How do y'all handle your backlogs?

[droaa]

In my 52 games challenge post on this forum, I have it setup so that I have listed one game per console I own to see what I have and what can be played. While I do at times go off of that, it is nice to have a list I can look up since for it me I have much more motivation if I have something written down rather than choose at random and never getting anywhere.

[Warmsignal]

I don't keep one. I basically just browse what I have and pick something.

[dashv]

It’s just like my ole gran-pappy used to say, “Just like eatin an elephant. One bite at a time. “

That’s not true. I never called anyone “granpappy”.

I treat it like a library, not work. Play what you want when you want. If you get sick of a game, put it on the shelf. If you want to replay something, pop it in. This is one place in my life that I don’t care about order. I don’t have a plan. I just do what feels good.

This is kinda how I do it also.

Nothing worse than playing a game out of a feeling of obligation. Or playing a game you enjoy another time but letting yourself feel guilty about not giving a new game a try.

The games are there for me. Not the other way around. :-)

[tripredacus]

Once upon a time I didn't have a backlog. And then I did and it was due to me only playing about a half dozen games over a period of 8 years. Then I got back on track again, and then I started collecting video games... an old habit returned shortly thereafter, only playing 2-3 games over a period of a couple of years.

So currently what I have been doing is just playing a different game a day. Sometimes I swap them out for something else, but it is the best solution I can come up with. Games I'm currently playing I put the Currently Playing part of this site.

[mrkonasoni]

Since I want to play most videogames from all consoles I follow the classic alphabetic order.

Sometimes I just play what I want or I am feeling confident I will enjoy.

I am also playing games that I had since 7 years ago and I never played till now.

[mark1982]

I haven't had much time TBH to play games at the moment while having a baby in the house. My PS4 is back in the box and I'm playing exclusively on my Switch because of the portability ease of use. I don't mind though, once the little one grows a bit I'll be able to get back to it.

[shfan]

The backlog's something I've been struggling with for years, I've been through different priorities/moods like everyone else at one time or another, over time I've realized that yeah, actually I am collecting things I'm not ever going to play and I'm OK with that.

I've got rid of a few hundred games in recent times, refocused on only picking up stuff I really like the look of (or if it's cheap) and trying to play through what comes in, even then the backlog's still massive. It's felt more like a job, a lot of the time, when looking for something to play it's more about finding something that's unplayed or unbeaten on my Backloggery rather than what I'm in the mood for, then there's pressure of trying to find something with a short play-time and.. nah, sod it.

Only about half my games are with me in the house, most of those currently are unplayable because the system isn't set up or can't be used ATM, so it's becoming increasingly pressurised to claw through it, so I'm currently going through my Backloggery marking most things as null. I'll focus on playing what I want, replay or new game, when I please, it's all self-inflicted anyway (or has been), so it's all getting a lot more relaxed...

[droaa]

The backlog's something I've been struggling with for years, I've been through different priorities/moods like everyone else at one time or another, over time I've realized that yeah, actually I am collecting things I'm not ever going to play and I'm OK with that.

I've got rid of a few hundred games in recent times, refocused on only picking up stuff I really like the look of (or if it's cheap) and trying to play through what comes in, even then the backlog's still massive. It's felt more like a job, a lot of the time, when looking for something to play it's more about finding something that's unplayed or unbeaten on my Backloggery rather than what I'm in the mood for, then there's pressure of trying to find something with a short play-time and.. nah, sod it.

Only about half my games are with me in the house, most of those currently are unplayable because the system isn't set up or can't be used ATM, so it's becoming increasingly pressurised to claw through it, so I'm currently going through my Backloggery marking most things as null. I'll focus on playing what I want, replay or new game, when I please, it's all self-inflicted anyway (or has been), so it's all getting a lot more relaxed...

Almost forgot about Backloggery existing. I have account with them since almost the very beginning and these days is practically abandoned. Back when I first started, I had only 24 unfinished games. Now I couldnt even say. I like your comment about about this being self inflicted which it is and it goes with the line of thinking I've had for some time now.

