Video Game Collecting Addiction

In this video I’m going to be taking a look back on how I started collecting games, what I’m planning to do about it in the future.
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Hopefully this video will make for an interesting discussion about video game collecting and addiction, thank you so much for taking the time to watch, and I hope you enjoy the episode!
Let me know if you've ever felt addicted to collecting retro games, and what you've tried to do to combat it. What do you do to try and keep your video game collecting habbits in check? How do you display your game collections? Are you obsessed with buying and collecting video games? Do you have any advice for fellow game collectors? Let us know in the comments!
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Thanks for watching!

[@mikem3431]

I have had an issue with this too. I switched over to emulation and purged my collection. I now just have a large bin of controllers and raphnet adapters. So far it is working for me, but it took me a few years to work toward that goal.

[@Term271]

At least I can show this my dad now and say that I’m not a hoarder

[@scottlentfert1827]

Not joking when im saying this, but this video got me to speak about game addicting to a friend, to then having a mindset of getting the games that i know are specially made for me (i only really need to get games like Racing games, 3D platformers, party games that me and my friends whould love, naughty dog games, apocoplypse/war shooters, sucker punch games, and retro studios games) In conclussion, it's a great idea to get all the games that you have a very special attachment to.

[@RetroBreak]

That’s great! Glad it got you thinking and able to have a conversation about it :)

[@viridionwaves]

Really appreciate this honest breakdown of past collecting habits. Its not always logical but its good to see things for what they were and learn from them. Sometimes just talking about it gets others thinking and you might save them years of time or a lot of money. I know Ive bought my fair share of unecessary games. Live and learn

[@matthewdeldegan1053]

Just want you to know how much I appreciate and respect you and specifically your honesty in this video. I’m just a huge fan of yours. Might as well tell you that! Keep doing what you love and being fantastic at it. :)

[@RetroBreak]

Thank you so much!

[@b4rs629]

@@RetroBreak That picture of you in the black hoodie.... it was like staring in a mirror of a picture of myself when I was kid.

[@htth613]

How to be Happy All the Time by Sensus Fidelium.

[@jonathan2950]

Having children and my wife stopping work to do childcare full time has meant I have much less disposable income these days. I probably buy 2 or 3 retro games a month now, max, and to be honest, it’s been a blessing in disguise. I’m buying more meaningful games, I’m more focused (mainly just N64 games at the moment) and I’m actually spending more time playing the games I have instead of wasting it searching/researching games to buy. We’ll be converting our loft into a bedroom in the near future, which means I need to go through everything I have stored in the loft and sell some of it. And to be honest, I’m looking forward to it. I have lots of games for the PSP, PS2, PS1, Famicom etc that I’ll never play in my lifetime, so what’s the point in keeping them? And what money I make from them will get me one or two more expensive retro games that I actually want. Oh, and Amiibos. I’ll be selling most of my Amiibos. I’ll definitely keep some of them but most haven’t even been taken out of the box and have just lived in the loft. They take up so much space! I haven’t bought an Amiibo for years now, and probably never will again!

[@whatwhatyep]

Definition of addiction is something that affects your life negatively. If collecting is hurting you then it's an addiction if not it's just a passion.

[@ProfessorJokaseyGaming]

Bro i have over 5k games im working on playing them all myself so trust and believe the professor understands the struggle

[@dropchuck]

I just found your channel and like it so far...........Collecting games is a disease I have too. I started out only buying games I wanted.....then I started buying and selling on Ebay to pay for the games I wanted.......then I put up shelves to display them and realized it looks amazing being displayed......Then I got to the point if 100 games looks nice, then a 1000 games must look great........ now I am collecting everything.......UHG.....lol

[@RetroBreak]

You just know 10,000 games would look even better! Lol. Keep on collecting just don’t let it become a problem :D thanks for watching and glad you’re enjoying the channel!

[@dropchuck]

@@RetroBreak 10,000 games....lol... that should only take about 3 months or so to collect....lmao

[@palmermoynihan2628]

I learned from having to buy most of my games myself is to buy things you plan on playing. I also will try my best to not buy anymore games especially if my backlog is massive which it always is. But if I find a game for a steal I have to pick it up because its a good price for one in good condition. My thought processes is that I payed for these games I might as well enjoy them. Sometimes we can spend so much time trying to get the games or see what games we should get that we forget to actually play the games.

[@Tom_Van_Zandt]

I personally don't understand "collectors" who feel like they have to have anything and everything that has to do with video games...even in my early days of collecting (late 90's) I was really only interested in collecting for systems I owned growing up and games I either played and enjoyed, or games I had wanted to play, but never had a chance to. I feel like there's a very fine line between collecting and hoarding, and in my old age I'm perfectly happy not owning over a thousand games. I prefer a more focused approach to collecting...or having a purpose, if you will. That said, do whatever the fuck you want. Don't listen to people like me...If it makes you happy, do it. Just because I don't want to own games I'm never going to play doesn't mean you shouldn't. Like the Old School Radical Gamer Dude always says, "Keep on gaming, gamer dudes!"

[@hsizzle4502]

same here! every game i own is either a game i love or really want to play or know i will enjoy or its just considered some of the greatest games of all time like chrono trigger and all the old ps2 jrpgs. you know rare games that are worth a ton and gain value over time . not shovel ware trash like half of this guys collection

[@kingsleysummers1410]

Same here I won't buy just any trash I'll only buy games I want to eventually play or games I grew up with so i mainly buy for my megadrive, n64, and playstation 1234

[@SEGANERD85]

Excellent response! This is exactly why my collection is so small compared to a lot of people out there. I have roughly 200 ish games across 12 systems.

