Collecting vs. Gaming

• Katamari Forever
• Guitar Hero 5
• Uncharted 2
• Brutal Legend
• The Beatles: Rock Band
• Torchlight
• Dragon Age: Origins
• Borderlands
• Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
• Demon's Souls
• Wolfenstein
• Okami
• Aion
• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
• Chrono Trigger

• Katamari Forever
• Guitar Hero 5
• Uncharted 2
• Brutal Legend
• The Beatles: Rock Band
• Torchlight
• Dragon Age: Origins
• Borderlands
• Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
• Demon's Souls
• Wolfenstein
• Okami
• Aion
• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
• Chrono Trigger

To be simply put, you need someone to control your spending habits.  Personally, I have been pretty much getting into my own craze of collecting.  Not sure why though.  I used to really play video games.  Now I am buying up games even though I don't need to.

I'm just the same way. Buy WAY more games then I have time to play.
 
I used to be really good at waiting. Now it's just instant gratification all the way. So before i reasoned "I do not have the time to play this game right now, I will buy it in three months, and by then the price probobly has dropped". I have no idea why I can't wait anymore. But it seems like you are on the right path now. 2-3 games a month is enough for most, if you don't play games for a living. :)

Most people collect something. Collecting games isn't the worst habit in the world - at least you can play and enjoy them (eventually). Some people collect figurines that just sit on a shelf. Good luck with it - enjoy the games.

I just keep track of 'em, that way when I want to play them? BAMTHEREITIS, no one says you have to play the game as soon as you buy it.

Since I'm still a student and living in Germany (expensive games) I don't have that much of an collection. I had like 25 Xbox 1 Games back then but now I'm more into partying and fashion so there's not that much money left for games. I often sell them after I played and completed them once oder twice to get new ones. In addition to that, many of my games are used or at least not full price and to be honest, I have no problem with that.

I'd quit useing your addictive and obsessive personality as excuses and cut it the fuck out, personally.

Just put some rules into your buying:
 
1. Only buy on sale. Keep a list of the games you want but don't buy them until they're $10 to $20 off.
2. An exception can be made if you're really going to play it right away and you can't live without it right now.
3. Play more freeware titles. There are some really awesome ones like Cave Story, Iji, 78641, Trilby, etc. No cash spent. Great games enjoyed.

As for having more games than you can get through in a few months, I look at it this way: Variety. It gives you the choice of playing whatever fits your fancy at any given moment. Sometimes I want an FPS, well, I have 20 to choose from and I can impulsively hop into one cause it's already bought and in my hands!

Man, that's a tough one. I too have to balance work and family life with my wife and a small child, plus visits with the relatives every couple weeks. I'd say you have to let the reasoning of "if I have one great game, why not have them all" go, and start buying games that you're going to play, period. 
 
Obviously there will be a time when two or even three must-haves come out, but I think you should probably discipline yourself not to buy more until you finish the ones you have. You might find that some of the games you wanted to buy have lost their shine and don't even seem as great anymore. Good luck!

We should form a club.  I have the exact same problem, except i do the same thing with books too.  I could not purchase another book or game for years and not have to re-read or re-play a game.  *Sigh*  There are worse vices to have. . .

" Just put some rules into your buying: 1. Only buy on sale. Keep a list of the games you want but don't buy them until they're $10 to $20 off.2. An exception can be made if you're really going to play it right away and you can't live without it right now.3. Play more freeware titles. There are some really awesome ones like Cave Story, Iji, 78641, Trilby, etc. No cash spent. Great games enjoyed.As for having more games than you can get through in a few months, I look at it this way: Variety. It gives you the choice of playing whatever fits your fancy at any given moment. Sometimes I want an FPS, well, I have 20 to choose from and I can impulsively hop into one cause it's already bought and in my hands! "

" Most people collect something. Collecting games isn't the worst habit in the world - at least you can play and enjoy them (eventually). Some people collect figurines that just sit on a shelf. Good luck with it - enjoy the games. "

" I just keep track of 'em, that way when I want to play them? BAMTHEREITIS, no one says you have to play the game as soon as you buy it. "

You never know when the apocalypse is going to happen. Make sure all you extra games are in underground vaults, then when the inevitable plague hits, you will be ready to ride out the storm.
 
Real answer: Collecting is awesome. You can be concerned with legitimate budget concerns, but as long as your hobby isn't hurting anyone it should all be fine. No? For example: I know someone who's hobby for the longest time was to inject cocaine via dirty needles into their bodies. The long-term end result of this was...uhm...not good.
 
What I'm trying to say is that there's nothing wrong with game collecting, and you should be happy that your concerned with such a small issue. :P
I guess a better contrast would be my recent venture into game soundtrack collecting. That's a little bit more ridiculous because import fee's will melt your face off.

" You never know when the apocalypse is going to happen. Make sure all you extra games are in underground vaults, then when the inevitable plague hits, you will be ready to ride out the storm.

There actually is something to collecting, it just a matter of making the right choice which one to collect. Afterall, some games will get timeless (I'm mainly thinking fighting games) as I am still glad I have a copy of CVS2 and 3rd strike around.

What really sucks@StaticFalconar said:

" There actually is something to collecting, it just a matter of making the right choice which one to collect. Afterall, some games will get timeless (I'm mainly thinking fighting games) as I am still glad I have a copy of CVS2 and 3rd strike around. "

I buy games, but not new. Why buy 10 $50 games when you can buy 50 $10 games?

it really depends on how much money you have.  i know the hunt or the search for new games offers almost as much fun as playing them.  if you have lots of free cash then who the fuck cares if your hobby is collecting if you like it and it sounds like you do.
 
personally i don't have that problem and am wise with my money, i like to be able to sit on a pile of it after i work for it.. not piss it away.

I don't know if I could call myself a collector any more since I purchased a house earlier this year and sold the vast majority of my video game collection to help pay for my new home, but when it comes to collecting it's the hunt that I enjoy most. I dunno why, but I like the thrill of seeking out and finding the game I want. After I have it the thrill is over and I begin searching for another game. It's not good I know, but what I have begun doing is selling the games I hunt down for a higher price than I paid for them. This creates a pot of gaming money for me, which I keep separate from the rest of my money, and use to purchase other games I want. It's been working quite well, and best of all is that since I make money off it no one can really fault me for doing it since it's an economic endeavor.

" I buy games, but not new. Why buy 10 $50 games when you can buy 50 $10 games? "

I tend to buy a lot of used games that are still in good condition.  However, I do like the look of a brand-new, AAA game sitting on the shelf.  I always buy Nintendo games right when the come out, because I know the price is not going to drop for a long time.  Hell, Twilight Princess is still selling for at least $30 used, which is crazy considering that game is 3 years old.   Fortunately, they do eventually go down in price.  Just the other day I finally got a copy of F-Zero GX for $2.00, which was a total steal.

I wish I could buy more games than I have time to play. But I'm unemployed and pretty soon I'm broke too, So I have to be very selective.