When I first started working on Backlog Buddy, I thought I was solving a simple problem: I had too many games and not enough structure. I wanted a tool to track my progress, sort through my library, and maybe — just maybe — help me finish a few more titles.

It began as my final project for coding bootcamp — my way of combining something I loved (games) with what I was learning (software development). But underneath that, there was a more personal question I was trying to answer:

Why do I keep buying new games when I already have so many unplayed ones?

Backlog Buddy was my attempt to bring order to the chaos — to build something that could help me understand my own habits and feel more in control of my collection.

But the more I built, the more it started to feel… off.

Yes, it worked. It helped me sort, categorize, and mark things as “To Play” or “Finished.” But something about it didn’t feel aligned with why I love games in the first place.

And I care deeply about the why behind what I do.

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A Backlog Isn’t a Checklist — It’s a Reflection

I realized that my backlog wasn’t a to-do list. It was a living, shifting collection of moods, memories, and potential experiences. Sometimes I buy a game because I’m craving comfort. Sometimes it’s curiosity, or nostalgia, or a deep desire for escape. And often? The game sits there, waiting for the right moment.

Backlog Buddy treated that collection like something to be conquered.
Backlog Explorer treats it like something to be understood.

That shift changed everything.

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Designing for Feeling, Not Finishing

When I sat down to rethink the project, I asked myself:
What if this wasn’t about being productive at all?
What if it was about finding the right game for who I am right now?

Suddenly, I wasn’t designing a tracker anymore. I was designing a space for reflection. For curiosity. For joy.

Not: “What game should I finish next?”
But: “What kind of adventure am I in the mood for?”
Not: “What have I crossed off?”
But: “What do I feel drawn to right now, and why?”

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From Buddy to Explorer

That’s why I changed the name — not just the UI.

Backlog Buddy was about keeping you company while you worked through a list.
Backlog Explorer is about inviting you to wander through your collection with intention and delight.

To rediscover the games you forgot you were excited about.
To celebrate what you haven’t played yet.
To track your gaming life like a story, not a spreadsheet.

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This Project Means Something to Me

This isn’t just a dev project for my portfolio. It’s personal. It’s reflective of how I want to approach creativity, play, and even rest.

I don’t want to build tools that push people toward hustle.
I want to build spaces that invite them to reconnect — with themselves, their joy, their curiosity.

That’s what Backlog Explorer is really about.

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P.S. Curious what Backlog Buddy looked like back when it was my bootcamp project?
Here’s the original demo video from when this whole idea first came to life 👇

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And here’s how it’s evolved into Backlog Explorer.
This is the version I’m actively building, refining, and dreaming up new features for 👇