[@Tom_Van_Zandt]

​@SEGANERD85 yeah, I only collected games I knew I would play. I don't watch video game collector videos anymore - I haven't for several years - because I got super burned out on how they were all basically the same. But the worst offenders for me were the ones who were buying games they were never going to play for systems that no one liked until youtubers started telling people they should like it. The Atari Jaguar is a system I bought around the year 2002. I paid around $30 for the console, 2 controllers and 2 games. These days every video game collector wants to own the stupid system because they think their video game collector card might get revoked if they don't own one. And if you want to own one these days, you're gonna be paying over $200 just for the console and 1 controller. One of the 1st yourubers I stopped watching because I got sick and tired of all the videos of 😮 "Hey, look at all the games I bought today" - Metal Jesus Rocks. He would have a couple videos a month where he would show all the games he recently purchased for like 5 or 6 different consoles. At some point I don't see that as collecting - I think it's borderline hoarding. But like I said, if that's the thing that makes a person happy, don't listen to me; I'm just a grumpy old man.

[@SEGANERD85]

@@Tom_Van_Zandt My thoughts exactly. A lot of KZbinrs claim that they are not the problem when in fact they are a good bit of the problem. His hidden gems videos didn't help either. I definitely feel you on the hoarding thing. I have been on Reddit and I can't tell you how many people have several copies of one game for reasons unknown. I thought maybe it was just this one guy who posted but many people in the comments pretty much were saying they too had several copies of games. They were also collectors stating that they collect two of every game they have, one to play and one they keep sealed for display. I don't understand the mentality of it myself. Some of these games I don't believe are rare, I believe a lot of people are hoarding them.

[@SunshineSunBloom]

I would cry looking at your collection. The amount of old games you have is amazing! Some I haven't even seen. Thank you for posting and good luck with your collection!

[@RetroBreak]

Glad you like it! I’ve done a few collection videos if you look back on the channel :) I can’t wait to get more space and display it all nicely!

[@nerdygeezer78]

Really enjoyed hearing your journey & thoughts on this problem. I stick to the rule of only buying games I want to play rather than collect everything. Very interesting vid 👌

[@cargorunner9960]

I think we all have moments when we wonder why we have so many games and "why do I have games I don't want to play?". "I will never play that" is just a momentary feeling and we often change our minds as we learn more about a game or a game we have passed on is recommended by a friend. I was going to move to spain and sold my retro collection rather than ship it. In the end the move fell through and now I massively regret selling it (rebuilding the collection would cost a fortune and take so much time). It's nice to have a tidy living space so I would recommend being ruthless and store all the ones you don't think you want to play. But don't sell chunks of your collection that you have spent so much time and effort building you will seriously regret it down the line. I just take breaks from buying games if I feel my collection is too much of an addiction, with the resolution that I should play more of the games I already have.

[@RetroBreak]

That's probably the best suggestion i've seen so far. I might do that when I move house, display all the games I really care about and systems I want to collect for, and store the rest away, but keep a list of what i've got. Maybe keep some labeled boxes for different consoles.

[@dreno360]

Selling to level up to the next system… rebuying the lost treasures … man same here.

[@retrogamesreplay4918]

Very honest and open video. I think we all feel the same and some times pick up things we know we will never play. A targeted focus does seem a sensible approach. Looking forward to SSX series video!

[@RetroBreak]

Thanks, I was almost not going to make this as it felt too personal, but i'm glad I did and i've had so many great thoughtful comments to read through! Definitely looking forward to narrowing my collection down and focussing on certain titles! Can't wait to make that SSX video i've got some big plans for it! :D

[@robinhatherall6779]

You don't have to defend yourself against mean spirited comments from stupid people. You are an excellent presenter with great passion. The older I get the more I realise people lash out out of jealousy and stale minded stupidity. Keep up the game fever!

[@RetroBreak]

Thank you! I know I shouldn't take every comment to heart, but that one in particular did make me think about things a bit more!

[@thewingedavenger1007]

@@RetroBreak I used to hoard music in the form of vinyl records and CDs. When I looked at my enormous collection, I realized it would soon need a second room! I couldn't do that anymore, and that was when I discovered the magic of digital music and sold almost everything to a used-music shop. I still have all the music I want, but in digital form on a big hard drive, and I listen to it on an iPod Classic which has 160 gigabytes worth of space. What a weight off my shoulders. I was about your age when I made that decision. It happens to most people. When you buy a game, who do think is selling it to you? It's usually an older guy who is liquidating most of his game collection. Soon you'll be selling yours to younger guys too.

[@RetroBreak]

I’m planning to go all digital from next gen as I realised I only care about collecting for older consoles. I have a lot of switch games and honestly find it frustrating having a mix of physical and digital as sometimes I go to play a game for first if it was on cart or not, then have to go and find the cart but sometimes give up and play a downloaded game instead

[@robinhatherall6779]

@@RetroBreak I'm going to get an xbox series x initially because I love the backwards compatibility. Honestly I think the Ps5 is huge and ugly. Happy to wait for the slim

[@hsizzle4502]

whats the point of buying games if you arent going to play them. and yes i collect and yes im going to play everygame i own because all the games i buy i want to play. and they are all really greatgames or the greatest games of all time and im not talking about subjective im talking about the games that are actually considered the best and most rare like jrpgs and rpgs stuff like that, not all the shovel ware that this guy has, no disrespect but i bet half the games he owns dont even cost a dollar to buy, every game i own is still sold at full price or well over full price,. becasue its a collection wuth the best games . not just games to buy , i feel like people who buy them just to buy them arent actually gamers they are just coillectors and if thats the case why not get a diff hobby that you can actually enjoy

[@samuraispiritsx]

My good friend Joe told me a long time ago, it's not about how much you have but what you have, you don't want to be clowned on for having wack games. These words stuck with me, I just collect what I'm interested in. But I do understand the appeal and the thrill of getting full sets, but it becomes hard to keep up with.

[@RetroBreak]

Think I’m being clowned on for my wack games in these comments! Haha

[@PressStartToContinueYT]

Great honest video. Right around the time that I had kids, my room for video games kept getting pushed out, and I eventually decided to sell most of what I had to support the family. I don’t regret it, because I still have the games that were the closest to me. I doubt I’ll ever go back to collecting on the level that I was, because like you said it is an addiction, and I found myself buying things that I don’t really need. I have an addictive personality, so it is certainly easy for me to fall into the trap again.

