Auditing My 2023 FOMO Video Game Purchases + Collecting Plans for 2024

[@pauls713]

If your buying schedule goes down, I'm sure a lot of us would be happy to have more videos where you share your thoughts on whatever you're playing, or on general developments in gaming. Good luck with the job transition .

[@orbalology]

Thank you!

[@nicole-ruggiero]

Was just going to comment this! Definitely would love to hear your reviews on the games you already have! Also, BG3 is awesome. Not sure if you've played or made a video yet but definitely check it out, would love to hear what you think

[@ryanrdlps]

Your transparency is incredibly refreshing. I think it can be the specific niche that you can build your brand around. Excited to see more! I wish I took your dedication to "saving" for what you want instead of my habbit of sliding the appropriate credit card for whichever shop I'm buying from. Great advice here!

[@annonjames2433]

Not to late to change bad habits

[@orbalology]

Thanks! And I agreed with the other commentor, it's never too late to make small incremental changes to our habits :)

[@n8ivegogo1]

This is unreal & unheard of I NEVER thought I’d see a KZbinr be so real & forthcoming, but that’s what I like about Emily’s vids. There’s no BS It’s just her in front of a camera & that’s the beauty of it. Keep up the great work‼️

[@backlogbusters]

Really appreciate the transparency! And hearing what you’re excited/saving for this next year! I’m inspired to go look at my spending for last year even though I’m a little scared to analyze it haha

[@orbalology]

Thanks! And I totally agree that seeing all the numbers added together is certainly very intimidating! But if you choose to go through this exercise I hope you can find it just as helpful :)

[@MagentaMilk]

Came for the RPG talk, left feeling motivated to get my finances in order 😅

[@hekidayo]

Hell yeah financial literacy and gaming!! Great idea for a video and thank you for sharing so many details. It can boggle the mind how once we can afford spending on a hobby, we can be shocked by how much if we don’t track it!

[@leolightfellow]

Lot of great games in there. Lot of money spent too. Good on you for being so transparent. (The glasses look good on you, btw.)

[@TheDaglers]

I see you are fellow man of culture aswell. Glasses on girls are op.

[@Lemonade_Stand_]

You're a brave woman. Personally i prefer the ignorance is bliss approach when it comes to my spending habits.

[@orbalology]

I guess I like to live dangerously lol

[@anthonycomeaux1804]

Limited print retailers (and even regular retailers) have really cranked the FOMO marketing and release strategies to 11 in recent years. Its so sad because it personally makes collecting less enjoyable and makes me feel dirty for supporting such unethical practices. It has driven me to collecting less, which is good, but just a sad state of affairs Edit: you are spot on with VGP. I like them given that you get some second/third chances to get a game that may not be so easy to come by, but they lean HEAVILY on "oh it's a limited reprint that is going for crazy amounts of money on the secondhand market, so buy now because we are going to run out". You see the game sell out initially and think "I'm glad I got it since it really sold out", and then not much later it's magically available again.. and again .. and again... And on sale.... It's hard to fault VGP specifically for that practice since Best Buy and other retailers are all doing the same thing these days as part of release strategies to drive initial preorders/sales, but it is dirty

[@jarathen1625]

Also VGP charges up front no matter when the order actually ships, which feels scummy.

[@NumberOneHorseDrowner]

Every game has limited print runs, the only difference is most are hidden. Lots of limited print run games are not particularly expensive 6 months or so after they are released. The only reason these games have physical versions is because of limited print run companies, and the only options they have are guessing how many copies to make, or accepting pre-orders and making that many.

[@orbalology]

Yeah, I don't think VGP is necessarily the one to blame, but publishers themselves for relying on these print on demand practices. VGP is a small business so they can only commit to so many copies they know will sell at a given time.

[@anthonycomeaux1804]

@@orbalology yeah that makes sense. Just strange to see how commonplace it has become with the likes of BestBuy, target, etc. but I guess that strategy works best for them , but just isn't great in terms of customer experience

[@wolfuz]

I agree with you that there isn't a lot of transparency when it comes to hobby expenses, and you really bring out the awareness to be responsible about it! Thank you for your commitment! Very nicely done, Emily!

[@arsenblackwell]

I bought the Nintendo Switch in January 2022. It was a shopping frenzy. Between that year and last. I put together my collection that mostly consists of RPG games just like you. Considering only the switch games i bought 150+ games. I spent a little more than 7k in that without considering what I spent on PS4, PS5, even Xbox 360 and some PS1 games. Finally, more than 30+ Nendoroid figures, I think I spend a total of approximately 10k, all together. This year I ´m saving and investing I hope i continue my puchases more consiusly because that was really crazy. I have a game backlog for many years XD

[@orbalology]

Best of luck with tackling your backlog, and curbing your spending! Hopefully we both can make progress on these goals :)

[@aliali-ce3yf]

this is fantastic. more transparency in finances is fantastic. wish more people did these kinds of videos. the problem with social media is it feeds into people chasing unrealistic or potentially unhealthy goals

[@davidhall2018]

I think that your “sinking fund” approach is a very good one. It can be hard enough keeping my on FOMO in check. Especially when it comes to pre-orders. But I’ve been trying to do my own sort of budgeting similar to a sinking fund. You have an amazing collection and I hope that you’re able to continue expanding i!

