I think I'm addicted to cheap games

S

shateredsoul

CAG Veteran
Hi everyone,

So I wonder if I'm the only one that has experienced something similar to what I have been experiencing recently. So recently I bought a lot of games... My rational always followed the line of thought that it's so cheap I have to buy it. I can play it later when I have more time. You know when best buy had ninja gaiden for 10? Well I bought ninja gaiden 2, condemned 2, and Turok for 10. I bought Devil May cry off of ebay for about 11 (including shipping), Fable 2 for about 30, halo 3 for about 17, bought 6 games when gamestop had the buy 2 get 1 free deal. I got mirror's edge, dead space, and call of duty 4 for 20 each thanks to a bitter employee at circuit city.

I guess my fear is that I'm just addicted to buying games instead of playing them. I don't really have the time to play them all (lost planet took me about a month to finish since I would sometimes have to leave my game without saving). I used to game with friends when I was in LA, but now it seems more of a solo thing. It makes me wonder if there is such a thing as a balanced gamer life? I guess the gaming with friends thing made it feel balanced. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the story lines but realistically I don't have time to play all these games. Maybe this is my quarter life crisis?
 
I've always only bought games I wanted to play.

The past few years (i.e. since the start of this generation) I've started only buying a game when I need a new one to play. I may pick up a game or 2 backlog if I get matched up on Goozex or see a crazy deal on a game that's on my immediate "buy and play" list, but I no longer build up any sizeable back log.

It's not worth it as there will always be better deals and I enjoy gaming more when I can take my time with games and not feel a need to finish them off ASAP and move on to the next one in the stack.
 
So yeah, I'm on the same boat. I mean how can you pass up the crazy deals that we've seen since the holidays. I normally don't buy too many games, just stuff I plan on keeping or playing through. But these few months have been awesome for gamers. I have so many EA games now, due to the BB $30 deals for 09 games. I got Pure and Ninja Gaiden for $15 bucks at Target clearance. Not to mention the games from GS during the multiple b2g1 sales. Honestly, the only games i'm playing are Gears2, Skate2, and LBP. The other games just sit there collecting dust, but as stated before...Who can pass up on these crazy deals for getting games 50% or 75% off? I sure can't!!
 
ive been in that boat since i started here. I just want the good titles and they happend to be on sale. I got GTA IV from the gamefly sale this year..and then bought Fallout 3 when target had their sale. I remember when BB had their 5 dollar clearance and TRU had a huge clearance on some great titles. i ended up with over 25 games to add to my backlog.
 
i feel you brother! As i'm sure a lot of people who are on CAG or are truly CAG's! While I won't but utter garbage, if I have even the slightest interest in a game, it's on sale (like 50-75%+), meh...waht do you have to lose right?

my backlog is huge, but at least i know i'll never run out of fun :) besides, if you ever want out, you can trade/sell. Personally, i look at gaming as not only a collection, but a collection you can actually use and play with (vs action figures which must remain in packaging).
 
Yeah -- I'm trying to limit myself to "only if it's under $10, and only if it's on my want list". So far, it's not working so well.
 
Hi everyone,

I've been a gameaholic for as long as I can remember. It started small. A new system here, a new game there. Then I started getting into imports and joysticks. It all spiraled out of control. My backlog got so big I started measuring not in weeks or months but YEARS.

Now, I'm like dmaul. I get stuff off of Goozex only when I'm done with the games I have. The thing I learned on here is that it always gets cheaper. The games that are $5 now were $20 a couple months ago and people were crapping themselves because they got such a great deal. A year before that, people were ecstatic that they got the same game brand new for $45 during a sale at Best Buy. Games always get cheaper if you just have some patience.
 
It's good to know that I'm not alone. This reminds me of AAA. I think I might try what dmaul suggested (buying as I finish) or sticking to the games my brother and friends have so we can play online.

Maybe a more proper introduction would have been,

"Hello, I'm shateredsoul and I'm a game-a-holic"
 
For me, this website has perpetuated my habit of buying these crazy deals. Before I joined this website a few years back, I didn't really know of a lot of the deals. But after I joined, my backlog has increased probably by more than 20 games, all still sealed. Some I will probably never play, with newer stuff constantly coming out, and new deals each season, but sometimes it's good to know that I can if I want (and ever have the time to do so). Right now, all I play is Halo 3 and Catan, but once Resident Evil 5 and Bioshock 2 come out, I'll probably divert my attention to them.
 