[@RetroBreak]

Maybe I just have to wait till I have kids then the collection will sort its self out though necessity like you! haha. I also have an addictive personality (If you couldn't tell already!) that's one reason why I never played WOW or LOL because I knew i'd get addicted!

[@samuelc6246]

I had the same addiction, and then stopped working ('disability', 'autism spectrum disorder' they say, but I just never felt anything but immensely depressed in and repulsed by 'normal society', hence why I got so addicted to collecting but never satisfied by it), went to live 'poor' in a forest with some adopted dogs that were going to be killed because they were considered dangerous, and only took my Switch for games, and 3DS to play older games. Oh, and a Gamecube to replay Eternal Darkness once in a while. I have since bought an RG351M to emulate retro games on. Now I actually play games again, and skip so many games I would have bought in the past, that it no longer seems possible to get my collection 'complete' again, even though we all know 'complete' or even 'enough' doesn't exist for a 'collector'. I also had to stop calling myself a collector. With my new priorities, very low budget, and appreciation of a game I bought cheap somewhere, it's become fun again, no useless spending, no infinitely growing pressure of a backlog and a collection to 'keep up with',... Now I have a wishlist, each game on it has a set maximum price (usually half of the launch price for physical, below 5 for digital), games often drop off without me getting them, new games always have to wait a while,... And I play (or simply enjoy playing) more, spend WAY less (like maybe only 10% of what I used to in a month, and even then I take a break after that). It's still hard to get rid of some things I got, like my perfect Zelda collection, favourite games with good memories linked to,... And somehow, I still have a backlog... Just no expensive disappointments or rush to get more, and lots more joy from what I do get.

[@main_tak_becus6689]

Get yourself a ps2 and 1tb hdd. All set for a lifetime 😁

[@star_parodius]

Great video Retro Break. Thanks for your honesty. I'm having a great deal of trouble space and organising my games and I was feeling isolated since all I see on instagram is perfect images of shelves, all clean and free of dust. I'm hoping to get it sorted out with some shelving from Ikea but yeah, the stuff I own is getting on top of me, literally almost

[@RetroBreak]

Never compare yourself to others on instagram! It's so bad on there for mental health! Hope you manage to get more shelving soon and can nicely present your collection :)

[@rpghero46]

i love your shirt bro. i totally understand your feelings. i think you made some good choices. thanks for sharing

[@porsupollo9349]

Oh wow your game collection is huge haha. Glad i found your channel, i've watching lots of your videos lately.

[@RetroBreak]

Glad you've been enjoying the videos! Been thiking about doing a follow up to this video for a while now!

[@boulderdashc6425]

Good talk unplayed games on the shelf do get to me sometimes. Lately I have been starting to play though them. Thanks for the video.

[@RetroBreak]

Glad you enjoyed the video, I really need to start playing through what I have rather than always seeking something new!

[@imtiazlorgat3971]

RetroBreak Hi pal are you selling your games that you dont want anymore or your friends but the games in good condition.

[@Zsilu3]

Thanks for your honesty !

[@sunekoo]

Great vid. I’ve made this comment before, but the reason I enjoy these is you bring a personal touch to everything you upload which I find really interesting. I would like to see a tour of that game room though:)

[@RetroBreak]

Thanks :) I'm really glad you enjoy these personal stories of mine :) I did a room tour about a year ago if you want to see what's in here! (It was a lot more presentable back then!!) kzbin.info/www/bejne/bF7FeXSnndN9oNU

[@reagandow850]

Man, I thought my collection was a mess. I feel your pain brother. I have steak and stacks of games that I need to organize. Half my collection is unorganized.

[@RetroBreak]

I can't wait till I move into a bigger place and can organise it nicely!

[@avrilwilliams252]

Think it would make a massive difference if you organised your FULL gaming collection! You have limited space so I understand It would be hard to display it all but after going through what you have, you can decide what you want to display etc then the rest can be stored in organised storage. I completely understand how easy game collecting can get out of hand. I collect Nintendo DS , 3DS, Gameboy Advance & Switch games but I will only buy games that I truly believe I will enjoy and have the intention to actually play. I look at trailers, gameplay, reviews etc before purchasing any game. My collection isn't huge (200 games) but it's quality over quantity. I also have PS4 but mostly buy digital games because it's so much cheaper.

[@michellet4444]

Great video,,, I feel the same about my games , they're like a pocket memory,,,, remember where you got them and what you were up to.

[@ByteSizeThoughts]

Great video! Enjoyed that - I want to pair my collection down too. The thrill of the hunt was fun but I have far too many games that I wont play. And now I have gamepass I will constantly get too many new ones to play instead of the retro ones :D Its a never ending cycle

[@TheRealRetroBeard]

I have the same issues (on a smaller scale) I now try and enforce a policy of only keeping games I like. I force myself to sell all games I end up disliking. It's hard but has generated some nice extra cash lol. I just love the dopamine rush of getting new games!

[@userx2488]

I appreciate your honesty. At the end of the day it's just a library of games. You don't have to play them, you haven't signed a contract. I haven't read all the books on my shelf; it's why they're on my shelf. It's just a collection of things and it's nice to have that variety available for when you do want to play it. Good video. First world backlog problems :D

[@RetroBreak]

That's true, sometimes its good having things that you've never played or read. it's like a whole world sitting there waiting to be explored!

[@epicfirsts888]

excellent show. thanks. make more, your good!

[@RetroBreak]

Thanks :) I don't ever plan to stop making videos!

[@garbage3273]

Very nice collection you have

[@IrieIslandGaming]

You have an awesome collection! Glad I found your channel!

