Addicted to buying games

[Grave_Addiction]

I dunno about you guys, but I've been having trouble not buying games lately. I think I spend more time looking for deals than I do actually playing games.

I promised my wife I wouldn't buy any games for awhile until we get through fixing our Jeep and other things that require a bit of money. But I just got paid, and I keep getting the urge to buy more and more games.

I've pretty much kept myself away from ebay for the time being because that's a big problem of mine. I can't go into a Wal-Mart or any other store with games without going to the electronics section just in case there might be that-can't-miss deal. I was just there, and they had a shopping cart full of $9.99 games, and the first thought in my head was "Oh shit, not this."

I knew I had to stay away from TRU this weekend or else I woulda bought more than a few games.

Does anyone else have this problem? A problem with never being satisfied with what you have. It's like I'm never satisfied with what games I have, I always want more and more. Damn, I think I sound like an American.

[SneakyPenguin]

I went out today, walked away with 4 games. I have 4 more in the mail, and 4 lined up to buy. I am currently at 466, and I have a rate of 2 a week. Cry for me. I need help.

[ryosnk]

Hey its a source of entertainment and its a great hobby to have. :D Unless you want to spend it on crap (drugs). 8)

[punqsux]

I went out today, walked away with 4 games. I have 4 more in the mail, and 4 lined up to buy. I am currently at 466, and I have a rate of 2 a week. Cry for me. I need help.

2 a week? im going at about 5

[bignick]

I wish ign would let you post teh price you paid for a game.

[bignick]

I was just there, and they had a shopping cart full of $9.99 games, and the first thought in my head was "Oh shit, not this."


LMAO. Oh shit, not this. ha ha ha ha You need to go to rehab! You ever suck dick for a videogame?

[punqsux]

I wish ign would let you post teh price you paid for a game.

you could make it a comment

[Cracka]

i'm one of those people who cant make spontaneous purchases :( .. like i cant be like.. hey heres *game name* for $19 when it should be $40 and then go and buy it..

i spend way to much time thinking about it.

[spidey]

A while back I had the same problem. I felt that every time I walked into a BB or CC or TRU, I had to pick something up, whether it be a video game, computer part, CD, DVD, etc.

I'm happy to say that I have not bought a game since the $5 BB deal (Gladius) and I do no plan on buying anything for a while.

I walked into BB, CC, and Target last Sunday and walked away empty handed. Which is a first for me.

[karmapolice]

just put it under in the comments

[boyward]

Becoming a father has definitely changed my game-buying habit. I still buy lots of games, but I've dropped the selfish intentions. I'm still addicted to checking CAG about 5 times a day, but with hopes of making some money for my family. Now I let my wife know what I'm spending our money on and I (almost) always buy games only when I know I can turn around and sell them for more on the web. For example, I recently found a couple of new Castlevania Harmony of Dissonance games for $17 and I was able to turn around and sell them for $55 each at Amazon. So I don't buy cheap games just so they can sit on my shelf, because honestly, I don't have time to play them all. But if being a CAG can help make a few extra bucks for my family then it's worth it.

[epobirs]

It's a definite addiction, especially when you find yourself devoting more effort to pursuing bargains than playing the resulting purchase.

I see it as a way for a guy from the burbs to act out his hunting instincts. I wrote an article about it for a friend's site a few years ago but it appear to be defunct. Perhaps an update and a new host is merited.

[Grave_Addiction]

Geez, maybe I picked Grave_Addiction as my screen name subconciously because I really do have a grave addiction!

[alongx]

CAG 4 LIFE

[guyver2077]

I was just there, and they had a shopping cart full of $9.99 games, and the first thought in my head was "Oh shit, not this."


LMAO. Oh shit, not this. ha ha ha ha You need to go to rehab! You ever suck dick for a videogame?

the thought alone is disturbing....

[msdmoney]

Welcome to the club, I try not to buy, then something like the $5 best buy thing happens. Of course now that I have good money coming in its even harder, but I am supposed to be saving for Europe.

