Backlog - A Bad Thing?

[Xeogred]

I think calling a collection of unplayed or unfinished games a "backlog" is a bad term. The term implies that the games accumulated are a pile of unfinished work, mere tasks that need to be completed. When in reality, a collection of games is more of a library, a wealth of fun to be enjoyed when you have the time. If you never finish all your games, who cares. The point should be to enjoy playing a game when you can, not stressing over checking games off like a to-do list.

I wrote about this stuff one time in the best video game blog ever* that no one bothered to read:

http://ardentexhuminator.blogspot.com/2 ... cklog.html

*In my admittedly totally biased opinion.

I actually thrive a bit on beating games. But that sense of accomplishment has always been there for me, so it's never changed. Hence why I have and always will never be a fan of MMO's and similar things with no beginning, middle, and end. I'm all for some long games in between, but at some point I want to move on and play other things.

I think it was RB that got me into the checklist habit. But I like that, and then I developed my own organization style for my shelving, separating beaten games from unfinished/unplayed games, basically just keeping my "backlog" separate.

It's always nice to have a little selection on the side though, so I don't mind a little build up, but do like to keep it under control.

I don't let it become a double edged sword to me though. If I don't like a game, I'm not going to beat it for the sake of beating it, I'll stop playing if it's that bad, or if it doesn't pull me in. But so far, I'm only dropping a few (1-5 or something) games a year, and seem to be averaging about 50 or so beat the last few years, so not a bad track record.

I think I'm near the 400 mark on my physical collection and I would guess 10% are unbeaten or some unplayed stuff.

Sorry I didn't really read this article or some replies, feeling sleep deprived and out of it so just rambling haha.

[laurenhiya21]

I don't think it should be considered a bad thing, but I feel bad about having a large backlog anyway Unfortunately I'm just really bad about not feeling bad.

[Sarge]

One of my deals is that I'm a sucker for bargains. If I see a game that I have a passing interest in, and it's really, really cheap, then I'm going to pick it up, regardless of how deep the backlog is. I recently did this in one of our local closeout stores, where I snagged about 20 games for around $74. Nine of those were Vita games, even! Will I beat all of them? Nope. But there's a good chance that one of those games is going to give me a ton of entertainment value, value that I wouldn't have expected.

One of the best examples I can give was snagging Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands for the Wii. When I picked it up (for $2!), I had simply intended to try to flip it (not something I do often), but then I found out it was a completely different game from the 360/PS3 versions, and I'd argue that it's even better than those.

Speaking of potential flips, I have to decide whether I'm going to hang on to that copy of Splatoon that I snagged for $10, or trade it in for a whopping $38.50 in store credit...

[TSTR]

Unfortunately I'm just really bad about not feeling bad.

know dem feelz

[ElkinFencer10]

I don't think it should be considered a bad thing, but I feel bad about having a large backlog anyway Unfortunately I'm just really bad about not feeling bad.

That EXACTLY how I feel. It should't be considered a bad thing, but I can't help but feel bad anyway. Yay for inexplicable self-deprecation!

[Exhuminator]

I have to decide whether I'm going to hang on to that copy of Splatoon that I snagged for $10, or trade it in for a whopping $38.50 in store credit...

Take the credit! Splatoon is... ehh, well you know how I feel about it.

==

I appreciate the compliments on my blog post earlier in the thread. If I'd had that kind of support when I was actually writing it, I might have kept at it. As anyone who's ever tried to write a blog knows, writing it is the easy part. Getting folks to read is the trick. Kind of hard to maintain steam when you feel like you're just pissing in the wind.

[ElkinFencer10]

I have to decide whether I'm going to hang on to that copy of Splatoon that I snagged for $10, or trade it in for a whopping $38.50 in store credit...

Take the credit! Splatoon is... ehh, well you know how I feel about it.

==

I appreciate the compliments on my blog post earlier in the thread. If I'd had that kind of support when I was actually writing it, I might have kept at it. As anyone who's ever tried to write a blog knows, writing it is the easy part. Getting folks to read is the trick. Kind of hard to maintain steam when you feel like you're just pissing in the wind.

I know that feel VERY well. I tried blogging a bit when I was in college, but I had the same problem - I had like two or three people read it rarely, and they were my friends from high school who already discussed the stuff I wrote about with me in length in person.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Splatoon kicks ass you rubes.

One good way to erase your backlog is to give your games to me.

[ElkinFencer10]

Splatoon kicks ass you rubes.

One good way to erase your backlog is to give your games to me.

I actually laughed out loud when I read your "suggestion." I had to come up with something to tell my students that I was laughing at. I figured "a message on a website about retro video games" wasn't the most professional answer (they don't need to know that I Racketboy while they work...lol).

Also, yes, Splatoon is freaking amazing. Single player is meh, and the local multiplayer sucks, but the online is fantastic, and you can't beat the creativity of the artstyle.

[Forlorn Drifter]

I, too, wrote about this at some length a while back:

http://kotaku.com/how-to-beat-400-games ... 1607296068

and a longish follow up comment: http://kotaku.com/one-more-tip-for-beat ... 1608077366

... I feel embarrassed never realizing that you wrote that article, it being about backlogs, by someone named Dave, and mentioning the Games Beaten thread should have tipped me off. I'm also assuming we had a thread on it. Heck, I might have commented in it.
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Backlogs are a funny thing to me, as I don't own nearly as many games as most here, and have a hemorrhaging need to sell anything I find I don't like/don't think I'll play anymore/got pissed at because I found it too hard because I'm a wuss. (Conflicts with my love of trophy hunting when playing on PS3, but what you gonna do?) On the other hand, for what I do have, quite a decent portion is unfinished. I've played Bioshock from the start to about 3/4s through about 3 times so far without finishing it. Don't know why.

I'd say they aren't bad unless they become a problem for you, whatever form that problem may take. For myself, and why I sell games so quickly, I feel a nagging need to get rid of anything I'm not getting use out of. That goes for everything, which puts at odds with my mother, who, while no hoarder, always seems to keep everything "in case we need it". (No, we do not need rotting pallet wood, and no, nobody wants to buy our awkward collection of Mexican Lone Star Beer advertisements.)

I also get put off of finishing certain games in my backlog because I want to share them with somebody, or other various reasons. I really, really want to share my gaming with someone not on the internet, but I have yet to find anybody I can do that with. I want to do some PC gaming, but I have a dinky computer, and my inability to play with a KB gets in the way, along with my short battery time. I want to finish my small Gamecube collection, but I don't want to hook any more game systems up at my college place for fear of how others may view me. Etc, Etc.

In general, no, it is not a bad thing, but you have to find your own way of dealing with or rationalizing it. Excuse me if my post is rambling and odd, I'm sleep deprived and somewhat tipsy.