When we were children, many of us never dreamed there would come a day when we’d own more video games than we knew what to do with. Conversely, as adults, many gamers have come to discover that backlogs are an all-too-common problem. Considering how many games are being released by big-name publishers and smaller independent developers, it’s only natural that you’d have a few untouched games taking up shelf space. However, if your backlog has ballooned to dozens of titles – or more – it may be time to rein things in by correcting the following behaviors.

You Purchase Every Game at Launch

It’s easy to see why so many of us opt to purchase every title that interests us at launch. In addition to providing us with the excitement of owning something brand-new, this approach to game-buying is extremely favorable to publishers and developers. For example, if you want to see a certain game get a sequel or help keep your favorite developer in business, purchasing a title on launch day can be an effective way to show your support. Furthermore, purchasing games at launch often entitles gamers to special pre-order bonuses.

However, buying every game that interests you at launch can be strenuous on your finances and rapidly expand the size of your backlog. For one thing, purchasing a game at launch generally means that you’ll be paying the launch price, which is often much higher than what the game will retail for in the near future. In fact, waiting several months to purchase a game can ensure that you’re able to buy it at a considerable discount.

So, the next time you’re interested in buying a new game at launch, ask yourself whether you intend to play it right away or add it to your backlog. If the answer is the latter, you may be better off waiting. Not only will exercising a little patience help reduce the size of your backlog, it also stands to save you some money.  

You Undertake Multiple Games at Once

No matter how avid a gamer you are, undertaking multiple titles at once is practically guaranteed to be a hindrance to keeping your backlog manageable. The more games you play at once, the longer completing each of those games is going to take. Conversely, tackling one game at a time can help you make some major progress in your backlog and dramatically increase your overall completion rate.   

You Refuse to Abandon Games 

It’s important to remember that gaming is meant to be a hobby – and hobbies are meant to provide enjoyment. So, if completing a certain game feels more like work than fun, there’s zero shame in abandoning it in favor of games from which you derive genuine enjoyment. Although many gamers take pride in completing famously difficult titles, this isn’t a good enough reason to devote dozens of hours to something you don’t enjoy.

You may also view completing games you don’t enjoy as a way to get the most for your money. And while it’s true that games can be expensive and wasting money is always ill-advised, there’s no point in pouring time and effort into a non-work-related pursuit that brings you no joy. So, the next time you find yourself plugging away at a game you no longer enjoy, take a few moments to consider whether this is truly a worthwhile venture. 

 

You’re Unable to Fully Enjoy the Visuals

Not all televisions are capable of showing off the full glory of modern games and consoles. If your current TV is among them, consider upgrading to one that’s better suited to gaming. In fact, some televisions are specifically designed with gaming in mind. Furthermore, if vision problems are preventing you from enjoying lush video game visuals, consider purchasing some stylish Cartier men’s glasses.

These days, it seems like a manageable gaming backlog can become an insurmountable one in the blink of an eye. With so many new titles hitting stores on such a consistent basis, even gamers with an abundance of free time are having trouble staying on top of their respective backlogs. However, while most gamers are bound to have a few untouched games lying around, you should take action whenever you notice your backlog growing out of control. To this end, take care to be mindful of the behaviors discussed above.