[CaseyRyback]

I am still restricting myself to not buy a game for three months. I almost got Gitaroo Man for 17 and should (went back to get it, Manager put it on hold for me but someone else already claimed it)

I still have like 50 games to play so finishing all them is top priority

Also I do have dibs on the next one to come in the store. they recognize that I throw down a ton of money in that store

[whitereflection]

Oh man, and I thought i had it bad. It's good to hear I'm not the only one addicted to buying games instead of playing them.

[cag1000]

i have a good job and make pretty good $$$$ but u know what it's almost as if college and everything was a waste of time and that i almost make mcdonalds money since when all is said and done all my loot goes to games and my other addictions to my collections. someone help me :cry:

[racerman8]

I think I have turned into a video game collector instead of a video game player (that what my friends think too). I guess I just keep buying because I'm afraid the games will become out of print and not able to find a new copy in the future.

[magilacudy]

A while back I had the same problem. I felt that every time I walked into a BB or CC or TRU, I had to pick something up, whether it be a video game, computer part, CD, DVD, etc.

I walked into BB, CC, and Target last Sunday and walked away empty handed. Which is a first for me.

Yeah me too. I end up spending 20-30 minutes more than I plan to just wandering back and forth in BB or even EB looking for something to spend on. I feel so disappointed if I leave empty handed.


I see it as a way for a guy fromt he burbs to act out his hunting instincts. I wrote an article about it for a friend's site a few years ago but it appear to be defunct. Perhaps an update and a new host is merited.

I made that observation to my friend one time. I called the search for games 'The Hunt'. Once 'The Hunt' is started, I can't concentrate or think about anything else except the game(s) I'm looking for.

[tenzor]

Oh man, and I thought i had it bad. It's good to hear I'm not the only one addicted to buying games instead of playing them.

same here, i wish i could make unlimited money and never have doubts on buying anything...

[Mustang O-Line 75]

I wish ign would let you post teh price you paid for a game.

If you trade, dont ever do this. Your price is your secret blackjack. If everyone knows how much you paid, there goes the bargaining.

[manofpeace20]

I have a pretty bad addiction but I am trying to tone it down. I am going to put only 100 dollars on my debit card and hide my CC. My debit card is linked to half and ebay for quicky buys, and I know I will not buy anything if I know I have to pay for gas with it and crap like that.

[Cracka]

yea if you gotta buy gas with that shit, i'd be carefull, gas prices are CRAZY. My dad paid over $40 to fill up his truck the other day

[manofpeace20]

My truck just takes 20 dollars on these new prices, and it goes for an average of 250 miles (Nissan Frontier). But I feel for the people with those massive vehicles. I've heard of people in my area that pay over 60 dollars for gas.

[basketkase543]

I had the same problem of being addicted until i finally asked myself if i would ever get around to playing the MANY games i have bought even recently that have never been booted up. I realized that I was no happier when i bought x game than i was before it because regardless of whether i own it or not, i'm not playing it. I guess the real thrill was in buying (an expensive thrill, i might add). So when i came to the conclusion that my collection of unplayed games made me no happier when a added a new number to it, I just decided to stop. I've only bought i game in the past two months and man am i proud.

[Tom]

Buying shoes is to women, as buying video games is to men. This is going to be the next addiction :)

[fastkilr]

Yes, I just bought 2 tonight. I'm hopelessly addicted.

[Zero3]

I agree. The deals strike me and I can't pass them up. I'm really into buying imports on eBay... and games just to own because I'm "supposed" to have them.

For example: Why would I ever consider picking up Psychic Force for the Dreamcast? Because it's $5.00 and an import, complete. Grargh... I need as much help as the rest of y'all.

[Medium_Pimpin]

Same here, and i always say im gonna stop buying games... and then an awesome deal comes around. I need serious help.

[SevereTireDamage]

I'm trying to restrict myself down to an average of 1 a week. With this site, even keeping that average is hard! I've got 9 unopened, sealed games in a stack begging to be played...

[biggestinuyashafan]

well,as soon as i get a job,i got like 30 games i want to get within the first 5-6 paychecks. the only problem is my g/f's b-day is coming up and im taking her out to dinner and giving her $100 to shop for clothes. im finally going to have a job probably (cause my g/f's bro-in-law is the manager where i will be working) and i already got plans to spend all the money.damn my addiction to video games,i need to be saving that money.

