Caveat to this. This has been a banner year in gaming, really, a hall of fame type year of quality games. Putting this together always puts into context what I spend. I don't trip on the cost of it. It's my hobby and I'm going to enjoy it to the fullest yet while understanding that I'm fortunate enough to do so in the manner that I do. That said, I think 2024 will be hard-pressed to beat 2023 but in the unlikely event that it does, I'll be there to meet the challenge and collect all games again like they are Pokémon. My 2023 is better told through pics because I'm just not trying to write everything brehs. Now, on to the damage 2023 caused my wallet.
What did you get this year?
Games:
Switch/PS/Xbox Physical
BTW, these cases are in order of day of release. All were preordered and picked up on release date.
Switch
PS
Xbox
Switch/PS/Xbox Digital
PC/Virtual Reality
Virtual Reality
Mobile - All I purchased was Motorsport Racing 4 from the Google Play store.
Hardware
Pictured:
Arcade1up Infinity Game Table, 32-inch version
Asus Rog Ally
Meta Quest 3 with Premium Battery Strap
Logitech G923 Racing Wheel for Xbox/PC
What were your favorite games?
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Immortals Fenyx Rising
F1 23
Starfield
Hi-Fi Rush
What were your disappointments?
I buy so many games, I can afford to wait, if you will, for improvements to games to occur. For example, I've booted up Redfall and played for a minute. It's been a while since I've gone back. Since Arkane has fixed up a lot, I do plan on revisiting it soon enough. That said, nothing made me mad that I spent money on it this year.
What were your surprises.
I've fallen in love with collector's edition purchases again. Really weird for me but I'm on board with good ones. I'm a sucker for a good art book. Like, many of the games that I got this year had deluxe edition or collector's edition on it, but they were superficial in a sense. These are what I got this year in true collector's editions, save for the sports stuff you see in the digital pics above.
Also, my willingness to play games on the Rog Ally vs my PC. I have a gaming PC more powerful than the Rog Ally, but I like posting up somewhere and getting my portable PC gaming on.
Did you take on any new genres?
Metroidvanias. I know Metroid Prime is a very well-made game, albeit one that even 20 years later, I'm still trying to see if it is for me. That and Dead Cells is one that has roped me in a bit. I've also become more lenient on roguelike games as well.
Did some genres pass you by?
Sports games, the traditional mainstays have passed me by. Madden, 2K and The Show is for the 9-year-old now. I'll play the games with him but I'm a shoulder shrug to these for myself now. I'll still get the collector's editions for him so he can get the extra virtual currency for those games. However, I will get College Football if and when it comes out for myself.
What are you looking forward to next year?
I'm Team Physical and I'm already knee deep into 2024. Sports games will not get a physical purchase from me unless there is a collector's edition. Save for College Football because that might be the only one pending sales. I'm a preorder-holic.
Digital Preorders
It sucks that Gamestop has stopped shipping collector's editions to stores for pickup. You can only purchase online and they ship to the crib so I always work from home on days of delivery now.
Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo have not fully laid out their cards for 2024. There is only one first party game on that preorder list, Rise of the Ronin from Sony. New hardware from Nintendo is already a go and I'm just waiting for the impending date when it will be available to preorder. I get hardware from Best Buy, however.
I'm racking my brain, trying to remember if there is a year where I've spent more. I don't think so. That said, it was all fun and as I stated up above. If 2024 shows up in a form similar to this, my 2024 post will be similar in nature to this one.
