It may not look like the horror show that was the popular A&E show, but the results are the same. Instead of a house collapsing under the weight of forty years of the New York Times, my sleek little SSD is filled to the breaking point with platformers and strategy games galore that I don’t even play. All it takes is a bundle with two and a half games I’m even remotely interested in, and the value zone of my brain goes off. “Look what I can get for just a few bucks. Sure, most of it I might give a try but at least I didn’t buy a new AAA game for sixty bucks.” Digital hoarding is a real problem.
A few weeks ago, I bought the Humble Bundle for Freedom, thirty bucks for a whole lot of games. I was suckered in for two reasons. 1) Witness 2) I could tell myself it was for a good cause since the money was all going to charity. Forty Steam downloads later, my library became bloated. I realized I am a digital hoarder.
The thing I can’t get over about digital hoarding is that you cannot see this if you come over to my house. You must dive into my digital life to begin to understand the level of hoarder I have become, or at least look at a credit card statement. That is the most horrifying part of it all. Regular hoarding is simple: all it takes is one look, and your friends and family push the collection of beanie babies aside and start an intervention. Digital hoarding has the same effect but can go under the radar forever.
If games I am even medium about drop below a price threshold or are packaged together just so, I jump at the chance to add them. Meanwhile, I just then stare at my ever-growing list of uninstalled games, planning in my head an order of when I would play them. Obviously, I know I have no intention of playing them, but for one moment at the checkout screen, I needed them.
Gamers like me are becoming more collectors than gamers. The enjoyment we used to get from completing a game is quickly being replaced by just saying we own that game. Bundles are the fastest way to achieve that goal. All a website must do is slap one big title, like Witness, in the bundle, and it will sell out in a matter of hours. That gateway game doesn’t even have to be discounted that much, because the idea of getting multiple games thrown in for ‘free’ is more than enough to seal the deal.
The Role of Nostalgia in Digital Hoarding
Nostalgia is a big driver of bundle sales as well. We know the argument, “I could dig up my old PS2 to play this game, but I’ll buy it again on Steam since it is here.” Two weeks before The Bundle for Freedom, I was suckered in by a LucasArts Star Wars bundle. Such targeted and weaponized nostalgia drove me to open my wallet and buy something that I already bought, finished, then donated or sold. I would love to sit down and play Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast again, but who has time?
Platforms aging and new platforms being so goddamn enticing really ramp up digital hoarding, too. I end up with the same game for each new platform from PS2 to Xbox 360 to Steam and Origin. I have bought KOTOR three times, The Witcher 2 and Stanley Parable two times each, and a whole host of other games far too many times for all my different platforms. The bundle pushers gather up all the fun and excitement from the last generation and feed it to you in a nice neat little package.
Digital hoarding actually triggers real-life hoarding as well. I have emulators for N64s and Gameboys on my phone. Luckily, ROMs are free and give my poor wallet a break. After playing a few hours of Mario Kart and Pokémon Red Version on my phone, I then went out and bought an N64 and found my old Gameboys so I could have the physical thing. I want to relive Mario Kart 64 with my friends, so I’ll buy a 20-year-old piece of technology for a near-modern console price. The collection begets more collecting.
The Dark Side of Digital Hoarding
Your house may not become a fire hazard from all the boxes of junk like traditional hoarders collect, but your personality becomes the same. All the fun comes from acquiring games, and it creates an endless cycle. You see something, you need it, you make a case for yourself, it collects dust, and it starts all over again. Don’t let the exciting deals that bundle websites offer make you into a digital hoarder; take control of your library.
This never-ending pursuit of deals also plays into the instant gratification that technology has fueled. With just a few clicks, we can own a vast collection of games, but it never feels truly satisfying. The dopamine rush comes not from actually playing the game but from securing the deal, adding another item to the ever-growing collection. It’s the equivalent of buying a new shiny object and putting it on a shelf just to admire but never use. Over time, this behavior erodes the very purpose of gaming — enjoyment and challenge.
