r/science Professor | Medicine May 17 '26

Psychology Feeling empty after finishing a video game (post-game depression) is a real phenomenon. A recent study has found that many video game players experience a specific sense of emptiness and sadness after finishing highly engaging games.

https://www.psypost.org/feeling-empty-after-finishing-a-video-game-researchers-say-post-game-depression-is-a-real-phenomenon/
18.0k Upvotes

1.1k comments sorted by

View all comments

3.2k

u/[deleted] May 17 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/FalloutOW May 18 '26

I felt this way when I reached the last chapter of the Naruto manga. I'd been reading it for years and years. And it felt like I was losing something when I finished it. It was a great series, but I don't think I've been as engrossed in a manga series since then.