[@hsizzle4502]

how many of his games on that shelf are actually considered good games or games that have value, i can bet that its about 10 games and the rest is shovel ware

[@RetroBreak]

I’d say 80% of my collection is good games! They may not all be amazing games but they are all at least ones I’ve been interested in or mean something to me, I don’t just buy any random junk

[@IrieIslandGaming]

@@hsizzle4502 Does it matter that they are considered good or have high value? People collect what they want to collect and what means something personally to them! I enjoy just seeing from his regions perspective compared to my region too!

[@samuzamu]

Great video on an important subject! I have a fairly small collection of games but have collected consoles, sometimes to an unreasonable level. See, I like fixing retro stuff, but when I found myself buying lots of xbox 360s for cheap, knowing that I didn't have the skill to fix them, I knew I went too far. At most i think i had like 10 Xboxes. The just took up space, physically and in my mind. I finnaly decided to sell them on for almost nothing and that was a great relief. I still collect stuff, and I've found myself to be a general shopaholic. I'd do thrift store runs and find cool retro furniture, video games and random knick-knacks. This past year has made thrifting impossible, so I've had time to detox and think through my lifestyle. I will try to clear out old stuff I don't use, every time I by something new. My shopping habits, I think, are a product of a lack of money growing up and feeling ashamed of my hand-me-down clothes and lack of all the things my class mates had. Another factor is having difficulty with relationships and being pretty lonely, and a chronic illness that makes my life pretty limited. I think I just need something to do, some project to work on, a sense of satisfaction when work isn't there to fill that quota.

[@TheRetroBear]

Interesting video and am sure we can go long into the night on this one 😊 I have recently adapted my collecting habits rather than just being addicted to collecting en masse and on the cheap because that way you accumulate a heck of a lot. I am just focussing for the time being on Xbox, Master System and Wii plus any pure retro stuff that takes my fancy. The only time I will deviate from that is if I come across something I cannot pass up, and so far that hasn't been anything so it is going well so far. Hopefully I will stick with it 😁👍

[@RetroBreak]

Thats great you've been able to pick a few specific consoles and stick with it!

[@johnpena1754]

I too have a game collection addiction, but i do it in moderation and as healthy as i possibly can, i mainly try to collect every rpg for each console, i know ill never beat all of them as they can be time consuming but i love them so much! lol I have a shooping spree where i buy as much rpgs for a console i can collect for, and then i stop for a few months and do it now and then. So you do what you do keep on doing it, in moderation of course. Love you channel!

[@RetroBreak]

Wow that must get quite expensive, RPG's tend to hold their value or increase dramatically over time! You must have a very interesting collection though :D Thanks for watching and glad you enjoy the channel!

[@c9shutts862]

over the years i too have had spells where collecting games has got silly due to the fact i know i just wont have time to play them, nowadays i do what your going to do going forward buying games im going to play and mean something too me, my misses is a lot happier now lol so is my bank.

[@RetroBreak]

that's good, glad the new way of collecting has worked out well for you!

[@rondonnis6588]

Your word you use 'addiction' is actually another word for hobby and you love doing it so whats wrong with it you arent hurting anyone. I once had enough money to get a full price game a week and i bought game consoles as soon as they were launched but not anymore im struggling to get a decent ps1 collection but i feel like i should choose a cheaper hobby but i love games. I think ill have to give up as i dont have the money to get games for even the ps1 as on ebay they are expensive and im losing patience.

[@pierrepellerin249]

Many years ago i was moving 4000km away. I had hundreds of VHS and DVD movies, hundreds of casettes and CDs and of course hundreds of games from many systems. After packing a few boxes of stuff, i looked around and said screw this and dumped EVERYTHING in the garbage container. It was the most liberating thing i ever did. I now own around 150 games, all digital and i played them all! My xbox has no drive and I will never buy a physical game, movie or music again.

[@hanswielstra]

Interesting hearing you speak so openly about a so called gaming addiction. I frankly think it's more of an obsession in a good way. And kind of a mirror for myself. I recocknise a little bit of myself in it. If you have a nice clean dedicated (sleek) gameroom with only the true pearls in it you could manage to focus on those and spent your time on the games that deserve it. Gaming as a hobby, collecting, talking about it, reading about it makes gaming so diverse. Nothing wrong about that. But if you like to play games the most than why not drop (or minimilize) the rest. I for instance had to write about it. For five years in total. It got me hooked. But now I could make it into something physical like a book and look back at is as a fine moment in time of yet another way of enjoying this hobby.

[@RSRobStar]

I still have 40+ games over various consoles in my backlog! I've still yet to play! I think for me as a young adult now it's often hard to find enough time to play all these games. I also like your idea of buying games that mean a lot to you moving forward. There are certainly a few games I regret getting rid of! I miss the old gaming shops in Stafford too! They were so great! 😊

[@RetroBreak]

yeah I loved Shogun (Chips) and Disks & Discs. They always had some really interesting games in stock!

[@davidtylergameshunter6585]

I 100% agree with your sentiment. I’m not fortunate to have an actual game room, my wife is not too enthusiastic about that... haha. But I regularly update my collection in my attic, they are all in allocated boxes and I buy most days/weekly or so. But my Wii, PSP, DS and ps1 (mainly) only comprise of great titles. I have had fodder in the past (especially the ps2) but sell it on in bundle on eBay. Still looks like a great collection, can’t wait to see how it goes!

[@danielcrowl842]

I think your videos are GREAT !!!! I also have a space problem......But am I going to stop collecting...Heck No :)

[@the16bitprick36]

I was bad about 10 years ago for buying any old games, must have been about 5 years ago I sold at least 80% of what I had. Sadly just lost the love for it after folk started thinking anything "retro" was rare. Still got loads now tbh but only buy ones I genuinely have an interest in playing because I don't want it to get out of hand like before haha.

[@RetroBreak]

It was SO much easier to build a collection 10 years ago compared to now, In this video I showed the PS1 game Hellnight on the top of that pile, I paid £2.99, now the same game on eBay goes for £80! It's insane!

