Topic: How do you deal with your backlog?

I'm a Nintendo-only gamer and I have a backlog (not a huge one thankfully), so I don't know how I'd cope if I had a PS4 as well. In fact, that's one of the reasons why I've always limited myself to being a Nintendo-only gamer as I feel it makes my life a lot easier that way.

Recently my already ample GameCube collection has been growing. I always thought my GameCube collection was done, but apparently not, as I've been buying quite a few old GameCube games that, for whatever reason, didn't pique my interest at the time, but have done now. But in that time my Switch backlog has now grown...

I think Nintendo combining their home and handheld consoles/libraries with the Switch will be great for my backlog, as it's not a problem I ever used to have back in the 80s/90s/early 2000s. I guess perhaps I can trace it back to the introduction of eShops, which added an avalanche of extra games to the release schedule. In recent times, I was finding that a home console library (plus eShop) and a handheld console library (plus eShop) was getting hard to keep up with, so in that sense the streamlined approach of the Switch is a Godsend.

In terms of advice I'd say; go on howlongtobeat.com, find out which games are shortest, do them first. I've had Xenoblade Chronicles X sitting in my backlog for years now. I know it takes frigging 70 hours to beat... When I can beat like 7 or 8 normal-sized games in the same time, it tends to keep getting sent to the back of the backlog. I've penciled it in for next year (again).

I abandoned by backlog. I'm going to sell or trade in a lot of games. I haven't really had a backlog on the Switch because I only buy games I know I'm going to play now. I've taught myself not to buy games just to buy them even though they are on sale. It's hard lol

I keep my backlog reasonable and i manage my finances accordingly. I play what I have first. At least, most of the time. Alot of my backlog, I just bought because it was cheap, and a game to play on a rainy day. Games I spend solid money never tend to go unplayed for very long, though I am a cheap gamer in general.

a) I don't see a backlog as much of a problem. Gaming is seemingly going digital, which isn't something that appeals to me, so I'm stocking up before time as I like control over what I play, and the 'collecting' side of it is a casual bonus. I only ever really buy digital games when under £10, so when I do buy digital, it's not like the price is going to go much lower anyway.

b) A number of factors have coincided to make this generation a big indulgence for me. In five years I've gone from rarely gaming on my PC and Wii, to owning Wii U, 3DS, Switch, Vita, PS3, PS4, PSVR, XB1, NES Mini, SNES Mini, Mega Drive Mini, buying hundreds of games in the process. That can't happen again because I've already now bought most of the games I consider worth owning/playing. I don't intend to invest in the next generation until the new consoles have had big price cuts (£200 has been my investment threshold on the big purchases) at least, so I've got at least 3 years now to enjoy what I've got and disembark from the hype train for a little while.

c) I'm not someone that plays just one game from start to completion. I dip in and out as my mood takes me. Forcing myself to finish one game before buying another would take a certain amount of fun out of things.

Power through it and enjoy it. 60 games down so far this year and my Megadrive backlog is getting closer to joining the Gameboy in being completed.

Two separate approaches. Firstly I try to only buy games I have a good chance of liking enough to play through. I'll step outside of that comfort zone if there's a real bargain and there's huge amounts of critical acclaim. But generally I'll stick with things I know I'll enjoy. I'm kinda on the fence about Astral Chain for this reason.

From the other side of it I just generally don't worry about not finishing a game. If I'm not enjoying it what's the point? If playing a few rounds of Smash, Overwatch or building a level in Mario Maker is going to be more enjoyable then that's what I'll do.

Oh, and thirdly for consoles I try to get through the backlog when there's a platform change. Before the Switch launched I largely cleared my 3DS and Wii U backlog. Purely because I knew that once the Switch launched those games were going to look worse and be harder to access than games on the Switch. Mostly because I only have one console connected to my TV at a time. Obviously this motivation doesn't work for PC games, "PC generations" isn't a thing.

@Magonigal How do I manage my backlog? I add to it. I've never had a backlog like I have with the Switch. Largely because the Switch is the first console I've really loved since I finished college and got a full time job - thus had more disposable income.