I do it a lot too. I only buy games that look good, but I always buy too many to handle. I probably have a backlog of 40 games (most purchased for under $10 and saved up over the last four or five years) but honestly I'll probably never play at least half of them. This year I'm just trying to use Goozex to get all my games. I sold maybe 4 1000 point games I paid around $30 for on there and bought a ton of points during the half off sale so I shouldn't need to really spend any more money this year on games as long as I'm patient and trade off new releases after I beat them.
 
I feel for you. My buying-cheap-games habit caused me to have a backlog that will last me for years...and these are mostly RPG games. Now I stopped looking for deals unless it's posted on CAG. I'm slowly going through my backlog. Oh, I only buy games I really REALLY want to play now (no more SRPG for me).
 
I feel you on that one. I bought Lost Odyssey as one of the gamestop 2 for 1 games. I could never ever find a save point when I needed it. RPGs are something I definitely have had to steer away from as I grew older.

I have good memories of FF7, secret of mana, grandia 2, earthbound... but it's hard to make the time anymore.

Also, 40 games backlogged? Wow. I remember when I had an xbox I never beat halo 2, I just played the online multiplayer. You could go in.. play a game or two.. and then your done.

[quote name='Panda']I feel for you. My buying-cheap-games habit caused me to have a backlog that will last me for years...and these are mostly RPG games. Now I stopped looking for deals unless it's posted on CAG. I'm slowly going through my backlog. Oh, I only buy games I really REALLY want to play now (no more SRPG for me).[/QUOTE]
 
Oh yeah, I also recently bought xbox 360 lips and scene-it to dab a little in the casual gaming world. Yeah... I know I know.
 
Yeah I think quite a few of us have a backlog which is evergrowing in size. But do you have to beat a game for it to be not to be part of your backlog? I have quite a number of games I haven't beaten which I wont go back to but I did put quite a number of hours into them. Usually RPGs. Going by the beta game CAG game collection I've only beaten 54% of my games....
 
See normally I would just get a game on release if I wanted it (and had the money) but since listening to CAG i've been waiting and paying more attention to deals. A good price for me is something under £20 I think.

Recently i've been checking out deals and picking up some great games that I missed first time around.
 
Most people here are the same way... How can you turn down that brand new super hit title on sale for $30? ;) $10? I'll buy ANY game for $10... that is HARD to resist. :)
 
I buy the games I want (or am interested in) when they are cheap. I usually don't just buy a game I have no real interest in because it's cheap.

The problem is getting through them. I usually start everything I buy, but get bored and have trouble going back. This has happened with Bully, Saints Row, GTA4, Prey (not the games fault, the disc doesn't want to work), Wartech, Timeshift, the list goes on and on.

There are also games I have that I get stuck on and have no real drive to go back and try to beat the difficult part (Stranglehold, Call of Duty 2).
 
Cheap on games? Meh, I'm cheap on everything! Just look at the sig. Although I see the logic. I myself have over 2 dozen games going back to the Xbox and PS2 that I've never managed to open. I usually only buy when it's cheap...unless there is a great deal for the release week (eg. CC's Buy Call of Duty 4 and get Call of Duty 3 (Gold Edition for me) free), or if I saved the money for Black Friday. Last BF I bought Bioshock from CC and PMd Dead Space at WM and haven't got around to open either. I bought Ninja Gaiden 2 several weeks ago from BB for $10 and haven't opened that either. The kids opened Samba De Amigo for the Wii last Xmas. Last game I opened was SNK Arcade Classics vol. 1 for the PS2, got it from KB for $8 when they were closing. No joke.

Money has been tight for me since late last year, so I don't go out buying games much anymore. I got a huge backlog that I haven't got much time to play anyway, so for now I haven't bought much unless I see it on super sale or bargain basement price at Target clearance.
 
I think what you have is a sympton of cheapassgamer. I've had it ever since Ive joined over a year ago. It's just so hard NOT to pick up something when you know it's a "deal".
 
I'm in the same boat as pretty much everyone in this thread. Once I found this site in 2005, my game buying went from buying maybe one title every year or two to buying 10-12 titles a year. How could I not, since the games were just SO cheap?

However, that began the downward spiral and as my backlog grew and my time grew shorter, I found that I had almost painted myself into a corner with the stacks and stacks of games I had.

