Collecting Addiction

[Reprise]

Has anyone felt that they may have an issue with the amount of time they spend hunting for video games, thinking about the next video games they want to buy and more importantly the volume of games they are buying and the amount they are spending?

I know I have an issue, because I feel almost like I might be experiencing a form of depression and that I feel like I am scrabbling to gain some kind of high and find something to fill a gap and resolve a feeling of emptiness.

I feel a lot of anxiety too, with 'FOMO' definitely being a part of that, where I find myself constantly needing to check my go to online retailers here in the UK who stock and specialise in retro gaming every day. I worry that I will miss out on some "fantastic deal", some mint condition or rare game and that I don't want to miss out.

I don't even really know how I got to this point. I have been buying video games and collecting them nearly my whole life. A lot of my games are the ones from my childhood. I didn't exactly start being a collector or start being a retro enthusiast, I just rarely got rid of my games, rarely stopped caring about them even when they became "old" and maintained an interest in video games beyond just whatever is current. I always enjoyed the hobby and it never felt stressful, but now for some reason it does.

I think what maybe doesn't help either is, as a collector, I am very unfocused. I collect for multiple consoles, I rarely stick with one consistently before I start buying games or peripherals for other consoles. I am get bored of the PAL library and then move onto the Japanese library and then the American library and then back again. I am not a full set collector. The UK scene here is full of guys who will just stick rigidly to a particular console and then collect a full set and then maybe move onto another console when that one is done. I don't have "rules" either, I am not one of those people who can only collect one region, or will only collect a certain condition upwards.

I just never feel content with my collection and I am always chasing something new and if I can't think of anything new to chase, then I end up scrawling through the inventory of all the retailers I use and eBay trying to get ideas, or I watch YouTube videos and read reviews and boards like this.

Am I alone with this? Anybody else like this? Has anyone just stopped collecting and now feels content with what you have? Anyone here felt like you might be addicted to some degree?

[Raging Justice]

Having focused goals helps, especially manageable ones. Like I saw someone the other day who collected every Mega Man game physically available on the Switch (including spinoffs like MM X, MM Zero, etc.). Finishing those smaller goals will make you feel less overwhelmed and will give you more periodic dopamine highs (which is really why we do stuff like collecting and playing games). I'm currently focused on collecting Switch games and nothing else. That may eventually change, but right now that is what I am focused on. I'm not collecting any other games.

Take time to appreciate what you have instead of obsessing over what you don't. This applies to EVERYTHING in life, not just your games. Live in the moment and appreciate what you have now. I would bet money that your current collection would already make some people envious. I've seen youtube videos from people with way less games than me, but they'll have that one special game that I wish I had.

FOMO often times isn't real. Most things you miss will eventually pop up elsewhere like ebay for example. Maybe the only thing to have real FOMO over is kickstarter stuff since it's backers only, but sometimes even that stuff can pop up for sale if someone no longer wants them.

Remember what you like. It doesn't matter how rare or valuable a game is if you don't enjoy it. I have some valuable games in my collection I'm considering selling. I'm not much into shmups these days (never really was honestly) so do I really need to hold on to my copy of Radiant Silvergun for the Saturn?

PLAY your games, One way to curb over collecting is making it a rule to play every game you collect, or at least try do. Discipline is one way to keep things in your life, including hobbies, from spiraling out of control.

Lastly, people and relationships matter more than things. Place more value on that in your life than your collection. Every moment you make a friend or loved one smile has more value than every single thing in your collection

Just some tips from another collector

[Reprise]

Yeah, definitely solid advice. I guess, the issue at the moment, is whilst I try to be pragmatic and positive, it isn't currently working. It's probably a phase I am going through and it will pass, because I remember just last year, not long ago, I hadn't really bought many games over a period of a few months and I was saying to a friend how good it felt to be at a point in time where I feel fairly content and don't have the urge to splurge on random games. And now I have done a 180 mentally.

I am the kind of person who collects to play. I am not someone who buys things just because they are rare or are highly sought after or I want them to look pretty on a shelf. So collecting full sets never really appealed to me, but it does mean my mind is sometimes a little all over the place and I get impulsive. For example, last year I randomly started a Gameboy Advance collection and then got bored/gave up after 4 games. I wanted to branch out to Gameboy Color and the original GN (I really wanted Metal Gear Solid and the Zelda games), but I lost interest and didn't want to spend £160-200 on MGS.

