January 4, 2025: FOMP?!

I suspect most of us have heard of "FOMO" – "Fear of Missing Out."

I have Fear of Missing Pieces. I generally buy games because I love them. And because I love them, I play them. But playing them means pieces can get lost or damaged. So, I do what I can to protect games I know I want to play often: sleeves, covers, tasering people who get too close with snacks or beverages . . . normal stuff. But sometimes I don't know if I love a game until I play it – and by then Cheese-Dust McGee might've gotten their grubby little paws over everything. Thus, I often preemptively sleeve games I suspect I'll like. This has gotten worse in recent years, as games have reached more of a "periodical" model . . . meaning print runs are lower and replacements are rarer. I mean, when I was a kid and lost a Monopoly piece, it was no big deal. A new copy I bought from the store would burn as brightly. But "just replace it" is much more difficult in an era of crowdfunding exclusives and convention rarities. I've had to tamp down the urge to buy two copies of games I'm sure I'll really like, because I don't have the money or room to support that.

Similarly, it somewhat pains me to play the near-complete 7 Wonders set at my in-laws' house because the black edges of the cards are universally (but not uniformly) chipped and damaged. Yes, I know that card you're holding is a double wood; no, I don't feel great knowing that.

I have no action items or witty conclusions here beyond noting I have anxiety over actually playing games I love. If you have any similar insight or reservations – or you did in the past but figured out how to move beyond the feeling – I'd love to hear your thoughts on the forums.

– Steven Marsh

Warehouse 23 News: The City Never Sleeps Because Of All The Action

There are a million stories in the city, and they're all exciting! GURPS Action 9: The City shows how you can add GURPS City Stats to your GURPS Action campaigns. It also features six sample cities to use with your own action-packed adventures. Download it today from Warehouse 23!