Out of all of the games I had last gen(before selling them in Feb 2008 as a bulk lot on here), I think I truly finished maybe 45% of them. However, most of those were finished BEFORE I joined CAG.

I find myself going into the same downward spiral again though, since I've made massive amounts of credit due to flipping and I've been buying games that I really have almost not time to finish.

Thus far, I've only finished ONE game out of my stack of about 8-9 current gen titles. That game: GTA IV

However, unlike times past, I have zero desire to go back and replay it. I also still have Uncharted, Conan, Rise Of The Argonauts, Mercenaries 2, Little Big Planet and at least 2-3 more to finish, but I doubt I ever will.

I'm just glad that I got each of them cheap enough that I can say I didn't pay full price in cash for them.
 
It's called will power people. Buy the shit you actually want to play. I refuse to buy a game for $5 just because it's "cheap." If I'm not going to enjoy playing it, then what's the point?
 
I am addicted to buying cheap games
I seriously buy 10 to 30 games a week to keep but at least I also buy games to flip and don't actually spend more than 20 bucks a week on games after flipping sometimes even make money
 
[quote name='IAmTheCheapestGamer']However, unlike times past, I have zero desire to go back and replay it. I also still have Uncharted, Conan, Rise Of The Argonauts, Mercenaries 2, Little Big Planet and at least 2-3 more to finish, but I doubt I ever will.[/quote]

Dude, go through and play Uncharted. You can finish it up in a day or two tops (5-6 hour playthrough). Not necessarily the best value in terms of gameplay hours but it felt really nice to finish the game in a relatively short period of time.
 
I had the problem for a bit... but I got over it when I realized I'd never play those shitty games even if they were $5.
 
[quote name='DarkRider23']It's called will power people. Buy the shit you actually want to play. I refuse to buy a game for $5 just because it's "cheap." If I'm not going to enjoy playing it, then what's the point?[/quote]

For me, I buy these on the off chance I MAY play it, but mostly because I can make mad profit off of it :D. If I don't get around to it, so be it. With the money I've gained from selling back cheap games (not hoarding!) I've pretty much been able to game for free nowadays. Thanks CAG and Goozex!
 
I used to be that way. I would buy games just because they were very cheap, even if I didnt know anything about it or liked it. I figured I could add to my collection and I could sell the other copies to pay for mine. It got to the point my game room is overstocked (backlogged on games to play) and I literally have no room for more games without just having them all over the place. Also since ebay fees went up, their rules went to shit, and the economy is failing, I no longer have a backup plan on getting rid of games I buy just because they are cheap. Now I only buy good games that I actually want and/or I know they will definitely be a good flip to pay for my copy. I still wait for deals on these games. But price is no longer the sole reason I buy games anymore, which is the way it should be.
 
I buy a lot of things anyways (yeah, yeah, consumer whore!) so I'm in the same boat. However, if it sucks after I give it a try I either sell it to make my money back or throw it on Goozex. $5 is about how much a rental is, so it doesn't bother me too much. My problem now is shelf space, but since I just got rid of 75% of my remaining DVD collection (used to have 100, then went down to 25, now I probably have 10-15 or so, mostly DVDs of TV seasons), it's not too bad. I'm going bananas on Goozex now since I built up a bit of credit from BBV things I bought from BOGO.

Plus it's sort of inherited, my dad bought cheap Master System/Genesis/Sega CD games for us when I was a kid. He still buys a lot of cheap games for the sake of it. In fact, I introduced him to CAG. ;)
 
Op. you are definitely not alone. At times I think that I'm actually an addict with a problem but I don't know how to cope with it. I don't have an addictive personality, but I keep buying new games for no reason. When they are really cheap, I can't help myself.

Is it a quarter life crisis? I would argue that's part of it. I'm in the same age group so I know what you're talking about. I think that for every year you gain, the more you want to become the younger person of your past. It's just a theory but I think it has some merit.

I think the real question is, do we all have a serious problem? Is video game playing or collecting an addictive habit? Sound stupid? Look at we do: we buy games that we usually don't have any intention of playing and we can't really stop. It's the behavior of an addict.

I personally have a backlog of 30 games that are sealed. One of those games is the Rockband 2 bundle. I have an entire Rockband 2 bundle just sitting here in front of me waiting to be played. Will I play it? I have no idea. I'm so busy with everything else that I probably won't. I have games that are from the launch of the 360 that I haven't opened yet. I didn't buy them at launch but still, they're not getting any newer.
 