We have to ask ourselves, are we truly enjoying the games we own, or are we just collecting digital trophies? It’s easy to fall into this trap when the barriers to acquiring games are so low. The industry knows this well, which is why game bundles, sales, and subscription services are a constant cycle, always tempting us to add more, even when we have no time or intention to play them.
In the end, digital hoarding is a cycle of consumption and accumulation that distracts us from the reasons we originally fell in love with gaming: the experience. So, take a step back, look at your digital library, and evaluate whether your collection is truly serving your enjoyment of games or simply feeding a habit that never satisfies.
4o mini
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It’s been a while since the last one, with the original and sequel appearing on the ill-fated Dreamcast way back at the turn of the century. The four-player co-op brawler allowed you to fight normally, throw all sorts of boxes, chairs and light furnishings at your opponent, and all while trying to keep up with the moving stage which was a danger in itself. Throw in the fact that the first to collect three power stones went ‘super’ and transformed into a terrifying demon-like creature with a huge amount of power, and you get a fighting game that is chaotic, fun and – most importantly – unlike anything else. Recently released Lastfight made an attempt at being the new Power Stone earlier this year, but it’s not the Power Stone 3 a number of Dreamcast fans have been waiting for, despite a valiant effort. “… a new Power Stone may be able to bridge the gap between hardcore and casual fighting game fans” The recent decline of the fighting genre amongst less hardcore players has been a long and painful one to watch, all culminating in Street Fighter V’s poor sales earlier in the year. With the famous fighter missing its 2 million sales target for May by 600,000 copies, selling just 1.4 million in its first three months on sale. Unfortunately for Capcom, this figure failed to increase much by the time October rolled around. Despite having a strong and passionate player base, it’s one that is becoming increasingly frustrated by a lack of worthwhile additions to a game that Capcom initially described as a “platform” for the series moving forward. Poor sales after Street Fighter V’s botched launch means that it’s managed to alienate those who aren’t into the fighting genre or watch big tournaments like EVO. Despite struggling to appeal to those who aren’t as passionate about fighting games and being a disappointingly received game in general, Street Fighter V has still somehow managed to worm its way onto Geoff Keighly’s Video Game Award show, as a nominee for the fighting category. A category that is only able to garner four nominations out of a possible five. The fighting genre can’t even muster up enough nominees to fill out its category this year, although there has been a late call for Nitroplus Blasterz by more esteemed media from the games press this week, following an empty nomination slot. Nevertheless, the fighting game genre is in a bit of a lull right now. Its biggest game is in a bit of a rut and hardcore fighting game players (who are absolutely insane to watch at times) are alienating newcomers from giving it a go. So, how do you fix a problem like the fighting game genre right now? There’s no easy answer, but for Capcom, a new Power Stone may be able to bridge the gap between hardcore and casual fighting game fans and there’s no better time to do it. Nostalgia may be taking over my mind here, but playing Power Stone with four friends was such a blast, and despite our varying skill levels, we all knew that there was a 75% chance we could lose the next fight. For those of us not in the hardcore scene, it’s daunting going online to pick up yet another defeat. The idea of pick up and play fighting games has been dwindling for a number of years now, to the point where even the once beginner friendly Mortal Kombat has shifted ever so slightly in order to pick up competitive tournament players. Fighting games are in a unique position and are unlike any other genre. Stuck between the professionals and casuals, developers and publishers want to appeal to both at the same time. But perhaps instead of doing that, they should focus on the fun aspect of fighting games. Bring back co-op play, bring back that crazy guy in the red suit, the lady with purple trousers, and the guy who turns into a rock, Capcom, it’s time to make a new Power Stone for everyone to enjoy fighting games again. допиши для этого текста ещё 2 абзаца, отформатируй полную статью, всего должно быть минимум 900 слов
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It’s been a while since the last one, with the original and sequel appearing on the ill-fated Dreamcast way back at the turn of the century. The four-player co-op brawler allowed you to fight normally, throw all sorts of boxes, chairs and light furnishings at your opponent, and all while trying to keep up with the moving stage which was a danger in itself. Throw in the fact that the first to collect three power stones went ‘super’ and transformed into a terrifying demon-like creature with a huge amount of power, and you get a fighting game that is chaotic, fun and – most importantly – unlike anything else.
