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Even If I never bought another game I'd still never get through my backlog

Amory

Member
Why do we do this? I was on the Wii U eShop yesterday buying the Metroid Prime trilogy and some GBA games I know I'll never get to "because oh no it's shutting down". Every day I check my inbox to see if I can order a steam deck yet.

I have a kid now, if I get to play a couple hours a week that's a lot.

What am I doing
 
People get addicted to purchasing things. Spending money is not just a formality that we think about rationally. It's as much of an activity as the entertainment itself for many people. When you buy something you get a little dopamine hit. Ever heard about people "addicted to shopping?" Well it's kind of true.

I was always aware of this, but Gamepass helped me break the cycle a bit finally. I get that sensation of new games dropped in my lap every week, and it helps me save a lot of money. I have less FOMO constantly clouding my judgment, and I get to think a little more clearly about what I'm buying. I definitely still buy too many games, but it's a lot less than it was previously.

I used to have every system dating back to NES but sold off most of it. I'm down to just PS3, PS5, Xbox Series S, Wii U, 3DS, Switch. I can get rid of my 360, and got the stuff I wanted digitally for dirt cheap. I have some PS1 games I still kept in storage just to have, but they will soon be unplayable when my PS3 dies.
 
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NeoIkaruGAF

Gold Member
There is no backlog.

You don’t have a backlog of people you want to fuck just because you don’t get to fuck them today - if ever.
You don’t have a backlog of places to visit just because you don’t get to travel there today - if ever.
You don’t have a backlog of food, just food you bought and you won’t get to eat before it expires.

You buy stuff because it’s there and you think you want it, without a clearcut intention of consuming it at a definite time. We all do, and the intention may never be there because we have this thing called life going on.
Buy less stuff if the waste of money may cause you trouble. Otherwise, you have the stuff. You may one day consume it - or not. It’s not a backlog. Don’t see it as one.
 

DGrayson

Mod Team and Bat Team
Staff Member
Why do we do this? I was on the Wii U eShop yesterday buying the Metroid Prime trilogy and some GBA games I know I'll never get to "because oh no it's shutting down". Every day I check my inbox to see if I can order a steam deck yet.

I have a kid now, if I get to play a couple hours a week that's a lot.

What am I doing

We have all been there. I stopped buying games really now unless huge on sale. Dont worry about it too much.
 

Drizzlehell

Banned
Boy isn't this thread relatable as AF

I think for me personally it's just about the thrill of buying new stuff. Like opening a present or something. But as soon as I acquire that which I didn't have before, it too becomes mundane and I lose interest in it.

I may get around to playing it someday, or I may not. But the good thing is that I at least have a lot of free time on my hands so I actually get around to playing most of the shit that I buy. Not always, though. I bought The Last Guardian almost two years ago and I still haven't even touched it and I think that the oldest purchase that I made and never got to play it was about 10 years ago.
 
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Amory

Member
People get addicted to purchasing things. Spending money is not just a formality that we think about rationally. It's as much of an activity as the entertainment itself for many people. When you buy something you get a little dopamine hit. Ever heard about people "addicted to shopping?" Well it's kind of true.

I was always aware of this, but Gamepass helped me break the cycle a bit finally. I get that sensation of new games dropped in my lap every week, and it helps me save a lot of money. I have less FOMO constantly clouding my judgment, and I get to think a little more clearly about what I'm buying. I definitely still buy too many games, but it's a lot less than it was previously.

I used to have every system dating back to NES but sold off most of it. I'm down to just PS3, PS5, Xbox Series S, Wii U, 3DS, Switch. I can get rid of my 360, and got the stuff I wanted digitally for dirt cheap. I have some PS1 games I still kept in storage just to have, but they will soon be unplayable when my PS3 dies.
Theoretically something like GamePass should be a good solution for me, but it doesn't stop the influx.

