Game Guy returns from his break with a confession to make: He wasn’t spending all this time just playing games.

Far from it. After all, all work and no play makes GG a dull guy (well, duller than normal, anyway). So it’s time to come clean. Truth be told, he was in Europe during much of the past two weeks, hiking mountains and taking in scenery that he sorely misses while wedded for hours to a game controller.

And, to be honest, he wasn’t pining to play — not when the highlands of Eastern Europe beckon. But he did notice something interesting: They don’t dwell on games over there the way we do here.

Case in point: “Madden NFL 09.” It debuted while Game Guy was overseas, but he never heard a word about it across the pond. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Seems there was something going on over in China called the “Olympics,” and most everyone was tuned to that during their down time.

Of course, there are gamers in Europe — Game Guy even knows a few. However, life outside the United States takes on a whole different meaning, one that involves a lot less flag-waving and chest-thumping (Though, with the Olympics going on, some of that was happening, too, especially when some such country over there managed to bring home a medal). And a lot less civic attention paid to digital distractions such as video games.

Which is why Game Guy is glad to be back home. Because, frankly, the obsession we have with games here enables him to have steady employment and pay the bills.

God bless America.