I’m no stranger to New Year’s gaming resolutions. In past years at The Punished Backlog, I would compile a list of goals ranging from extremely easy (playing Chrono Trigger for the first time) to quite difficult (playing the dozens of free games I’ve received from the Epic Games Store and Twitch Prime). For the last couple of years, however, I’ve foregone such resolutions entirely, as I didn’t want to set myself up to fail, nor did I want to make any of my leisure time feel like work.
This year, though, I’ve decided to give myself just two big goals to meet, both of which shouldn’t be too difficult but will require some measure of discipline and self-control. Much like classic resolutions, such as exercising more or eating better, my two gaming resolutions for 2024 revolve less around specific challenges to overcome and more around reorienting how I utilize my time and money.
Resolution #1: Play What I Already Have
David Silbert’s recent piece on creating a 2024 backlog challenge for himself inspired me to do the same. While my current list isn’t nearly as comprehensive (or as ambitious) as David’s, I have taken it upon myself to write down which games I absolutely intend to play in 2024, as well as to establish soft deadlines for many of them.
A key element to the creation of this list: Every single game I’ve listed I either already own (such as Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty) or have access to via a subscription service (Golden Sun on Nintendo Switch Online, Slay the Spire on Game Pass). Rather than a directionless, nebulous list of things I’ve always wanted to “get around to” when I have time, this year my list contains titles I can play at the drop of a hat and without spending any extra money. The backlog can’t get bigger if I just take the time to appreciate what’s right in front of me.
Much like classic resolutions, such as exercising more or eating better, my two gaming resolutions revolve less around specific challenges to overcome and more around reorienting how I utilize my time and money.
This resolution solves two major issues with how I’ve approached my gaming backlog in the past. First, it removes any fuss around waiting for a potential surprise Game Pass drop or Switch port; I have to list games I can play immediately. Second, it reduces the chance of my backlog list growing to an unsustainable level; if it’s not currently available on one of these subscriptions or already in my possession, it can’t be added to the backlog.
Part of what made goals around addressing my backlog so challenging in the past was that I never actually created any structure around it. I would say, “Maybe this is the year I finally play Morrowind or KOTOR” without any concrete plan to do so. Maybe it’ll be on sale at some point; maybe it’ll show up as a free download or on Game Pass; maybe this, maybe that. As a result, the theoretical backlog kept expanding and never shrunk.
With a “smoke ‘em if you got ‘em” approach, I can nearly guarantee at least trying a notable portion of my backlog without much concern for expansion. Obviously, those surprise drops or sales could pop up at any moment, but I won’t be banking on them. My list is what it is at this moment, and that’s where my focus lies.
Resolution #2: Abide by the “Two Week Rule” for New Purchases
2023 was an exceptional year for high-quality new game releases. Big AAA tentpole titles seemed to roll out every week last year, to the point where no sane, reasonable person could have possibly played every single one of them within those 12 months.
A strange positive that emerged from this deluge of good games: In 2023, I rarely found myself dropping a full $60-$70 on a brand new game I wasn’t even sure I’d like. Every time a noteworthy game I had mild interest in came out (e.g. Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Mortal Kombat 1, Alan Wake 2, Diablo IV, Final Fantasy XVI), something else was already consuming whatever free hours I had. As a result, I avoided what could have been a disastrous year for my bank account almost by accident.
I may not be so lucky this time around. 2024 appears to have started strong with Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, Tekken 8, and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, but many question marks remain for the rest of the year. Will Nintendo reveal and/or release a new console? Is Metroid Prime 4 actually on the horizon? Will Indiana Jones and the Great Circle release in 2024, as Microsoft said it would? Will Hollow Knight: Silksong ever come out? What’s the deal with Insomniac’s Wolverine project?
As AAA budgets increase and development cycles grow longer than ever, a paucity of major new releases may become the norm for the foreseeable future. As a result, I may be more tempted than ever to randomly splurge on That New Thing Everyone Is Talking About. In the face of such a challenge, I am imposing what I call the “Two Week Rule”: The day a hot new title releases, I will force myself to wait two weeks before making a purchasing decision. Abiding by this rule would ensure that I avoid spending money purely out of FOMO. If two weeks expire and I’m still tempted, then I’m good to throw some cash.
There will obviously be exceptions to this rule. I’ll likely play Final Fantasy VII Rebirth on day one. If Nintendo releases a remake or remaster of an old Zelda title, I seriously doubt I’ll wait one second to play it. The Two Week Rule doesn’t mean I’ll never be part of the immediate conversation around new releases; it’s designed to ensure I don’t spend money solely for the purpose of being in that conversation.
If two weeks expire and I’m still tempted, then I’m good to throw some cash.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown looks fantastic (check out Gary’s awesome The Lost Crown review), and I know it’s the kind of game I would personally enjoy. But do I need to play it right now? No, I’ll see how long I can wait. Same goes for every other big release I didn’t build hype around organically.
If I didn’t get sucked into Starfield last September, I probably would have dropped some money on Mortal Kombat 1 and played it for a week. Had I not been enraptured by Street Fighter 6 and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom in June, I would likely have ponied up $70 to play one of David Silbert’s least favorite Final Fantasy entries. With proper self-enforcement of the Two Week Rule, I can avoid such costly actions entirely.
Maybe This Year Will Be Different
Honestly, mapping out a year of leisure time as though it were a chore might be the height of privilege. Still, I value my time (and my money) and want to make sure I approach the things that bring me joy with a certain measure of rationality. A little extra organizing never hurt anybody.
Much like any other year, I don’t expect to be 100% compliant with my resolutions in 2024. That said, these two goals feel straightforward and achievable, and contain just enough wiggle room that ignoring them at times won’t feel like complete failure. Maybe 12 months from now I’ll be a little more ambitious; for the time being, I’ll keep it simple.
