People with backlogs: Why do you keep buying more games?
- Thread starter Poutine Runner 2049
- Start date
At some point I realized it was the act of finding and buying the game that had become my hobby instead of the activity of sitting down and playing a game for more than 20 minutes. It was compulsive like an addiction. Somehow I just made myself stop and now I don't waste money unless I know I'm going to play it and dedicate myself to it. It helps some actual noteable releases have come out particularly last year and this year instead of indies and surface-level interesting games.
Me too. I was having a blast with Dark Souls 3, played 25 hours em 4 days and now all I play is league of legends. Before that I was playing StarCraft BroodWar, then Bayonetta, before that 40 hours of Civilization V....
Because I'll come back to older games I missed during a drought and keep up with newer games to discuss them
Sometimes it's because I really want to play it. Sometimes it's because I think I will play it soon. Other times it's because I want to get it before it is no longer readily available. And lastly, I sometimes buy new simply to support the company (like anything I plan on buying from NIS or some indie games).
To support developer and keep the games industry running. Think about it, if every single gamer in the world never buy new games until they finish their old games, I think the industry would have died a long time ago.
Backlog is good for the industry.
Backlog is good for the industry.
My purchase of new games has heavily dropped compared to a few years ago, now I only pick up the stuff I absolutely need to play day one.
Do we have a backlog thread? It seems like a nice idea but posting about which games I completed doesn't really draw me. The biggest thing I'm looking for after finishing a game I'm late on is discussing the standouts with people. Problem is that the older niche games are only going to generate so much discussion. Sometimes when someone makes a lttp thread there can be a lot of people joining in which is great but generally the experience I had gets stored somewhere only to be brought up again whenever a relevant topic comes up.
Do we have a backlog thread? It seems like a nice idea but posting about which games I completed doesn't really draw me. The biggest thing I'm looking for after finishing a game I'm late on is discussing the standouts with people. Problem is that the older niche games are only going to generate so much discussion. Sometimes when someone makes a lttp thread there can be a lot of people joining in which is great but generally the experience I had gets stored somewhere only to be brought up again whenever a relevant topic comes up.
That was initially one of the major reasons I pre-ordered so many games but I eventually reached a point where by the time I got around to playing a game it would be on sale for much less.
Because there are a fewer and fewer retail titles for consoles that I'll be able to by used for a few dollars at the end of the generation.
Indie games present the problem that there are so many more to shift through. I also find it harder to take a chance on something lower reviewed.
Then the type of games I prefer are full 3D movement which isn't as with represented with indies. I also prefer Japanese games which are also poorly represented with indies.
Indie games present the problem that there are so many more to shift through. I also find it harder to take a chance on something lower reviewed.
Then the type of games I prefer are full 3D movement which isn't as with represented with indies. I also prefer Japanese games which are also poorly represented with indies.
Because many people receive an emotional high from buying something new, whether due to the item being on sale, adding to the collection, broadening our gaming knowledge, being a part of the current zeitgeist, etc.. We can dance around this all day long with reasons we find more acceptable, but that's the truth of the matter for the vast majority of people.
Recognition of this, alongside choice overload being a thing, has led me to cut down on my purchasing habits, though I still have a ways to go.
Recognition of this, alongside choice overload being a thing, has led me to cut down on my purchasing habits, though I still have a ways to go.
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Because it's a series I want to support Day 1 or I'm buying it at a price where I'll always be able to recoup at least 90% of the cost should I decide to sell it in the future.
Because I don't want to be left in the dust for the next big game I might enjoy and be unable to discuss it with everyone.
I hate being in empty fandoms....
I hate being in empty fandoms....
I have a bad habit of buying things when i get depressed. And when I'm depressed, I don't like to play a lot of different things
Even bigger reason, HUMBLE BUNDLE
Also, I stop playing games before I finish them a lot.
Even bigger reason, HUMBLE BUNDLE
Also, I stop playing games before I finish them a lot.
Gaming is my thing. It's hard to resist when a game I want releases. I got to have it. Then it goes right on the shelf. Oddly, I was doing fine managing my backlog and had got down to the single digits of the games left on my shelf. Then last year happened...
