Ben Affleck Is a Huge Gamer — He Says StarCraft Took Three Years of His Life

Ben Affleck is clearly a much bigger gamer than his film career might suggest. On the Happy Sad Confused podcast with Josh Horowitz, he revealed that after becoming famous, he spent three years mostly at home playing StarCraft. He still plays Valorant, Fortnite and NBA 2K, and fondly remembers Doom, Quake and Myst. The conversation also touched on films he could have directed, including Star Wars.

StarCraft took three years of his life

One of the games that had the biggest impact on Affleck was Blizzard’s original StarCraft. On the Happy Sad Confused podcast, he recalled the period shortly after he became a famous actor. Rather than living the Hollywood lifestyle, he says he stayed at home and played the strategy game intensively for three whole years.

“There was a game called StarCraft that probably took the biggest chunk of my life at one point. I had just become famous, and for three years I basically just stayed home and played StarCraft,” Affleck said.

His gaming history goes back even further. He also fondly remembers the original Doom and its follow-up, Quake. He played Doom while working with Matt Damon on the screenplay for Good Will Hunting. They took long breaks from writing, during which they could spend hours playing Doom.

Affleck also admits that he likes real-time strategy and city-building games, which he says have gradually fallen out of fashion. StarCraft was one of the games that suited him perfectly in that respect.

Myst, arcade classics and his own Ms. Pac-Man cabinet

Another of his favorite games is the legendary Myst. Affleck praised its atmosphere, storytelling and the exploration of a mysterious island. He thinks a similar concept still has potential today and that someone could revisit it.

He also recalled his childhood, when he regularly went to arcades after school. He spent hours playing Donkey Kong, Tetris and Ms. Pac-Man. The last of these is still close to his heart: he revealed that he still has his own upright Ms. Pac-Man cabinet at home.

His interest in games spans classic arcade machines, the first major PC strategy and adventure games, and today’s online titles. And, as he puts it, he truly loves video games.

He still plays Valorant, but younger players crush him

Affleck hasn’t stuck to older titles. He still enjoys Valorant, though he admits that modern competitive games offer a somewhat different experience.

“I love Valorant. It’s a great game. The problem is that when you play against kids who grew up playing games like that, they absolutely destroy you,” he said. He adds that sometimes he even thinks his opponents must be cheating, before realizing they’re simply much better. The situation can make him really angry, and he describes it as humiliating.

His interest in Valorant isn’t new. In 2023, he attended the Valorant Champions tournament in Los Angeles with his son, where he revealed that he mainly plays KAY/O and Raze. He was even interested in changes to the balance of individual agents.

He also enjoys sports games, especially the NBA 2K and Madden NFL series. He regularly plays NBA 2K with his 14-year-old son, who, according to Affleck, can beat him with ease and then make fun of him for it. Affleck admits he has to work hard not to get too competitive.

Fortnite, 12-year-old players and expensive skins

Affleck has had a similar experience with Fortnite. On another podcast, New Heights, with brothers Travis and Jason Kelce, he said he likes to think he’s good at shooters until he runs into 12-year-old players who take him out instantly and then mock him over voice chat.

Affleck admits that he sometimes takes the bait and starts arguing with them, reminding them that he’s an adult and definitely not that bad at the game. He tells the story with a sense of humor, though.

Fortnite gave him another generational shock. His son once asked for around $300 worth of skins for Christmas. Affleck couldn’t understand why he should pay that much for virtual outfits that only exist in a game.

At the same time, Fortnite also found its way into his film work. Watching the skins his son showed him, he was struck by their unusual and often random mix of styles. That approach later inspired him when designing costumes for the new thriller Animals, which also features a character wearing a striking furry rabbit mask.

More highlights: Star Wars, Batman and Daredevil

The Happy Sad Confused interview also included a few interesting details beyond gaming. Affleck, for example, confirmed that he was once approached about directing a film that eventually became Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Affleck spoke with the people behind the project but ultimately decided not to pursue it. He says he felt there were people who could handle Star Wars better and had a stronger connection to that world. J. J. Abrams eventually directed the film.

He also confirmed that he never discussed directing Man of Steel, despite reports to that effect in the past. However, he did work on his own Batman film, which he eventually stepped away from.

One reason was his very negative experience with Justice League. Affleck described filming the movie, and especially the subsequent reshoots after Zack Snyder left, as one of the worst periods of his career. He criticized the conflict between the studio and the director in particular, and said he was glad Snyder eventually got the chance to finish his version of the film.

The conversation also touched on his former role as Daredevil. Asked whether Kevin Feige had approached him about returning to Marvel, Affleck said not yet and added that he’d be happy if it happened.

He tempered expectations, however. He feels that he has largely completed his stint in superhero films and isn’t sure the genre can offer him anything new. Still, he has nothing but praise for Feige, recalling that he was already a producer during the filming of the original Daredevil, even though he wasn’t the one calling the shots. Affleck now regrets not listening to his advice more.

Affleck is one of the Hollywood actors for whom video games are more than an occasional pastime. He has been playing for decades, from arcade machines, Doom and StarCraft to sports games, Valorant and Fortnite. And while he’s managed Hollywood, Batman and Daredevil, he can’t keep up with 12-year-olds online.

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