[@viridionwaves]

My rule of thumb is to try to only buy games for 3 reasons: 1. I 100% want to play it, as in now or very soon 2. I have an emotional connection to it (usually because I played it as a kid or had wanted it as a kid but never got it), or 3. I have a personal interest in it (maybe I'm absolutey crazy about the art style, its a part of my favorite franchise, or I just love it for some particular reason that speaks to me). In proper balance, there should be very few games that fall into reasons 2 or 3. If I don't have one of these solid reasons, I know it's a fluff purchase or something I'm hardly interested in and I'm better off ignoring it. Better to only spend money on things you truly care about. Unfortunately, with the switch generation, I definitely fell into the collector mode and bought tons of stuff for a variety of reasons, just to collect, because it was cheap, or passing/mild interest, or even cause I thought it might be a rare game later on. I've realized if I want to invest money, do it properly, and don't spend time and money, shelf space and mind space buying (and owning) things I don't truly care about. It's a hassle. Fortunately, I decided to focus on one retro system only for collecting and once that's done with I'll be back to just buying just the games i want to play and the occasional other.

[@AndroidFerret]

I have one of these too .. But not for physical games .. Only digital .. I have 13 smartphones with at least 128gb up to 1 tb storage per phone ..and ALL are full with retro games .. For now I have at least 100.000+ games.. Luckily I don't have to spent so much money for this addiction

[@RetroBreak]

And I thought I was mad! That’s a crazy amount of games

[@rocketshipevan]

I have about 90 games split between my PS1, PS2, PS3, PS4, and the orginal XBOX. I try and keep it at about 75 or 80 but I just got a batch of new ones. Usually, if I want more games then I get rid of some, so, over the years my collection has become ultra curated and most of them I really enjoy for one reason or another (and Im a picky gamer).

[@tommc6815]

Good on ya! It's hard sometimes to accept change, especially in ourselves, but honestly i think many of us have gone through these stages in this hobby. Life and circumstance change and will continue to do so.. maybe one day you'll have a different job? have children? need to find time for health & fitness?.. remember, the gaming hobby doesn't end.. it just changes focus. One thing that stays the same is the passion, and that glow lights up our hearts however many games are on the shelves! Remember Pokémon? .. well retro break has just evolved! Good luck!

[@RetroBreak]

I evolved into RetroBreaker! haha. Thanks, like you said, no matter what happens in life, gaming will always be a passion of mine, and hopefully i'll always be on here to share it with everyone too!

[@DKRiku]

Sudeki in your pile of unfinished games is a great fun action RPG. I know the feel with unplayed games though - I'm slowly getting through my backlog and newest games that I just haven't gotten to playing yet XD

[@RetroBreak]

Maybe I should do a video of games I've never played then people can recommend me which ones are worth playing, as i'd have no idea where to start! :)

[@DKRiku]

@@RetroBreak Would be a pretty fun video - maybe make some polls and take in people's comments for a week the following week. Maybe then follow up with a quick review video or thoughts to see whether people picked a good game - just wild, random thoughts :)

[@Yannis280]

My god i swear, game collecting is so addicting for me. I just want more and more! Today i went out into the city looking through deals and whatnot and ended out purchasing 3 switch games for just 40 euros. For those interested they were the following: Spirit Hunter NG, Tracks Toybox Edition and Assasin's Creed 3 Remastered. Also your collection looks amazing!

[@broadnerdmike6450]

I started selling my stuff off in March and replacing everything with FPGA hardware and Everdrives. I had way less stuff than you. Judging by how I did, I bet you could make enough for a down payment on a bigger house judging by how much you have, even if you kept the stuff that’s important to you.

[@ian1753]

According to my game pricing App Im up 340% on what I paid for my games overall because buying them at Pawn Stores over the years. Wasn't a reason to buy them but nice to see I could make a nice profit on what I all bought over the years

[@Wolfkaosaun]

I'm freaking jealous of your collection

[@RetroBreak]

Be jealous of about half of it, the rest is junk haha ;)

[@DijaVlogsGames]

Looking at that background just makes me thing about how I would sell 70% of it to properly display and appreciate the rest. The whole refocussing thing is something I have been doing recently as well. I have just sold a huge part of my collection and put that money into better things. Like games I've been wanting for years but never felt compfortable playing for.

[@ian1753]

According to my game pricing App Im up 340% on what I paid for my games overall because buying them at Pawn Stores over the years. Wasn't a reason to buy them but nice to see I could make a nice profit on what I all bought over the years

[@dazbry7612]

Wow nice lot of games there man

[@nickelliott123]

Very interesting views here Nick. Im going through a weird micro version of this. 3 months ago I owned a Switch, Series S and PS5 and across the three probably 20games. Mainly for switch. Fast Forward to today and I now also own PS1, PS2, PS3, PS4, PSP, 360, OG Gameboy, GBA, DS Fat, DS lite, 3DS, 3DS XL, SNES, N64 Picachu, Wii, Mega Drive and approximately 300 games. I started by "wanting to play all the games I missed" But I obviously havent played 299 of those and its sort dawned on me that im doing it for the wrong reason. So Im going to try and be really selective about my pick ups now....ill try

[@RetroBreak]

Thanks for all the comments today! I’ve been thinking about re-visiting this video to give my updated thoughts, and what I’ve changed since then. Interesting to read so many different opinions in the comments on this one too!

[@ghostoflazlo]

​@RetroBreak would love that! How is it for you today? Doing better or what's up?

[@Playstation1]

Me Personally, i’ve just stuck to collecting for only one system (that being in my case the PS1) in physical format, basically until i get the full set. And then doing ROMs and Everdrive carts for the other systems whilst at the same time owning the original hardware for the everdrive carts. Occasionally i do keep a physical game for a non-PS1 system or two, but it’s kinda rare. I can understand about space issues, how i’m doing that is just storing some games in the attic and then also building more shelves etc.

