I never really paid attention to achievements during the PlayStation 3 era, but when I earned my first Platinum Trophy after finishing Horizon Zero Dawn on my PlayStation 4, a sudden surge of dopamine rushed through my veins. It felt good. There’s just something about the way Sony designed the Platinum Trophy pop-up — its sweet jingling sound was addicting. It triggered something in my brain, and I wanted more.
Then began my achievement-hunting addiction — or, in PlayStation’s case, Trophy Hunting.
The Beginning
My first real obsession didn’t start with Horizon Zero Dawn but with the games that followed. PlayStation exclusives like God of War and Spider-Man got me hooked since their trophy hunts were fairly straightforward. You just had to play the game normally and complete a few odd collectible missions here and there. It was fun and addicting, so I worked my way through the rest of the PlayStation catalog, tackling Ghost of Tsushima and Horizon Forbidden West on my PlayStation 5.
But I wanted more.
The Fall
I discovered that Soulslike games from FromSoftware were both challenging and rewarding. So I booted up Dark Souls 1, thinking that if I could 100% the game, I’d move on to Dark Souls 3 (because Dark Souls 2 doesn’t exist). And maybe, if I had the time, I’d take on Demon’s Souls. Imagine the sweet, satisfying sound of the Platinum Trophy popping up after defeating a notoriously difficult boss.
Little did I know, I was in for a reality check — I just couldn’t do it.
Demon’s Souls’ tendency system was a nightmare to decipher online. I was certain I had done everything right, but none of it mattered because, in the end, I had to start over just to optimize the trophies. And don’t even get me started on Dark Souls 3’s Vertebrae Shackles grind. If I had forced myself to complete it, I would have completely lost my mind.
Don’t get me wrong — I can GIT GUD. I finished Dark Souls 1, Demon’s Souls, and Dark Souls 3 normally, but when I realized the Platinum grind was so brutal and soul-crushing, I took a step back and asked myself: Is this really worth it?
The Realization
That’s when my obsession with 100%-ing games turned into something unhealthy. If I couldn’t fully complete a game, I wouldn’t even bother playing it. If the grind for the Platinum was reasonable — like in Astro Bot or Astro’s Playroom — I’d go for it. But if it required an endless grind, like in the Yakuza series or Monster Hunter games, I’d simply refuse to play.
I completely ignored fantastic games just because I couldn’t handle the mere sight of a 100% beside it. There are too many titles that were supposedly good that went off my radar because the Trophy Guide just isn’t worth it.
And that’s the problem.
This was an issue I created for myself, and only myself. It limited my enjoyment of video games, all because I was obsessed with seeing that Platinum Trophy pop up in the corner of the screen. But that moment lasted only three to five seconds — meanwhile, the game itself entertained me for 20-plus hours.
So what’s the big deal? This addiction changed how I saw video games. I convinced myself that achieving 100% completion was the only way to get my money’s worth. If a game costs $60, then every single piece of content must be unearthed and unpacked.
But when I look back at my old games — where my trophy progress barely reaches 50% because I played purely for fun — it reminds me of something I had lost. The simple joy of playing video games just to play them.
The Growth (?)
It shouldn’t feel like a chore. It should be something I enjoy. Trophies are secondary, and I need to remind myself of that whenever I boot up a new game that demands hours upon hours for completion.
That’s why I’m excited for Monster Hunter: Wilds, despite its notoriously grindy Platinum Trophy thanks to the dreaded Gold and Silver Crowns. I don’t care if I can’t collect them all — I just want to play Wilds with my friends and enjoy the game I’ve been waiting for.
So now, I don’t care if I can’t finish a game 100% anymore. I just need to enjoy it.
Not sure if that counts as growth — it was a petty problem to begin with — but hey, gamers have their own little struggles.