[@thanksgivingh6185]

I like your approach. kind of makes the whole allocating fundings/savings a game out of the whole process, adding a bit of fun and enthusiasm in a way.😅 👍

[@OfficialBo420]

These types of videos are amazing to me, because being someone who is about to be on their own, but who is also smart with saving money, you take all the little details into consideration (the average ,median etc) also your monthly purchases is how I keep track for the year! Ppl can really learn a lot from these kinds of videos

[@saibur7798]

People don't do this enough. Great idea for a video and a dose of reality for us collectors.

[@SoloBoardGamingKnight]

I never really experienced FOMO until I got into board games. Many times, board games only receive one very limited printing run. With video games, I still purchase a lot but mostly just for the Switch. This year, I really have to practice self-control. Like you, having a channel can influence our purchasing decisions. Personally, I will most likely focus on playthroughs, learn 2 plays and review copies. Good luck with your new job and I wish you much luck in 2024!!

[@johnathanrhoades7751]

My GOODNESS yes…the Kickstarter/Gamefound environment of games is insane. I have almost entirely cut board game spending as I am really happy with my current collection, but the FOMO was insane.

[@baldchinchilla]

I love any time you do spread sheet breakdowns. It's a really interesting approach to looking back at your collecting.

[@BlueLilyMA15]

Thanks so much for doing this video Emily!! I think it’s really important to talk about this topic. I myself bought over 100 games this year and I can see that some of them were definitely FOMO and a few were just bad decisions. I’m really going to try harder this year to curate my collection more thoughtfully, focusing on the series (trails, tales, fire emblem and xeno) that bring me joy 🥰

[@orbalology]

Ah, great series to choose to focus on this year. Best of luck with all your collecting goals :)

[@djdavis1420]

The fact that you mentioned Xenosaga at all gives me so much hope! I know it's still a pipe dream, but a pipe dream is still a dream!

[@orbalology]

I hope all the little teasers & references they keep dropping will lead up to something!

[@raul4121]

Thanks for the transparency! I actually have the same goal as you this year so it's nice to hear that there is someone else out there with the same goal around a hobby I really enjoy.

[@kevinmccartney4906]

I appreciate your methodical approach to looking over the last year and planning for the next. Zooming out and looking at the numbers to help decide a course of action can feel empowering! Thanks for your honesty and openness. Continuing to wish you luck with the job transition! You sound prepared for it and that's also admirable. 🎉

[@AphonsoLuis]

Your videos are really fantastic and you are covering topics that few, if any, people talk about. Sometimes it gets annoying the amount of videos that almost everyone makes with the old theme of "look at the number of games I bought! I'm the best! I have so many games!" The reality, however, for most people, the amount of money we spend on games always has a huge impact on our lives and it is very easy to get into a spiral of addiction where we start buying, buying, buying, and we don't stop. Last year I started controlling the number of games I buy and I only bought 67 games. In my worst phases of FOMO I bought more than 100 games in a single month.

[@jordanwilliams8266]

I love this kind of content. This is one of the more fun parts of collecting for me. To assess my spending habits at the end of the year and to find areas to improve. I've been also working on curating and culling my collection over the past few years to refine it. I dont have the time to play every game, so I cut back on buying quantity and have shifted to focusing on games I REALLY want to play, and then use some extra money for the next gen Nintendo console, CEs for future games I really want, and figures (There's still a Mio scale figure, Eunie figma, about 4 Persona 5 figures, and Adol and Dana figures from Ys VIII)

[@cbpowell83]

Cutting out those limited print games will help. I realized a couple years ago I was having a lot of FOMO purchases with these companies and buying things that I never even touched. Reassessing and prioritizing what I want to collect has helped me out a lot. Where I was collecting a lot of Switch, PS4, retro games, limited edition box sets, and vinyl, I all but cut out all PS4, retro, and LE box sets and focused on Switch and vinyl. Within Switch I broke it down further to only games of series I knew I liked or the genres (RPG and platformers) that I love. I spend much less on just random stuff and now I basically have a finite list (around 40) that seems attainable, where after I'll just need to pick up titles as they release. This more focused approach has made the collecting even more fun. The only thing that's gonna throw a wrench in is when that Switch 2 comes out.

