What’s long-gaming? It’s just another term for a dude who’s wasting your time. Long-gaming is when a guy likes you and might even see you as his potential wife… but not right now because he still wants to explore his options. Does that sound like someone you know? If any of these 13 signs sound familiar, this is likely happening to you.
- Your relationship status is firm “friends.” He doesn’t have the balls to commit, so he calls you his “friends” even though you both know it’s more than that. Friends don’t have romantic feelings for one another. Friends don’t intend on being together one day. You’re not friends, he’s long-gaming you.
- You’ve never met his family. He might see you in his future but not right now, which is why he hasn’t introduced you to his family or even his friends. That would make it too serious and he’s not looking for serious right now. He’s looking for casual and relaxed fun. If I were you, I wouldn’t give it to him.
- He’s always there for you. You’ve known each other for a while. He knows a lot about you because he’s been there for the ups and downs. You two have helped each other navigate life. That’s the worst part about your relationship—you care about each other. That makes his long-gaming even more annoying.
- His communication is iffy. His communication is all over the place. He’ll call every day for a month and then, like magic, he’s gone. If he wanted you, his communication would be consistent. It’s not because he’s long-gaming you. The times you hear from him are when he’s single and the times you don’t? You can guess.
- He can’t commit. There’s no denying your amazing connection. When you’re together, you’re both happy, so why can’t he commit?! He says things like, “It’s not a good time” and “I’m going through a lot right now.” You know it’s BS, but you can’t seem to cut ties.
- He keeps you at arm’s length. You know him but you don’t really know him. He’s good at letting you in and then pushing you out. The problem is that you’ll never get close to him unless he wants you close. Which he doesn’t right now because he’s long-gaming you.
- You can’t talk about relationships. He knows a lot about you… except when it comes to your relationships. He can’t handle hearing about other guys. He gets jealous and pissed off. Not fair! He doesn’t want a relationship with you but he also doesn’t want you with someone else. Nice.
- He gets emotional but it’s so half-hearted. He’s told you how much he likes you. He’s said things like, “I want you in my future.” While that’s all fine and dandy, he’s never asked you out. He’s never made you feel like “The One.” Not to mention, he’s always involved with other women.
- He’s stringing you along. He’s not ready to be with you but he also can’t let you go so he strings you along instead. He reaches out just enough so you don’t forget him and he says just enough to make you feel like you two have a chance. He’s being manipulative even if he doesn’t realize it.
- He ghosts you. There have been long periods of no communication. He doesn’t just ghost you, he falls off the face of the earth and never tells you where he goes. When he does reach out, he pretends no time has passed at all.
- He relies on social media. You still hear from him even when he’s in a relationship. He doesn’t text, but he sends Snapchats and likes your Instagram posts. He’s not a cheater, but he knows you’re his person, so he doesn’t want you to forget about him while he’s messing around. Hence, the double-tap on all your pictures.
- He’s not over his last relationship. One of his relationships left him broken. You probably don’t know all the details but you know he’s never been the same since. That’s why he’s always dragging relationships and love. He wants to be around you but he doesn’t think relationships last, so he keeps things from getting too serious.
- He’s manipulating you. Long-gaming is manipulative. Instead of leading you on, he should leave you alone until he’s ready. He should let you live your life without making you confused. Maybe one day it’ll work out, but not if he keeps long-gaming like a selfish a-hole.
