Backlog. It easily the worst term in the gamer's dictionary. A gaming backlog is essentially just a representation of wasted money and worse then that, wasted potential. You look at that stack of un-played games and just know that they all deserve their time in the sun. But no, you don't give it to them, you have better things to do, or more often then not, play. Flashier things with bigger explosions and boobs.
The past four or five months has on my part been an effort to stem the rise of my backlog. I've handled this in different ways. I've ceased my aimless trips to Gamestop. Unless I have a game already in mind I no longer go in, because I know that if given the opportunity I will find something. In my head rests a digest of games I've always wanted to play and when I come across one, even with the foreknowledge that I'll never squeeze it in, I just have to it.
I've also sold off a lot of games that though excellent and deserving, I know I will never realistically play. I know it is a waste of money, even if I'm selling them on Amazon because I'll never get back what I spent. That said, it's an even bigger waste to leave them sitting in the dust taking up space.
And of course, I've been playing the damn things. Whittling away at them slowly but surely. Some months I manage to knock a few off the list while others, I add a few on. Either way, I hope I someday reach that place where I no longer have to buy a new game with the nagging guilt that I already have enough electronic entertainment to last me a decade.
So here it is, my current backlog:
Castlevania III (VC)
Super Castlevania IV (VC)
Ninja Gaiden (VC)
Ogre Battle (VC)
Suikideon (PSP)
Final Fantasy VII (PSP)
Final Fantasy VIII (PS1)
Fear Effect (PS1)
Fear Effect 2 (PS1)
Okami (PS2)
Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes (GC)
Pikmin (GC)
Wing Commander: Prophecy (GBA)
The Dark Spire (DS)
Chrono Trigger (DS)
Panzer Tactics (DS)
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii)
Overlord: Raising Hell (PS3)
There may be a few more I'm failing to recall, and this month alone is going to add a good four to the list thanks to review work.
Sigh...
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My backlog is around 50 games.
My reason for putting them off?
-I'm a HUGE collector of action games (I'm buying No More Heroes soon; I don't even own a Wii)
-I work as press, so I get review copies that have priority over a new purchase
-I'm married
Back in the day, I'd pop in an 80-ish hour JRPG and finish it in under a week. Now I have responsibilities! Real life /wrists!
I've told a few other people this, but here's my tip:
Beat the shortest games first. That way, your backlog lists gets smaller and smaller, and less daunting.
Sure, you can lie to yourself and say you'll eventually play it, but when the backlog rises and rises, what then? You do what is mentioned in this blog, sell it off simply because the will and desire to play it isn't as strong as it should be. I just don't see the point in lying to yourself, you do more harm then good.
I am firmly committed to finish a game before I move on to a new one, no matter how long it takes, I once had a backlog years ago, and decided not to buy any new game for six months, the result being I finished them all fully and had a heck of a time playing them.
I find having a backlog insulting and not being a gamer. You buy games to play, enjoy, experience, have fun with and even fall in love with. Not to buy them and put them on a self for a indefinite period of time, looking at it, knowing what you might never enjoy it.
I am not a collector, I play games, not collect a huge backlog due to my own stupidity and piss money that can be used for something more important, like food and just living costs, I'm not going poor because of my hobby.
I wish you all the best of luck with the completion of your backlog, I too have felt the pain, and believe me it's worth destroying your backlog. Such a sense of achievement.
May you complete your task. :)
So my backlog is because I'm part collector. Not buying new games for months on end is also a GREAT strategy. I did that the other month when my deadlines were light, and beat like 20 games in 30 days.
I beat any and all RECENT games: the only ones I don't beat are titles that I find in the bargain bin, and can't pass up.
It's kinda surreal you mention the crazy part, my best buddy, who is also a big gamer, finds me odd and slightly insane that I can sit down and play through a game without getting bored, I have a high level of concentration and patience (today I pulled out my TV set and for three hours I un-tangled all the wires, a task one would get easily frustrated at, but a task I gently whistled, literally, through), he always gets bored of a new game quickly and moves onto another one, simply because 'he can'.
I find yuo need good tome management skills, I am finishing p all mu uni work three weeks into the semester. whilst gunning down FF12 in the process, not a quick play through, but a slow, 90 plus one. Between work, uni projects, praying, exercising I have a good amount of time to spend on gaming, I just need to effectively manage it. I find with a good few Rpg's lined up, I can happily game for ages without compromising my lifestyle and responsibilities.
Heck, you, being married and having your own website, still manage to finish 2-3 games a week. Dude, that's awesome!! However, I would punch myself in the face if I had a 50 game backlog, not saying you should, but I'd groan if I knew I had all them waiting.
Oh, and I avoid bargain bins and shop on-line for games, so the prices are slightly higher for old games, making me much less inclined to buy them.