I’ve been a gamer for as long as I can remember, though life has thrown a few interruptions my way. In my early 20s, I made what I now call a big mistake—I sold off my entire childhood collection. The Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, DS, 3DS, the original Switch—you name it, I let it go. Along with them went hundreds of games, including gems like the Tony Hawk Ride skateboard game, Guitar Hero, and the Xbox 360 Kinect.

At the time, I convinced myself I needed to “grow up” and leave gaming behind. But deep down, that was never me. I missed those virtual adventures for years. I tried to dive back in during the Xbox One/PS4 era, but that lingering regret kept me from enjoying it the way I used to.

Everything changed at the end of 2020 when I picked up the Oculus Quest 2. By 2022–2023, with the Xbox Series X and PS5 finally easier to find, I rebuilt my collection with them and even added a gaming PC. 

This time, I made a promise to myself: never again will I sell off my games. Gaming isn’t just something I do—it’s part of who I am.