Frankly at this point I don't even know what I own anymore. None of it is cataloged. Sometimes I'll go through a box and be like when the hell did I buy Tales of Symphonia on PS3? Where even is my PS3?
 

chixdiggit

Member
Yeah it's a real problem. Last night I bought Dune Spice Wars even though I have Game Pass and an enormous backlog on Steam.
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I am waiting my first kid in 2 months and i am playing all i can (around 4 hours per day) as i know gaming will take a break soon :)
Congrats dude! You'd be surprised by how much babies sleep... its basically 24/7 with tiny breaks for eating and diaper chagnes and like 10 mins of playing and interacting. You'll start losing time closer to 8 months ;)
 

nush

Gold Member
My backlog goes back to 8 bit consoles, I often only get around to them when they are roms.

You just have to regognize that dopamine hit of getting something new and "It's cheap and I'm saving money" also "When I do play it I'll enjoy it". Accept the reality that our lives are too short and too busy to consume all the different media available and make the same choices you would before you could afford to buy whatever games you wanted. That one game for your birthday or Christmas.
 

Digfox

Member
Same boat here.

That said I've become much better at buying less new games and playing through my backlog, particularly compared to my old Wii/PS3/360 days. I only buy new games at full price (or near) for the Switch and that's physical games only, which helps as I see these more as a collection. With digital games on my other formats I wait for a deep sale or some cases not bother and play on Game Pass or GwG/PS+. A few years ago I started to make more of a conscious effort to track my backlog on a simple spreadsheet and I've managed to get it down from about 280 games to 170 games.

What's also helped immeasurably is staying away from Live Services. A few years ago I used to love playing games like PoE, Warframe, Destiny 2, TESO, The Division and WoW. And this really helps free up the time I do have for other games.
 
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I used to buy so many games at launch, now I rarely do and it has really helped with my backlog, that’s not to say it isn’t still massive or that I don’t buy games that I don’t play right away, but I’ve reduced the amount of games I buy just because they’re on sale or hyped, though sometimes it’s hard to turn down a good offer.
 
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Kssio_Aug

Member
Well, normally we consume gaming "news" and marketing all the time, which lead us to consume more than we should. But since you're aware of this, just think twice before buying something out of hype.
 
I'm 43. Assuming I can make it to 80, even if I play video games 16 hours a day, 7 days a week until I die I can't play all the 600+ physical games I have access to right now. Now add in my 1000 game digital library across my consoles which is full of games I got for free or on sale. Now add in my Steam library. Now add in all the ROMs installed on FPGA and modded systems I have access to. I can sit down and play every GB, GBA, NES, SNES, N64, Genesis, Sega CD, Saturn, Dreamcast, PS1 game every released. Now keep in mind I'll probably replay some old games again. Now keep in mind many of those games take well over 60 hours to complete. Now keep in mind gaming isn't my only hobby.

I stopped buying new games almost entirely a few years ago. It was partially because my backlog was expanding faster than I play the games but also I find waiting a year allows me to "sleep on it". Most games are at least a bit broken at launch. DLCs and expansions are not included and the price of games is mow over $80 where I live plus our high taxes. If I wait a couple years often times I forget entirely about it, or I get the game for a fraction of the price with it's DLCs included. In the meantime I chip away at the backlog.

The best thing you can do is buy games as you have time to play them. If a game goes on sale you don't have to buy it, even on sale you saved nothing if you never get around to playing it. It will go on sale again.
 

OmegaSupreme

advanced basic bitch
Same here. I've slowed down my purchases a lot but I'll still never even play at least half of my backlog. I'm going to have to leave my massive steam library to my daughter to finish when I pass I guess.
 

jshackles

Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
It's a form of Tsundoku and it's a real thing.

It's literally so common in Japan that they have a word for this - at least with books. And that word originated over 100 years ago, so it's not like this is a recent phenomenon.
 

Lunarorbit

Member
There is no backlog.