[The Successful Dropout]

im addicted to buying games as well....i counted the games that ive beaten out of my over 300 game collection...and its probably around 20 to 30....thats how bad its gotten....i have zero amount of time to play games due to my gf, family, and work....im just hoping one day ill be able to finish a few more



i'm one of those people who cant make spontaneous purchases :( .. like i cant be like.. hey heres *game name* for $19 when it should be $40 and then go and buy it..

i spend way to much time thinking about it.

im just wondering why you stole my avatar, did i miss something? i refuse to share my girlfriend!

[Storamin]

When I was over in England a few years ago, I went to visit a castle. They had all these people on the lawns protesting the gas prices. Europe's gas prices are much more expensive than here.

[DigitalSpace]

Shit, I usually average about 4 a week. Most of the time I wind up getting $5 SNES games, or PS2/GC stuff for $10 or under. I sometimes have this urge on days when I have nothing else to do to go on the hunt to used game stores and stuff. Fortunately, I never feel uncomfortable leaving a store empty-handed, just disappointed that I didn't find a deal on somedthing. :lol:

But I'm slowing down. I might not get anything this month. It's likely that I won't see any more money until early July (long story). I have around $120 in the bank and going broke would not be a good thing.

Fortunately, I have over 130 games in my collection, many that I haven't played through or beaten, so that would hold me over for a long time.

[The Successful Dropout]

When I was over in England a few years ago, I went to visit a castle. They had all these people on the lawns protesting the gas prices. Europe's gas prices are much more expensive than here.


because that has a lot to do with being addicted to buying games

[Eclipse]

Addiction to buying games doesnt necessarily mean, addicted to playing them. That means you sort of feel the need to buy these games to prove that youre like, up there with the amount of games you have... like some sort of social status.


=3 Im not that far gone, yet.

[Danimal]

I've got a small addiction to buying games, not nearly as bad as what some people are talking about here. I'm married with kids and a mortgage, so even if I wanted to be buying games every week, there's absolutely no way I could. I check this site several times a day to see if there are any new deals, but if the deal is for a game I don't care about, it doesn't matter how low the price is, I won't get it.

I've also got a stack of unplayed games, some still in the shrinkwrap. Maybe 20 or so. But with the limited time I have to play them, those 20 games could easily hold me over for well over a year (probably more like two years). The upside to all of this is that I now have learned patience. I'll buy 007 EoN when it's a Greatest Hit, even though I'm dying to get it. Same with Onimusha 3. In the past, those would have been $50 purchases for me.

[Squirms]

Before I found this site, I used to buy a new game, beat it, then trade it for something new. This kept my game collection relatively small; ten or so games at a time. Since I found this site, I am constantly hunting for deals and have almost completely stopped trading, unless the game stinks and I can get a good deal off the trade. Since December my collection has jumped to about 50 titles, very few of which I have spent any time on. I think it's a status thing as well. My chest pops out a bit when I tell people how many games I have, and if puffs out a bit more when I tell them how cheap I got them for.

[J_Hova]

The only time this becomes a problem is when EA keeps sending me those damned coupons every month

other than that, I feel bad when I buy a new game, so I put the ones I don't play on eBay...that helps me keep my sanity :D

[The_Continental]

I buy at the rate of about 5 a week, and I would give anything to be able to stop.

But how can you walk away from all the CAG deals that keep popping up?

I am with racerman in that I have become more of a game collector than a game player. (The measure of this is when your unopened games outnumber your opened ones)

[snotknocker]

It's amazing to me the total lack of self control that many gamers have when it comes to buying games. It is a mental disabiity. A compulsive disorder. Seek help now!

Call for appointment:
Dr. Snotknocker (212) 555 - 1212
(Certified Video Game Addict Therapy)
Unopened games accepted same as cash

[Eclipse]

http://www.johannes-kaiser.de/industrial/lol.jpg

really.

[dracula]

i have loads of patience for this type of thing. I wait until a game is cheap before getting it.Game prices fall within a year or a year and a half.

[ZForce915]

I dunno about you guys, but I've been having trouble not buying games lately. I think I spend more time looking for deals than I do actually playing games.