[@sandwichsupernova]

Thank you for sharing. Really appreciate your sincerity and the good vibes. Stay awesome and have a wonderful 2024!! 😊

[@vicoussoulja]

Thanks for sharing, I have never gotten into mass collections. My sunk cost comes from my sport car. Though it doesn't align with collecting, it shares some paths. Very informative and helpful!

[@vorpal22]

I hear you... my fomo from last year was out of control for the first half of 2023. I managed to thankfully rein it in for the second half of 2023 and be more discerning. I'm running out of room for my collector's editions. 😅 I'll give in to my favourite franchises, but I'm not going to just buy a CE of a game that I likely won't end up playing. You always make me rethink my collecting strategy and reflect on my collection! As others have said, your transparency is refreshing and your passion for collecting and putting a lot of thought into it is inspiring.

[@orbalology]

Glad to hear you were able to rein it in in the second half of last year! I hope I can show more restraint this year as well, though the new eastasiasoft otome VN that was announced I think is going to be my first disruptor lol.

[@LynnMooney]

I think most of us can understand the struggle. So many games come out and picking and choosing what to buy can be quite difficult. Especially some of the niche games on Switch. I have to track for the Y's series, Trails, Atelier, etc. to name a few. Great video, I liked seeing your game plan for 2024 expenses. :)

[@Jenergyyy]

I too struggle with major FOMO but also love the chase of a good deal. I have a similar new release goal for next year where I'm going to try to wait for new releases to drop in price. The problem is, I too enjoy niche titles that have low print runs 😅

[@orbalology]

The deal chasing is a major weakness of mine too. Let's hope we can both achieve our goals this year!

[@Jenergyyy]

@orbalology Fingers crossed haha Happy New Year!

[@qualitea_individual]

As someone who is definitely trying to stop spending as much on games this year, I super appreciate this! Thankfully outside of a few select titles, there’s not TOO much I feel like I need to buy this year yet so I’m hoping that’ll help😂 Great video, Emily!!

[@orbalology]

Thanks Alex! Let's hope any upcoming releases that will be announced later won't be too tempting, for both of our sakes!

[@kianlin3260]

Hi, Emily 😊 Last year I bought 20 Switch titles for around $ 900 in total. This year I expect similar number 🤔 while trying my best to reduce my backlog 😁 Personally, I found this kind of content to be quite informative, Emily, because you put everything on spreadsheet so we can assess it together. 📊 Take care of your precious eyes, Emily 🙏 and I also wear glasses when I go outside 🤓

[@Ric_93]

Thank you so much for being so transparent! Really loved how insightful and detailed the video was. I've also been logging my purchases and getting all sorts of data from it (fellow PhD here 😂 I can't help it!), I used to have a mega Excel sheet, I've recently transferred the data to Notion and it's so so great! (I now feel kinda inspired to film a similar 2023 audit video myself... 👀)

[@orbalology]

Definitely make an audit video if you're willing! It would be interesting to see how you would approach it :)

[@sonoftheredfox]

I love spreadsheets. They just make help everything clear and take all the emotion out of things so you can make informed decisions and plans. Plus I like typing in the data (I'm weird like that). What you said at 20:50 though is probably the most important thing in the whole video. I just finished Chrono Trigger for the first time a couple of weeks ago. It was the PC port (which gets slammed by some people) but I enjoyed it. I think I'm going to go back and finally finish OG FFVII. Sweet glasses BTW 😁 Hope your eye is feeling better though. I'm guessing too that the job change you're speaking of is for that one you mentioned in your last vid that you were interviewing for? If so, congratulations!

[@orbalology]

Spreadsheets are the best lol. And thank you, I haven't received an official offer from the job I was interviewing (it's a very long process full of bureaucracy). But a job transition is happening regardless this year because my postdoctoral fellowship is ending :)

[@les-os]

You know when you see a spreadsheet it’s gonna be a great video!! lol - I feel like collecting is almost like bodybuilding sometimes, you gotta bulk up first that way when it’s time to cut back and lose the junk you’re left with nothing but a strong core hehe :)

[@BespokeSlipp]

Haha true that, never thought about it this way!

[@orbalology]

Haha, I like this analogy as well :)

[@MichaelH-1]

The glasses definitely don't diminish the cuteness at all :)

[@Buba92]

Thanks for the refreshing video again. I'm also aiming to continue with scaling down on purchases this year, along with playing some specific titles amongst other things. Also... joining the praise; your transparency is really amazing & appreciated. I can't fathom why you'd get bad comments... you don't deserve it, I think you've been amazingly helpful in the space & brave.

[@orbalology]

Thanks! I wish you the best with your buying & playing goals this year :)

[@GreatShinob1W0lf]

I freaking love this idea Emily thank you for doing this and sharing. I have the same issue and am excited to keep up with your process

[@Erabiont]

I think I might be kinda done worrying about collecting physical media so much. I'll get what I really want within reason. Digital prices on games when on sale can sometimes be 10 times less than the overinflated physical market, and at the end of the day all I really care about is playing the game I'm interested in. Currently I'm trying to save more money for important life goals, and game collecting will really get in the way of that.