You don’t have a backlog of people you want to fuck just because you don’t get to fuck them today - if ever.
You don’t have a backlog of places to visit just because you don’t get to travel there today - if ever.
You don’t have a backlog of food, just food you bought and you won’t get to eat before it expires.

You buy stuff because it’s there and you think you want it, without a clearcut intention of consuming it at a definite time. We all do, and the intention may never be there because we have this thing called life going on.
Buy less stuff if the waste of money may cause you trouble. Otherwise, you have the stuff. You may one day consume it - or not. It’s not a backlog. Don’t see it as one.
Wait, you don’t have a backlog of people you want to fuck just because you don’t get to fuck them today?

Even though I primarily just play on Playstation I must have 150 games in my backlog. I know that's nothing compared to a lot of people.
 
Why do we do this? I was on the Wii U eShop yesterday buying the Metroid Prime trilogy and some GBA games I know I'll never get to "because oh no it's shutting down". Every day I check my inbox to see if I can order a steam deck yet.

I have a kid now, if I get to play a couple hours a week that's a lot.

What am I doing
yeah same here ! i have no kids but i don't get to even try to finish my backlog , i have so many games and i keep on buying them , it feels like it's just as fun waiting for a new game or reading about them , it feels more like a collection then anything else and waiting for a game is something to look forward to in this weird ass matrix we live in .
 

Termite

Member
I have the opposite problem. I don't buy anything unless I'm vey excited about it and going to play it right away. In the event that some event obstructs me from playing that something I bought, then after 3 years it's a write-off - if I had really cared about it I would have gotten to it. It rarely happens.

This leaves me in a situation like last night where I'm sitting there thinking "Damn, I have fuck-all to play". Ended up starting F1 2021 off Game Pass. It's actually pretty damn good.

I guess I'd like to try Hitman 3, Hellblade and Yakuza Like a Dragon from Game Pass. That's it. That's my whole backlog. I do manage to play/beat about 50 games a year, maybe that explains it....
 
I have no illusions of ever getting through my current backlog in its entirety. Especially because I like to "git gud" at games I play, get deep into games and unlock extra characters/modes, potentially beat multiple times, achievement hunting, etc.

I have about 100 Steam games and about 75 physical games scattered across my retro consoles.
 

Ellery

Member
I wish I had as much time and energy as my brain romanticizes playing old games, but the reality is that more often than not I have a hard time playing older games. Mostly due to Quality of Life changes or graphics or me in general losing interest to getting older/things changing in my life that change the perspective.

Lately I've been better at it, even though I still have some games in my backlog I'd like to play, but the real focus is new story driven single player AAA games. So mostly first party Sony and Nintendo exclusives (or 3rd Party AAA games) with lots of variety from PC, gamepass, future PS+ sprinkled in. From Elden Ring to Vampire Survivors, but the Kingdom Hearts Collection I bought still has to wait in the backlog and probably for quite some time.
 

Mossybrew

Member
Never been an issue for me, don't have any kind of "backlog" at all, I don't buy a game unless I am going to play it right away.
 

Mr Hyde

Member
I can totally relate OP. I buy more games than I play nowadays. I have so little free time right now, I've basically two jobs now working my fucking ass off, but I love gaming so much I still follow the news and keep buying games. With every game I buy I always think "When I'm retired I'm gonna get to it".
 
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AndrewRyan

Member
I've noticed that no matter what the hobby, we humans tend to collect all the things. lt's most obvious when you're brand new and observing how many 'sets' of things the people already in the hobby own, and it seems excessive. After a while you don't notice anymore cause there's perfectly reasonable explanations for why you need all those variations. ;)
 

WitchHunter

Member
Why do we do this? I was on the Wii U eShop yesterday buying the Metroid Prime trilogy and some GBA games I know I'll never get to "because oh no it's shutting down". Every day I check my inbox to see if I can order a steam deck yet.

I have a kid now, if I get to play a couple hours a week that's a lot.