In all seriousness, the one thing I do do is to to try to limit playtime for endless games. Games like Mario Kart and Splatoon 2 where they really don't finish - you can just keep playing multi-player forever. That way I can play games that actually have endings.

No backlog over here! I just don't buy games until I'm ready to play them

I have decided to cut down on new purchases. Want what I have, not want more.

I don't really "deal" with my backlog, per se, but I just don't worry about it. I strangely have trouble finishing a lot of games, especially larger ones unless they really capture me, something very few games manage to do. I tend to put 20 hours into a game (I've done this with RDR2, Persona 5, Dying Light, etc.) and then for one reason or another, I move on. Probably not the answer you were looking for, but I find just not worrying about having to play all these games tends to be best. I try not to stress about too many things, and I don't think video games are a good thing to stress about.

Cries in student

@Heavyarms55 Yeah I seem to get more games on the Switch than any other console I have. I don't know why that is but It's my favourite console for playing. Especially for local multiplayer, it's the best ever for that

From most of the comments it sounds as though people are quite restrained when it comes to buying games. I think i just get carried away with wanting to play the best games and maybe it's a bit of an addiction because I don't actually spend a lot of time playing games although it goes in phases where i'll play solidly to finish a game (just gone through all the modern Tomb Raider games and Uncharted series) My best way of playing is to have fun with my nieces and brother in multiplayer

Generally have a complete 3, can buy 1 rule. I made exceptions for Wii U ports (as I own the originals) and games with rare special editions like Fire Emblem Three Houses though I decided not to start the latter until I completed the Gears of War campaigns.

Denial.

I was going to say I don't have that big of a backlog on Switch but now that I think about it, I do. I was well aware of my backlog on other consoles and I didn't like it but now I've just stopped worrying about the games I haven't gotten to yet. I'll get to them eventually. If I had ever truly cared about beating every game I own, I wouldn't have played 400 hours of Smash 3DS and 700 hours of Pokémon Shuffle. I'm usually juggling 3 games or so at once. Mostly games I haven't finished yet. I usually don't go back to games I've beaten unless I want to play through them again. I don't usually go for 100% unless I really love the game or there's not that much left to do after beating it and I want to continue.

I just like owning games too. Be they physical or digital. I do not consider myself a collector per say but I have lot of games for bunch of different consoles. I prefer quality over quantity and that's why I'm kind of ashamed of my retro games. I got into buying retro games ~5 years ago and I've not even touched half of the games I bought back then. I bought them in bulks since individual games are expensive and that means I have plenty of games I haven't played. And I don't really plan to either since most of them are bad. Yet, I'm not the kind of guy who wants to get rid of games.

Until recently, I was making some good progress on gradually paring down my backlog by sticking to a set budget per month. Unfortunately, the 3DS's EOL has spurred me to grab a lot of its games (as well as a small handful of DS games) before they permanently disappear and/or rise in price...which is slowly happening with almost all but the newest releases. I'm MOSTLY done with purchases for the time being for various reasons and have put myself on a new game embargo (ignoring a couple of outstanding preorders) for the next couple of months. This is admittedly a bit easier at the moment since I intentionally don't have a Switch quite yet.

I typically play 2-3 games at a time and stick with them unless I really don't like what I'm playing or am very uncomfortable with something in it; it's still hard sometimes, but I'm not afraid to drop a game without finishing it. There are plenty of games out there and only so much free time to play them in. I also rarely play two or more games at once in the same genre in order to avoid burnout. For example, I'm currently juggling a JRPG and a platforming Metroidvania-type game.

This one made me snort. XD Sad but true in some instances.

The end of the Wii U changed my approach, which is now really two things: First, I set a budget for my purchasing and for the most part stick to it. That makes me think hard on purchases as it depletes the budget (resale almost never recoups everything). Second, is that I am not afraid to admit that I made a mistake and walk away from a game (reselling it if possible) when I feel I am done with it.

My backlog isn't really that big on the Switch atm.
I just need to take out Duke in Tales of Vesperia, other than that I don't really have anything on my backlog.

I won't play Yoshi's Crafted World unless I find someone to do co-op with.

how i do it is after a certain amount of time i drop game from my list then i drop systems
so now i just on the switch now and have few for n64 and gba