[quote name='Pck21']Op. you are definitely not alone. At times I think that I'm actually an addict with a problem but I don't know how to cope with it. I don't have an addictive personality, but I keep buying new games for no reason. When they are really cheap, I can't help myself.

Is it a quarter life crisis? I would argue that's part of it. I'm in the same age group so I know what you're talking about. I think that for every year you gain, the more you want to become the younger person of your past. It's just a theory but I think it has some merit.

I think the real question is, do we all have a serious problem? Is video game playing or collecting an addictive habit? Sound stupid? Look at we do: we buy games that we usually don't have any intention of playing and we can't really stop. It's the behavior of an addict.

I personally have a backlog of 30 games that are sealed. One of those games is the Rockband 2 bundle. I have an entire Rockband 2 bundle just sitting here in front of me waiting to be played. Will I play it? I have no idea. I'm so busy with everything else that I probably won't. I have games that are from the launch of the 360 that I haven't opened yet. I didn't buy them at launch but still, they're not getting any newer.[/quote] It definitely seems to be an addictive problem.
But at least we're not addicted to nicotine or alcohol, right? :D
 
I have to agree something is going on here.. This site is making us zombies lol.. I got my ps3 for christmas and already am at 25 games with like 15 untouched!:hot:
 
I used to have that problem. Now before I buy a game I really think about if I'm going to play the game anytime soon. If not I don't buy it. It's actually mostly working, though I have serious problems resisting most Steam weekend deals.
 
You are freaking NOT ALONE.

I get joy out of tearing the shrinkwrap off new gamess (Is anyone else weird like that?)

I got a Wii mid Nov... I have 30+ games (25 wii titles, 5 gamecube.)

How many have I truly played to death or beat? 2. (Wii Sports, and Sonic Unleashed)

With wii, the games get so cheap. Like for example todays Amazon Samba De Amigo deal for 9.99...

HOW THE HELL CAN U PASS THAT UP?!?

But I am buying wisely. As most games I buy are 10-30 dollar. Acutally the most expensive game I bought was 30 dollars (Mario Kart, and it was brand new.)

As a college student, I have barely any time to play. And even if I do have time, I am freaking tired as hell to even think. (Video games require tons of thinking I have found out...) Maybe this summer...but then again, with finding about flipping and making money...theres hardly any time!

I spend more time flipping than playing. WOE IS ME.
 
[quote name='gomikeoh']You are freaking NOT ALONE.

I get joy out of tearing the shrinkwrap off new gamess (Is anyone else weird like that?)[/quote]
Definitely not alone. I agree about opening a brand new game, that's part of the fun for me. I don't seem to get around to it very often though... I probably have a backlog of 75 games across PS2, Wii, PSP, and DS, many of them unopened. I'm trying to slow down and finish more of the games I already have. It helps that there's nothing yet that really interests me on the current-gen consoles, which gives me time to catch up on the older stuff.
 
It's called: Competual Acquirement Gamitus. This disease (aka CAG) affects a growing number of the population. It can be treated. If treatment is not administered within 2 weeks, the escalating symptoms will include: frequent inability to dismiss multiple excursions to identical comsumer outlets, compulsive and irrational purposed 'flipping' or CIPF and/or spousal abuse.
 
I've been cutting down some of the year or so due to the economy, but still... I find myself dropping $1-$2 on NES/SNES/Sega/64 games that I doubt I'll be playing anytime soon and it's more because they look good on my shelf.

I get in and out of gaming a good bit, but seeming always pick up something that looks like a good deal, even if I'm not overly interested in it.
 
[quote name='Pck21']
Is it a quarter life crisis? I would argue that's part of it. I'm in the same age group so I know what you're talking about. I think that for every year you gain, the more you want to become the younger person of your past. It's just a theory but I think it has some merit.

I think the real question is, do we all have a serious problem? Is video game playing or collecting an addictive habit? Sound stupid? Look at we do: we buy games that we usually don't have any intention of playing and we can't really stop. It's the behavior of an addict.

