Suddenly you complete your whole backlog and wishlist. What do you do?

For most of us this will never happen, we'd be lucky to get through just the games we already own. But have you ever though about this before? One day you find yourself with an empty backlog. You've completed every game you own. You've bought and completed every game on your wishlist for every system you ever wanted. What now?

Personally, I would purposely slow down drastically on gaming and start investing more time into other hobbies. If I don't have other hobbies, I'd look for them. Otherwise, in terms of gaming, I would probably just stick with some of the games that I never seem to get sick of and play them casually; especially ones of the endless sort, or those with hundreds of hours of replayability. Looking at both my owned games list, and my wishlist's combined, I can find probably about 35 games that I would come back to on a semi-regular basis.

I imagine some of you would say that you would just go back and replay some of your favourites, and that's a good point, but what if you'd already replayed all those games to satisfaction. You no longer have to strive to complete anything anymore. You've got some upcoming games in the future you might want to play, but at that point, you've probably played hundreds if not thousands of games, and you may not even feel like playing any upcoming games anymore.

What are your thoughts? How would you change the way you play games if you suddenly found yourself in a situation like this with nothing left to play?

touch ducks and cats

touch ducks and cats

Your pfp matches up.

Probably sell my collection and get a bigger house. If I owned and already played every game that I wanted to that exists at said time my collection would be worth hundreds of thousands.

Probably Replay a lot of them and play upcoming or recent releases. I set aside 100% completing certain games for the sake of my backlog, but if it was all done I'd revisit a lot of them.

I've always been one for replaying/rereading/replaying, so I imagine I'd replay stuff since I already do that anyway.

After the backlog is complete, it’s time to add new games to the backlog lol

/s

Replaying games by setting up some kind of self-imposed challenges and thus breathing new life into something you've already beaten or go out there and explore the mod community, there's plenty of content to indulge in really. I don't even really want my backlog to end, that's not my endgame: it's great having such a wide array of games to choose from and you never have to worry about a thing, I've also figured out the right irl activities / vidya time balance so I don't think I'll ever let go of this hobby.

I would have an even bigger existential crisis than I already feel at times, yet at the same time I have been doing this whole backlog thing for about 10 years and it never once got close to being finished, in 2021-2023, I managed to finish 534 games and I'm still no closer to finishing the backlog than I was before. I'm starting to think I would need to be immortal just to finish the whole thing. It's like a supervillain that keeps regenerating itself every time I do a super powerful attack on it, like Majin Buu.

The only way for the backlog to ever be cleared for me is if new releases were to magically stop coming out, if that were to happen then my backlog could be cleared but since it won't happen me clearing the backlog won't either, every time I clear 10-12 games 10 more takes it place.

It sounds like an interesting prospect but it won't happen anytime soon, the only way for my backlog to be "finished" is if I just lose interest in gaming.

This is why I have almost 700 anime on my 'Want to watch' list (excluding sequels), and over 200 manga on my 'Want to read' list.
After that, I'll find a husband and become a cat mom.

Although, a more realistic answer is that there are a lot of games on Steam alone. Both my Backlog and Wishlist are relatively "small" as well (At least "small" compared to others'). I don't think it would be a big deal if I completed both lists. Considering how many games there are out there, I'm pretty confident that I won't run out of games anytime soon.
Even if I were to "run out of games", I'd probably spend more time on my other hobbies. Like writing, reading or studying foreign languages. Perhaps play some badminton? And I wasn't joking about my anime/manga lists.
I wouldn't just stop playing games though. I could always replay games.

I'd probably start replaying a large chunk of the games. If I was to get to the point where I finished every game I have, I would most likely have not replayed a ton of games that I have loved over that period of time, thus most likely having been somewhat forgotten by me. Plus, I also really like replaying certain games with great action systems and slowly learning the ins an outs of them as a whole so that's something nice to make of it.

Realistically it would replaying games I’d been itching to get back to. But in the context of no replays, I’d sink my time into another hobby. My bookshelves haven’t gotten any lighter, and there was an Okami mini plush that I’d meant to do ages ago but weeellll…? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Probably suffer mental whiplash because thanks to Certain Means my backlog is in the four digits so I would wonder how I found the time.

