According to Cambridge Dictionary, “backlog” means “a large number of things that you should have done before and must do now.” I read that word for the first time around three years ago in the subreddit /patientgamers, meaning the games users have in their libraries but haven’t played yet. In that subreddit, they discuss playing non-current games, and it’s common for them to buy games many years after their release. Using sites like gg.deals to check when the game you want is on sale, it’s common to come across many other games you weren’t initially looking for, and end up buying them to play sometime in the future. Or that’s what you think.

I bought Stardew Valley in October 2021, and it’s my most played game with 388 hours of playtime. I bought Serial Cleaner in August 2021 and I haven’t opened it yet. Half of the games in my Steam library have never been installed. I’d say it’s close to 95% in the case of Epic Games, where they give away one free game every week. Same with GOG.com, where I’ve collected many free games I don’t know if I’ll ever play.

Browsing the combined collection of games from different libraries, through apps like Playnite can be overwhelming. There’s a thought that it would be a shame not to play those games, especially the ones I did paid for. But there’s enough pressure to be productive at work, and I don’t want my free time to feel like a list of duties as well. A collection of movies, TV shows, music or games I’ve yet to enjoy shouldn’t make me feel guilty.

The money’s already spent, and playing the games or not isn’t going to give it back. But I want to feel drawn to those games the way I did when I first got them. It’s usually as simple as opening one up and playing for a few minutes. Most times I end up enjoying it and continue playing for the rest of the evening.

I haven’t made a list of games I have to finish, but I have made a list of games I want to play for at least 1 hour in 2025. Some I’ve already completed on other platforms, like Dragon Age: Inquisition, Inside or Journey on PS4. Some I’ve played for a few hours already, like Age of Empires II, Outer Wilds or Hades. And some I’ve never touched, like Little Nightmares or Oxenfree.

Finishing 38 games, even over many years, is a big task. Playing 1 hour of 38 different games without pressure is very achievable, and more importantly, something I think I’ll enjoy.

I started with Outer Wilds yesterday, and it was a refreshing experience after months of playing the same five games and ignoring the rest. As a bonus, it’s a great way to escape the trap of battle passes, and knowing I’m going to give a game only as much time as I want, not as I think I should.

My list of games to play for at least 1 hour in 2025