Probably an odd question as it pertains to myself specifically, but I thought maybe others here have had similar experiences and can tell me.
When I was a kid I used to really get immersed into the games I played; I'd feel as though I was actually, feeling the very walls around me in dungeon crawlers, getting tense in fights and such, but nowadays I don't really get that sense any more. I'm in my mid-30's and now I'm thankfully able to afford any game I wish, I thankfully can choose how long I spend gaming, yet I just can't get immersed, I just can't get pulled in anymore.
My buddy told me about the Witcher 3 and told me it's great and immersive like only the oldest games ever were, and yet when I played it....I got kind of bored, and lost interest somewhat fast. One possibility is that maybe with modern proliferation of game knowledge, we can simply google for anything we want rather than let the game help us find what we need, pulling us out for that much of the game, another possibility is that we recognize mechanics and animations for what they are, and we try and memorize enemy combat animations, and our own iframes and such, even if instinctively.
I honestly can't remember the last game I played where I got immersed into the game and just felt the world rather than just see it.
I've gotten past the tutorial area (even did all the quests in the area), and at first I was interested in it, but then the main storyline took off and I got to a new area and......the characters aren't pulling me in. Also the combat is kind of hard to enjoy. I'm tempted to also ignore much of the (micro?) management just to experience the storytelling, micro management such as breaking gear down so I can have materials to build good gear. The storytelling is kind of okay, but at a certain point I look at the map and I think to myself, "you know what? I can't be bothered to put in the work to go over there and pick up the quests in the area"
Something about the Witcher just isn't pulling me in to the setting.
Turn the map icons off, realize you will never be a completionist, and try to go to places that you have a reason to go to.
The icon hunt absolutely ruins the game otherwise.