[@coffee84]

😂😂😂 you are more crazy than I am. But good Video as always. I have too many games but not as much as you. Buying to much for my youtube channel. Play them often only for a Video and than never again. Looking forward to your video about the kiwase games. Never played one before.

[@RetroBreak]

I'm going to make an effort to play every game I get from now on, and maybe dedicate a whole video to it if that's what it takes for me to play them properly :D Thanks for watching :)

[@LordsOfSkulls]

hey man, ;p i support your collecting, keep doing what you love. If anything, maybe organize it more. If you have certain things that like.... 10 games for a console? and you dont think u going to play it, you could try to sell it and get other things for other collections. Basically get rid of stuff that small amount. Like example random Sega game, or retro game that you only have just couple. Defiently getting bigger area for Game Room, to get everything spread out neated would help.

[@Luigi64]

How interesting!

[@ghostoflazlo]

I have more of a hidden addiction. I dont have almost any physical games but oh lord if you star looking through my memory cards and hard drives. Steam, psn and nintendo is eating my money. Many games i downloaded and not even opened or maybe played 30mins before moving on to the next. I just love to have a big library of games because just like you i started by tryna give my inner child some gifts. But it kinda backfires and i sit there with literally hundreds of games and say "i have nothing to play". When i didnt have money i used to platinum games and really get good at them, now if i get stuck or bored or whatever i just move on like nothing means anything. I really try to keep my spending down by only buy at sales but it doesent matter, i still have too many games and have pretty much hollowed out something i enjoy doing all due to my own lack of self discipline and straight up greed.

[@paulpusey43]

Hi Dude. Hope you are okay. Another great video. I know exactly where you are coming from. I am 51 years and been collecting, playing games since the 16k Spectrum. Space is a real problem, I have to restrict my purchases now just so the misses doesn’t have a breakdown and throw me out the house lol. When I go to conventions etc I tend to do a specific list of stuff I want to pick up and try to stick to it. It is still difficult though a typical example I picked up the Evercade and just want to pick up the cartridges that are released. so I have a complete collection. The upcoming releases of X Box Series X and PS5 isn’t going to help my cause 😏 Keep up the good work and once the current world situation is all over I would love to meet up at a convention and have a good chin wag.

[@RetroBreak]

I'm going all digital next gen, I've realised that I only really care about collecting older games. I do enjoy new ones but don't have the same attachment to the physical boxes. Unless it's a game I really connect with then i'll get a special edition. Feel free to say Hi if you ever see me at a convention! I hope Covid will be over my next year and we can start going again :D

[@AbrielX22]

I think you just need some more shelves and organize the collection.

[@RetroBreak]

Yes, a trip to IKEA is definitely needed when I get the new house!! :D

[@cheekyboi]

Now you've got me thinking hahaha

[@Bootyhunter1971]

Its a fine line for sure, from enjoying collecting to hoarding. Hitting up mom and pop shops, pawn shops, goodwills, thrift stores, yard sales and flea markets is a thrill in itself, finding a pricy game in the wild for cheap is an adrenaline rush, and THATS the addiction. Lets face it, even if you want to focus on certain systems you can pass up a good deal on other systems and games. I have been doing this for years, I built up a good N64 and SNES collection, I sold all of those, I didnt play but a handful of games from those systems and I play them "other ways" now, but I still have a huge collection of Gamecube, Wii, Wii U, Switch, Gb, Gbc, Gba, DS, 3DS, Psp, Ps Vita, Ps1, Ps2, Ps3, Ps4, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One. Its just so hard to not see interesting games for older systems that I want to try, and for the most part I have paid $2-$5 dollars for the games, and now some of my Ps2 games are worth nearly $100 per game. I have flipped systems too for a good profit, buying Wii's for $30 and selling them for $100. That also has helped me to fund my collection. But the Switch is the last "new" system I will be buying games for I have decided. Really any that require downloads and updates are a pain and I should have stopped with the ps3 xbox 360 generation. The good news in prices increase on these games to a certain point, so its also like an investment of sorts. I dont have complete collections on those systems I mentioned, just games that interest me, or that I knew would be highly sought after or rare. I just yesterday bought a Wii U system with an unopend Guitar Hero bundle for $75, the Guitar Hero Bundle is worth $50 alone. I also got a boxed Wii U system a couple years ago for $75. So there is money to be made if you are smart about it, but again, its easy to get compulsive with it. Dont get in a rush or get overwhelmed and just "get rid" of your stuff. Think about what you really want to focus your collection on, then either sell or trade your other stuff for what you really want. You can make a nice proffit there by just downsizing to what you really want. Good luck!

[@thatssomegoodpie]

I don't want to be rude but I really really hate people who hoard video games for no reason other than to just pile them up and never ever use... It's such an unhealthy way of collecting. Now everyone who collects video games has fallen into this trap sooner or later, some more extreme than others, including myself. As I'm approaching 1000 games I really feel like there is stuff that I'll never get around to playing. Still I can proudly say I've played and beaten at least 50% of my collection and maybe another 15% I've at least tried out and given a solid chance. I'm very happy I'm not one of those extreme hoarders who doesn't utilise their collection in any meaningful way. Once I've reached the 1000 mark I think I'm going to do a purge in my collection. Anyway the fact that you're realising you're going a bit crazy with collecting is worth a lot, very wise decision to just focus on the games that truly matter to you.

[@vallaurianv6024]

Great video thanks. I got to a similar thought 2 years ago although not at the same volume as you. I had grown my collection from 220 games at the start of 2015 to 650 by 2018 including a very expensive spell collecting Saturn games. Space and expenditure had become a problem. I’m lucky to have a house, good income and tolerant wife but things couldn’t go on like that. I decided to prioritise older shorter games and a few AAA modern titles and set myself a strict 3 monthly budget - go over it and I have to sell. It made me reflect on what I really value. 2 years on I’m at 600 games with 180 purchased since the peak and 230 sold. I’ve spent far less despite picking up some old expensive NES and SNES games which I’ve loved and selling the games I didn’t think I would play any more. I don’t regret any sales. I’m now at a place where I’ve played more than 95% of what I own which is much better than it was before. I’d definitely sell the ones you don’t play if I were you - it’ll help with the house move

[@RetroBreak]

Well done for sticking to your budget! Is it ever hard if you're out somewhere and see several games you want at the same time? Do you just pick one and leave the rest there?

