Games. So many of them get made every year that if one were to play them all, one would not have enough time to do so. There are a few happy souls that are satisfied with playing the same game every year, but on the other end of the spectrum, there are collectors who stock up on every game that piques their interest. Of course, games are made for playing, not for collecting, which leads to the formation of a backlog of games for those whose gaming tastes extend beyond a few select titles.
For PC gamers, the problem is compounded by the highly attractive deals and bundles, as well as the easy availability of games from yesteryear. Bundles tend to club together a bunch of games of which only one or two might interest the buyer, who is then saddled with a few games they might not have bought in the first place. Sales on PC also give such attractive discounts that people end up buying games just because they are ridiculously cheap. While this means income for the developers, it also means a whole bunch of game copies that merely occupy digital shelf space, rarely to be used.
So how does one deal with a backlog? Firstly you need to acknowledge that you have a backlog and aren’t merely collecting games to support developers, i.e. you intend to play every game you own at least once. You should start by listing the entirety of your backlog either with a text document or spreadsheet or by using a site such as backloggery. This does mean investing time that could have been used to play games but the payoff is worth it. It also helps to not be discouraged by the initial size of the backlog. Note that you can shrink it if you eliminate all the multiplayer only games with no single player campaign.
The second step is to define what it means to you to complete a game in your backlog. Do you feel that merely trying out a game till it bores you is enough to get it off the list or must you at least finish the campaign once? Let’s be realistic and acknowledge that one can’t 100% every game they play and not keep that as a criteria. The criterion for ticking multiplayer only games, if you choose to include them, off the list could be limited to playing just one round or perhaps getting to a certain level target in that game. In case the multiplayer is dead, one can tick the game off the list simply due to the impossibility of being able to play it. Hitting the level cap shouldn’t be a criteria simply due to the vast amounts of time involved.
Time is the biggest factor in deciding if you can shrink or even beat your backlog. Figure out precisely how much time you can dedicate to this task. And what factors might reduce the time you have available. After all life does not run to your timetable. It’s useful to get an idea of how much time it would take you to complete a game but that also depends on your play style. Do you rush through games or would your rather explore every nook and cranny the developers created? The former will shrink their backlog much faster than the latter. Difficulty also helps with this, since one can finish games much faster on the lowest difficulty. In the end, it’s your choice how you want to play your games and you can vary your play style based on how much a game interests you. For those that own multiple platforms, dividing their time between them is an added challenge. This can be made easier by only focusing on what game title you want to play instead of the platform you will be playing it on.
If you are one of those gamers who must play the latest releases as soon as they launch, depending on the genres that interest you, you might end up with very little time to dedicate to your backlog. If that is the case you might as well forget about shrinking it and instead try to prevent it from increasing. There will usually be a new game drought period when you can take a crack at whittling your list.
Controlling the bloating of your backlog is very important if you intend to play through it. Resist the urge to buy games from sales and only buy bundles if you wish to play at least 80% of the games in them. Buying bundles just for 1 or 2 games will easily bloat your backlog unless you dump the excess games on friends or through giveaways. Do not buy games outside genres you prefer to play in merely based on recommendations and do not enter game giveaways merely for the sake of winning. Check out some gameplay videos and then decide if that game is worth your time, since a game that another loves might just be despised by you. Also avoid buying DLC for games you haven’t played. Buy it when you start playing that game and think it useful. Preordering games for the freebies should also be avoided. Steam’s family sharing feature should let you try out a friend’s games without adding them to your backlog.
When dealing with a large backlog it is useful if you can focus on a few games at a time. Do not keep more than 4 games installed at any given time so you aren’t spoiled for choice. Pick games to play based on your fancy or use a site to help you choose. A possible combination is one multiplayer-only game (can be from the backlog), one recently launched game, one single player backlog game and one go to game that you can play any time. Resist the urge to replay old games for the sake of nostalgia. If you game on multiple platforms, make sure you play a game only on one of them.
A good way to keep yourself motivated to whittle down your backlog is to find some incentive. This can come in the form of a rewards programme of some game client or one could start a blog of their quest. Perhaps one could stream their effort for others to cheer on or do a ‘Let’s Play’ series on a video site. However the biggest reward should be all the experiences you might have otherwise missed out on.
We play games for our entertainment and one should not allow it to become a chore. The moment a game stops being fun for you is the moment you should stop playing it. Shrinking your backlog shouldn’t come in the way of you having a good time. You can always revisit games later if you feel like giving them another chance or take them off your list and your hard drive forever. Good luck and have fun.
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To summarise,
- List your backlog and track it.
- Do not get discouraged by its size.
- Plan how much time you can give to it.
- Control your backlog from bloating.
- Decide what qualifies a game for being taken off the list.
- Multiplayer-only games need not be part of your backlog.
- Play no more than 4 games at a time.
- Lowest difficulty results in faster playthrough.
- Rushing through a game also results in faster campaign completion.
- Avoid replaying a completed game.
- Play a game only on one platform of your choice.
- Incentivise reduction of backlog to keep yourself motivated.
- Stop playing a game when playing it is not fun and remove it from your list.
