Is it over yet?

What does it mean when you beat a game? When is a gamer fully satisfied with a game and ready to put it away on a shelf? Sometimes it's when the final boss is beaten and the credits are scrolling up the screen. The story is over and "The End" is there to conclude your gaming experience. But wait, there's more! We've all experienced the "New Game +", where we can replay a game with new sideplots and harder gameplay. Does that mean that what we just accomplished was a prologue and THIS is the real game? Or is it simply just an enticement to keep you playing, a test to see if a player can really beat this challenge?
Or is it when all achievements for the game are obtained? Every single task has been explored to its fullest potential, hours or maybe even days spent trying to accomplish that seemingly impossible undertaking, another medal to add to one's belt to show off to your friends.
Either way, beating a game means different things to different gamers, whether it is just finishing a game's main plot or hours spent being a completionist.

This post was part of Gamer Banter, a monthly video game discussion coordinated by Terry at Game Couch. If you’re interested in being part of this, please email him for details.

Other takes:
Yuki-Pedia: The Curious Case of the Never-Ending Backlog
Zath: When Do You Know That You've Completed A Game?
Gunthera1-gamer: I have never completed a current generation game
Silvercublogger: What Do You Mean By Gamer Banter
The Game Fanatics: Gamer Banter: To Beat a Game
SnipingMizzy: Is it over yet?
Game Couch: The End?