[@vallaurianv6024]

@@RetroBreak I have kids so am never out at game shops really and the pandemic helped. EBay’s my poison. It’s a better place where you’re thinking right I’ve got £50 left this month - do I want game x because it means I can’t have game y and have to sell game z? Healthoer

[@Palendrome]

I'm selling my collection of random games, for a tight and focused collection (japanese famicom CIBs in my case)

[@atomiswave1971]

I've only got 200 games and that has become a problem.

[@NuclearAbyss]

I feel you man. I'm in the process of moving and I counted my games, and I cant believe I have 100 xbox 360 games just chilling in my shelf. And I still need to pack my switch, ps4 and xbox 1x games. It's all games I really want to play, but dont have time or too tired.

[@Growth_Stock_Life]

I would consider repositionable kit shelving so the games don't have to be stacked horizontally compressing the games beneath.

[@RetroBreak]

I’ll be getting a new room later this year and yeah definitely going to try and get some better shelving, maybe even something custom made so I can use up as much of the space as possible

[@BrettHuynhTiger4466]

@RetroBreak i am a New Member of Your Channel

[@zensai-gaming]

you have a great collection. you seem to have enough money to afford a storage unit. you should get one and store all the games and systems you dont use or play. one day if you need the cash you sell those and just keep in your house what you actually use. but first you have to get over your need to have more than others and be number one on the collectors board and figure out if you have an actual addictive hoarding problem often times there is an emotional link to these things that needs resolving.

[@4packdaddy]

I definitely do not remember how much each game was when I bought it and where I got it from. That’s crazy that you can though!

[@JamSwoosh]

Wow, that is a lot of games haha. I don't have nearly as many as this and I don't think I'd ever want to, seems stressful XD Also hey UK PAL region gang! You seem cool too! I dropped ya a sub :)

[@RetroBreak]

High five fellow U.K. PAL gamer! Thanks for the sub! Hope you enjoy my other content too! :)

[@kingsleysummers1410]

Another UK pal gamer here just subbed mate enjoyed the video, was sorting out my collection last night i got new shelves so took like 5 hours sorting out just my ps4 collection which is currently at 200 games, shelves are full now though so wishing I bought bigger shelves lol have u tried gameye app? I logged everything I own on it

[@johnpena1754]

As soon as physical games convert into digital i think ill stop collection all rpgs for each system i possibly can and just purchase rpgs from my favorite series or recommended rpgs from fans like yourself. So just keep doing what you love. We dont have long in this lifetime, so enjoy what you want to do in your life time!

[@hsizzle4502]

what happens when your system crashes and you lose thousands of dollars worth of digital games. or sony puills the servers so you can only play physical games?

[@George-yv5el]

Retro games defo addiction love you ur channel heres my ps1 collection hipe u enjoy mate u played pitball before?

[@b4rs629]

Bro that picture of you in a black hoodie... you must be my twin brother lol. :D

[@NotMoreGames]

Addiction is the right term. I would also confess to having too many games but I do have targets with an end goal in sight. You do have eclectic tastes which is good - avoid complete sets with filler tittles as that is just stupid in my book. When you move try to invest in decent shelving from IKEA (Billy shelves) which aren’t too pricey and strong and look really good.

[@RetroBreak]

Yes definitely going to get some Billy shelves when we get out new house! Going to have a good look through the collection at that time too and try to only display the games I really care about.

[@smokingunclefrank6037]

I think all collectors have had similar thoughts at one time or another lets face it were all crazy as a matter of fact that's my handle on xbox live and playstation

[@whateverwhatever8902]

I personally really the ps3 and try to collect games I actually care about or want a complete collection of like I don't really care about the call of duty games so I tend to ignore those when looking for games or another example sport games like I don't play them so I gloss over them and I also try to make sure I have enough space for the games I do care about. That's what I do when it comes to game collecting.

[@thefifthdoctor6780]

I think I’m addicted a little more 😳

[@rodgyretrogamer3334]

It's great to constantly fine tune the collection, offload the excess to help with the cost of other titles wanted. Try to do the research & have a list of the titles you do want so you don't go getting stuff just to fill shelves or just for the sake of it. Collecting addiction needs not be a bad thing, it's only bad when using money you don't have to fund it. Concentrate on sorting a 'need list' as it gives you a buzz each time you cross one title off the list. (I found it no good having the list of titles i already have) I've gone from having around 4000 titles to about 2000 over the last few years but, it's a much better collection for it! All the best with your sort out, keep up the great work!

[@RetroBreak]

Thanks :) thats great you managed to pretty much halve your collection and feel happy about it too!

[@HEADRUSH444]

have you considered... selling the games you'll NEVER play?

[@Shishkebarbarian]

i've been collecting since around 2003 or so, and seeing some of those 90s games you show in your old pics, you should be happy you bought them when you did, they're 100s of dollars now. you can cash out and put a downpayment on a house. that's what i did just from selling my SNES, Sega CD and GBA games,

[@grenademan8123]

Game collecting... is scary in a way. I would just get the stuff I want, and liked. For example I'm getting a GBA next week, and a GBC late.

[@AnarickTheDevil]

I only buy game I want to play and keep my games in binders/collection cases and put all the original packaging in plastic bins to save room In my apartment. If I ever have an apartment or house to myself then Ill get some bookshelves and display them.

[@RetroBreak]

Good idea! Keeps the packaging safe too!

