*grabs a chair*

Hello, my name is awalterj and I have a game purchasing addiction and would like to start a self-help group for any of you suffering from the same tragic affliction.

I can stop playing any game anytime but I just can't stop buying games and clicking on the colorful promos. Ever since I started to play games again after a very long hiatus, I've been buying one game every two days even if I just count GOG purchases. Right now, I have 300 games on GOG, around 70 on Steam and a bunch of games on CD ROM / DVD. This is less than many have but it is too much already. I can't afford to keep doing this but even if I could afford it, I still find it a good idea to stop purchasing games altogether and not buy anything at all until I have significantly reduced the number of unplayed games. I'm not obsessed about finishing every game but I certainly intend to at least try and play each game I already own.

If you would like to join this self-help group, you are welcome to do so. We shall not suffer in solitude and silence!
If I should break my vow not to buy any games, I must instantly report my shameful deed here in this thread and make a giveaway as punishment.
Of course you don't have to imitate these hard sanctions, you're welcome to just introduce yourself or silently sit there like the guy in Fight Club who didn't even have a problem. But if you want to talk about it, the group will lend an understanding ear.

My stats:

-Abstinence started: December 30, 2014 (last purchase: Drox Operative)
-> Clean for 13 days
-Relapse No.1: January 13, 2015 (Frozen Synapse -> giveaway)
-> Clean for 53 days
-Relapse No. 2: March 8, 2015 (Battle Worlds: Kronos -> giveaway)
-> Clean for 26 days
-Relapse No.3: April 3, 2015 (Secret Files 3 & Secret Files: Sam Peters -> giveaway)
-> Clean for 2 days
-Relapse No.4: : April 6, 2015 (Tiny Bang Story -> giveaway)
-> Clean for 18 days
-Relapse No. 5: April 25, 2015 (Out There Somewhere -> giveaway)
-> Clean for 1 day
-Relapse No. 6: April 27, 2015 (Shattered Planet -> giveaway)
-> Clean for 2 days
Relapse No. 7: April 30, 2015 (Technobabylon -> giveaway)
-> Clean for 7 days
Relapse No. 8: May 8, 2015 (Black Mirror 3)
-> Clean for 26 days
Relapse No. 9: June 4, 2015 (A Golden Wake)
-> Clean for 0 days
Relapse No.10: June 4, 2015 (Alcatraz 1954)
-> Clean for 2 days
Relapse No.11: June 7, 2015 (Sokobond -> giveaway)
-> Clean for 0 days
Relapse No. 12: June 7, 2015 (The Swapper -> ninja gifted to fellow GOG member)
-> Clean for 0 days
Relapse No. 13: June 7, 2015 (Escape Goat)
-> Clean for 0 days
Relapse No. 14: June 8, 2015 (Incredipede)
-> Clean for 0 days
Relapse No. 15: June 8, 2015 (Port Royale 2)
-> Clean for 0 days
Relapse No. 16: June 8, 2015 (Fragile Allegiance)
-> Clean for 0 days
Relapse No. 17: June 9, 2015 (The Banner Saga -> ninja gifted to fellow GOG member)
-> Clean for 3 days
Relapse No. 18: June 13, 2015 (Pilot Brothers -> ninja gifted to fellow GOG member)
-> Clean for 0 days
Relapse No. 19: June 13, 2015 (World War 1)
-> Clean for 0 days
Relapse No. 20: June 14, 2015 (Conquest: Frontier Wars)
-> Clean for 0 days
Relapse No. 21: June 14, 2015 (Capitalism 2)
-> Clean for 1 day
Relapse No. 22: June 16, 2015 (Oknytt)
-> Clean for 1 day
Relapse No. 23: June 18, 2015 (Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse)
-> Clean for 69 days
Relapse No. 24: August 28, 2015 (Fran Bow)
-> Clean for 2 days
Relapse No. 25: August 31, 2015 (Stasis -> giveaway)
-> Clean for 9 days
Relapse No. 26: September 10, 2015 (Shadow Watch -> ninja gifted to fellow GOG member)
-> Clean for 11 days
Relapse No. 27: September 22, 2015 (The Three Kingdoms: Fate of the Dragon)
->Clean for 39 days
Relapse No. 28: November 1, 2015 (Unstoppable Gorg)
->Clean for 0 days
Relapse No. 29: November 1, 2015 (Anomaly Warzone Earth)
->Clean for 0 days
Relapse No. 30: November 2, 2015 (Aeon Command)
-> Clean for 4 days
Relapse No. 31: November 6, 2015 (The Fall)
-Clean for 0 days
Relapse No. 32: November 7, 2015 (Massive Assault: Phantom Renaissance -> ninja gifted to fellow GOG member)
-> Clean for 2 days
Relapse No. 33: November 10, 2015 (Braveland -> ninja gifted to fellow GOG member)
-> Clean for 2 days
Relapse No. 34: November 13, 2015 (Braveland Wizard)
-> Clean for 0 days
Relapse No. 35: November 14, 2015 (Infested Planet)
-> Clean for 0 days
Relapse No. 36: November 15, 2015 (Zombie Shooter 2)
-> Clean for 1 day
Relapse No. 37: November 17, 2015 (Braveland Pirate -> ninja gifted to fellow GOG member)
-> Clean for 10 days
Relapse No. 38: November 28, 2015 (Defense Grid: DLC Bundle)
-> Clean for 2 days
Relapse No. 39: December 1, 2015 (Chronicles of Mystery: The Scorpio Ritual)
-> Clean for 0 days
Relapse No. 40: December 2, 2015 (The Moment of Silence -> ninja gifted to fellow GOG member)
-> Clean for 420 days
Relapse No. 41: January 26, 2017 (Beautiful Desolation)
-> Clean for 0 days
Relapse No. 42: January 27, 2017 (The Journey Down: Chapter Two)


