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I finally figured out the secret to clearing my backlog


nealbo85

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After months of bouncing between games, partially completing some of them, switching and not really making much progress on anything, my game buying binges finally maxed out the storage on my 4TB external HDD meaning that I can't install any of my new purchases or PS+ games.

 

In the past week I've managed to clear off 5 platinum trophies, close to getting my 6th and then deleting them once done.

 

So yeah the solution for me personally has been to buy a stupid amount of games, spending a silly amount of money and preventing myself from enjoying new games I've bought.

 

I'm half joking of course but this barrier has genuinely given me the nudge to start clearing through my backlog - maybe I should have bought a smaller HDD :D 

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The best way to clear a backlog is to stop buying new games.

 

Also what helps me is being honest with myself, looking at my backlog and agreeing that some of these games I purchased or got with PS+ i'm never going to play because I just don't care about the game. Maybe I once did and maybe I never did.

 

I try to only buy cheap games a few times a year when on big sale (and I've had on my mind for months and decided I actually do want to play them, sometimes I realize a game I wanted for months is not something i'm interested in anymore even when it goes on deep discount), and buy only 3-5 games at full price/day one of release per year. I mostly stick to big AAA games with a single player focus and unique indie type games with a story focused. I only dabble in a very small pool of multiplayer games per year. I don't enjoy the infinite ladder climbing. I spent over 10 years playing WoW, that's pretty much my fill of grinding for a lifetime.

 

Compulsively buying games is an issue with self control/impulse control and may be linked with other mental health issues as well (I personally have had issues with anxiety/depression). I know that when I was sitting on a backlog of over 100 games at one point several years ago that it directly coincided with how out of control my relationship with my (now ex) wife was. I was also still collecting action figures and collectibles and junk like I was a child.

 

Fast forward 5 years, I re organized my entire spending habits (and mental habits). I don't mindlessly buy games anymore, I don't buy collectibles anymore. I'm 100% more happy than I ever was before when I was mindlessly consuming and living in a toxic relationship. My backlog now is about 5-10 games and never more than that.

 

You will be 100% more happy if you have only a small handful of games you actually truly want to play, and you'll be able to focus and play those games without having your mind wander and play mind games with yourself like "should I be playing this or should I be playing this other game" or "I have to play this even if i'm not enjoying it" etc.

 

Anyway my point is, I personally believe "the backlog" can be a sign of someone that needs to look inward and maybe make some life changes. Whether that's addressing boredom, depression, anxiety, or something else in your life you are trying to avoid by amassing this huge backlog of games you are almost certainly never going to get through and only serves as dead weight holding you back from enjoying the hobby.

 

Save your mental and fiscal health, just say no to backlogs!!!

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Sadly this didn't work for me on Steam when I had it happen.  I just started uninstalling games that took up too much space and eventually got a computer with a larger hard drive.  Glad it works for you though.  For me what works is setting a goal for my completion and number of completed games and work towards making that goal but not getting too upset if I fall short.

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I'm in a somewhat similar boat.  I got a ton of games for cheap over the years and have been slowly chipping away at those games.  I'm also trying my best to at least finish the main story of the games I start before jumping ship to another game.

 

It's tough though.  I was in a GameStop the other day and there was a Borderlands 3 steelbook copy on the shelf for $18.  I love me a good steelbook but I was able to talk myself out of it.  I would have most likely gotten the game and it would be sitting on my shelf for the next couple of months while I work through whatever is next on the docket.

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I usually have four rules for myself when dealing with my own backlog of games:

 

1) I can never have more than 10 games unfinished in trophy list at any one point that I've actually started, unless I've legitimately given it my all and I just can't do it.  

2) I buy almost every game on sale now and I never make purchase decisions I'll "regret" later. If you go to buy a game and you start to think "Maybe this is too pricey..." don't buy it. Wait for later.

3) After every AAA/game you really want to play, I play at least one "backlog" game. Typically ranked from shortest to longest. That way you're always bouncing between things and by the time you get bored with doing "backlog" stuff, you've "earned" the right to play another AAA game, which will "earn" you the right to play another backlog game, and so on and so forth.

4) Set purchase limits for yourself. I usually keep this to a max of around $100-150 a month because that's what I can afford. Once you reach that limit, stop and wait for next month to consider buying stuff. Sometime it sucks because something will come up on sale during that time but I actually find this has helped me make stronger purchase decisions in my games. This also keeps me from compulsively buying a ton of new AAA games and blowing a ton of money. I usually save those times for holidays/birthday only. :)

 

Sounds weird but this is helping me keep my % completion in goal/backlog management under control. Though with all these sales during this COVID thing my backlog of unplayed games has spiked. I just bought another 7 JRPG's last night that I probably won't actually get to until next year. Lol. 

 

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I find that the easiest way to clear out games you haven't played it by playing them.

But I also do what nealbo suggests, just keeping my HD full of games. It's nice to just have a selection on hand at a moments notice, but I can't play anything other than what's already on the system until I clear some stuff out. It's actually a problem every time ESO decides to put out another huge update.

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On 6/10/2020 at 8:07 AM, Jables_The_Hutt said:

The best way to clear a backlog is to stop buying new games.

 

Best advise ever. I had to change my tactics a few months back because my backlog was getting to big. Now, I wont buy a game unless I plan to start playing it immediately.

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I had a bunch of games, largely PS3 that built up in my backlog. Some were DLC, others just grind, others skill (grind too you could say). I basically devoted time to them I would use up just listening to stuff, so instead of being on a computer and reading forums/articles/what have you I'd play them. Two of them had boosting extensive to the point that me and the other booster (different one for each game) set up a time we'd both be on everyday and boosted an hour each day. Devoting even just an hour to chipping away at these things eventually gets them all done as long as you don't add to the number of the backlog, which doesn't mean not playing new games, just don't play a new game and then move on before finishing it up.

 

I'm 2 games away from having my backlog completely clear. One of them will be a breeze when I get round to it. The other is a long grind but I've done 80ish% of it by now I'd say so it's within sight.

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