Don't see your backlog as a burden which you have to work through, it's a pool of unfinished games that you can choose from whenever you like.

I used to get every single system, but then life started getting in the way and there just isn't enough time to play everything when working full time and having other commitments.

That said, I have ended up with a Wii U, PS4, PC, Vita and 3DS so far this gen, so I probably will end up with every system this gen as soon as the XB1 received a decent price cut in the UK (I'm waiting 'til it's under £200).

So actually, yeah... I guess I still do get every single system, just no longer on day of release/near to release like I used to.

Calculate about $500 for each system with a little peripherals like controllers and stuff = $1500. Buy 10 games for each system for $60 á piece = $1800. Use them for five years.
That will give you a monthly cost of $1500 + $1800 / 5 years / 12 month = $50
"As of July 2009, the federal government mandates a nationwide minimum wage level of $7.25 per hour"
Less than one days work per month to pay for your gaming hobby.

Make that one game a month for five years: 60 games for $60 = $3600.
$3600 (one game / month) + $1500 (three consoles) / 5 years / 12 months = $85 / month.
That is one and half days of minimum wage work.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimum_wage_in_the_United_States
Could this really be correct?

Have I made so fundamental wrong in my calculation? It seems to be a too small sum!

Multiple consoles don't mean multiplied gaming experiences.

For me it's rather the case that I need so many options to even have a steady stream of games. If I had only a PC or a PS4 or a Wii U this year would've been really dull(as would be the next year). I don't play very many games. Not because I don't have time but because there just aren't enough that would interest me enough.

Last year I played 3 games on PS4, 4 games on PC, 4 games on Wii U and one on PS3. Between them there were big stretches of nothing. That's barely 12 games stretched across 4 platforms. I can't even imagine how game starved I would be if I had only one option.

Don't forget tax etc.

Although I get paid £9.26 or so an hour in the UK. I only see about £5.00 of that as the rest goes in Tax and National Insurance. So while a £40 game (inc VAT) would be about 4 hours work before tax, it'd actually be more like 8 hours work after deductions.

You've also got the factor of, people will often buy more games for a single system, than save that money towards a much more expensive additional system, or spend that money on other things (night's out, DVD/Blu-rays, music or whatever).

Over the course of 5 years, its actually affordable. Its just a case of what people prefer to spend their money on.

I know plenty of people who spend $100+ a weekend of alcohol, takeaway/eating out, clubs etc.

I have them all. It allows me to basically never miss out on a game if it takes my interest. It also means that I can be more choosey instead of being forced to buy games I might not have a lot of interest in when their are quieter months.

I think quite highly of myself.

My last paycheck was $2600.


Use that info as you see fit.

It was a VERY ROUGH estimation for a "worst case" scenario: ALL consoles, ALL games (one/month). Still it is within reach for almost everyone with a full time work in the USA and most parts of Europe, especially if you consider yourself a video game hobbyist.