2025 was a really good year for me, in many respects. I got a new job, I bought my first house, and my collection of original PlayStation and Nintendo 64 games expanded nicely. In the grand scheme of things, this might wind up being one of the most successful years of my life.
2026 is bound to be more subdued. I’m a year into the new job, while owning a house comes with a new set of challenges. Given the state of my original PlayStation library, I don’t have very many games left on my radar. My Nintendo 64 library is in a good place, unless I want to start adding more complete-in-box games… which is getting more expensive all the time.
This means a likely pivot. Do I look into possibly adding consoles to start (or restart) collecting for those? Do I revisit my PlayStation 2 and/or Xbox libraries and fill in gaps? Do I take advantage of lower prices on Wii games in time for the console’s 20th anniversary? Or… do I cut back on collecting in 2026 and spend more time enjoying the fruits of my collecting journey? There’s definitely a few different paths I can take.
One priority in 2026 is to get my original Xbox console replaced with a “re-capped” machine. With the 25th anniversary of the original Xbox (and the Gamecube!) in late 2026, I’d like to get back into Xbox gaming without worrying about leaky components… which the internet has me freaked out over. Original Xbox hardware has, unfortunately, risen rather dramatically in terms of asking prices lately, but I have over 300 games for the platform. You need the hardware to enjoy the software… so I’m resigned to taking the financial hit here.
Also high on the list is securing a backup PlayStation 2, and possibly moving past the 1,000-game mark for my PS2 library. The console is more important order of business, though, due to the vast number of games that I own for it. It’s a great console (and one that I’ll be referencing a few times here in 2026, including late January, which will mark 25 years since I got my own PS2). The PS2 was one of the consoles I first started building a library for, dating back to 2011. It’s in my Top 5 in terms of all-time favorite platforms. I want to talk about and play more games for it in 2026.
Finally, securing and assembling another shelving unit is a priority in 2026. I’m literally out of space for shelving games, so things got a bit disorganized late this year. I’d like to shelve the loose N64 games I currently have in small storage bins and clear out that space for some overflow original PlayStation games. I’d also have room to shelve some PlayStation 2 games that are in storage. It won’t be all four huge tubs, but it’ll make a dent.
After these priority objectives for 2026 have been achieved, though, I’m really not sure how things play out. I continue to be tempted to pick up an NES, SNES, and/or Genesis and restart collecting for any (or all) of these. I was able to resist these temptations in late 2025, but it was admittedly difficult. Starting over after selling all of these off is hard to justify, and the prices for entry are considerably higher now than they were in 2012-15. I also have to think about available space. Even with one final shelving unit that I can fit in my “Retro Room”, I’ll essentially be out of space. It would be easier to fill some gaps for consoles I’m already collecting for than adding a new platform… and thinking about that puts up another fair objection.
I have considered putting a bit of effort into adding to my handheld libraries, notably Nintendo DS and 3DS. I’ve recently gotten back into 3DS a bit recently, and have been enjoying it quite a bit. I even picked up a trio of 3DS games (Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright, Frogger 3D, Miitopia) while on a pre-Christmas getaway. The DS library, in particular, is pretty huge and I have more targeted interests than simply buying what I can find. I don’t play Game Boy and Game Boy Color much, so I’ve paused collecting for those. Game Boy Advance is a possibility, but I need to confirm my inventory before jumping in. This isn’t a priority, I don’t think, but could be something that ebbs and flows throughout the year.
Collecting aside, I’d really like to make an effort to play more games in my library in 2026. For most of 2025, these games have just sat on shelves or in bins… even after moving into the new house in April and setting everything up. It’s been cool taking pictures of the collection and sharing it on socials, but I’ve always been of the mindset that video games are for playing and not as trophies or decorations. A big issue is that, with such a large collection, I have a tough time picking out what to play. I also have limited time to spend on playing games, and I’m splitting my time between Xbox Series X/Switch 2 and my older stuff. This is more a personal goal for 2026, rather than a non-negotiable objective. We’ll see how this shakes out.
Adding to this website will continue in 2026. I recognize the need to shake up my posts, as a flood of just Collector’s Logs gets boring after a bit. I have some ideas, but nothing I want to commit to as it’s impossible to foresee how much time I’ll have to do these things. It’s great to have a platform like this website for myself to share what I want, but I’d like to make it at least somewhat interesting for visitors. That said, Collector’s Logs will still be an integral part of this website. Being able to expand on what games I find and why I grabbed them is a big reason why I relaunched the site to begin with.
At this time next year, we’ll see how the reality compared to the objectives and goals listed here. For now, though, I’m content to ride out 2025 and how fortunate I was over these last 12 months.
Pete's Perspective 
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