-Clean since: January 28, 2017 (last purchase: The Journey Down: Chapter Two)

Number of relapses: 42

Abstinence record: 2733 days and counting (previous record 420 days)

Feel free to share since when you've been clean, or feel free to laugh at this #firstworldproblems. Even mockery is a way of dealing with inner turmoil. I'll welcome and read all posts, thank you for your participation.

EDIT: I should have named this thread Official Game Purchasing Addiction Thread instead because my decision to temporarily stop buying games completely is only one possible way to deal with this problem, you might find another less extreme way.

Is there a special sub-group for bundle purchasers?

Last relapse: This morning :(

No, there are no Dante style 9 circles of hell, just one group where we're in this together regardless of how long you've been clean and how badly you relapsed. Self-punishment is voluntary, the prime purpose of this group is to admit that one has a problem (a big step for some!) and about opening up enough to talk about it.
It doesn't have to be touchy-feely mumbo jumbo, as long as we're all honest to each other and ourselves then that's a good first step.

I quit alcohol, cigarettes, and pot.

WHAT DO YOU PEOPLE WANT FROM ME!?

Stop buying games?!? Ok then... here's a freebie:

8AC32-ECC*2-677AB-CB976
* = *954 Alcatraz

For many people, all the money spent on games is just peanuts so there is no need for them to be worried about the financial aspect of things. However, even if someone can easily afford all purchases there still remains the matter of why one buys so much, more than one possibly needs?

What hole in their existence, what void are people filling?

Maybe it's just residual stone age genetics that lead to hoarding and collecting more than you need, or maybe someone has other issues. Of course, those other issues can't be resolved by not buying games. But it's an important first step to stop and say wait, what am I doing and why?

I've been trying for a few weeks, last serious purchase was rocksmith 1 and a bunch of dlc for it during the autumn sale on steam, this winter sale all I bought was a cheap song for rocksmith for a friend and I thought I was really in control but... 10 minutes ago I found a few cheap second hand ds games online that I just couldnt pass up.

I'll try and contain myself from now on. I have way to many games I need to play. Maybe I'll sin when GTA 5 comes out, and I will surely sin with the resident evil reremake and Grim fandango but that's where I intend to draw the line.

Oh I forgot, I got shovel knight and child of light for the wiiU to take advantage of the last days of the premium program where you get eshop credit for spending money.... Lord help me!

I think I've been purchasing more games than I can play in a bid to reclaim my childhood; or in wonder of how far technology has advanced. Maybe I'd gotten giddy with seeing a legitimate video game digital download site and justified purchases as some sort of political support.

COOL
I always wanted that, I just didn't want to pay for it. :P

Thank you undeadcow. :D

I think we have poked the bear...and he is just getting warmed up!!

Enjoy, TinyE...

Of course, I don't want to moral crusade guilt-trip anyone into giving up things. The correct question should be not what people want from you but what do you want for yourself?

Could it not be that addictions are simply filling a well without a bottom. And no amount will ever be enough?
Perhaps, something in life is missing. I don't know what it is in your life, your friends and relatives probably say the usual stuff (you need to get married and start a family yadda yadda) but it could be something else entirely. Only by stopping the addictions (game hoarding etc) can one stop the brain from doing the hamster wheel thing, and allow time for true reflection.

I like you

I'm actually kind of proud of myself in that regard, i didn't buy any game during Steam Christmas sale and i'm putting a stop on the bundle purchases (and the 1$ for Volgarr was really tempting).
I don't know, i have this huge library of games but when i look at it it's:

- Yeah, not in the mood;
- Nah, i have to learn how to play it and i don't have the patience;
- Gonna save it for later;
- Ok, let's play this. *15 minutes later* Meh, don't have the patience, quit.

It's a terrible way of thinking but from now on i'll only go for those games that are praised by gamers instead of buying that remotely looks interesting, also, i'm not buying until it gets a 75% discount (sorry devs) because i already saw too many times games at 75% discount when i bought it full price or something like 33~55%... and i still haven't played them.

Besides, my mentality was stuck on "i must complete this game quickly so i can go for the next one" and i wasn't really enjoying the games, it was really a speed run, it's like having a good meal and not even appreciate the taste, just shoveling everything down the throat.

I think this will be the year where i'll take a long project game head on, i see all this people playing +100 hours in a single game (Civ 5, Binding of Isaac, Minecraft, Terraria, Footbal Manager, etc) and i feel jealous because i don't remember having that "persistance" for a single game (well, besides online competitive games)...