[@BespokeSlipp]

I hear you, I’ve started to lean this way as well. Shocked myself this year and decided not to get a Switch OLED (still rocking the launch IPS Switch), but instead a Steam Deck OLED. Steam/PC games have insane sales, so they’re offsetting the price of the Deck! I did however preorder the FF 7 Rebirth collector’s edition, and absolutely will buy the Switch 2 (when an OLED variant is released) so I’m still somewhat hooked haha

[@johnathanrhoades7751]

I have been finding the “You Need a Budget” app really helpful this last month! The first part of the year was a little hot and heavy with the purchasing myself.

[@josecarlos11]

Excellent video! It’s good we all do self reflection once in a while. I’m very satisfied with my collection so I only buy maybe 10 games a year now. But no judgement because it’s a fun hobby. Also FOMO is a real thing and something we should all recognize. Anyways this is why we appreciate this channel, I hope you continue to grow!

[@justinu1182]

I feel like we had a very similar 2023 with regards to Switch collecting 😂😭 I went in hard on limited/FOMO and reprint purchasing and I feel like I haven’t even opened half of them. I really need to get better about that this year… you know, after chained echoes drops, of course. I’m a big spreadsheeter, but I generally use Pricecharting for my collection cataloging. I really wish I had started tracking what I paid for things from the beginning, it bothers me for some reason to not have that complete picture. Thanks as always for the transparency! Great video! Like the glasses by the way, it’s a good look

[@orbalology]

Hopefully we both can resist all the Switch physical FOMO this year 🙈 I've been thinking for this year I want to track the amount spent per game as well, not only for my records but in case I have to resell some items it would be good to have an accurate value for tax purposes. And thank you! :)

[@cozyfeji]

I definitely relate a lot to this video! This year I definitely want to slow down and really think about what games I want in my collection!

[@orbalology]

We got this! 💪

[@ak2112]

Started the video and I was just staring at how many switch games you have... and then at 4 minutes in, you address that you have a ton of switch games. I love it 😅

[@feversgv]

loving the glasses ! 🤓

[@naomibrist3312]

Thank you for sharing! I agree that talking about the financial side of hobbies is a very important aspect. Hobbies are intended to be fun, not cause financial burdens. This year my major goal is to play more games than I buy. I hope to achieve this by 1. Being more intentional with my purchases, I've made a priority list similar to your sinking funds list you shared. 2. In general focus weekend activities more around playing games than game hunting. I recognize that is when I have a tendency to go game hunting and seemingly always end up finding "great deals" I can't pass on. Reducing these kinds of outings will definitely help.

[@orbalology]

These are good strategies! Best of luck with achieving your goals this year :)

[@DrGamingPlays]

I started getting back into collecting again a little over two years ago, and your channel was the first collecting one I started watching (and then some others). My resolution is to reduce the amount of things I get just because it looked so cool on another channel because that really put me over budget. There are really only about five or so CE's that I am getting this year (though what will happen if Xenosaga CE Remasters are announced, lol). Thank you for the insight!

[@orbalology]

I wish you the best with your collecting goals, hopefully we both don't go over budget this year!

[@RenegadeBastard]

Sabbatical 100%! Screw buying video games constantly. Take the time off work and knock out your backlog.

[@ColdNightsGaming]

Great insight, Em! I burned through my gaming budget quicker than ever this year, so I feel the heat, too. Lovely video as always! ✨

[@orbalology]

Thanks, Jay! ✨

[@OpenGrave]

Love the finance mixed with collecting. More please.

[@Franzgoesberserk]

Great video and transparency. Very encouraging for tracking expenses. At the end of last year I realized I spent a lot of money on videogames.. I wasn't able to track it, but I do know it was a quite a lot. I made myself a challenge of spending $0 on videogames this year because I'm saving money for other life projects. Plus I'll have more time to focus on my backlog. So far it's working

[@lexgraham2118]

ANOTHER GREAT VIDEO. IT WAS HELPFUL AND VERY TRANSPARENT. ALWAYS INFORMATIVE TO KNOW WHERE YOUR MONEY IS GOING.

[@JoeNayDoh]

You know we're in for a good video when Emily starts breaking out the spreadsheets lol Great video. I agree that it's always a good idea to wait on new releases (even though that's where I always get it with FOMO), especially with some many games pushing $70 now. Always good to wait for a sale and hopefully any necessary patches the games needs will be out by the time you pick it up

[@michaelbalcazar3990]

Great insight here! Really have me thinking about how much I truly spend on my hobbies/my budget! Sidenote - you have the best background music! Especially the trails music you use!

