Put the Phone Down: Why We Should Start Gaming Like Brendan Fraser

Brendan Fraser

Brendan Fraser
  • Primary Subject: Brendan Fraser and Gaming
  • Key Update: Actor Brendan Fraser's "slow gaming" emphasizes immersion and patience over the use of guides or shortcuts.
  • Status: Concept/Fan Proposal (Not officially confirmed)
  • Last Verified: January 20, 2026
  • Quick Answer: Brendan Fraser's approach to gaming encourages ditching guides and cheats to rediscover the joy of personal discovery and immersion-heavy gameplay in titles like Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Contrary to popular belief, celebrities are just humans, and humans are naturally gamers, as Brendan Fraser's recent statement proves. The 58-year-old actor revealed he is still stuck on Nintendo's classic The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild because he isn't seeking any outside help.

Ridiculous for a 2017 game to still be unfinished until you look at it from Brendan’s side. "I wanna know how to get better weapons without getting my ass kicked by all the Lynels. I mean, without cheating and going up and looking (guides)", the Oscar winner said.

His past with gaming has been notoriously discussed, especially after being caught off guard playing on his Nintendo Switch during a digital meet-and-greet five years ago, maybe still grinding BOTW back then, too. Regardless of differences in generation, schedules, and habits, we should go back to this old-fashioned way of gaming.

Brendan Fraser
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Credit: Scott Lawrence

We seem to have started the century with an erratic mentality toward technology, where everything had to be documented, optimized, or digitized. Our full focus is on the destination, not on the journey, creating an urge to skip without a real intent to try.

Thanks to cheats, hacks, and tutorials, gamers are less adventurous in 2026. We've forgotten that the fun is in figuring it out. For example, for one reason or another, my first Super Mario Odyssey playthrough came in the Winter of 2022, when I could finally have time to sit down and savor the latest and still last 3D Mario entry. Without it trending, I felt no pressure to rush.

Instead, I felt a bubble around my experience where booting it up felt like an escape, as the world was designed to follow my choices and mistakes. Not once did I feel the urge to find answers to my many questions. I let the multibillion-dollar game design lead the way.

mario
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Credit: Nintendo

I know the business is as cutthroat as ever, but I truly wish we could go back and trust each other in game development. Let’s get immersed in the distraction instead of letting our failures lead us to cheat to success. The rush to fit as much gaming as possible into our cramped schedules has turned it into a chore rather than an experience.

We need to be able to embrace the struggle without comparing ourselves to speedrun world records, release-day reviews, or completionist content. This is something we could all learn from Mr. Fraser. Even if it doesn't mean taking almost a decade to finish your favorite games, maybe we can try to work things out on our own before relying heavily on the internet.

It's 24/7 availability and vast contents of niche games has killed all previous hints of word of mouth rumors, regional metas, and gaming's home remedies. Now, we quantify everything, including mechanics, down to the frame per second and input delay. While this is really fascinating to watch, it truly hinders my unique playthrough compared to the world's best players.

zelda
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Credit: Nintendo

Somehow, single-player runs feel less lonely, and not in a good way. Every decision and strategy is constantly shaped by the internet's echo chamber, creating a bias that will persist until a good number of us disconnect. This Fraser philosophy to refuse outside help makes the end result all the more satisfying. Choosing to figure things out for yourself prioritizes personal curiosity over the instant dopamine hit of solving it, even when others’ discoveries are available.

There are no timers or judges. Keeping your patience is an exercise that will multiply your productivity in and out of gaming. Everyone is already in such a rush to skip what doesn’t serve them, drop what isn’t working, and shame what takes too long. In a world that glorifies best farming methods, fast travels, and overpowered routes, it feels like gamers want to game less than ever.

The worst thing that could happen is you don’t enjoy the game as much as you thought you would, and that’s always a possibility, whether you go supersonic or not. Might as well go slower and take a deep breath of the wild smell while we’re at it. Get it? Dooky games? Forget it.

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