capture program if the game you’re playing doesn’t have this functionality. Alternatively, you can opt for something like a dedicated video capture card as they’re cheap enough and don’t slow down your game.

4. You have the wrong equipment

Having the right equipment to suit your gaming style is really important, especially since it can affect your long-term comfort and ability to perform certain functional movements.

Not only that but some gaming mice or keyboards come with extra keys meaning you’ll have an advantage over someone who doesn’t.

The size of the equipment can also be a factor, especially if you have unusually large or small hands relative to what you’re using.

Some equipment can also be targeted depending on the genre of game you’re playing; for example, an MMO mouse would want to have lots of additional side buttons because you’ll typically have more hotkeys than what a shooter game would need, etc.

If you’re not sure where to start then make sure to check out our relevant articles section below for product reviews and guides on what to buy.

5. You’re too emotional

Going into a game hotheaded or getting tilted for minor slip-ups is a quick way to kill your performance in no time flat. Popular games like League of Legends are well-known for rage-inducing moments where people end up throwing or trolling because they become overly emotional.

In fact, we even wrote an article on why you’re suddenly playing badly. Here’s a clue, being emotional and getting tilted is a major contributor to this state of mind. The best competitive gamers play with absolute zen-like focus meaning even if they make mistakes, they’re quick to recover and compose themselves. This is especially important if you want to be good at games as it’s probably the biggest obstacle before you can start correcting things like your micro or macro.

Key Questions: Gaming Skill & Mindset

Why am I bad at games?

The truth is, most people are bad at games because they either don’t have enough time to get good (without sacrificing real-life duties) or because they simply don’t know what mistakes they’re making that need to be corrected.

If you have time on your side, then it’s easy to learn through trial and error, however, if you’re on a tight schedule then it might be worth hiring a coach to help fast-track you so they can point out the mistakes you might be making.

Aside from that, you might be playing too emotionally or getting angry too quickly — playing in an overly emotional state can affect rational judgment and can make you susceptible to making bad calls.

If you haven’t got the money to hire a coach then it could be worth watching replays to spot any obvious mistakes you might be making or going to YouTube to see if there are any helpful videos on how to improve.

Is it ok to be bad at a game?

Yes, there’s nothing wrong with being bad at a game not unless you feel like there is.

It’s often your own perception that makes you feel like you need to be better at a game or that you need to prove something to others.

In reality, not unless you’re getting paid to play the game then don’t sweat the bad moments and try to have fun (it’ll be far more enjoyable).

Why am I not getting better at games?

If you’re constantly playing at the same rank against the same skilled opponents then it can be hard to get acquainted with the skills necessary to take you beyond that level.

Without doing a careful analysis of your gameplay or being coached on your mistakes (by a pro), then it can be a real struggle to make significant enough improvements to help you rank up.

If you’re hard stuck or not getting better at a game then we recommend spending some time watching pro streams to familiarize yourself with some of the tactics they use to play as well as they do.

You’ll also find instructional videos on YouTube that can give you some further insight into what it takes to be a better gamer.

Should I quit video games if I am bad at them?

No, if you’re having fun playing games then it doesn’t matter how good or bad at them you are.

If you want to be better, try to take some steps to get better such as watching the pros on Twitch or spending some time analyzing your replays.

In truth though, nobody will care how good or bad you are at a game not unless you’re paid to do it so don’t overthink it.

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