A Lizard’s Guide to Gaming Backlogs (and why it’s no biggie!)
Gaming is a Hobby, Right?
I mean, obviously, the answer is yes. You, dear reader, probably play video games because they’re just plain fucking fun. Of course, what you get out of gaming varies depending on your tastes, among other things, but generally, games are nothing but an intrinsic hobby.
The Weight of a Backlog
So why has this idea of a gaming “backlog” been such an intimidating thing for so many gamers? I guess buyer’s guilt might be part of it. If you buy something, you want to get your money’s worth, and having a lot of games you’re interested in playing is sort of like making a to-do list. Even if it’s just a subconscious thing, it is far too easy to have built this so-called backlog of games that need to be conquered and enjoyed.
It’s Okay to Quit a Game!
Generally, not everyone is going to enjoy every single piece of media they consume. I’m sure that there are games you’ve played that kind of sucked that you finished anyways, and I know I’ve definitely had games I didn’t like. Recently, I played Hogwarts Legacy for the Nintendo Switch, and it was not a great experience. The pacing was atrocious and that felt worse off because of the long ass loading screens, the frame rate sucked, the graphics also sucked, and the gameplay wasn’t making up for it.
Anyways, we’re getting a little off topic here. The idea for this post came up after about ten hours into the game when I realized that I really wasn’t enjoying my time. I had just spent many precious hours of my free time on a game I literally didn’t like because I felt obligated to finish it! I pressured myself to knock it off the proverbial list and wasted my time instead of doing something I’d rather do instead.
I’m not saying that you have to drop a game the second you get an inclination you might not enjoy it, but if you’re letting something simmer and you still aren’t having a good time after a couple of play sessions, it’s alright to drop the game and either come back sometime else or to just straight up sell or give the game away. We only have so much time to spend outside of work, school, or regular old adulting, so it’s best to make the most of it.
Playing What You Like
I’ve been choosing to play Minecraft, a game I’ve been playing since middle school, in lieu of newer titles simply because I’m still having a blast with it. A good friend and I have been playing for a few months now, and I really do look forward to hopping onto my world after a long day at work. Times like these remind me why I love gaming so much. It’s timeless and it makes me smile, so what else matters? Not some arbitrary list of games I should finish to get that “full game experience” or whatever. There are other games that I would like to play eventually, but there’s no pressure to play them until I get to them on my own terms.
Don’t Add to the List
One last thing I’d like to communicate is that it’s alright to skip that Xbox or Steam sale if you’ve got games you already own and are interested in playing. Actually, you’re probably being more responsible by saving that money and not blowing it on a $5 title that’ll probably sit there unplayed for all of eternity. I think that any sort of “backlog” that a lot of folks accumulate would be totally shredded if you just stop buying games all the time. If they’re physical, share them, give them away, sell them! Building a library is great, but if it remains completely unused, then what’s the point?
IN CONCLUSION…
Skip the sale! Look at what you’ve got and just play what you like. There’s no obligation to play a game. It’s a hobby, so treat it as one!
Thanks for reading my post! As per usual, it’s always good to support the small internet, so even reading this stuff means the world to all of us here in blog land! （＾◡＾）♡