Hmm. I didn’t take into consideration actual game reviewers paid to review games (QT3: Duh!), games received in dirt-cheap bundles, and/or technically deficient games.
Game reviewers of course have their own set of rules.
For myself, games not really desired, but included in bundles I’ve purchased: I don’t categorize them the same as games I’ve truly wanted to play and purchased . These I’ll give much less time to grab me, although it can vary greatly, and I personally have no real “rule” on them. I install every game I ever purchase very soon after purchase, and try to start it. Sometimes, they do not start, and that’s an instant uninstalled, forever ignored game. If they install and seem to be playable, I’ll usually uninstall and backlog them until I find the time (haha) to play them.
Games that simply “don’t work” upon startup I also do not include in my 3-hour-max criteria. If I simply can’t play the game, I uninstall immediately. But, that doesn’t really count as a game I tried to get into, but found it lacking. It’s just an unplayable game.