side quest addict
CommonSomeone who cannot stop doing side content and never finishes the main story.
Mostly self-deprecating. Side quest addicts often know they have the problem and lean into it. Not purely negative.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 80 hours in witcher 3 and i haven't touched the main quest since act 1. i am a side quest addict and i am at peace | The player has fully committed to optional content and is not apologizing for it. | reddit, 2023 |
| 02 | just spotted a guy fishing in the distance. as a certified side quest addict i must investigate | Any ambient detail in the world becomes a potential side activity the player cannot ignore. | x, 2024 |
| 03 | side quest addict in real life too. asked for directions and ended up helping someone move furniture | The tendency to get pulled into tangential tasks extends into real-world situations. | x, 2024 |
| 04 | if you're a side quest addict, stardew valley is either a dream or a trap | A game with endless optional content is either perfect or overwhelming for this type of player. | reddit, 2023 |
Use it when
- You keep getting distracted by optional content instead of the main quest.
- Describing someone who cannot pass a side activity without stopping to do it.
- Identifying a playstyle where main story progress is secondary.
- Joking about real-life distraction or avoidance behavior.
Do not use it when
- Someone just played the side content intentionally as their strategy.
Side quest addict vs quest log anxiety
side quest addict
Side quest addict describes someone who loves optional content and pursues it compulsively.
VS
quest-log-anxiety
Quest log anxiety is the paralysis of having too many quests and not knowing where to start.
Origin and context
Grew organically from RPG and open-world gaming communities, particularly around games like The Elder Scrolls, The Witcher, and Final Fantasy. Became a common player self-identifier as open-world games expanded side content volume noticeably.
- First seen
- mid-2010s
- Confidence
- low
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/side-quest-addictUpdated: 2026-08-29License: CC BY 4.0