# Have you ever taken a day off from work to play a video game? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 6, 2011, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-taken-a-day-off-from-work-to-play-a-video-game/602063 "2011-11-06T16:00:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Blaster\_Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cab0a1/32.png) [@Blaster\_Master](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blaster_Master)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-taken-a-day-off-from-work-to-play-a-video-game/602063/21 "2011-11-07T15:47:35Z")
I have a few times, but it’s usually for a major release. For instance, for each WoW expansion I’ve taken a couple off (never release day, usually the rest of the week), but since I know that would look in askance at requesting time off for it, I would just call in instead and not give any reason and let them think whatever. I don’t recall ever taking a day off just to play videogames that was just a “mental health” day. Any other time that I remember taking a day off and played videogames all day, I would have taken it off anyway (eg, it was use it or lose it time or a single work day between two periods of time off) and, had I not played videogames I would have been doing something else to pass the time instead. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-taken-a-day-off-from-work-to-play-a-video-game/602063/22 "2011-11-07T16:01:00Z")
I was thinking of doing it Friday for Skyrim, and also because **tygre** has the day off but I don’t. Unfortunately I have a meeting, a class to teach, and a doctor’s appointment down the road from work, so it’s not happening. It would have been a first, though. ---
**Author:** ![Kiros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/439d5e/32.png) [@Kiros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiros)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-taken-a-day-off-from-work-to-play-a-video-game/602063/23 "2011-11-07T17:18:22Z")
Absolutely. The last couple have been for the release of Rift this past spring, and then Starcraft II last summer. Always actual days off, though, not sick days or anything like that. I also try to do a few days after something actually comes out, to try to avoid stuff like MMO servers not being up or Day 1 patches. Mass Effect 3 will probably be the next one to get this treatment. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-taken-a-day-off-from-work-to-play-a-video-game/602063/24 "2011-11-07T17:43:17Z")
Sims 3: Generations was releaed just before my birthday. Took my birthday off and played the game. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-taken-a-day-off-from-work-to-play-a-video-game/602063/25 "2011-11-07T18:49:40Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > Agreed. The only times I might have been tempted were for MMORPG launches (or their expansions) but I never did because, invariably, the servers would be seven hours later coming up anyway. Instead I’d go to work and read people raging on the game forums about how they used their only day of vacation that year to play Final EverCraft and the servers wouldn’t be up until 6pm. Ditto. I am on the west coast, and coming in to work on “launch days” gives the support staff time to get their servers stable before I get home. Not to mention that the starting areas are swamped with folks all trying to grab the same spawn/mobs, but that can take a couple days to die down. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-taken-a-day-off-from-work-to-play-a-video-game/602063/26 "2011-11-07T19:18:29Z")
I scheduled a day off a couple of days after WoW: Cataclysm came out. I got a couple of levels in one day; it was actually pretty fun. I don’t think I’d do it again, though. It was more a function of the release being in December, when I had extra days left. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-taken-a-day-off-from-work-to-play-a-video-game/602063/27 "2011-11-07T19:26:52Z")
Several times for both games releases and book releases. Usually as scheduled vacation days but at least once there was an incident where I was SURE I could resist until I found out I actually couldn’t and had to call in dead after playing all night. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-taken-a-day-off-from-work-to-play-a-video-game/602063/28 "2011-11-07T19:50:31Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > Likewise, I’ve taken a day off and I’ve spent it playing video games, but I can’t remember a time when that was the specific purpose. I’ll also add that I don’t buy video games when they come out (I prefer to buy them after the price drops), so any hype has long died down when I start playing a game. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-taken-a-day-off-from-work-to-play-a-video-game/602063/29 "2011-11-07T20:54:29Z")
Sort of. I always take my birthday off, and one year, one of the things I wanted to do was to get through The Simpsons Arcade Game in its entirety (I had a roll of quarters and was on a 2 lives per quarter machine; I think it cost me $5 to finish). However, I didn’t take the day off for the sole purpose of playing the game. Board games, on the other hand…I have taken _weeks_ off for those. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-taken-a-day-off-from-work-to-play-a-video-game/602063/30 "2011-11-07T20:57:48Z")
I remember taking a sick day to play GTA Vice City. ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-taken-a-day-off-from-work-to-play-a-video-game/602063/31 "2011-11-07T22:06:45Z")
Just from school, not from work. I’ve never cared _quite_ that much, and I’m a holiday hoarder. ---
**Author:** ![snipsala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@snipsala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snipsala)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-taken-a-day-off-from-work-to-play-a-video-game/602063/32 "2011-11-07T23:12:57Z")
I just game on my day offs and I game even though it cuts into my sleeping time.Never taken a day off from work, but I certainly skipped a few classes in college to play.All thing i do for playing the game because playing game is the my life & also my best friend. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-taken-a-day-off-from-work-to-play-a-video-game/602063/33 "2011-11-08T00:29:53Z")
Never have, and probably never will. Back when I could afford new games, it didn’t really occur to me, and now two things keep me from doing it: 1. I almost always buy games on sale these days; and 2. As a teacher, it’s seriously more work to be absent than to be present. Well, maybe not _seriously_, but it takes so effin long to write up sub plans that it’s not really worth it just for taking a day off. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-taken-a-day-off-from-work-to-play-a-video-game/602063/34 "2011-11-08T14:20:57Z")
Since today is the release of COD: MW3, my coworker and I have been joking last week about taking today off for it. But we didn’t. He should have since it’s also his birthday today. I was a little late for work and he was begining to wonder if I was going to be absent. Maybe I’ll get my copy at lunch. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-taken-a-day-off-from-work-to-play-a-video-game/602063/35 "2011-11-08T16:44:48Z")
A couple of times, as much because I had been playing for too many hours straight and was wrecked than from a desire to keep playing. I think Civ2, Baldur’s Gate and maybe EU II were the most likely culprits. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-taken-a-day-off-from-work-to-play-a-video-game/602063/36 "2011-11-08T17:40:24Z")
No. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-taken-a-day-off-from-work-to-play-a-video-game/602063/37 "2011-11-08T18:10:39Z")
11-11-11. 'Nuff said. ---
**Author:** ![Hoopy\_Frood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoopy_frood/32/8452_2.png) [@Hoopy\_Frood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoopy_Frood)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-taken-a-day-off-from-work-to-play-a-video-game/602063/38 "2011-11-08T18:51:22Z")
Never have. Not opposed to the idea as such, but I like to save my PTO for other things. Would never call in sick for it, though. (But currently sick time and vacation come out of the same pot, so it’s moot.) ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-taken-a-day-off-from-work-to-play-a-video-game/602063/39 "2011-11-08T19:40:07Z")
[QUOTE=Kinthalis] 11-11-11. 'Nuff said. [/QUOTE] _cough cough__sniffle_ (Not that I have to take Friday off…just realized we get it off as a regular holiday) -XT ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-taken-a-day-off-from-work-to-play-a-video-game/602063/40 "2011-11-09T22:39:59Z")
Nope, but that’s because I never really complete games. I have taken off for other frivolous things, like even watching a TV movie or reading a rather good book. But games are no big deal. If anything, I need to stop. If I don’t, I start getting much much worse. And I already play everything on easy mode. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-taken-a-day-off-from-work-to-play-a-video-game/602063.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-taken-a-day-off-from-work-to-play-a-video-game/602063.md?page=3)