[@orbalology]

Falcom/Trails music is the best :)

[@mob_status]

Hey Emily! Oh my word, your video left me speechless. I love the transparency you brought to this video. It is unfortunate that though we are all adults, some of us, including me, don't know how to "balance a sheet" i.e. budgeting. This video really hit me the reality check that our hobbies have a cost and companies have taken advantage of that. I was so impressed, even to the point of jealousy, about how you utilized Google Sheets to keep a record of every video game you bought in 2023. That is SUCH a universal skill to know for any hobby! If there comes a time where you don't have an idea for a video, please feel free to make content on budgeting! Like how to use google sheets or how you are setting up your 2024 records. I feel that you hit something good with this video. I honestly would love to see more! Emily, you are fearless. Happy New Years & the glasses look great on you!!

[@orbalology]

Thank you, and happy new year!!

[@missmandia]

Watching your videos on financial planning and review in the context of this hobby is always so refreshing (and motivating)! I love this style of video, thanks for sharing & being so open about your budget! 😊

[@orbalology]

Thanks, Mandy. I'm glad I can share passion for collecting and finances in the same space with these types of videos :)

I agree with you here, it's not that FOMO makes me buy things I don't really want, I just don't need to have them RIGHT NOW, since my backlog is huge already. If you don't need to be in the conversation about a game the second it comes out, holding out will almost always bring great savings. That's why this year I'm only getting a few games day one, which most are coincidentally the same ones you have on your Sinking Fund. That's a great idea! Thanks Emily, good luck with your job transition!

[@MrValkilmer35]

Hey I love your transparency and collecting videos. My current issue is I have a huge backlog and don't play the games as fast as I can buy them. So I'm hoping to curb my game buying in 2024 and follow through playing through some of my backlog before i buy new games.

[@theonedraven8007]

I follow a 50/20/15/15 rule. 50% of income to bills and rent, 20 into savings, 15 into emergency funds and 15 into hobbies xD I just got a new job, and it pays significantly better, and so i can give into FOMO a little, given that I play everything i buy, but i also have gotten more into figures lately (Tales of Arise had a shionne statue come out and all the atelier figures) plus ive been doing alot of retro lately...

[@BespokeSlipp]

This is a great ratio, may have to steal it 😃. Congrats on the new and better job!

[@Gaming-Enthusiast]

Great advice, massive inspiration to us smaller content creators 👌👌

[@jarathen1625]

I like this. It's a fun hobby that also requires an admission that there will never be any kind of time to play it all, so we need to be cognizant of what we're doing, why we're doing it, and how to do it responsibly. I like this angle and approach.

[@dwade03marion07]

Hello Emily! First off, belated Happy New Year! Hope 2024 will be a great year for you, from your personal life, to your collecting life! :D This is such a fascinating insight to how you collect, and how you audit them! Once again, love the spreadsheets hehe! While I would personally never do this, it's great on how it would things would look like, with percentages and everything. Extra comments: 1. Will never really like most of the companies to do limited prints, that rely on FOMO HEAVILY to get to you buy, that take a long ass time to fulfill your orders, the extra contents aren't even worth the price a good chunk of the time (at least from what I've seen), etc. amongst other gripes I have with them. 2. Your video inspired me to check and see on how many games I bought in 2023. It was around 30-40 games, with half of them being retro games, and a decent chunk of them just re-releases of older games (I.E. Baten Kaitos, Rhapsody), very few actual 2023 releases. That's perfectly fine by me 😂

[@orbalology]

Ah, Baten Kaitos is one I meant to buy last year... it's been slightly discounted on VGP & playasia these last couple of months so I may have to make an order soonish lol

[@dwade03marion07]

@@orbalology I will definitely say it's super worth it! :D My perosnal GOTY! Though, I think you already know it, it's a long ass game lol, so be prepared to sink a good amount of time to it, I know you have that backlog to go through XD

[@YukeWeiss]

I was really good this year and only purchased about 4 games physically. I also found 2 of the Ratchet and Clanks on PS3 (the side games) for extremely cheap. Digitally I went a bit nuts when the 3DS store shut but they don't take up shelf space. My goal was to try and become backlog neutral or positive and I did in fact reduce it all in all by finishing a few 3DS games I had. Wishing you well for your 2024 goals!

[@blastshards]

This was rather informative and glad you did made this video. As someone who is still looking for any kind of work, I can understand the importance of budgeting. If it's collection of games (megaman/ Castlevania/TMNT/MGS) I wouldn't mind due to what I am getting in the package. Even now as I continue on in my last year of collage, I'm still in the process of looking for work. It doesn't help that entry level work requires experience. So, good thing for my backlog of games. This was a great video. I think for me, I will be very selective on what's coming for games. At least, until I get a job and finish school. Not only that, but I am slowly transisting from video games to books/manga. So, that's an other thing to add to the list.