Recently released Lastfight made an attempt at being the new Power Stone earlier this year, but it’s not the Power Stone 3 a number of Dreamcast fans have been waiting for, despite a valiant effort.
The recent decline of the fighting genre amongst less hardcore players has been a long and painful one to watch, all culminating in Street Fighter V’s poor sales earlier in the year. With the famous fighter missing its 2 million sales target for May by 600,000 copies, selling just 1.4 million in its first three months on sale. Unfortunately for Capcom, this figure failed to increase much by the time October rolled around. Despite having a strong and passionate player base, it’s one that is becoming increasingly frustrated by a lack of worthwhile additions to a game that Capcom initially described as a “platform” for the series moving forward.
Poor sales after Street Fighter V’s botched launch means that it’s managed to alienate those who aren’t into the fighting genre or watch big tournaments like EVO. Despite struggling to appeal to those who aren’t as passionate about fighting games and being a disappointingly received game in general, Street Fighter V has still somehow managed to worm its way onto Geoff Keighly’s Video Game Award show, as a nominee for the fighting category. A category that is only able to garner four nominations out of a possible five.
The fighting genre can’t even muster up enough nominees to fill out its category this year, although there has been a late call for Nitroplus Blasterz by more esteemed media from the games press this week, following an empty nomination slot.
Nevertheless, the fighting game genre is in a bit of a lull right now. Its biggest game is in a bit of a rut and hardcore fighting game players (who are absolutely insane to watch at times) are alienating newcomers from giving it a go. So, how do you fix a problem like the fighting game genre right now?
There’s no easy answer, but for Capcom, a new Power Stone may be able to bridge the gap between hardcore and casual fighting game fans and there’s no better time to do it.
Nostalgia may be taking over my mind here, but playing Power Stone with four friends was such a blast, and despite our varying skill levels, we all knew that there was a 75% chance we could lose the next fight.
For those of us not in the hardcore scene, it’s daunting going online to pick up yet another defeat. The idea of pick up and play fighting games has been dwindling for a number of years now, to the point where even the once beginner friendly Mortal Kombat has shifted ever so slightly in order to pick up competitive tournament players.
Fighting games are in a unique position and are unlike any other genre. Stuck between the professionals and casuals, developers and publishers want to appeal to both at the same time. But perhaps instead of doing that, they should focus on the fun aspect of fighting games. Bring back co-op play, bring back that crazy guy in the red suit, the lady with purple trousers, and the guy who turns into a rock, Capcom, it’s time to make a new Power Stone for everyone to enjoy fighting games again.
The most successful fighting games of recent years have not been the ones that focus solely on the competitive aspect, but those that bring a sense of fun and accessibility to the experience. Titles like Super Smash Bros. and Dragon Ball FighterZ have embraced casual play, welcoming newcomers with easy-to-understand mechanics and chaotic, fast-paced battles that don’t require years of practice to enjoy. These games demonstrate that fighting games don’t need to be hardcore to be fun; they simply need to be enjoyable for everyone.
A new Power Stone would provide that perfect balance of simplicity and depth. The key to its success lies in its appeal to both experienced players and newcomers alike. By offering accessible gameplay mechanics, a variety of colorful characters, and fun co-op modes, Capcom could reinvigorate the fighting game genre. It could act as a bridge between the hardcore fighting community and casual players who are just looking for a good time. If Capcom can capture the magic of Power Stone’s chaotic, over-the-top action, while also making it accessible and fun for everyone, they could very well bring the genre back to life.