Does anyone else have this problem? A problem with never being satisfied with what you have. It's like I'm never satisfied with what games I have, I always want more and more. Damn, I think I sound like an American.

I have the EXACT problem. As we speak, I'm checking out CAG, IGN and eBay for deals. Sometimes the first one there can nab the deal so I don't want to miss out. But chances are I'll get nothing. This whole time I could be playing the games I already have...

I recently bought Dragon Warrior 1, 2, 3 and 4. Then I bought defenders copy of Dragon Warrior VII (sealed). It will take me forever to play all of these!

[Eclipse]

if you start now, you should be playing Dragonwarrior for the next couple of years...Those games are fricking looooooooong.

[PsyClerk]

I keep saying that this is the last game I'll buy for a while. But then...

Seriously, I'm going to give it a rest for the summer. After my current eBay auctions are up, I'm going on game-buying sabbatical.

[Theenternal]

I made a post when i got here awhile back about numbers of games in a collection, and was surprised that people had more than 250 games, from the poll.

I currently have surpassed that number, and have purchased about 70 games this year at 10 a piece avg.

New ps2 owner at the beginning of this year, 38 of the 70 are ps2.

[Cracka]

sabbatical?

[ezempel]

I find myself buying games for some far-off collapse of society, where I somehow have electricity and food but must live in a bunker and play video games all day.

Of course that day is never going to come...

[soulwish2003]

Ok... good to see that others have the same problem I do... I just can't help it...

[chickenhawk]

i have loads of patience for this type of thing. I wait until a game is cheap before getting it.Game prices fall within a year or a year and a half.

I do this too, but once games get to that price point, I have a hard time waiting to get it even though I have a ton of unplayed games.

[Rodimus]

I think almost everyone a CAG has this "addiction" or once did.

I bought about 2-3 games a week in my collage days, but now it's down to 1-2 a month.

[epobirs]

Across all platforms going back to about 1990 (I was given to preferring computers like the Amiga and Atari 800 back in the days when the variance between computers was so minor they were as convenient as consoles) my collection was over 1500 items. However that count is from over a year ago and I've bought at least 100 games since then. The vast majority were $10 or less but it still adds up.

OTOH, there were many years when it either cost me nothing to acquire games or I even made a profit. There used to be a pretty good number of stores in LA County that bought 'used' games. I would often buy a dozen copies on a blowout sale, keep one for myself, and make enough on selling the rest to at least break even on the whole lot. I have a nearly complete Sega Saturn library (for those items that have the slightest interest value for me which excludes sports) but made several thousand dollars profit on the massive BB blowout of Saturn software when the machine was pronounced dead. I'm in profits for the entire cost of the platform including the hardware purchased on the day of launch. I actually went directly from E3 the day they announced they were launching early and was able to find a unit to buy at a TRU even though they hadn't anything on display yet.

Overall, I'd say about 60% of my massive collection was obtained for free.

[PsyClerk]

sabbatical?

A vacation, loosely.

edit: the post above this has a great typo.

[Tom]

However that cunt is from over a year ago and I've bought at least 100 games since then. The vast majority were $10 or less but it still adds up.
That is one funny typo :D

[x0thedeadzone0x]

I barely have a source of income but it's funny because they just completely dominate my life. Any money that I manage to scrounge up is instantly gone by more games. Games, games games. It's all that I'll buy, but this summer will be good because hopefully I'm gonna try to get a summer job to pay for the damn things, and in the meanwhile play the games I haven't finished (loads) and be able to buy more games. I have a wishlist of like 150 games right now, it's just insane.

[Akkis99]

I once went 2 weeks and bout 16 games. Bad times. wallet empty

[Spacepest]

I'm not addicted to buying games anymore, because I realize that I only have so much time to play them. A game that sits in my house never getting played by anybody is worthless in my opinion. I dont buy games that are $5 just because they are cheap. I guess I'm just not a video game disc collector.

My husband, on the other hand, seems addicted to movie based games. I constantly have to stop him from buying crap games like that, usually by looking up game reviews up for him. Or getting him a decent game that will occupy a good chunk of his time. Last month, it was Van Helsing, this month its Riddick *cringes*