I personally have a backlog of 30 games that are sealed. One of those games is the Rockband 2 bundle. I have an entire Rockband 2 bundle just sitting here in front of me waiting to be played. Will I play it? I have no idea. I'm so busy with everything else that I probably won't. I have games that are from the launch of the 360 that I haven't opened yet. I didn't buy them at launch but still, they're not getting any newer.[/quote]



My thoughts to the letter! Except I think my problem goes even beyond the word addiction. A launch 60gb PS3 w/ over 20 games remain sealed and unopened on the shelf. Picked up a Wii at launch, only played Wii Sports on it (my fav game:D), but have over 50 games sealed sitting on shelf. I managed to open my X360 Elite because I wanted to play EDF2017 and have poured over 200hrs+ into that game, but barely touched any of the other 65 still unopened. The only game I've beaten on the system is Turok and the system has never been online! In fact the only system i've ever had online is the Wii simply because it was so simple to set up and i've only used the online to download games from the VC, no multi-player anything for me. I still use my launch PS2 fatty to play Playstation games (Rival Schools and Black being my fav 2 to pop in....yeah wierd) and have over 100 PS2 games still in the shrinkwrap. And lets not even mention the portable systems.....a nightmarish backlog if I ever seen one! Counted last night and between all my systems (GBA,DS,PSP,Xbox,GC,PS2,Wii,X360,PS3) 401 games sit sealed on the shelves in my room:cry:

I have always loved playing games since I got my first computer/game system, a VIC-20 w/ Atlantis and Mole Attack back in my early childhood (My deepest sympathy to all the youg-ins who missed out on those:D), so my heart is very much into gaming, its just seems like I don't have the time anymore. I beat every game I could get my hands on back when I was a child at home w/ no responsibilities or relationships to contend with.

Like PCK21 mentioned, I guess it's just my quarter-life crisis and something inside longing for those childhood days when I had nothing but time to play Metroid and StreetFighter II for 12 hrs in a day, lol! Between wifey, pets, friends, sports, JOB, and my other passion DVD/Blu-Ray's there is virtually no concievable way I'll get to play even a tenth of those games, BUT I STILL KEEP BUYING?!? I have NEVER traded a game in, NEVER built any store credit anywhere and NEVER purchased a used game in my life other than Phantom Crush and Marvel Vs Capcom 2. To make matters worse my DVD collection (all still sealed) is 3-4x the gaming side of room and I've only been on CAG since 2007, so you do the math. Seriously, I need some help here....
 
Finding a couple of deals the very few months I've been on this board made me realize that I bought almost double of my collection in less than 3 months. I got a couple of games from deals at ToysRUs, BBV and Gamestop that are dying for me to play but haven't got around to. I just never get a chance to but I still buy cheap games because the deals are irresistible.

But seriously, I wouldn't have got any of these cheap deals if it weren't for the members part of this community which is Cheap Ass Gamer! :)
 
[quote name='antlp89']For me, I buy these on the off chance I MAY play it, but mostly because I can make mad profit off of it :D. If I don't get around to it, so be it. With the money I've gained from selling back cheap games (not hoarding!) I've pretty much been able to game for free nowadays. Thanks CAG and Goozex![/quote]

This pretty much sums up my life after CAG & Goozex. Having just turned 16, I'm seriously making more money than most people my age do with regular boring jobs. It's addicting, but what's the harm in making money through one of your hobbies? Despite having tons of games to play now (really, I got my 360 in November and I now have over 40 games, most were released in '08), my social life hasn't taken a hit either

Keep flipping!
 
Same problem here, In the last month or so i have picked up about 10 games for 15 or less. So yeah your not alone!! :)
 
[quote name='antlp89']I think what you have is a sympton of cheapassgamer. I've had it ever since Ive joined over a year ago. It's just so hard NOT to pick up something when you know it's a "deal".[/quote]

This!

Before joining CAG, I barely bought any games. Since then, I have over 50 games in my backlog. It took me like a year to finish Uncharted for Christ's sake! Playing R&C now, which I bought over a year ago. Probably wont finish it for another month I bet. LOL!
 
What about accessories?

I have this strange need to get an official Xbox 360 wireless adapter even though I already have the original Xbox adapter that works fine.
 
Since I joined CAG in December, I have been suffering this problem. Buying cheap games is sooo addicting, even if they're not that cheap! Sometimes I find myself hitting my head against the wall because better deals pop up much later. If only I had waited. As for the backlog, mine isn't that bad. However, I find that I don't enjoy the games I play as much. I'm not an achievement whore, but god, 45% completion is so shitty. I should go back and play those games again. sigh...
 
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