The holiday season is usually sold to us as a time of peace, joy, and togetherness. But for those of us who live and breathe video games, it often feels like a season of mounting pressure. You look at your library—whether it’s a digital shelf on Steam or a physical stack in the corner—and you see it. The Pile of Shame. It’s that collection of games you bought during a massive sale with every intention of playing, only to let them sit there, gathering digital dust while you went back to playing another round of a familiar multiplayer shooter.
It is a heavy burden, isn’t it? That nagging feeling that you’re “falling behind” on your hobby. But the winter break offers a rare window of opportunity. The office is closed, the emails have stopped, and you finally have a few consecutive days to actually sit down and lose yourself in a story. If you want to actually make a dent in that backlog instead of just staring at the titles until you give up and nap, you need a bit of a game plan.
The Art of the Brutal Triage
The first mistake most of us make is trying to be a completionist. You look at your list and think, “I’ll finish all ten of these.” Let’s be real: you probably won’t. Life has a way of interrupting even the best-laid plans with family dinners or sudden bouts of exhaustion.
Start by being honest with yourself. Look at that game you’ve been “meaning to finish” for three years. Do you actually still want to play it? Or do you just feel like you should because you spent the equivalent of a full-price release on it? If the spark is gone, let it go. Move it to a “maybe someday” folder and stop letting it haunt you. Focus on the games that actually make you feel a spark of excitement when you see the splash screen.
I’ve found it helps to categorize your backlog by length. Sites like HowLongToBeat are absolute lifesavers here. If you have five days off, trying to start a one-hundred-plus hour RPG might be setting yourself up for failure. Instead, try picking one “big” game you’ve been dying to sink your teeth into and pair it with two or three shorter, “indie” experiences that you can finish in a single sitting. There is a specific kind of dopamine hit that comes from seeing those end credits roll. Getting a few quick wins early on can give you the momentum to tackle the bigger stuff.
Creating the Right Environment
You can’t focus if you’re constantly being pulled away. If you’re serious about this, you have to treat your gaming time with a bit of respect. It sounds a bit intense, but try setting “gaming hours.” Tell your friends or family that from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM, you’re heading into the wasteland or exploring a forgotten planet.
And for the love of everything, put your phone in another room. Nothing kills the immersion of a deep RPG like a random notification about a work email or a social media update. You are looking for an escape, so give yourself the space to actually find it.
Is it just me, or does the vibe of the room matter more than we admit? Dim the lights, grab a blanket, and make sure you have your snacks and water within arm’s reach. If you have to keep getting up to find a charger or a drink, you’re breaking the flow. You want to reach that state where the controller disappears and you’re just in the world.
Don’t Turn Fun Into a Chore
There is a dangerous trap here: turning your hobby into a second job. If you find yourself checking off boxes on a spreadsheet just to say you finished a game, you’ve missed the point. Games are meant to be enjoyed, not processed.
If you start a game and realize after two hours that the mechanics are clunky or the story isn’t grabbing you, stop. Just stop. There is no prize for suffering through a mediocre game just to clear it off a list. Your time is the most valuable resource you have, especially during the holidays. It’s okay to “DNF” (Did Not Finish) a game. In fact, it’s often the smartest thing you can do.
Sometimes, the best way to handle a backlog isn’t to finish the games at all, but to rediscover why you loved gaming in the first place. If that means spending your entire break playing a game you’ve already finished five times because it makes you happy, then do that. The backlog will still be there in January, and it’s not going anywhere.
Small Steps and Consistency
If you are the type of person who struggles with focus, try the “one hour rule.” Commit to playing a specific game for just one hour. Often, the hardest part is simply hitting “Start” on the main menu. Once you’re in, the game usually does the work of keeping you there.
Variation helps, too. If you get stuck on a frustrating boss in an action game, don’t just bash your head against a wall until you’re angry. Switch over to a puzzle game or a narrative adventure for a bit. It keeps your brain engaged without burning you out on a single genre.
What does your “Pile of Shame” look like this year? Are you planning on tackling a massive open-world epic, or are you looking to clear out a bunch of smaller titles? We’d love to hear your strategy—or even just which game you’re most excited to finally start—in the comments below.
Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more tips, reviews, and gaming news. Now, go pick up that controller and start making some progress. You’ve earned this time off.
Time to power down the monitor and power up the table! We’ve compiled 7 of the BEST board games that capture the essence of your favorite video game genres. And don’t forget the 2026’s must-play games that need to be on your wish list.
Sources:
- www.howlongtobeat.com/
- www.ign.com/articles/how-to-tackle-your-video-game-backlog
- www.pcgamer.com/how-to-manage-your-gaming-backlog/
- www.gamespot.com/articles/how-to-actually-play-the-games-in-your-backlog/1100-6485714/
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