[shfan]

Yeah, I think a Backloggery account can go either way and there's definitely a risk of turning it into a dragon to slay rather than a way of keeping track of your collection, which has totally happened to me. Human nature I guess, as is being unable to see or accept that things have changed. Games are cheaper than ever, my adult self has better access to them than ever, I don't have enough time on this earth to play everything that might be of interest so what's the point of being a slave to my games collection..

[pzeke]

By neglecting it.

Kidding aside, a game or two at a time.

In regards to Backloggery: most people I've come across don't use it properly: stop adding games, especially whenever you get a new one, and just add the one's you've beaten, plus any that you're currently playing. Sure, the website can be used to keep track of your collection, but I think doing so defeats the purpose of the website in the first place.

Just the way I see it, of course.

[droaa]

By neglecting it.

Kidding aside, a game or two at a time.

In regards to Backloggery: most people I've come across don't use it properly: stop adding games, especially whenever you get a new one, and just add the one's you've beaten, plus any that you're currently playing. Sure, the website can be used to keep track of your collection, but I think doing so defeats the purpose of the website in the first place.

Just the way I see it, of course.

There was a time where I would do what you just mentioned and it turned out as well as you expect it. For game collection tracking, I dont really like but I did use for that for a while until I found this site.

[pzeke]

There was a time where I would do what you just mentioned and it turned out as well as you expect it. For game collection tracking, I dont really like but I did use for that for a while until I found this site.

I know a few people that use Backloggery as a way to track their collection, which is fine and dandy, really; but then a few of those same people bitch and moan when they see their backlog never going down. Might as well null the bulk of your collection and then slowly go through it, is my usual response.

[hoshichiri]

Back when I actually put effort into my backlog, I once took and old purse I wasn't using, filled it with slips of paper with game names on it, and literally drew a slip to pick a new game. I gave up on that becuase, eventually, you draw a slip for something you just don't wanna play- eventually it starts to feel like work, not fun.

I have accepted at this point, that there are games I may never devote a good, proper play attempt to anymore. I'm okay with that- I at least buy every game with an intent to play it, which helps keep me from grabbing whatever's around and cheap. One thing I am trying to work on- don't buy a whole series run until you've actually played a game or two in it! For example: I have the first 3 Darksiders games, but I haven't played one yet. I really didn't need to buy Darksiders 3 when I did... sure, it was on sale, but it's literally going for 5 bucks now. I could've done better. Especially since technically, I don't even know if I like these games yet! One side effect I've noticed of trying to stick to this is, it helps push me towards trying these games out! I started Yazkuza Kiwami when I was seeing the Remastered collection links coming up- basically telling myself 'you already bought Kiwami and Zero, play one of them before your buy more!' Turns out I enjoy Yakuza, although I feel hard into the Animal Crossing hole before I finished Kiwami. I need to do that!

[droaa]

Back when I actually put effort into my backlog, I once took and old purse I wasn't using, filled it with slips of paper with game names on it, and literally drew a slip to pick a new game. I gave up on that becuase, eventually, you draw a slip for something you just don't wanna play- eventually it starts to feel like work, not fun.

I have accepted at this point, that there are games I may never devote a good, proper play attempt to anymore. I'm okay with that- I at least buy every game with an intent to play it, which helps keep me from grabbing whatever's around and cheap. One thing I am trying to work on- don't buy a whole series run until you've actually played a game or two in it! For example: I have the first 3 Darksiders games, but I haven't played one yet. I really didn't need to buy Darksiders 3 when I did... sure, it was on sale, but it's literally going for 5 bucks now. I could've done better. Especially since technically, I don't even know if I like these games yet! One side effect I've noticed of trying to stick to this is, it helps push me towards trying these games out! I started Yazkuza Kiwami when I was seeing the Remastered collection links coming up- basically telling myself 'you already bought Kiwami and Zero, play one of them before your buy more!' Turns out I enjoy Yakuza, although I feel hard into the Animal Crossing hole before I finished Kiwami. I need to do that!

Im guilty of this. Always in the back of my head Im like let me start off with the first game, see what I think and then after the fact go for the others and needless to say I have failed doing that on multiple occasions. Yakuza is one of them from buying the ps2 games, then the PS3 games, the PS4 games as well as the remastered collection and never played a single one. I should be exiled for this.

[ffxik]

Poorly.  I keep buying games, I keep telling myself I'm going to play them.  I never get around to it.