And Monster Hunter World...
And Monster Hunter World...
When the mood strikes, the game will be there. It's a nice thing to know in the back of my head.
That said, I don't buy games just because they're cheap or tons of people hype them. All the games I own are things I more or less have a strong desire to play at some point.
That said, I don't buy games just because they're cheap or tons of people hype them. All the games I own are things I more or less have a strong desire to play at some point.
Having more free money than free time is a big one.
Beyond that, sometimes I'm not in the mood for a certain genre or style of game.
Beyond that, sometimes I'm not in the mood for a certain genre or style of game.
Humble Monthly is so cheap.
That said, I've REALLY cut back since I've been broke being at home with my little son until recently. That and realizing it's very stupid to buy games, even for $10-40, that I won't play for months or years. I still haven't opened Last Guardian. Just started playing more than the first dozen hours of Persona 5. Just beat Horizon. And those are games I got on launch day.
That said, I've REALLY cut back since I've been broke being at home with my little son until recently. That and realizing it's very stupid to buy games, even for $10-40, that I won't play for months or years. I still haven't opened Last Guardian. Just started playing more than the first dozen hours of Persona 5. Just beat Horizon. And those are games I got on launch day.
I keep buying games (especially if on sale ;P) because I am always looking for that next game to just grab hold of me and take away my free time. These days it is rare. I think only a handful of games of done it in recent YEARS... but I keep trying. May seem like a waste of money, but it will always be there should I want to try again.
Hell, took me a bunch of tries to fall in love with many a game. What's next?!?!
Hell, took me a bunch of tries to fall in love with many a game. What's next?!?!
Steam sales, yo. For the price of 1 normal game, I can get 5 games on sale. Why would I not do this?
Gaming is my primary hobby and I like to support the devs and franchises I enjoy, and while I do have a huge backlog I do not usually buy more then two games a month. If I do buy more in a month chances are that I am going to at least complete one of those games ASAP.
I only buy games I really want day 1. I do not buy every popular release. If it's something I am on the fence about or "might" want to play it one day I just wait for a sale or something.
I only buy games I really want day 1. I do not buy every popular release. If it's something I am on the fence about or "might" want to play it one day I just wait for a sale or something.
It feels good to have them and I'm building a PC. It also kinda makes me feel like I have all the time in the world to play them. I dunno why. Fear of death? Who cares? Take my money, Steam.
I really like video games. And the deals are hard for me to pass up :(
But for 2018 I've made it a rule to at least complete a game on a system before jumping into another one or purchasing another one for that system. For example, I've completed BoTW on the Switch and now going thru Mario & Rabbids. During that same time, I've completed Nioh on ps4 and will now choose to play Wolfenstein 2 or AC: origin. I've also made it a point to only purchase games I know I want to play, and to stop taking long gaps between play sessions.
But for 2018 I've made it a rule to at least complete a game on a system before jumping into another one or purchasing another one for that system. For example, I've completed BoTW on the Switch and now going thru Mario & Rabbids. During that same time, I've completed Nioh on ps4 and will now choose to play Wolfenstein 2 or AC: origin. I've also made it a point to only purchase games I know I want to play, and to stop taking long gaps between play sessions.
sometimes a good sale is too hard to pass up though i will say this near the end of last year i managed to knock out a good chunk of my ps4 backlog thanks to me really only buying switch games over the holiday.
Sometimes a new game comes along that I really want to play when the zeitgeist is at its peak. I think that's fine tbh.
With that said, I completely stopped buying games on Steam about five years ago, and that has really slowed down the rate at which my backlog is expanding. I've also basically written off most of my Steam library as games that I'll likely never play, and...I'm okay with that. The vast majority probably aren't games that I'd even like, anyway, and only got because they were on sale.
I've also been making great strides in getting through my backlog lately, and that's a great feeling too.
With that said, I completely stopped buying games on Steam about five years ago, and that has really slowed down the rate at which my backlog is expanding. I've also basically written off most of my Steam library as games that I'll likely never play, and...I'm okay with that. The vast majority probably aren't games that I'd even like, anyway, and only got because they were on sale.
I've also been making great strides in getting through my backlog lately, and that's a great feeling too.
