Curation versus Addiction: Can I survive a few months without buying a single game?

The Steam Summer Sale is once again upon us, and the madness is in full swing. Not only do we have daily promotions and publisher packs to worry about, Community Choice and Flash Sales have made it even easier for consumers to part with their hard-earned cash.

I've been surprisingly well-behaved (by my troubling standards) so far, but I have this feeling that all self control will be thrown out the window at sale's end (should be July 23 in Australia). "Why?" I hear you ask. Well, I'll tell you why! From Tuesday 24 July, I intend to stop purchasing games and gaming content until the next Steam sale; which should be the week before Christmas.

I know that for some, that sounds responsible, even relatable. For me, however, this is the exact opposite of normalcy. I buy gaming content -- on average, I'd say -- every second day. Apps, retail releases, downloadable content: every second day. This may sound like the epitome of first world problems, but I'd say I'm just shy of addiction here. I've tried to stop previously, but I can't hold off for long. My last attempt, where I swore I'd buy nothing for a month, ended in failure after three days... I'd bought a terrible game for my Windows Phone 7 handset. I gave up on this resolution for a meagre fifteen Achievement Points. After then, it was business as usual: pre-ordering consoles, grabbing games, and spending at least a hundred dollars each week on my habit.

 GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMES!!!

Safe to say that I have a problem, don't you think?

I've discussed this with my wife and two close friends and opinions are mixed. My lovely wife is obviously supportive, to the point where she actually thinks I can do it. My Japanese connection wished me well and even gave me some coping strategies (that mostly involve writing). My bro, Gravy -- who I've written for previously -- laughed at the proposition. Thought it would be a hoot, even expressed interest in starting a pool for the occasion. He gave me two months, and I got the impression that he was in a generous mood.

Two out of three ain't bad, right?

Who knows what I'll be able to do with the money that I'd save? I could buy a powerful new rig, have a solid deposit for a house, give something to charity. The possibilities aren't necessarily endless, but they are still attractive. Perhaps what's more desirable is thinking of the time that I'll save not having to worry about acquiring new games for the best possible price. I reckon I spend more time shopping for games than I do actually playing them. To quote Kanye West, "That shit cray."

For my part, I reckon I'll be OK. On top of the most recent additions to my collection, there's over 200 games in my Steam library, about 100 digital titles on various consoles, and roughly 140 titles on physical media sitting in my living room. If I can't make it five months without buying anything, I'm a lost cause. You can leave me be.

I'll be sure to update you on my progress, and if you're interested in the pool, let me know and I'll think of something (perhaps an interesting tie-in for this year's Movember campaign?). Be prepared for lots of desperate rants on the eve of huge releases, particularly Assassin's Creed III: that shit's gonna be real intense.