I see what you're getting at here. Maybe by definition you are correct in that either task is similarly "productive", however if I draw all day at the end of the day I've gotten better at drawing, I have some drawings to show people, and if they are well done almost anyone can appreciate them. If I play games all day at the end of the day all I have is more content in the game, I probably haven't really gotten much better, and the only people who will 'admire' the time spent are the ones playing the games (In this case I know 1 person IRL who plays subspace), and at that it's not really something to be proud of to begin with. When I look back at the drawings I've done, I can see how my style has changed or progressed, and reflect on it. Whatever I do in a game eventually amounts to nothing.