[@orbalology]

Best of luck with finishing up your studies & landing a great job :)

[@MrDesertdogg69]

Great video..The whole FOMO I know I've spent a lot in the past years. I've pretty much slowed down on my purchases. On top of collecting video games was also spending on movies, comics and statues/figures. I've either slowed down on a certain hobby or just don't collect for it. When it comes to buying new games...I just wait for a price drop..but their are some games that don't drop in price so if I want a certain game I either pay the full price or just pass on it. And I use to be into Collector's editions..but not anymore..has to be something that I'm really interested in..another thing is having the space for it. Thanks for sharing I enjoyed the video.

[@jdzspace33]

I really like this approach. I need to adopt this myself, i don't even pay attention to the smaller games i buy, only the "hunts," aka the collector's edition. But i probably bagged more than my share of hunts last year

[@JardinDeLucioles]

This is a really useful video!! Thank you!! I try to buy less games and get rid of the games I don't really want in my collection. I am not ready to do a spreadsheet with my expenses though... (I'm probably just scared of the numbers... :P ) I try to be less affected by FOMO. The VGP reprints helped me quite a lot with it. Just knowing that maybe someday a reprint will be made it helps me to not fall for FOMO. I also realized buying only the games I really want, even if it's later at a higher price is less expensive than buying too many games at their release dates. Games drop in price way more often than the opposite. Thanks for making this kind of videos! They are really useful for any collectors out there!

[@orbalology]

Agreed, VGP reprints helped make me feel less pressed about modern games going out print as well. I'm super thankful for their services regarding that, even though all their reprint sales make me a little anxious at times lol

[@kunalnn017]

I fell for the FOMO trap as well and given it was a crazy year for games 2023 was just crazy. So want to avoid it this year. Super full shelves and cabinets now and no time to play backlog 😂

[@orbalology]

Let's hope 2024 is good for making progress on both of our goals!

[@omyguzman1796]

Great video, thank you 😉 big help to keep my expenses in check 😅 For 2024 already preorder CE's for Persona 3R, FF7 Rebirth, Grand blue fantasy and Unicorn Overlord, and of course Falcom is taking my money on anything they release hoping for YS X soon. I hope Monolith soft dont show anything until next gen. Looking good with the new glasses 😊

[@sarahlloyd119]

I have resolved to play more games than I buy in 2024! I’m also working on a “40-before-40”, trying to play through 40 JRPGs before the 40th anniversary of the Japanese release of Dragon Quest (ie May 2026), so I’ll be aiming to play through at least 12 JRPGs from the last 38 years!

[@NCSUWolfpacker2010]

Chained echoes a gem. It’s in my top 10 of all time. Absolutely loved it. It’s become perfectly fine to go digital sometimes m. First press, good luck with them lol. I wish some companies would realize limited print does not need to mean one print.

[@Mack.Tracks]

I really appreciate the insight. Thanks!

[@DavidNomNom]

This transparency is appreciated and helping me with my own budgeting for 2024. Fully agree with the idea of pulling back on new game spending and focusing on clearing out the backlog, especially after such a stellar year for gaming!

[@orbalology]

Last year was pretty wild, and it's looking to be similar this year!

[@michaeldemers2716]

You should definitely pick up the Sam's Journey Famicom Edition and an HD-938 Handheld to play on. It should definitely be worth all the money. The HD-938 has HDMI out and comes with two wireless controllers. Sam's Journey was a recent C64 game that got a conversion to NES. I got a Mayflash SNES/NES/FC joypad adapter for PC just for the Famicom to NES wire and use it along with an 8Bitdo NES Dongle so that I can use my NES Online Controller. Feels a little more official. Don't forget to hold reset when you power down to keep your Save File. 😊

[@Whitlan]

This video really helps with my own experience and perspective. I spent way more than I usually would. Especially with those VGP reprints 😅. I didn’t know about the Corrin and Mio figures though, so maybe the video hurts me to lol. I’ll have to look into those, but as a Canadian they are hard to find sadly

[@orbalology]

Corrin I think is due out this summer and Mio hasn't been officially up for preorder yet - but I except it'll be sometime this year because GoodSmile has shared the sculpt prototype not too long ago. If possible I recommend buying from GoodSmile global's website because they ship quickly & shipping is a flat 2000 yen for every order.

[@karllong1570]

A great video worth the wait and all your effort I love how you tally up all the details it’s really eye opening and such a good idea thanks for sharing and you look fabulous in your glasses also just a little notice ☺️🙏🏻

[@WolfPhoenix0]

Awesome transparency, Emily! I bought plenty of Switch games in 2023 and splurged quite a bit on the Steam Winter Sale, ha ha. I also highly recommend using a spreadsheet to keep track of your gaming backlog. It's helped me organize everything nicely though it's also a constant reminder that there's so much left to play. 😂

[@orbalology]

I may have to incorporate some spreadsheets for backlog completion! I've been looking at Notion too as a way to organize and log everything too :)

[@themanboycave122]

I’m in awe of our organization. I just buy games and hope for the best! Sorry you have to deal with so many knuckleheads. One of the joys of KZbin.

