<![CDATA[Fellow ADHDers, are you actually able to enjoy co-op gaming?]]>AuDHD here, and I certainly can't.

I'm specifically thinking about Big Walk, but this applies to every co-op game I've ever tried. Portal 2 co-op also springs to mind.

I figure things out way more slowly than everyone else. I have no sense of direction, so I constantly get lost and lag behind.

And the freeform, "Let's go and look at this… Oh, or, actually, we could go and look at that first…" shit is just overwhelming. Most of the time I don't really understand either of the two options, having not noticed the same landmarks as the other players – and even if I did, I can't visualise where I am in relation to them. So I just say "dunno" or "either is fine", and worry about missing out on the other option – even as I'm stuck not actually contributing anything to the game.

People walk into a new puzzle and can instantly start putting the pieces together. I could, if I had time to have a look around and figure out all the different "parts" to the puzzle… get my bearings, y'know? But in a co-op game, what invariably happens is that everyone else figures it out while I get more and more confused and feel like crying.

Either that or I end up basically being "the guy who holds the light" while the actual human players have fun all around me. 🙄

And then I get to be the "moody" guy who ruins it for everyone by having a shit time and complaining. It's unbearable, it makes me feel like such a joke of a failure of a person.

Can anyone relate? 🙈

]]>https://forum.ieu.app/topic/faecfbc2-6022-4e38-a74d-a3f82ed07eda/fellow-adhders-are-you-actually-able-to-enjoy-co-op-gamingRSS for NodeSat, 05 Sep 2026 18:40:29 GMTSun, 16 Aug 2026 15:56:34 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Fellow ADHDers, are you actually able to enjoy co-op gaming? on Sun, 16 Aug 2026 18:11:53 GMT]]>It depends who I'm playing with, and whether I've already done the single-player campaign.

Playing a game I've already played solo, but replaying it coöp with my kids? Fun to fine.

Playing a new, low-stakes game with my kids or siblings? Fine. Usually.

Playing a new RPG or story-heavy game coöp? Torture. As bad as watching a movie without closed captioning.

]]>https://forum.ieu.app/post/https://slrpnk.net/comment/23878806https://forum.ieu.app/post/https://slrpnk.net/comment/23878806Sun, 16 Aug 2026 18:11:53 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Fellow ADHDers, are you actually able to enjoy co-op gaming? on Sun, 16 Aug 2026 17:17:57 GMT]]>I like co-op games with people I know. If they are somebody I'm comfortable with, then I have no problem waiting for them to catch up, or letting them carry me.

But random matchmaking always ends up with me frustrated because they are rushing when I want to slow down, and taking forever when it's time to move.

Now that you've pointed it out, I think I just have less patience with strangers, and/or am unable/unwilling to communicate my intentions to them

]]>https://forum.ieu.app/post/https://lemmy.world/comment/25328181https://forum.ieu.app/post/https://lemmy.world/comment/25328181Sun, 16 Aug 2026 17:17:57 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Fellow ADHDers, are you actually able to enjoy co-op gaming? on Sun, 16 Aug 2026 17:14:45 GMT]]>Only multiplayer game I like at all is Monster Hunter, and I can hunt at my own pace.

]]>https://forum.ieu.app/post/https://lemmy.world/comment/25328142https://forum.ieu.app/post/https://lemmy.world/comment/25328142Sun, 16 Aug 2026 17:14:45 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Fellow ADHDers, are you actually able to enjoy co-op gaming? on Sun, 16 Aug 2026 17:10:56 GMT]]>I HATED co-op gaming for a long time. But in recent years, a couple of my childhood friends started playing games together online and they've set up a weekly meetup to game. It's the only real socialization we get anymore, since we all live in opposite corners of the US nowadays.

I still get frustrated playing co-op with them, because one of my friends doesn't care about following game progression and would rather just run off and dick around. And the other encourages the chaos. Actually completing a mission is a real challenge with this group.

But thanks to them, I've learned not to take games so seriously, and now I don't care so much if we don't accomplish objectives, as long as we're all having fun. We never play versus games; we exclusively play co-op, so we're always helping each other instead of fighting each other.

