Of course, true enlightenment comes only when you accept that you will never be able to play every game you already own, let go of the worldly desire to clear your backlog, and buy more games anyway. At this stage of enlightenment, you transcend the need for willpower.
You’re saying I can dodge steam sales?
No Neo, I’m trying to tell you that when you’re ready…you won’t have to.
Transcending the need for willpower is a great way to put it, regardless where you end up. It’s always good to dig into the basics of what you really want, what you get from it, etc.
Like in this case, if it brings you some small joy to spend $14 and get a handful of games you’ve been reading/hearing about for years, I bet that is objectively a good use of your money and time given your priorities in life. No need for willpower, because you’re doing the small thing that helps you enjoy life.
In my case, I still play games on PC and console, but I started completely ignoring the sales and mostly not even using my wish lists. I still occasionally buy games, and most often on sale, but between my existing library and all the other stuff in life I am happy just ignoring the sales. No need for willpower because the desire went away.
The concept of “backlogs” as applied to entertainment needs to die in a fire.
My library of games is there to give me options for enjoyment. Reducing those options to zero would be a rather strange goal.
80% is very different from 0%.
Yeah, there is an eight out front!
I look at it like tipping a street musician.
The point isn’t to purchase access to the experience. You can get that for free if you want.
The point is to keep their creative outlet going, so I (and everyone around me) get to experience the next cool thing they do.
I support the arts as well.
Performance art, as it were
Early adopters of humble bundle crying in never being able to buy a game.
My Steam backlog is the only thing my kids will inherit. Sins of the father
Just don’t tell Gabe. (Seriously look up the statement steam put out about a father dying, wanting to give his steam library to his kid)
Fuck all rich people.
Steam sales seem great until you realize before steam we owned Physical copies that also went on sale sometimes and didn’t do the roller coaster of 5 year old game still $50 but on sale is $10, the price it should actually be given how old it is.
Fucking physical is a lost love.
0% off: I sleep
10% off: eye-crack
25% off: gentle stirring
33% off: lean up on elbow
50% off: tentatively reaching for wallet
70% off: Urgh to purchase… rising.
80% off: Real Shit
90% off: STFU, and Take My Money
It gets me every time.
Just saw We Love Katamari + DLC around ~80% off and immediately used a birthday gift card from a friend the moment I saw it. No hesitation, knowing full well I wouldn’t be able to play it until finals season ends like 3 weeks later. But I’m damn ready when it does end. Also knowing full well I have so many games to fucking beat this break 😭
I bought tears of the Kingdom when it came out because I could get it at $40. Still haven’t played it yet, but you know, it’ll still be $60-70 or whatever by the time I do.
I’ve adopted a policy of only buying if I am playing it instantly.
I don’t care if it’s on sale or not, if I’m not playing it in the next hour I’m not buying it.
I’ve never had a backlog since then, and never bought any games I’ve never played.
Most of the time, the biggest hurdle to a backlog is playing the first 10% of the game. Once I do, the other 90% comes much easier.
I feel like I do gaming right:
- Find a single blockbuster game from last year that looks good, download it
- Play it for 3-4 days straight over a long weekend without sleep, using a trainer to skip the grindey parts
- Finish it, get sick of gaming, sleep
- Don’t feel the need to touch another game for at least another 9 months
HEY! I can stop whenever I want!
I’ve adopted the policy of only buying a game if I plan to play it that day. Works well.
Also now that I’m unemployed I’m not buying anything. Reinstalled Morrowind (OpenMW) and realizing there’s quests I never even knew were here when I played this as a youth. It’s also super janky, but mods help.
Do games i got for free count?
I have played at least 100 minutes of every game i bought. At least 50 hours if not including the last game i got
What causes that dimming effect at the bottom of the images you post? I know it’s some kind of overlay, I just don’t get what kind exactly.
Old dude has a bad case of Sigmoid Lip.
Why buy games when Star Wars Galaxies Restoration exists and you can be a bounty hunter droid engineer or a heckin politician?
Lots of games can come in bundles, if you buy a bundle because it has 1 game you want in it, I don’t know if it really matters if you don’t play the other 8 in the bundle. Especially when the entire bundle is cheaper than the game you wanted.
Time to find a new teacher.