[@andrews5429]

Watch Back In My Play podcast- Episode called Controlling The Collection. Very useful! Also future retro events with stalls - take a list of things to look for and specific hardware/ console you want. Get rid of shovel ware games. If buy games for vides- can decide to sell in assets to fund more output. Good Luck!

[@RetroBreak]

Thanks, i'll check that podcast out :)

[@syedali2143]

I used to buy games in the 2000's then not play them like master games, n still have them. But thankfully I stopped relatively early realising its a bad habit but I will keep the games i have though, small collection.

[@RetroBreak]

I bet some of those master system games have gone up in value a lot since the 200's!

[@yaktaur]

hey dude, great video! I know what you mean about momentum building up. My collection is much smaller (I live in London so I just don't have the space!) but I know the joy of pressing the buy button on ebay or picking up something at a convention. I had my moment a while ago where I just knew I had more games than I would ever play, and I was buying games I didn't really care about because I thought they were cute or because someone mentioned them in a youtube video. I got rid of a tonne of games that I knew I didn't really care about and the weight off my shoulders felt great. I wonder how you'd feel if you slimmed down your collection? It may be hard and there would be pangs afterwords probably. I'd probably start out by getting rid of promotional material, like that Umihara Kawase Bazooka thing the company sent you. It's just gonna be in a pile or in the background in a video and just take up space... until it ends up in the bin!

[@RetroBreak]

It would be very difficult for me, I think when we move house i'm going to take a good look at everything and box up all the games I don't care about, or ones I don't want displayed. Then if I haven't touched them for a month or two afterwards I could think about selling or trading them :)

[@whatwhatyep]

An addiction is a set of behaviours that affects you negatively. FYI.

[@dazrael5658]

Ah Gamestation...those were the days. It was a surprisingly capable little import store as well, I used to pick up Japanese Dreamcast games from my local one. Crazy Taxi on the day before it was released in Japan and I even got a launch JPN GBA from there.

[@RetroBreak]

Crazy how good they were, Why couldn't they have bought GAME out, not the other way round!! :'(

[@dazrael5658]

Yep I’m with you there, it’s back when gaming shops had oodles of character. Gaming in the high street has suffered since GAME took over.

[@darrylbrian]

curate your collection and display the games that sparks joy. you’ll find you’ll have an even deeper appreciation for the games you love. and when it comes to buying new games use a one-in-one-out policy. But that’s for when you do get your collection down to a manageable amount. You can also set boundaries for yourself like this box is for gamecube games. if it doesn’t fit then i got to get rid of another to make it fit. that’s just an example. you can make the boundary to what makes sense for you. this way of thinking will give you a moment of pause to evaluate if the game is worthy of being in your collection and which game you have to give up in order to fit it in. just my two cents.

[@RetroBreak]

It's a good way of thinking about it, i always just worry i'll regret getting rid of something! :/

[@interghost]

I think all us collectors have hit this wall of collecting at some point. I sat back several years ago and decided I had way too many consoles and games I was not using. Truely mate, clear them all out. Having games sat there that have never been played or will never been played is just silly. Have a huge clear out. A tip I did, and still do, is only buy new games by selling old games. So take a buch you dont play, sell them, and buy a game you really have a need to play. Its also a way to buy those expensive games yu really want. I never buy any games these days unless I want to play them. And teh majority I only play now one at a time and try and complete. (unless they turn out to be stinkers) Good video... and man... you do have too much stuff there ;)

[@RetroBreak]

That's a really good way of thinking about it, I just have to get the thought out of my head that i'll regret selling any! I'm looking forward to buying less because as you said then there's money to spare for bigger more expensive games that will actually get played and will be an interesting part of the collection, rather than just another 10 shovel ware games that will gather dust! Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts! :)

[@MEEG0L]

Right, like Mary Kondo says, just keep the stuff that inspires joy, i.e. your absolute fav stuff. ditch the stuff collecting dust and sell it to someone who might actually enjoy it.

[@benny7706]

Every time I down size I regret it I don't know why? I jest down size my n64 and my og x box game's and I want them back + more😭

[@RetroBreak]

That’s how I felt the few times I’ve sold off some games... now I don’t sell any because I know I’ll regret it!

[@michaelfenell3602]

I would say that I collect more for the preservation of the media. I know that there are thousands of copies of my games, and that they are probably online as a rom somewhere. Video game preservation is something that I care about. I am sure that you know that playing a game from the NES online does not feel that same as playing it with the console and controller in your hand. That is even a good video idea, video game preservation and its future. But great video, the video quality seems a lot higher then someone with 8.7k subs. Have a good one.

[@MEEG0L]

Im glad i never dove into game collecting, I guess it comes down to the individual but im content with things like the SNES mini, where I can just slap on a bunch of roms and enjoy the crap out of. Also I made a rule for myself, im only allowed to collect ONE thing, I collect gameboys/handhelds and modded gameboys with IPS screens, that doesnt include games, I use everdrives. I also collect other handheld but for the most part my entire handheld collection could fit in a small backpack. I also plan to travel and possibly live abroad so having a giant gaming collection would be tough.

[@RetroBreak]

I wish I had your mindset about Everdrives! It would make my life a lot easier! haha

[@stewsretroreviews]

Great video mate, I think collectors should just get games they just enjoy to play, why buy a rubbish games you won't play to just to top up a collection? I'm an older retro gamer, but I've had to bite the bullet on collecting physical games now for the space, and now started emulation for games instead which I love. I still have some old boxed games but no more physical games for me and I don't really miss it either as it's not cheap anymore especially for some of those rare games, but it depends what your into really?

[@NuclearAbyss]

I think you should go thru you're collection and sell or trade all the shovel ware that you dont want to play. I understand getting to the point of "well it's really cheap so might as well buy it now. I'll play it eventually" I am currently sitting on some brand new seal games, either because they came to gamepass or I haven't had time to play them. My thinking is that I want to collect the exclusives that I want to play on switch, ps4/ps5 and xbox. Atleast with xbox their games are day one on gamepass, so I can always buy a copy for cheap.