I also moved away from games last year and started collecting old video games magazines from my childhood. At first that felt good, I love reading old articles and reviews about old games from back when they were current. No modern retrospective article can really compare to real passion and excitement that was being written about games in that moment in time. What I mean is I find it fascinating reading previews of something like Ocarina of Time from 1997 and 1998 before it came out, or articles about consoles like the Saturn, PS1, N64, Dreamcast, PS2 etc before they came out. Anyways, I am rambling... My point was that felt more manageable at first. Magazine runs are much smaller than video games libraries and generally they are cheaper to collect (although some publications do go for crazy money, particularly things like the first and later issues), but the same thing happened again. I want to collect all the Official Sega Saturn Magazines, but then also want Edge magazines, then various Dreamcast magazines, Electronic Gaming Monthly, Gamefan, Super Play, N64, Mean Machines, ok it's getting silly again

[Raging Justice]

I sort of understand that thing of losing focus on one thing and then starting up another thing. One of my problems is that it's not always enough for me to collect video games

I have a whole bunch of movies on bluray and DVD. I also had a phase where I was collecting 3d movies, then my 3d TV broke down and it's hard to find 3d TVs anymore so that came to an end

A lot of those DVDs I have are anime as I had a phase where I was collecting anime

I have a bunch of Magic the Gathering cards from years ago, and cards from a few other CCGs as well as I starting going down THAT rabbit hole

In recent years I've started collecting action figures and yeah, I've had that issue of, "I want Transformers", then "I want Power Rangers", then "I want GI Joe Classified". Then there are the different rabbit holes within each collecting niche. Like if you collect Transformers, do you collect masterpiece figures? Is there a specific line you collect? Like Studio Series 86? Do you just collect G1? Do you collect Beast Wars? Do you collect official or do you check out the endless amounts of third party transformers out there? Often times third party releases are actually better than the official ones like this awesome G1 style Arcee that blows away anything from Hasbro or Takara

https://tfsource.com/ocular-max/PS-04-Azalea/

It gets crazy having so many options and having to make up your mind.

and yes, I have a video game magazine collection too

and pro wrestling magazines...

and a comic book collection...

Yes, I have a problem too

In all seriousness though, if it causes you stress and anxiety you might want to talk to someone who can help with those kinds of things.

[Reprise]

A lot of those DVDs I have are anime as I had a phase where I was collecting anime

Haha yeah, I have an anime DVD and Blu Ray collection. I actually sold a ton of them last year. I tried to force myself to watch some of the series and films I hadn't watched in years and I just wasn't into them, so I sold them. I still have a few though that I really love and want to hold onto.

In recent years I've started collecting action figures and yeah, I've had that issue of, "I want Transformers", then "I want Power Rangers", then "I want GI Joe Classified". Then there are the different rabbit holes within each collecting niche.

Ah yeah, about that...

And these are just a small number of the ones I have. A lot of my figures have had to be put back in their boxes and put in storage. And I actually gave most of my Transformers figures to my son. I think I shared more photos of some of my Power Rangers figures and Megazords before.

and a comic book collection...

Oh yeah, I completely forgot about my comic book collection

Yeah I definitely have a problem lol.

[Ziggy]

Has anyone felt that they may have an issue with the amount of time they spend hunting for video games, thinking about the next video games they want to buy and more importantly the volume of games they are buying and the amount they are spending?

I know I have an issue, because I feel almost like I might be experiencing a form of depression and that I feel like I am scrabbling to gain some kind of high and find something to fill a gap and resolve a feeling of emptiness.

Yes and no. While there might be something there, in terms of depression or chasing a high, I would argue the counterpoint that collecting is a hobby in and of itself. The time you spend hunting is part of the hobby, not the addiction. It's only an addiction if you can't stop. And it's only an issue if it negatively impacts your life or others.

I just never feel content with my collection and I am always chasing something new and if I can't think of anything new to chase, then I end up scrawling through the inventory of all the retailers I use and eBay trying to get ideas, or I watch YouTube videos and read reviews and boards like this.

A great quote from Spock (the Vulcan): "After a time, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing after all as wanting. It is not logical, but it is often true."

There is pleasure to be had in wanting, as in something you want but don't yet have. It's one of those human things that is pretty much universal yet hard to quantify and rarely discussed.

For me personally, I have identified that I might be chasing a high. I think some of it stems from being a kid in the 90s, when a video game was a bazzilion dollars and you rarely got one outside of your birthday or Christmas. Now as an adult with disposable income, I can purchase new games at a rate I could only wish for as a kid. And yet, the thrill of getting a new game is not nearly as grand as it was. Maybe because I'm getting new games too often, so it isn't as special of a thing anymore. Or maybe it was the wanting without having. Wishing for a game for weeks or months before finally getting it. Or it may just be the happy memories you spent gaming, so you're simply looking to recreate those happy times with new games. But it always falls short. Like Phil's date with Rita in Groundhog Day.