[@orbalology]

Yeah, this year I've been trying to get in a better headspace to deal with it. It comes with the territory, and something we all have to deal with sadly.

[@ploopachooptv]

Just wanted to say that your channel is the reason I am finally giving the Kiseki series a try this year! Thank you for always sharing your gaming opinions and love for games with us. Curated Collecting seems like a really effective way to keep games you want to display for sentimental value or because you will actually play them. Anyways, I am off to go play more Trails in the Sky FC!

[@TanTan_7]

Haters will always be hating. You really did inspired me to review my 2023 budget! Thanks.

[@Igenitts]

Thanks to you Emily, I’m going to keep track on how much I spend on games this year. I’m trying to break the habit of caving in to fomo.

[@XanderBroeffle]

Great video! Crazy how expensive hobbies can be. My goal for 2024 is to buy no games all year and just play what’s in my collection. Lots of goodies that I already own. Good luck!

[@orbalology]

Best of luck! I hope to get a large portion of my backlog completed as well :)

[@75Golgotha]

Thanks for sharing! While I don't have the same collecting mentality I do enjoy seeing your process, and in turn it helps me think about what games I am purchasing through the year. 😁

[@sporkticus4061]

Thank you for your transparency! Now that I have a 3 year old and another baby on the way. I’ve slowed down on the hunt for games. Also focusing on playing an hour or two a day. I’ve switch to playing the backlog now. Hoping to finish all the Xenoblade games this year. Might even pull out Xenogears. Haha.

[@sasamiadachi]

I haven't purchased anything from LRG in a long time. The only games I pre-ordered from them in the last three years were the two Persona games for the Switch. I did receive a shipping notification for Persona 3 Portable just after the holiday break, but it will likely not arrive until February since it is being sent through Asendia to Canada. I also cut back on the number of Collector's Editions. Outside of a few core franchises, I find myself electing to pick up regular editions. Not only do I not have worry about them being shipped to me damaged, but they are also much easier to shelf. I really appreciate you taking the time to share how you are budgeting your spending. I do very much the same thing to manage my purchases as well. FOMO can easily be our worst enemy if we are not careful.

[@BespokeSlipp]

I’m excited for my video game resolution this year: to gradually start figure collecting! And it couldn’t have began better. I caved and put in a preorder for the FF 7 Rebirth Sephiroth collector’s edition from Square’s site. The shipping was only $10, which is substantially less than I’ve ever seen it. Hefty purchase however, so I’ll have to really hold off on other pickups unfortunately. It’s so awesome to see you spreading financial literacy/transparency Emily. Truly is such an important aspect of all of our lives, and needs to have a larger presence. Thanks so much for sharing your budget. I’d love to see more videos, and I’m going to start tracking this year as well. VGP’s holiday sales were great, but I’m a little annoyed as I bought some reprints (both Persona Q 3DS games), and the Opus Collection, that both were marked down $10-15 just a few weeks after delivery. No worries though, now I know to wait this year until the holiday season for most things. I still love you VGP if you’re reading! Lol

[@orbalology]

Oh man, the FF7 Rebirth CE with Sephiroth statue looked awesome, hope it's as amazing in person!! Which other figures have you been eyeing? 👀

[@midithi]

I need to do a sinking funds sheet, wow. This is amazing. Thank you for sharing this with us.

[@unconditionallove3820]

What an awesome list 👏 fomo is tough to beat! Exercising discipline to wait on ps5 and rebirth until ive finished everything else i went for in 2023. 2023 was an incredible year to jump back into gaming after my 20year hiatus. For my situation something 10 years ago is brand new to me. I used this matter of fact to help pace myself and acquire some deny others based on availability/scarcity/price and what they mean to my personality. That said, a rule ive created for myself(ongoing post prime day strategy ) is no more new purchases until two in the backlog have been completed. If digital is much cheaper than a physical and it's not a main focus for me at this time(zelda and anything S.E.) than ive opened up for embracing digital. An example of this was Immortals complete for $15 rather than $90. Also, if i have to download a dlc anyway and the discount is right then digital starts to have more meaning/value. My other rule I'm really trying not to break for 2024 is no purchases until prime day(July) as that was the best opportunity price wise in general last year. Hopefully ps5 and rebirth will be offered to us hold outs at a nice discount at that time. The only thing that will break this rule ive decided is if Twilight Princess hits Switch. 2024 is certainly a year to be extremely cautious. I work supply chain as a truck driver and things have been dramatically reduced across the board. Anything international that the current value of the dollar might have an edge on would likely be a wise time to get it sooner than later. Hopefully we dont see massive devaluation but with BRICS about to mint their gold backed currency snd Saudi Arabia aligning with that the international purchase power of the dollar might get destroyed soon. Something to consider. P.s. glasses are adorable, immediately reminded me of Purah ☘️

