Someone looked at my physical game collection and said, “So much wasted life.”

If only they saw my Steam, GOG, and Epic collection.

The way I see it: I’m privileged enough to waste time. I work for myself. My basic needs are covered. I can spend hours on hobbies—and I don’t take that for granted. Books, music, cinema, photography, art—and yes, video games. I even get to write about them.

At one point, I poured myself into “stuff that matters.” Tried too hard to leave a mark. Convinced myself that if it wasn’t important or world-changing, it wasn’t worth doing. The irony? That’s when I actually wasted my time.

What matters more? A meal with my family. Spinning a record with my daughter. Playing badminton with my wife. And, yes, losing myself in a game.

None of this will change the world. But if this is wasted life, then it’s the best kind of waste.