Ngl, the release schedule of games I want to play would probably catch up to me in no time, and replaying games is always an option.
I would probably have all my experience in games leak even more to the rest of my life, be it in form of home deco, arts and crafts or huge rabbit holes (there's actually some vids I want to make about those).
Maybe I would make my own games too

as impossible as the notion would be - if that were the case... I'd just pick up more games... this would only be a problem for me if I had completed EVERY game in existence lol

I've been playing video games since I was 6 or 7 and it's been 20+ years now, so I don't really know. Video games have been a large part of my life and to this day is the main way I connect with my siblings- we don't have much to talk about outside of that. If I were suddenly done with every video game and had no desire to replay anything, I'd probably get into movies or read more.

I would have an even bigger existential crisis than I already feel at times, yet at the same time I have been doing this whole backlog thing for about 10 years and it never once got close to being finished, in 2021-2023, I managed to finish 534 games and I'm still no closer to finishing the backlog than I was before. I'm starting to think I would need to be immortal just to finish the whole thing. It's like a supervillain that keeps regenerating itself every time I do a super powerful attack on it, like Majin Buu.

The only way for the backlog to ever be cleared for me is if new releases were to magically stop coming out, if that were to happen then my backlog could be cleared but since it won't happen me clearing the backlog won't either, every time I clear 10-12 games 10 more takes it place.

It sounds like an interesting prospect but it won't happen anytime soon, the only way for my backlog to be "finished" is if I just lose interest in gaming.

Similar to what you say about the backlog & wishlist only ever having a chance of ever being completed if games magically stopped coming out, I've actually made a conscious decision that I'm going to completely stop buying all future games once everything goes 100% digital.

I expect some companies like Limited Run & Super Rare Games to still release some limited edition physical games on older consoles for the audience that will become niche in the future, which I'd occasionally pick up, but otherwise, I'm only going to be sticking to collecting physical games on all the consoles that had physical as an option. So it's still highly unlikely, but I can see the possibility of completing all the games than.

Otherwise, I would definitely continue to buy games on DRM-Free storefronts like gog.com, since DRM is the primary reason I'm against digital media in the first place. And I already want to get into hobby indie development, so I'd be creating my own games too.

I can't ever see myself ever finding the time in my life though, even at age 22, to play every single game I'd ever want to. Because like you said, you'd have to be immortal to get through it all, and I already have other hobbies I'm wanting to get into that are also time-consuming: Hiking, Skating, Travelling, Programming, Reading, Game Dev, and some other ideas for things I may get into in the future.

Similar to what you say about the backlog & wishlist only ever having a chance of ever being completed if games magically stopped coming out, I've actually made a conscious decision that I'm going to completely stop buying all future games once everything goes 100% digital.

I expect some companies like Limited Run & Super Rare Games to still release some limited edition physical games on older consoles for the audience that will become niche in the future, which I'd occasionally pick up, but otherwise, I'm only going to be sticking to collecting physical games on all the consoles that had physical as an option. So it's still highly unlikely, but I can see the possibility of completing all the games than.

Otherwise, I would definitely continue to buy games on DRM-Free storefronts like gog.com, since DRM is the primary reason I'm against digital media in the first place. And I already want to get into hobby indie development, so I'd be creating my own games too.

I can't ever see myself ever finding the time in my life though, even at age 22, to play every single game I'd ever want to. Because like you said, you'd have to be immortal to get through it all, and I already have other hobbies I'm wanting to get into that are also time-consuming: Hiking, Skating, Travelling, Programming, Reading, Game Dev, and some other ideas for things I may get into in the future.

I'm not sure if gaming will go all digital yet, it's a little too early to judge. I do want to play new games regardless of them being digital, I never cared for physical games as much as others since owning so many takes up so much space. But I'm not even sure what the future will entail. Maybe I might quit buying new games entirely

I always wanted to be a game dev, back when I was a teen being a game dev sounded like an awesome job until I realized you needed to make money constantly to keep your studio afloat. If I can self fund my own productions, then I would be a game dev. The last thing I want is to be bought by a major publisher and then lose my job a few years later.

