Tips For Tackling That Gaming Backlog In The New Year

It’s a new year that’s coming up, with plenty of new releases, and some heavy hitters coming right out the gate. For the many gamers who keep and maintain a backlog, the glut of new additions might fill you with some despair, but you don’t have to let it beat you. Here, we’re going to look at the many ways you can make tackling your backlog a lot more fun, and use it to enhance your gaming experience, rather than shackle it.

Don’t go in with the aim of clearing it

One of the best pieces made on clearing backlogs this year has come from the Youtube channel, Darryl Talks Games, who made a video about clearing his own backlog. While the whole video is worth watching, the most important point made is that going in with the intention of clearing the backlog ended up putting too much pressure on him to play and complete games he wasn’t feeling ready for yet, and the same is likely to happen to you if you try it, too.

Prioritize the games you add

When you add a game to the list, it’s a good idea to sort it by priority, so that you can make sure that you’re not weighing down the games you really want to play with games that you might want to get to eventually, but which aren’t a major priority. Using a red, yellow, blue, or hot, medium, and cold priority system can help you ensure that your focus is on the games that you’re really itching to play. Then, if you clear all the games that are red/hot, you can move on to the games that are yellow/medium to hopefully find some gems in there.

​Focus on games you already have

​If you’re like a lot of gamers, your backlog is more than a list that you have written down somewhere, it is a list of digital or physical games that are just waiting for you to crack them open. This is especially easy if you have Steam on your PC and a whole host of games ready to launch from it at any time. Start with the games that you already own before you worry about buying games to add to the list. You can even use a random picker to select a game on your Steam library to play next.

Throw in a few new releases, too

Of course, if you like to talk about video games with other players, then you might want to keep up with the conversation by ensuring that you already sprinkle in a new game or two, especially if they’re bringing something new and different to the table, much like Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Otherwise, it can always feel like you’re falling behind the general gaming discourse, which can begin to make you resent the list for holding you back from more modern releases.

​Play games not on your backlog

The pursuit to clear on games on your list can certainly be an invigorating way to play a bunch of games, but it can get exhausting as well. Sometimes, you want to be able to enjoy a game without having to worry about getting to the end. As such, getting online for a few matches in a fighting game or settling back with some relaxing puzzle games is a good way to take a break from your backlog once in a while. Take the time to enjoy gaming for the sake of gaming before diving back in.

Use it to explore interesting off-the-wall picks

The backlog shouldn’t just be about clearing all the biggest and most widely-loved titles, it should be used as a way to remember the little odd and interesting picks that come out through the year. It’s never been a better time to be into indie titles, so be sure to take note of a few lists of the best indie releases and add some to your log.

Write about every game you beat

One unfortunate fact about backlog gaming is that you can be so focused on getting through games that you quickly forget the memories of one game when you replace it with another. Taking the time to write down a few thoughts about every game you play can help you better remember and appreciate them.

Getting too in your own head about your backlog can defeat the purpose of it. Use it as an opportunity to check out games of all stripes and to better enjoy the games that you do beat.

​