How Many Video Games Do You Really Need?

MasonicGamer.com: Take a look around your game collection and honestly how many of your games do you actual play more than 4 or 5 times a month?

I can honestly say that outside of work (reviews etc) and from my vast collection I have 4 games that I turn to on a regular basis.

[Jek_Porkins]

I'm a bit of a collector, I have around 1000 total video games, that is physical copies mind you.
Also own a plethora of consoles in the original boxes.
NES
Super NES
Sega Genesis
Turbo Grfx 16
Nintendo 64
PSx
PS2
PS3
Gamecube
Xbox
Xbox 360
PSP
DS
3DS
Game Gear

I love collecting, but it isn't for everyone, I tend to have a bit more disposable income than others do, I've collected more this generation than any other, with almost 250 Xbox 360 games, 75 PS3 and 75 Wii games, I've enjoyed this generation very much.

[I_LOVE_MYSELF]

This generation has been my fave. I really have enjoyed it. I think games and the consoles themselves stepped in to a really interesting place this generation. DLC, Online Multiplayer on consoles becoming so popular, advancements in graphics and the usual stuff etc. Also the step up to allow things like Netflix and Youtube on a console are awesome. Oh, post game fixes are a bit of a god send as well. I would have liked fixes for a bunch of PS2 games last gen (irremovable arrows from Snake in MGS3 annoyed me) .

Anyway, to the original question. A majority of us probably get way more than we actually need. The PS+ service is providing me way more than I need (not that IO'm complaining). I own 60+ PS3 games (physical) and a bunch more digital. Way too many, but I still try and make the most of them. I can't resist a bargain.

Your collection sounds impressive. The joys of being a nerd are unmatched :D (sorry if you don't appreciate being called a nerd, I am obviously not intending to insult you)

[Jek_Porkins]

I embrace the nerd thing, big Star Wars fan too, I go to my first local Comic Con this June. Collecting games is a real hobby for me, if I'm out and see a yard sale or something I'll usually stop and see if they have any video games.

Even though a lot of people complain about this generation, I grew up in the 8 bit era, where you were lucky to get 10 good games a year, now we get upwards of 50 pretty good games a year, it's a good time to be a gamer.

[cooperdnizzle]

That is awesome man, I say do whatever makes you happy and if ya have the extra cash go for it. I would also like to add i am a collector my self, but no wear near as much as you. That is really awesome man.

[Jek_Porkins]

A lot of my stuff is my original games and consoles from growing up, I saved the boxes to all of them except my original NES, but I bought a box off Ebay.

Also didn't list my Dreamcast, but I have two of those, the white one and the black Sega Sports one that still has the box.

I pay my bills, don't have any habits like drinking, smoking, drugs, so I choose to spend my disposable income on gaming.

[3-4-5]

This article is weird.

* Women...how many purses & shoes do you need ?

* Wealthy people....how much money do you need ? How many business do you need to own ?

You could ask this question about almost anything really...

[dasbeer88]

If one were to have a shelf full of video games and decide to sell them to Gamestop, I'll bet that person will invest about $7.50 from it.

[GABRIEL1030]

20 for generation not more; I like complete the games. In cases like Killzone 2, GT5 or Battlefield, their multiplayer is very deep and I can play for weeks. Also games like Skyrim, GTA, GT5, Dead Red Redemtion, Infamous, Mass Effect and Uncharted the singleplayer is amazing and I repeat the campaign.

[Thefreeman012]

ive got at least 40 games from this generation and I would have to say after a while. it begins to give some confusion to what you want to play lol

[NBT91]

Yeah but, then you sell the games you don't want only to a few weeks later, have an urge to play it again. XD

[Y_5150]

That's me when I returned games like GT5, RE5, and Heavy Rain. I'm never turning in games to Gamestop again.

[iplay1up2]

I agree. This guys "work" is video games, but to the average person, life dictates how much time you have to play. Unless you have no life there are not always enough hours to spend getting to the next level. That is why sometimes for me I like a game that I can just pop in and spend 20 min to an hour having FUN. Sure I would love to spend 6 hours a day on a game(and right now I have been on Monster Hunter Wii U, as often as I can.). What I do is have "Marathons" sometimes so that I can dedicate my day or weekend to gameplay.

I have a friend that is so pasty white,and has no girlfriend/boyfriend, because all he does is work and play video games. That to me is sad.

