How to manage your dreaded video game backlog

digitaltrends.com:

When you hear the term “Spring Cleaning,” you probably think about the old mail you could throw away or that bathroom that needs scrubbing. Usually, it’s a physical process that involves tidying your space. But for gamers, their digital space can often become much more cluttered than their physical one. Case in point: The dreaded backlog.

“Backlog” is a common term players use to describe their piles of untouched games. Bought Horizon Forbidden West, but have been too busy with Elden Ring to start it? It’s in the backlog now. Do you grab free games from services like PS Plus every month, but never download them? They’re stuck in backlog purgatory. Picked up itch.io’s latest indie bundle, which is raising money for Ukraine by offering donors 1,000 products? Your backlog will never recover (but at least that one was for a good cause).

The backlog isn’t a physical thing; it’s more of an anxious mindset. It’s not the thought of playing every game you own that can seem overwhelming, but simply keeping track of it all. As you start to tidy up your living space, it’s a good time to organize that backlog too. Here are some ways you can tame gaming’s most fearsome beast.

The most important step is simply getting organized. It’s easy to pick up tons of free games on dozens of platforms and completely forget what you own anymore. How many times have you bought a game only to realize you already own it on Steam thanks to some Humble Bundle you’ve forgotten about?

There are plenty of tools out there that let players keep track of what games they own, but my personal pick is Grouvee. The free website is essentially the Letterboxd of gaming. It allows players to rate and review games, as well as add them to shelves and lists. I use it