Gamer'cation? Do you take vacations for gaming?

[bigneen004]

I was just in another thread where a user was talking about taking vacation time with some friends for the release of a game (Socom I think, but's that's irrelevant).

I have scheduled vacation time around the release of Final Fantasy X, X-2, and XII, but have not admitted it to anyone but my closest friends. It seems like such a loser thing to do, but there is almost nothing I enjoy more than parking my butt in front of my TV with iced tea and pretzels and letting the good times roll!

As a matter of fact, I was slightly relieved to learn Final Fantasy XIII was not coming this year because with the trip to Disney I have coming up, I won't have enough days left to take a full week.... But I will in 2009!

Who else has taken (or has plans to take) paid time off to "dive in" to a new hot game you've been waiting for? Now is the time to come out of the closet if you love nothing more than your gamer'cation!

I'm going to attempt a poll on this one, my first time so I apologize if it goes horribly wrong!

[Blu Jacket]

I don't recall ever actually taking a day off for a games release, but I most definitely have considered it. The worst for me is when I get a new game late in the morning and have very little or no time to play it before I have to leave for work (about 1 PM). With certain games (MGS4 and SC4 recently), all I think about all night at work is getting home to play it. I have come very close to taking a half day vacation and leaving early to play it, but I would be extremely disappointed in myself if I ever did. I just keep telling myself "it's not going anywhere, it will still be there after work", lol.

[fsavoie]

It is not that I don't play games during my vacation... but I never took vacation mainly for gaming, but I do tend to finish early when new hot games come out!

[SS316SRV]

I did take a Madden Holiday in college once.

[tilapiah6]

I took a week off when San Andreas came out. Beat the heck out of it too.

[tacoreed]

I rarely do any gaming while on my vacation (I'm usually going somewhere, to an event, to see family, or to go camping). That being said I did take one day off last year, the day after Rock Band came out. It was awesome!

[WeApOn]

I think the first time I did was this year, for MGS4. It came out on a Thursday so I took that Friday off.

I just started my career this year, so for all the other games it probably was much easier to take time off, if I was even scheduled.

I think gaming vacations are normal for gamers. This is what we love. Honestly, if the game is quality enough, and has enough hours(which is rare nowadays), I think it's a great idea.

For a full week.. I don't know. If you're really going to spend that full week playing, sure I guess. But I think that might overdo it. And too much of one thing is never a good thing.

I love the feeling of not waiting to get home to play a game that I've been looking forward to. It gives me something good to think about through the day.


Also: The biggest games in the past few years have come out around the holidays, so most people have a good amount of time off around that time. Whether it be from work or school.

[bigneen004]

Originally Posted by WeApOn

For a full week.. I don't know. If you're really going to spend that full week playing, sure I guess. But I think that might overdo it. And too much of one thing is never a good thing.

When I take a whole week, I of course do other things. But when the time is taken is sometimes determined by a big game release.

[haushausman]

I am tempted sometimes but I enjoy playing my games only once in awhile when I have time. That way I extend the life of the game.

I'm still only about 30% through GTA4 and 25% through Drake's Fortune.

Plus I like saving my vacation time for; call me crazy, vacation

[alphapyro]

Once a year during the week of my birthday I take a day and the next entire week off which turns out to be 10 days off. During the week I stay up really late, sleep in, do whatever the heck I want.. which allows me to really dig into some video game action as well as do a TON of meat smoking.

I take it as a happy birthday gift to me and an opportunity to do whatever the hell I please since the other 51 weeks of the year are spent not getting to do what I want all the time.


Wives

[groovyone]

I ditched classes in college to beat FF7 in 4 days straight.

[Blu-ray Fanatic]

I've been on a non-gaming vacation for a couple years now due to loss of interest. But since I heard Street Fighter IV is coming out soon for the PS3, I may reconsider myself to be a gamer again. Same thing goes for FFXIII but thats a millinium away.

[PS3 Blu-Ray]

Yes, I have taken a vacation for every Socom release, I had to change Confrontations though, it was originally September 16, so I switched. I'm not getting a week like I want, but will take 3 days unpaid, and use a ph. Also in the past I have taken vacations for Resident Evils on PS1 and Tomb Raider 2 on PS1. Next schedule vacation MAG release date TBA. I should also note, when Socom 2 hit, my attendance record was clean for the whole year, in 2 months they called me in the office and was wondering if everything was ok, since I was late 20 times in 2 months, which never happened. I told them I was hooked on a game, but you could tell they thought I was starting on drugs or something, didn't help I was so tired all the time.

[jkwest]

No way....never did, never would...The great outdoors are much more enjoyable.

[kingofgrills]

I've never purposefully taken a vacation day to play games. I don't have enough vacation time to spend a day on games. I've spent days sick plugging away with games, in between less pleasant stuff, but I've never spent a vacation day on it.

[Musashi]

I take vacations at home every year; they're simple and fun. I also travel with time off sometimes too.

[bigneen004]

Maybe I should have put an option in the poll for "called off sick".....

[fatediesel]

Since I get paid for unused vacation days I am reluctant to take days off. I've only taken 2 days this year, and I definitely wouldn't take a day off just for gaming.

[MacDaddyOJack]

Originally Posted by bigneen004

but there is almost nothing I enjoy more than parking my butt in front of my TV with iced tea and pretzels and letting the good times roll!

Oh man, I hate pretzels!

While I do not take time off specifically for video games, I do take the PS3 with me when I go on vacation. I went to the beach for a week in July and of course, the PS3 came too Sun and sand (and drinks) during the day, PS3 during the night(with more drinks!)

[WeApOn]

Originally Posted by jkwest

No way....never did, never would...The great outdoors are much more enjoyable.

Plug your TV in outside. :-P

Originally Posted by fatediesel

Since I get paid for unused vacation days I am reluctant to take days off. I've only taken 2 days this year, and I definitely wouldn't take a day off just for gaming.

Man, those are some good benefits. I don't mind working at all, and I have like 45 hours of comp time racked up, plus 20 hours of vacation. If I could turn that extra time into pay, that would be awesome. For my job, if we don't use the comp time by the end of the year, we lose it! And vacation is lost after 2 years.