I would spend a lot more time with game development, I really don't spend as much time as a should with it especially considering I'm trying to make a career out of it. I would also try to get more into other hobbies such as reading.

I'm not sure if gaming will go all digital yet, it's a little too early to judge. I do want to play new games regardless of them being digital, I never cared for physical games as much as others since owning so many takes up so much space. But I'm not even sure what the future will entail. Maybe I might quit buying new games entirely

I always wanted to be a game dev, back when I was a teen being a game dev sounded like an awesome job until I realized you needed to make money constantly to keep your studio afloat. If I can self fund my own productions, then I would be a game dev. The last thing I want is to be bought by a major publisher and then lose my job a few years later.

Yeah, I 100% agree with the physical games taking space problem since I'm going to be moving into a van to travel around the country while still being able to game. I know that bringing all the games in can be ridiculous. But the problem can be solved. Like I said, I would still support DRM-Free storefronts as I already do, such as gog.com, and I already have a number of physical PC games that I'm trying to sell because they've been released digitally DRM-Free on GOG. The ways I plan currently to save on space are a few so far.

First of all, all of my discs for modern consoles (PS4, PS5) will be all placed in disc-books (My current wishlist should only take a couple disc-books worth) and for cartridges like the Switch, I'll be using something like this. All the cases for these will be put in storage and won't take up any space. Otherwise, for any older consoles, I'll be either emulating them, or dumping the games onto the consoles to digitize them.
All in all, the only things I need to take into the van are:
PC,
Steam Deck,
PS5,
Nintendo Switch,
Wii U (I love it, okay!),
Switch 2 (after that comes out),
3DS,
PS Vita,
I don't support Xbox anymore.
Sounds like a lot of stuff, but in practice it takes less space than you'd think.
I can play almost all the games I ever want to across all those systems.

Veered off topic, but I just wanted to share that.

In my opinion, the industry is absolutely going in the direction of all-digital; of course, I hope I'm wrong. I thought it was too early to judge a few years ago, but it seems to obvious to me now.

One day you find yourself with an empty backlog. You've completed every game you own.

😂😂😂

Yeah, I 100% agree with the physical games taking space problem since I'm going to be moving into a van to travel around the country while still being able to game. I know that bringing all the games in can be ridiculous. But the problem can be solved. Like I said, I would still support DRM-Free storefronts as I already do, such as gog.com, and I already have a number of physical PC games that I'm trying to sell because they've been released digitally DRM-Free on GOG. The ways I plan currently to save on space are a few so far.

First of all, all of my discs for modern consoles (PS4, PS5) will be all placed in disc-books (My current wishlist should only take a couple disc-books worth) and for cartridges like the Switch, I'll be using something like this. All the cases for these will be put in storage and won't take up any space. Otherwise, for any older consoles, I'll be either emulating them, or dumping the games onto the consoles to digitize them.
All in all, the only things I need to take into the van are:
PC,
Steam Deck,
PS5,
Nintendo Switch,
Wii U (I love it, okay!),
Switch 2 (after that comes out),
3DS,
PS Vita,
I don't support Xbox anymore.
Sounds like a lot of stuff, but in practice it takes less space than you'd think.
I can play almost all the games I ever want to across all those systems.

Veered off topic, but I just wanted to share that.

In my opinion, the industry is absolutely going in the direction of all-digital; of course, I hope I'm wrong. I thought it was too early to judge a few years ago, but it seems to obvious to me now.

Fair enough, but apart of me doesn't mind digital that much. At least when I buy a digital game I dislike, I can just move on but with a physical game, the game I dislike I refuse to put on my shelf due to how much I dislike it and then I eventually have to go to a used game store and not make a whole lot of money off of them. Least with digital I don't have to deal with that.

And yeah, I also do that with games on older consoles, I would much rather just download ROM files and emulate them than play them physically. I don't even buy physical PS2 games anymore because it's easier to download ISO files of them.

I don't replay games so I would spend more time playing multiplayer games, I already spend a lot of time on those as is. I would also spend my time on other hobbies, reading books, making YouTube videos, etc. Not that I would ever finish my backlog of course.

I'd start looking into genres I'm unfamiliar with and create a whole new wishlist / backlog. That, or just no-life R6S some more