Anyway, this is why I am very selective with the games I buy. I have a life, and friends. I want the time that I have to play games to be FUN. I can not dedicate 40 hours a week to video games. I will say that since Wii U came out, I am now using a console more than ever, as it is an amazing way to surf.

So many people buy games, but never finish them. What a shame. That used to be the reason we bought games.

[jdktech2010]

I usually have 2-3 active games at any time because I can only play 3-4 hours a week most of the time. In all honesty I can probably only manage 2 at a time.

Granted right now, I've got about 7-8 that I need to finish or actively play with some of them being GOW: Ascension, Tomb Raider, AC3 (still haven't beaten it), Halo 4, BF3 and Injustice with a few games I shouldn't have purchased but still need to beat since I spent 60 on them in Crysis 3, the GOW: Saga and Spec Ops the line (all good games but just not needed atm)

I tend to trade my games in when I beat them unless they are a great SP experience or a MP game I love (Mass Effect series, etc.)

[Hicken]

How many do I need? As many as I want.

[PickAShoe]

damn right.

[gamingisnotacrime]

never enough!!!!

[admiralvic]

Well logically you don't need any, since they're not essential to life, but I suppose that isn't the point. I can say I own probably 400+ and that's due to a number of different reasons. I can't say I really replay most of my games, but I do like to hold onto games that I really enjoyed. Like I platinumed Lost Planet 2, Vanquish, Bayonetta and many others I don't really care about, so I merely hold onto the game because they brought me joy.

I suppose in the grand scheme it would be more important to look at how much your collection is actually worth. I might not need _ _ _ games, but I sure as **** don't want / need $5 or less dollars in Gamestop more.

[Laughing Buddha]

I have so many games in my HowLongToBeat backlog, about 30 days worth... Damn you CheapyD!! I rotate about 4 of them at a time Black ops 2 & Halo 4 for my multiplayer and at the moment Darksiders & Resistance 3 for my single player. I have to learn to play my games to completion before moving on to the next, or learn to just stop playing the games that I own that I am just not having fun with. Anyway, I love this part of the generation when I have so many games in my backlog that I can wait until the recently released games go on sale before purchasing them.

LB

[nix]

i stop playing games when i realise i am not having fun or is taking too long to finish. most of them are sand box games. i prefer linear games nowadays.

just my choice.

[thebudgetgamer]

All of them.

[banjadude]

For me, it's almost gotten to the point where I'm a level 2 hoarder.

[jc48573]

I really want to cut back.

[Knightofelemia]

I only buy games that I like and will enjoy playing again and again. Buying say a game like Hannah Montana just to fill up my library is not worth the coin or worth the shelf space.

[optimus]

I also go in with that mentality only to have the game sitting on the shelf for months or years...for some reason i can't part with them cause i feel like i'll be getting ripped off if i trade them in... Something about buying a $60 game and having some store give me 10 bucks for it that rubs me the wrong way... I may approach the next generation with a different mindset...

Games that i thought i would play often but don't:

Red dead redemption
GTA4
Archam city
Assassins 3
Street fighter 4

[josephayal]

call of duty ghosts

[Oh_Yeah]

Just my favorites, the ones I finish/like and may replay again...I'll try to rotate between 2 games and finish them before picking anymore up. Never understood the people who collect games they don't even like or won't even play.

[ALLWRONG]

Every single one

[Kran]

ALL
OF
THEM
=]

[HonestDragon]

I manage to play my game collection a few games at a time. When a new game is released and I buy it, I dedicate time to that. When I look back at other games, I take time to dedicate to them. Just because I don't get to play every month, doesn't mean I'm not interested in them anymore. I bought them for a reason and I intend to keep them. =)

[kupomogli]

I own over 600 games and normally I only keep if I like them, because I'm going to eventually go back to them at some point.

Just recently I played through Grandia 2, Grandia Xtreme, and currently playing through Suikoden 3. This is all alongside starting up and playing Dead or Alive 5 for the first time, and since the belts supposedly reset, I'll play PSASBR until I get back to black belt again.

Once gaming goes to digital only, I'll more than likely purchase far less than I do now. Once that happens I'll be able to play more of my older stuff than I already do.

[Williamson]

I have an issue in which I buy too many games yet dont play them. I even have 12 games still unopened....I know waste of money eh.