Like for real. As much as I hate having to wait for a game to ship to me, I always get a weird sensation checking my phone every few hours checking to see if my package will be there by the time I drive home. Or even driving to the store to get a new game feels great.
But the fact that my backlog is so big makes me not even feel like playing games sometimes since I know I'll never complete them all, especially not with new games coming out each week.
I honestly don't know why I continually purchase games when I have so many others to play through. Maybe I have a problem, I just like to buy games, it makes me feel "good" especially when on sale. I even buy last gen games when on sale .
I'll say this, going into this year I promised myself I would take a Sandy Alderson-esque approach to buying games and buy and large I've stuck to that. Didn't get Monster Hunter World or Bayonetta 2 for Switch. So far the only games I've pre-ordered have been MLB The Show 2017, God of War, Sea of Thieves and Burnout Paradise Remastered.
I've picked up Hellblade Senua's Sacrifice, Observer and Sundered on the cheap. Bought Mass Effect 2/3 and Dead Space 2/3 on the cheap as well. I've been strategic on what to buy and play this year early on, playing through some of my backlog and waiting for sales on games.
Usually I would pre-order and get stuff day one, only to see the prices drop a couple months later. Now I'm just waiting to see what I can nab on the cheap or on sale, waiting for the market to come to me. Like I said, Sandy Alderson-esque.
I'll say this, going into this year I promised myself I would take a Sandy Alderson-esque approach to buying games and buy and large I've stuck to that. Didn't get Monster Hunter World or Bayonetta 2 for Switch. So far the only games I've pre-ordered have been MLB The Show 2017, God of War, Sea of Thieves and Burnout Paradise Remastered.
I've picked up Hellblade Senua's Sacrifice, Observer and Sundered on the cheap. Bought Mass Effect 2/3 and Dead Space 2/3 on the cheap as well. I've been strategic on what to buy and play this year early on, playing through some of my backlog and waiting for sales on games.
Usually I would pre-order and get stuff day one, only to see the prices drop a couple months later. Now I'm just waiting to see what I can nab on the cheap or on sale, waiting for the market to come to me. Like I said, Sandy Alderson-esque.
Because Humble Monthly is a crazy good deal, for one.
Also, nothing's better than having a friend recommend me some obscure indie I've never heard of, only to find that I randomly have it in my Steam library. Usually that's because I like to buy uber-cheap indie bundles from various sites, use Steam Idle Master to get all the trading cards, and sell the cards for more than I paid for the bundle. Win-win, especially if 1 or more of the games is actually good.
Also, nothing's better than having a friend recommend me some obscure indie I've never heard of, only to find that I randomly have it in my Steam library. Usually that's because I like to buy uber-cheap indie bundles from various sites, use Steam Idle Master to get all the trading cards, and sell the cards for more than I paid for the bundle. Win-win, especially if 1 or more of the games is actually good.
I think it can honestly become a real problem. One of my good friends keeps buying games when and played most of them for a few hours. Then the next week he will do the same thing. Eventually he will trade some in. Basically pay full retail for a game, not beat it, trade it in, recycle
The games I like the most currently can't be "finished". Total War Warhammer 2, PUBG, COD WW2.
There are other games like these I dip my toe into on the semi regular, but they never get beaten.
I also dont buy games with expectation of finishing them. Even single player experiences. I play until I get bored then move on. But I do expect to at least try every game I buy. Usually close to purchase. So I either have a 0 backlog or a 90%backlog depending if count games touched or games finished.
ATM The only story/single player thing I'm playing that has grabbed me enough that i might finish it is Kingdom Come. But even then I won't force myself.
There are other games like these I dip my toe into on the semi regular, but they never get beaten.
I also dont buy games with expectation of finishing them. Even single player experiences. I play until I get bored then move on. But I do expect to at least try every game I buy. Usually close to purchase. So I either have a 0 backlog or a 90%backlog depending if count games touched or games finished.
ATM The only story/single player thing I'm playing that has grabbed me enough that i might finish it is Kingdom Come. But even then I won't force myself.
Collecting is fun and I rarely buy things before they hit $20 so even if I never get to them I'm not out that much money.
