Creating a Game Catalog

I started organizing my collection because it stopped being small a while ago. There are Hot Wheels, Lego sets, a few consoles, physical Nintendo Switch games, older handhelds, digital libraries across multiple stores, and a growing list of games I still want to play.

The problem is that a collection without a system becomes noise. I wanted to know what I am currently playing, what I have finished, what is still in the backlog, what remains on the wishlist, and which games belong on my lifetime list of essential experiences.

From shelf to system

The video starts with the most visible part: the shelf. I show physical Switch and Switch 2 games, a few special editions, handhelds like the Game Boy Advance and PSP, devices I use to play, and even a working Zeebo, which is now more of a curious collection piece than an active platform.

That is only one part of the problem. I also have a lot of digital games. There are libraries on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Steam, GOG, Epic Games, and other platforms. I also use RetroAchievements with emulators because I like having goals and trophies layered onto older games.

When everything is spread out, no single library tells the whole story. I needed my own view that could combine physical media, digital purchases, subscriptions, backlog, and intent.

Why Obsidian

I have tried dedicated game cataloging tools, and some of them do interesting things. The difference is that I wanted something more personal, easier to automate, and not locked into the model of a closed platform.

That is why I started building the structure in Obsidian. For me, it works better than a closed database because the notes remain files, the structure is flexible, and I can adapt the system to the way I think.

In my catalog, each game can have a status, platform, format, collection, whether it is physical or digital, whether I own it, whether it comes from a subscription, and whether it belongs in wishlist or backlog. The basic rule is simple: if I want to play it but do not own it yet, it goes to wishlist; if I already own it and have not played it, it goes to backlog; if I am playing it, it is in progress; if I finish it, it is completed.

I also created a kind of homepage inside Obsidian to track summaries: recently finished games, shopping list, backlog, games in progress, and the lifetime list of games I consider important to play someday.

AI as maintenance, not replacement

The most useful part of integrating AI into this process is reducing manual maintenance. I do not want to spend more time registering games than playing them.

When a new game arrives, I can ask Codex to add it to the catalog, research metadata, download an image, and fill in platform, format, and status. That saves the repetitive work and leaves more energy for deciding what I actually want to play.

I have also started using that context for recommendations. After finishing Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, for example, I asked for a suggestion based on my catalog. The recommendation was Stray, partly because it is a calmer experience after a game with a heavier ending.

That is the kind of automation that makes sense to me: it does not play for me, it does not choose everything on its own, and it does not turn the hobby into a spreadsheet. It just keeps the system organized enough for me to keep enjoying games.

Why it belongs on my site

I also wanted to bring this catalog into my personal website. The about page already talks about technology, product, design, and community, but games are part of my story too.

Games were one of the things that brought me into programming. The way they combine systems, narrative, interaction, art, and emotion still influences how I think about software. So it makes sense for part of my site to show what I am playing, what I have finished, and what is still waiting for the right moment.

In the video, the site was still under development. The point was to show some of the behind-the-scenes work: Obsidian as the source of the data, AI helping with organization, and code turning it into a public experience.

What comes next

This video is more of an introduction than a conclusion. The collection will keep changing, the catalog will keep getting adjusted, and the games page should evolve with it.

More than making a nice-looking list, the goal is to build a personal system that helps me play better, remember what I own, and share the process in public.