musicMagpie Blog

How many games do you own, and how many do you actually play?

It's a question that most gamers will probably answer with "˜loads, and barely any of them'.

With more games coming out than ever and prices hitting new lows, most of us pick up games without really knowing when we're going to play them. Eventually, they start gathering dust and become part of the dreaded "˜backlog'.

A games backlog is a serious issue for a lot of gamers. It can ruin your enjoyment of gaming, making you feel compelled to play rather than actually wanting to play. It's a bit like having a second job.

Yet that still doesn't stop people buying more games. Like all forms of shopping, buying games makes us feel good…for a bit. Then the burden of having 30 games and no time to play them all starts to weigh you down.

So, with that in mind, here a few ways to clear your gaming backlog and restore some much-needed joy into your gaming life.

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Don't complete everything, but give everything a chance

Rule #1 of gaming: you don't have to complete everything.

Honestly, you don't. No-one's going to come round to your house and tell you off if you don't find all of the secret packages in Grand Theft Auto or spend 100,000 hours mastering Bloodborne. The only reason to complete a game is if you enjoy it. Otherwise, your time is better spent doing something else.

That said, the only way to find out if you enjoy a game is to give it a try. This excellent Reddit post suggests giving every game you own at least an hour, after which you should know whether or not you want to continue.

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Don't buy a new game until you've finished the game you're playing

Buying new games feels good at first, but not being able to play them all will make you feel inadequate and rubbish – and no-one wants that.

Instead, take it easy and play one game at a time. Once you're done with it, either through completion or giving up, you can treat yourself to something new!

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Use a project management tool to track your progress

It might sound a bit hardcore but using something like Trello to track your progress makes keeping on top of your backlog a lot easier. Split your games into categories like "˜now playing', "˜completed' and "˜played but done with'.

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Get rid of the games you don't intend on finishing

The less games you have on your shelf, the less pressure you'll feel. Sell your games now by clicking the button below!

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Stop playing games

The less time you spend playing games, the more you'll treasure the actual time you spend gaming – which in turn means you'll feel more motivated to tackle your backlog.

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Limit your time-wasting

The biggest drawback to clearing your backlog is getting hung up on one of gaming's many timesinks: think Call of Duty, FIFA and so on. These games are endless and eat up massive amounts of time you could be spending on other games. Give yourself a game every now and again, but don't get addicted!

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Remember: it's supposed to be fun

The most important lesson in this post: if you're not having fun, stop playing. There's no point playing games if you're not enjoying yourself!