I too collect many things outside of video games. I also have a large movie collection. Large enough that a I need to create a catalog for myself because I forget what movies I own, let alone what format or edition. I also really enjoy collecting hardware. For example, I went a little nuts late last year collecting PC motherboards. But I collect other things like HiFi equipment, VCRs, CRTs. And music on various formats like CD, vinyl and cassette. And books.

But for me, the having is nice. I enjoy looking at and admiring my collection as much as using it. And the hunting (or the wanting) is thrilling. I enjoy researching what's the best edition of a movie to get. What cover variant of a book I want. What revision hardware is best. That sort of thing. Maybe part of me is filling some void or chasing a high, but that's not all of it. I definitely enjoy the hunting.

Am I alone with this? Anybody else like this? Has anyone just stopped collecting and now feels content with what you have? Anyone here felt like you might be addicted to some degree?

No, you're definitely not alone. And posting a thread like this will help you to realize that, and work it out. At least, it did for me. I posted a thread some years back about my collection bloat and coming to terms with parting some of it out. I ended up selling a decent amount of things. But since then I've backpedaled slightly. I've repurchased a few items that I parted with, that I regretted getting rid of. There's still some things I could sell and not care. But as annoying as it is sometimes to be a collector, I guess that's what I am for better or worse. At least, as long as life supports it.

Is chasing a high healthy? Is trying to recreate those happy memories healthy? Or is it unhealthy and living in the past? I couldn't say. Outside of doubling down on this point: If what you're doing is making you happy, and it's not negatively affecting you or the people in your life, then I don't think you can call it an issue or a problem.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Has anyone just stopped collecting and now feels content with what you have?

Yes. I buy the occasional Switch game (only current gen console I own) and the occasional retro game. I trashed my giant "want list" and no longer go game hunting. And a big percentage of what I like has moved into the cheapo digital-only realm.

For me, it just sort of worked itself out. Buying a house, having kids, etc made money tighter, and the prices of retro titles just keeps skyrocketing. I've physically run out of space. My interest in "current gen" gaming dropped with each successive gen, and I stubbornly refuse to chase after the glut of modern day "limited" releases.

[Reprise]

It's only an addiction if you can't stop.

I am not sure I can though. There have been months when I have told myself "that's it, you're getting too low on money, no more this month" and I haven't been able to stop. I have dipped into savings or I have sold stuff to alleviate the need to dip into savings.

Not being able to stop isn't necessarily an issue if you can stay in budget, but I guess it's becoming more of an issue now because of the cost of living crisis and just existing now costing a fortune.

As for the rest your post, some great thoughts and a great quote. I do think wanting is often more pleasurable than having, there is definitely some truth to that.

I'l check out your thread too!

My interest in "current gen" gaming dropped with each successive gen, and I stubbornly refuse to chase after the glut of modern day "limited" releases.

That's definitely true for me too. I buy maybe a handful of modern games each year. I loved those "limited" run style games in the beginning, but now the industry is saturated with them. There's millions of copycat LRG type companies and millions of those "limited" games.

You touched on physical space being an issue and that's definitely one for me too.

[marurun]

Even a lot of more targeted or selective collectors, now that they're older, are starting to realize the hunt is much more interesting than the trophy, and once you start running out of room for trophies it's time to rethink the hunt. That's why many have gone into interest in things around gaming like history, paraphernalia, and whatnot. Others have simply dived into the MiSTer, Analog, and Polymega scene with digital collections because they have discovered that being able to dabble in games is more fun than owning. As much as I want to beat all the games I own, am I really? Or do I just want to have access to them to play them in little bits? It's hard to say, TBH.

[Raging Justice]

As much as I want to beat all the games I own, am I really? Or do I just want to have access to them to play them in little bits? It's hard to say, TBH.

This is why I'm limiting my Switch physical collecting to games I know I really WANT to play and games I already HAVE played and love them enough to want to own them physically.

I've learned the hard way how easy it is to fall into that trap of trying to get every game that got great reviews, and every game you saw in some hidden gems video on youtube, and every game that is rare and valuable, and every import, etc, etc.

When that hoarder part of my brain starts kicking in THAT is when I'll go the digital route. I don't really mind a massive digital collection like most people's Steam libraries, but I'm only making physical space in my home from now on for games I really WANT to play or already have. I want my physical collection to represent me as an individual not just a collection of all the games that every other collector also has.

This is why I'm thinking of selling some games from my other console collections.