To Play or Not to Play: Dealing With Video Game Backlog

Dr. Constance Odom, MD

Medically reviewed by

Dr. Constance Odom, MD

Dr. Constance Odom, MD

About

Constance Tambakis Odom, MD graduated in 1987 with her Doctorate of Medicine from the New York Medical College, and was an Anesthesiologist Resident from 1988 to 1991 at the Brookdale Medical Center PGY II (CA-I)-PGY IV (CA-III). She is Board Certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology since 1998 and American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine since 2002. Constance Odom, MD is affiliated with the American Medical Association, American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, American Society of Anesthesiology, Georgia Society of Anesthesiology, Hellenic Medical Society of New York, North Carolina Society of Anesthesiology, and Society of Ambulatory Anesthesia.

Credentials

Medical Director At:

• Nu Image Medical
• MetroMedispa P.A.

Staff Anesthesiologist at:

• Betsy Johnson Regional Hospital in Dunn, NC
• Onslow Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, NC
• Duplin General Hospital in Kenansville, NC

Director of Anesthesia Services at:

• Jacksonville Surgery Center in Jacksonville, NC

Written by our editorial team.

Last Edited 4 years ago · 5 min read

As gaming enthusiasts have experienced, technology has ushered in the golden age of video games. Gamers are treated to subscription services, Steam sales, and bundles, creating an impassable chasm between the number of games that need to be played-let alone installed- and the physical amount of time available in a day to devote to gaming. The result of the overwhelming gaming possibilities and insuppressible interest is a massive video game backlog that weighs on your mind and haunts your schedule.

Consequences of Unresolved Backlog

At the very least, not being able to move through your video game backlog results in frustration and missed gaming opportunities. You don’t have an opinion or experience to share with your gaming buddies and you are noticeably absent from online forums. Your social life- as it revolves around gaming- is somewhat destroyed. However, for serious gamers, unresolved gaming tension can lead to physical and emotional concerns. The tension you are experiencing could develop into stress and anxiety, potentially leading to struggles with depression. When you experience an imbalance with areas of mental health, it can affect areas of men's sexual health. The lack of sleep trying to play catch up, the distracted mindset or the mental agony of not being able to devote enough time to gaming interest can lead to low libido and erectile dysfunction. A condition of ED keeps you from being able to get and maintain an erection hard enough for sex. Though a medication like Mt. Everest can help restore erections and address libido, the real question is whether or not your video gaming habits are healthy for you.

A Two-Edged Sword

For gamers, deciding what to do about video backlog might appear to be a lose-lose situation. It's going to involve spending an awful lot of time away from family, friends, and responsibilities, which could impact your relationships and emotional health. However, ignoring your need to catch up on your favorite games can also have adverse emotional results. You may be tired from having to stay up all hours of the night working to make it through the backlog, resulting in lost productivity and energy the next day. However, you may be losing sleep over your stress of missing out on the update or new release. As a gamer, you need to decide what your priorities should be, focusing on the positive and negative results of your choices. If you want to move through your backlog quickly, here are some expert tips from those who have shared in your struggle.

Play Your Subscription Access Games First

Many people pay a subscription fee to have access to a large library of games. If you are on EA, it’s the Origin Access, while Microsoft offers the Game Pass. Even if your subscription costs are reasonable for the number of games you can play, don’t get into the habit of paying for access but never taking advantage of the games you get. A smart move is to make a list of the ones you really wanted to play and move through them first. You can cancel the subscription until you get through your other games or until games have been added to the library that you’d been waiting for.

Sort Your Library Into Interests

This might take a little time, but if you are committed to making it through your games, it will be worth it. Create a spreadsheet where all your games are listed. Score each game on a scale of 1-10, with 10 representing a game you are very interested in. Move through the list quickly, going on your gut instinct. When you are done, sort the list by the response. Delete anything that scored lower than a seven. This becomes your strategy for working through the games you want to play.

Prioritize Games by Playing Time

Even though your list might be shorter once you have ranked them, you will need a strategy to play through them. It makes the most sense to work through the shortest playtimes and move on the games that will take longer to beat. You can cross things off your list more quickly this way, helping to reduce the distractions of games waiting to be played. There is a site that tracks the average amount of time it takes a player to finish a certain game, making it an invaluable tool to help wade through the backlog.

One easy way to avoid getting caught up in backlog is to only buy games that are on your wishlist. Buying games that are cheap usually just end up on the shelf silently begging to be played. Don’t get caught in these traps or ruin your social life because of an unresolved backlog. The tips can help make quick work of your video game favorites.

Nu Image Medical® offers a new and futuristic approach to achieving optimal health and wellness. The company has been a weight loss, anti-aging and wellness provider since 2004 and offers medically supervised programs for medical weight loss, peptides, erectile dysfunction, scream cream, and hair loss (NuDew) 

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your physician about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Nu Image Medical may not offer the medications or services mentioned in this article.