And yes, all of us have ADHD, so gaming is always an adventure. We might complete a dozen missions, or we might get lost on a tangent and complete 1/4 of a mission. Either way, it's fun!

]]>https://forum.ieu.app/post/https://lemmy.world/comment/25328086https://forum.ieu.app/post/https://lemmy.world/comment/25328086Sun, 16 Aug 2026 17:10:56 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Fellow ADHDers, are you actually able to enjoy co-op gaming? on Sun, 16 Aug 2026 17:00:55 GMT]]>gonna plug my mmos again. so champions online and star trek online are pretty easy to do once you obviously learn them but multi player is pretty optional until end game. so you have plenty of time to learn on your own if you want but there are people who specifically will join up with a newb to help them out. then on top of it half the peoples endgame is getting their costume of their chracter just right and hanging out.

]]>https://forum.ieu.app/post/https://piefed.social/comment/12529736https://forum.ieu.app/post/https://piefed.social/comment/12529736Sun, 16 Aug 2026 17:00:55 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Fellow ADHDers, are you actually able to enjoy co-op gaming? on Sun, 16 Aug 2026 16:59:29 GMT]]>Depends on the game and whether or not I am any good at it. I find that if both me and the person I'm playing with are at similar skill level it's fine, but if one of us really sucks I get frustrated very easily.

Same with play styles. I'm objective oriented so I get frustrated when other people are not.

]]>https://forum.ieu.app/post/https://lemmy.world/comment/25327932https://forum.ieu.app/post/https://lemmy.world/comment/25327932Sun, 16 Aug 2026 16:59:29 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Fellow ADHDers, are you actually able to enjoy co-op gaming? on Sun, 16 Aug 2026 16:57:40 GMT]]>I'm really good at convincing my friends to buy co-op games and then never playing with them.

]]>https://forum.ieu.app/post/https://lemmy.world/comment/25327910https://forum.ieu.app/post/https://lemmy.world/comment/25327910Sun, 16 Aug 2026 16:57:40 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Fellow ADHDers, are you actually able to enjoy co-op gaming? on Sun, 16 Aug 2026 16:50:26 GMT]]>Now that I actually stop and think about it, I almost never really co-op with people. Basically everything I do, I do solo. Not just in games but in real life as well. I've never been a team player. The closest example I can think of is building a deck with my dad, but that I don't struggle with as we effectively share a brain.

I guess that in my case the feeling I'm trying to avoid there is of being overwhelmed and not getting to do things as I want to do them. I have an extremely high need for control of my environment.

]]>https://forum.ieu.app/post/https://feddit.uk/comment/26919450https://forum.ieu.app/post/https://feddit.uk/comment/26919450Sun, 16 Aug 2026 16:50:26 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Fellow ADHDers, are you actually able to enjoy co-op gaming? on Sun, 16 Aug 2026 16:37:40 GMT]]>I mostly only play co-op games these days. Phogs, Super Battle Golf, Trine, RV There Yet, etc.

The key is the vibe. I have no problem if I'm slower or not at grasping things, and just use it as a virtual hangout no matter what. I chit chat about life, laugh at the chaos, and just ride along if they're solving things faster than me. I don't mind "just holding the light" because I'm still being included and don't a way to make my own fun enjoying everyone having fun.

The FOMO about making the wrong choice happens but I just accept it's a game and not that big a deal. Can always play it again if I really care.

]]>https://forum.ieu.app/post/https://lemmy.today/comment/25986564https://forum.ieu.app/post/https://lemmy.today/comment/25986564Sun, 16 Aug 2026 16:37:40 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Fellow ADHDers, are you actually able to enjoy co-op gaming? on Sun, 16 Aug 2026 16:26:50 GMT]]>Absolutely. Gotta-find-everything suddenly becomes fuck-it-let's-just-get-this-done in my head and everyone moans. Or I get bored and wander off somewhere on my own.

Some games like Ark or Conan completely lack direction and I can't do anything as I get overwhelmed with choice.

I think this is why I like Battlefield as I can just change class, objective, vehicle etc and just go do whatever takes my fancy.

]]>https://forum.ieu.app/post/https://lemmy.world/comment/25327439https://forum.ieu.app/post/https://lemmy.world/comment/25327439Sun, 16 Aug 2026 16:26:50 GMT