Wanting to complete every video game ever made is less like picking a hobby and more like declaring a lifelong expedition with no known finish line. That does not make it a bad goal. It just means the first thing you need is not motivation, it is a system. The only way this idea becomes real is if you turn it from “infinite and vague” into “finite and trackable,” with clear definitions, boundaries, and a routine that can survive boredom, busy weeks, and changing technology.

Start by defining what “every game” means for you

There is no single universal list of “every video game ever made,” and even if there were, the phrase “complete” changes from game to game. If you do not define the goal, you will constantly feel behind and eventually burn out.

Pick your scope in plain language:

• Platform scope: PC, console, handheld, mobile, arcade, browser, and retro systems. Decide what counts.
• Release scope: commercial releases only, or also freeware, homebrew, prototypes, mods, and shovelware.
• Region scope: one region (North America), or worldwide releases.
• Language scope: games you can reasonably play in a language you understand, or everything regardless.
• Version scope: original releases only, or remasters and re-releases too.

A workable starting scope for most people is: commercially released games on major platforms, one region, in languages you can play. You can always expand later once you have momentum.

Now define “complete” in a way that scales:

• “Credits rolled” for story-driven games
• “Main objective finished” for sandbox games
• “Campaign completed on default difficulty” for shooters and action games
• “All major endings” only if the endings are meaningfully different, otherwise “one ending”
• “All achievements” as a separate optional tier, not the default definition

A good universal standard is: complete equals finishing the primary intended experience, then optional extras go into a different category. That keeps the goal realistic and consistent.

Accept the truth that makes the goal possible

If you are serious, you should treat this like a collection project, not a perfect completion project. Many games are functionally unfinishable due to:

• Online servers being shut down
• Multiplayer-only progression requirements
• Lost media and unreleased builds
• Broken ports or missing hardware
• Time-limited events that will never return

So you need categories such as:

• Completed
• Completed with notes (used guides, accessibility tools, patches, etc.)
• Not completable (server shutdown, broken progression)
• Unavailable (cannot be legally or practically accessed)
• Skipped by policy (games you personally refuse, or content restrictions)

This is not “making excuses,” it is building a framework that prevents the project from collapsing the first time reality disagrees with the dream.

Build your “master list” the right way

Your first real action step is not playing a game. It is building a database you trust.

Start simple:

• A single spreadsheet or tracking app
• One row per game
• Columns: Title, Platform, Year, Genre, Source (where you got it), Status, Completion definition, Notes, Hours logged

Then decide where your list comes from:

• A curated list (for example “all releases on one console”)
• A storefront library (Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo)
• A historical database approach (one platform at a time, by release year)

Do not try to list everything at once. Start with one closed ecosystem. Completing “every game on one handheld,” or “every game you already own,” creates proof that the system works.

Choose a starting lane that makes progress visible

A goal this big dies when progress feels invisible. Your early plan should prioritize fast wins without turning into junk consumption.

Good starting lanes:

• Your owned library first (it is immediately accessible)
• One console generation at a time
• One franchise at a time
• One genre at a time (platformers, RPGs, etc.)
• One year at a time (for example, start with releases from 2005)

Avoid starting with the hardest lane:

• Massive JRPG marathons back-to-back
• Endless live-service grinds
• Open-world collectibles as your default
• Competitive multiplayer as your main path

You want a mix: short games to keep momentum, medium games to feel substance, and long games as planned events rather than constant obligation.

Create rules that prevent you from getting stuck

Every “complete everything” project needs anti-stall rules.

Examples:

• The Two-Hour Rule: if a game is not clicking after two hours, you can either drop it into “skipped” or “paused” with a reason, no guilt.
• The No Grind Default: if completion requires repetitive grinding, you can define completion as story finished unless you explicitly choose the grind tier.
• The One Guide Rule: you can use a guide when you are stuck for more than 20 minutes, because the project is about finishing, not proving you never needed help.
• The Broken Game Rule: if the game is bugged or progress-blocked, it moves to “not completable” with notes, and you move on.

Rules protect your momentum from the games that would otherwise trap you for weeks.

Design a routine that fits real life

The secret to a huge goal is not intensity, it is consistency.

Pick a minimum you can keep even on busy weeks:

• 30 minutes per day
• or 3 sessions per week
• or one game completed per week, regardless of size

Then add a weekly review:

• Update statuses
• Log hours
• Pick the next 3 games
• Choose one “long game” slot that you only work on during planned sessions

This turns the goal into a steady pipeline rather than random bursts.

Expect your tastes to change and plan for it

If you are going to do this for years, you must allow your preferences to evolve. The goal is not to force yourself to enjoy everything. It is to build a reliable process that can carry you through different moods and eras of gaming.

That means:

• Keep variety in the queue
• Alternate heavy and light games
• Include games that are genuinely fun to you, not just “important”
• Treat boredom as a signal to rotate, not a reason to quit

Preserve the joy or the goal becomes punishment

A project can be impressive and still be unhealthy if it turns every game into a chore. Keep at least one “free play” slot where you play something with zero tracking pressure. This paradoxically increases your long-term completion rate because it keeps your relationship with gaming positive.

Your first concrete steps

If you want to start today, do this in order:

1. Write your scope in five sentences.
2. Write your definition of “complete” in one sentence.
3. Create your tracker and add only the games you already own.
4. Choose a starting lane, like “owned library, shortest first.”
5. Complete one short game this week and log it properly.
6. Review after seven days and refine your rules.

Once you do that, the goal stops being a fantasy and becomes an operating system. From there, “every game ever made” becomes a direction you can walk toward, one finished title at a time.