Dealing with Game Hording

[Senex]

We need a support group for game hording

I call myself a game collector.  Problem solved  .

Even better, we are game preservers.  I have SPI and other board games dating from the 1970s.

[ArizonaTank]

Valve's recent "helpful" clarification that games are licensed and not sold on their platform, has frankly made this a little easier for me.

At the risk of veering widely off topic, I'll explain.

The fact that Valve could in theory, decide not to renew a license, throws some cold water on my purchase frenzy.

Oh...I know that software has been "licensed" vs. "sold" for a long time now. But Valve helpfully reminded me of that when they "clarified" that earlier this year.

Now that Steam is a virtual monopoly, I can't help but think the "clarification" is the first step towards future marketing mischief. For example, an "infrastructure" fee for hosting titles that no longer generate revenue for Valve. Or maybe just outright "dropping support" for old titles that no longer bring in money.

I was once an enthusiastic Steam glutton. But now I feel much better spending my money with WDS, GOG or making a direct purchase from Matrix/Slitherine. Sure, they sell licenses as well, but at least you still get a downloadable, viable piece of software when you buy from one of them.                                 

Anyway, this line of thinking has definitely put a damper on my purchases overall, but particularly from Steam.

[smittyohio]

I'm not all that concerned with my PC game collection since the vast majority I get via sales, mostly with deep discounts.   It's my board game collection that takes up real space and gets the most comments.    

[rss334]

I'm also addicted to always keeping my installed games up-to-date, whether I play them or not.

I do that too!  I have the stupid idea it will make me more likely to try them if I don't have to do updates when I get the urge to try them for first time.

Never know when the internet might fail for not come back on, imagine having out of date games without an internet connection     LOL best to keep em all installed and up-to-date cause you just never know

[FarAway Sooner]

I'm not all that concerned with my PC game collection since the vast majority I get via sales, mostly with deep discounts.   It's my board game collection that takes up real space and gets the most comments.    

Dude, when the terrorists finally trigger that EMP device, we'll all be clamoring at your door!

[FarAway Sooner]

The first step to recovery is admitting that you have a problem.

 

[Senex]

The first step to recovery is admitting that you have a problem.

 

But my problem is that I don't want to recover.

[Sir Slash]

Yes but how are you ever going to get to the relapse phase if you don't recover first? 

[Toonces]

This is a funny and telling thread.

I just, last night, finally set up my gaming PC that's been in storage since my divorce (about 3.5 years or so).  Before that, I've been gaming exclusively on my laptop, which is still relatively powerful (for a 5 year old laptop) but that doesn't have PC power, nor storage, nor etc.

So I've been judicious on both my game purchases the last few years, and what I install, although I've bought games "for the future."

When I set up the gaming PC last night, it went through this ridiculous but expected updating routine.  I think the gremlins are mostly purged.  What I am left with is like a ghost of Christmas past, of games I own, but forgot I owned, and I anticipated to play but never did.

Rugby
Madden
Dragon Age
Witcher 1-3
Morrowind-Oblivion
Brother in Arms 1-3
Squad
Banner Saga 1-3
Alien saga
EU series
Total War: about 7 of them!

Then there were scrub games:
Full Spectrum Warrior
Truck simulators
And other stuff I'd have trouble finding especially if it isn't on Steam.

All of that is to say that when I restarted my PC, even though I owned but hadn't played those games in years, I had real trouble uninstalling them.  The collection I have on my laptop is tight, limited by both HD space and what it will run.  And I'm pretty happy, except the absence of flight sims.

We buy these games, and we have these expectations to play them.  I had those on my PC.  And when I saw what I had installed but never played: Kingdom Come, EU IV, Banner Saga Collection, etc, etc, I realized I'm pretty much done.

I have FOMO over a bunch of games for the sale, but geez, why even bother?  By the time I get around to playing them, another sale will be here and they'll likely be cheaper.

I have maybe 6 games I keep coming back to to play.  I don't have Jarhead's ability to learn new games every week.  I have my handful that I know, and that's just what I do. Any new game comes with a learning curve, and increasingly I'm discovering I just can't be bothered unless the pain is worth the cost.  Eg. Seapower.