Released earlier this year, Herdling, from Okomotive, is an adventure game unlike any other. In it, players take the reigns as young shepherd who finds and guides herd of “calicorns” — large, furry, sheep-like beasts – from the lowlands to the highlands, and beyond. The lone shepherd’s journey begins in a city with a magic crook and one stray calicorn, and together they stumble upon other lost calicorns to join the herd. The game has no dialogue and only minimal instruction, and yet, the shepherd knows what to do. Feed the calicorns when they are hungry, soothe them when they are hurt, clean them when they are dirty, and have them to rest at campfires. As the shepherd continues and the herd grows, a mountaintop destination becomes the primary goal, as well as keeping everyone alive and well to see the journey’s end, as it is not without peril.

I initially played Herdling through Xbox Game Pass, as soon as I completed it, I bought it. There was no question in my mind about doing so, because not only did I want to keep the game in my library should it ever leave the service, but because the game, the developers, deserved it. Herdling was one of the most beautiful and heartfelt gaming experiences I’ve had in a long time, one that continues to bring on the feels, as it were. Paying for it was the least I could do.

My track record of game purchases has definitely declined over the past decade. Presently, I’m happy to take advantage of Game Pass; between it and my own library of physical and digital games, the need to buy games all the time just isn’t there. There was a time long ago when I was buying, trading, and renting games regularly, or at least enough to keep on top of major releases. Nowadays, games come and go so quickly, that it’s hard to keep track of what’s new and what isn’t, even with wishlists. But “new” is very relative. Herdling, for example, could have been released five years ago, and I’d be none the wiser. It’d still be “new” to me, and I still would have bought it because of how powerful it was.

And therein lies the key to what makes me buy games these days. It’s not about having all the day-one (or two or twenty) titles at my fingertips, it’s about paying for the games, and the developers, that I want to support. A little bit of loyalty plays into that, but it’s not the only factor. (I’d consider myself loyal to Bethesda, but I didn’t purchase the Oblivion remaster, for example.) And it doesn’t mean that I’m not immune to sales or have regrets (probably could have waited on Avowed). It’s about the games that matter to where I’m at with gaming presently. And I can’t let loose of Game Pass (for now), as grumpy as it sometimes makes me, because of games like Herdling. It helps me find games that I don’t even know I need yet. Should the right ones comes along and make a lasting impression, I have no problem making them a permanent part of my library.

That’s how it should be with gaming. It’s a spectacular hobby, and one that’s about as personal as it gets. No matter if someone devotes themselves to a single game for decades or skips from new release to new release, we form our gaming libraries in our own unique ways. My library is richer because of Herdling, and I appreciate the new place it holds alongside my old habits.

Lede image taken by author.

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As gaming becomes a more expensive hobby, what drives the game purchases you choose make?