I bought my first board game of the modern era in 2004. I’ve been playing boardgames mostly since. At first miniature wargames were the main thing with board games filling in the gaps. This started to invert and board games became the main event. I had a fallow period of maybe a 1.5 years after a falling out from 2012 to 2014 but have been really in to playing ever since. With all that time elapsing I’m going to break 100 games owned soon. I have 98 with 5 kickstarters inbound and 8 preorders (I don’t count expansions in this count).
This fact, covid times and playing Nippon for the first time have led to some serious contemplation. I got Nippon in a maths trade. I’ve played Nippon twice. I’ve had fun both times, Nippon is a good game. Maybe a very good game. However both times I’ve not been wowed by it. I think a big part of the problem is I have other games that are as good but I’ve got history with or I’ve got games that are similar but I think are better.
The next factor is recently I’ve started playing games regularly with @lalunaverde and a heavy games group is starting to form from one of his friends and 2 of my friends. There’s enough match up in tastes that I’m finally getting to play some of my favourite games regularly. Plus no serious and consistent AP players in the group 
As a result of all these things I’ve given myself a pledge to buy no new games until 28th February 2021 at the earliest. In the time frame I will place no preorders and pledge to no kickstarters.
This is part of a wider drive to buy less things over all.
While an impending corona winter makes getting games to the table difficult I think In the long run I should to be kinder to myself and to the environment.
Kinder to myself of not being under constant pressure with learning new rules sets, not feeling bad for not playing games more and not being addicted to the anticipation of a new thing turning up and then being overwhelmed when it does more often than I hit a gem. Not every game will land with me as well as Teotihuacan as Nippon has proved.
Looking at diet related impacts on the world I am still suspicious that while giving meat would lessen my trail of destruction I think manufacturing maybe has a worse impact overall. Boardgames are maybe not the worst offenders but there’s a general lifestyle attitude that I’m seeking to change. I buy clothes rarely and really wear them out before getting replacements. I’ve got a pair of trainers on a 4 year life so far which is a big improvement for me.
This didn’t start out about environmentalism bit typing it has helped me realise that’s what I’m most concerned about. So hopefully this will allow me to extend the no purchases beyond the initial date. Thanks for reading.
. Still how many 18xxers have mini heavy slug fests alongside? Like being a teenager I’ll pretend that’s more unique than it is and therefore console myself with some self aggrandising narrative of being special 