What am I doing
Maybe you are afraid that the nonexistent entities who intimidate with cheap tricks will bite you in the arse?
 

WoodyStare

Member
I have a massive backlog for my XSX and PS5, and yet I purchased a Wii a few months ago to catch up on GameCube games. I’m even considering purchasing a PS3 again since some games will be stuck on there indefinitely and the store is closing next year. I’m sure I won’t get to everything, but it’s nice to have these options available. Sometimes I’m in the mood for something recent, other times retro.
 

Damigos

Member
Congrats dude! You'd be surprised by how much babies sleep... its basically 24/7 with tiny breaks for eating and diaper chagnes and like 10 mins of playing and interacting. You'll start losing time closer to 8 months ;)

Thanks for the info, it seems I still have a bit of time left :)
 
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My friends dad died a few years ago. He inherited his dad's Steam account, it's likely his dad had a full backlog on there of games unbeaten
 

jufonuk

not tag worthy
Why do we do this? I was on the Wii U eShop yesterday buying the Metroid Prime trilogy and some GBA games I know I'll never get to "because oh no it's shutting down". Every day I check my inbox to see if I can order a steam deck yet.

I have a kid now, if I get to play a couple hours a week that's a lot.

What am I doing
I know that feel. Sometimes I think I addicted to collecting games. My backlog is going to last years. I’m still slowly going through BoTW. Can probably play a few hours a week here and there
 

LordOfChaos

Member
Stop fretting over the backlog, stop playing things you're not enjoying. Many of us are growing up, more able to afford things, but with less time to enjoy them. That's ok. Focus on the quality over just checking things off a list.
 

Amory

Member
Stop fretting over the backlog, stop playing things you're not enjoying. Many of us are growing up, more able to afford things, but with less time to enjoy them. That's ok. Focus on the quality over just checking things off a list.
I do need to free myself from the feeling that every game needs to be finished, or that achievements matter if I'm not enjoying the ride
 

wipeout364

Member
Think about it this way:

You know how some people donate tons of money to political parties even though they know nothing will ever change.

You are just donating money to allow more games to be made; supporting what you believe in. If you think about it that way you won’t be so upset.
 

Holammer

Member
Said it before, my Steam account is a pokedex. Gotta catch em all.
Sometimes I buy games just because it looks good (pixel art helps) or the dev is a cool underdog.

Bought this one at release because it checked all the boxes for me when I saw a preview/review on Nichegamer. In fact, let's install this fucker right now!

 

Spukc

always chasing the next thrill
Why do we do this? I was on the Wii U eShop yesterday buying the Metroid Prime trilogy and some GBA games I know I'll never get to "because oh no it's shutting down". Every day I check my inbox to see if I can order a steam deck yet.

I have a kid now, if I get to play a couple hours a week that's a lot.

What am I doing
weakling
 

Ceadeus

Member
Don't worry about it. I think it's fun to have a collection so when you have time, it's nice to finally pick a game you've been curious and gives it a couple hours.

You don't HAVE to complete everything in your life, especially video games and other hobby. They're there because you like it, it comes with no responssabilities, just enjoy and don't think too much about it. I mean, don't go bankroupt either lol.

Buying games is as fun and collectable as buying music album or books. There's nothing wrong here to have a ''backlog''.
 

kiphalfton

Member
Why do we do this? I was on the Wii U eShop yesterday buying the Metroid Prime trilogy and some GBA games I know I'll never get to "because oh no it's shutting down". Every day I check my inbox to see if I can order a steam deck yet.

I have a kid now, if I get to play a couple hours a week that's a lot.

What am I doing

I do the same shit. Unnecessary spending is a big issue for a lot of people. I just bought a Samsung QN90A because “it was a good deal”, even though I otherwise have no need for one and the TV it will be replacing has been primarily used for streaming and works perfectly fine. Same thing with tools. Just bought some more in the past couple weeks even though wood is expensive as hell and I don’t plan on building anything any time soon as a result.
 
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