[@SuperSaiyan2NahumKai]

It's cool that you purchased 97 games in a year even though you do plan on limiting purchasing new game releases. I wish i could afford to buy that many new game releases in a year. I purchased about 4 games (2023 released games) last year (excluding DLCs) which isn't a lot. One of the games i would recommend you to try out is Megaton Rainfall (VR headset isn't required) if you're into space exploration, alien invasions, having super powers, and First-Person view gameplay. The thing i hate most about video games is that it's a business.

[@MissBubbles]

FOMO has made me buy a lot of games in the past that I never ended up playing. My biggest problem though, is holiday sales. I want to cut back cause I bought so many games this year and I have no idea when I'll get to playing them!

[@orbalology]

Now that you have a steamdeck, those holiday sales are much worse I imagine. Good luck navigating them this year, Steph! Let's hope FOMO doesn't get to us too much 😂😅

[@JackieFuckingChan]

Watching this video has made me realize how differently people budget for video games. I’ll get maybe three games at most over the course of a few months, then splurge most of my tax returns on tons of games from the year prior that have been marked down. I’m usually playing games that came out last year because of it.

[@model.citizen.ps3]

your collection is spectacular. i love jrpgs

[@Vandalizer1413]

I enjoy the financial breakdown you provide. It’s very unique here on youtube! Keep up the great work!

[@craigbrub]

Well this video had the opposite effect on me saving money. I went out an impulsively ordered the Deluxe Edition of FF VII Rebirth. 😅 Jokes aside, this was a great video! Gave me some ideas into needing to slow down my spending. I know I've been spending entirely too much collecting games over the past year. I definitely suffer from FOMO. Especially with collector edition stuff, seeing that most of it does drop in price soon after release. My goal this year is to stay off eBay more because it's dangerous - I see a game at a decent price and convince myself I'll never find it again.

[@orbalology]

Oh no! lol Best of luck with your collecting goals this year! :)

[@Edde0425]

I just came across your channel and have to say that i love you. In the gamer type of way :) amazing collection you have going on and the content is just as good.

[@orbalology]

Thanks! :)

[@CarbonKingZach]

I love the spreadsheet, as someone who is in finance and also a collector I can relate, even though I haven't taken the step to make my own yet lol. Good luck with the career change, I am preparing for one myself, hoping all works out for the best!

[@LaLtheGaL]

This is awesome and please take this positively, but I love how nerdy you are about this. I’ve taken your info and started using a budget for my diving hobby and saving for dive vacations. I’ve also curbed my video game spending to facilitate this.

[@orbalology]

Haha, I identify as a nerd so it's all good. And glad to hear you're implementing the budget system for your diving hobby - hope the system helps with achieving your goals!!

[@fyrin4837]

This is an amazing video! I appreciate transparency with going over your recent collection and doing some self-awareness to find out that FOMO definitely affect your game purchases. I've recently did the same thing for gaming hardware that I've purchased in 2023. I wish you luck on improving your spending habits and on your new career path!

[@orbalology]

Thank you, best of luck with your collecting goals for 2024 :)

[@KingOfHart34]

I collect a lot of different types of media outside of video games; blu-rays, 4Ks, vinyl records, CDs, and then all kinds of merch associated with it. My issue is I make a very average income and rent keeps going up and my job is not compensating that by any means. I'll have to start looking for a new job, but for various reasons that's not going to be easy or quick. It sucks because I don't live to work; I work to live. And my hobbies are a major part of that. For the foreseeable future I unfortunately won't be able to spend much at all outside of the essentials. It really sucks, living paycheck to paycheck obviously isn't fun. I've had to budget very similarly to you, though I'm on a much more stringent budget until I can potentially get a new job, which who knows when that happens. Thank you for this video, it was nice to relate to someone.

[@orbalology]

I wish you the best with job hunting, hopefully it'll grant you a bit more flexibility with living expenses/financial goals & extra hobby money :)

[@Bargadiel]

I really appreciate how honest you are. This year I'm trying to save for a home, but FOMO is starting to hit me harder now with all this "disappearance of physical media" stuff going on. I do want to grab a bunch of ps4/ps5 stuff I missed over the last few years, like the older Yakuza games. I want to do my best to be very calculated with buying older games I missed, but only really have maybe 5 or so unreleased games I plan to buy this year.

[@orbalology]

I feel you about trying to snatch up all the good physical media releases before they're gone. I think the PS4/5 stuff will stay around for a little while longer. So no need to rush too much regarding those especially when you have a down payment to focus on :)