When in the F*** Did this happen?

[PSO]

Wait a year or 2 and prices will be back down again.

I doubt it.

Talk to you in a few years.

He is right. Supply has ceased for these items. Demand will only increase. Prices will continue to rise.

[Aleron Ives]

It's true that supply has ceased, but demand won't necessarily increase, because as the people who grew up with these games get old and die, future generations won't necessarily care about "ancient" games. We're still in a bit of a strange time period as far as video gaming history is concerned, in that the entirety of it still falls within a human's lifespan. Games are so new that every game which exists was made during the lifetime of at least one person who's still alive today. Eighty years from now, that will no longer be the case, as everybody who was alive when Pong came out will be dead by then. Ancient Atari games and systems will cost quite a bit due to scarcity in 2095, but there won't be huge demand for them, either, except at computer history museums.

[lastcallgames]

It's all relative. For instance, Sonic Adventure is probably the most produced Dreamcast game, but it's usually at least $10 complete. NFL 2k was only made for one year, yet you can get copies for under a dollar.

SMB/Duck Hunt is probably one of the most common cartridges of any type for any system, but enough people want it/are stupid enough to think it's uncommon, that they'll pay $10-20 for it. Hell, you can get a dozen Game Gear games for $20, all rarer than SMB/Duck Hunt.

[GameOverYeah]

Good topic smith. I second that the rise of youtubers and retro gaming channels that get huuuugee view counts really is putting retro stuff out there more. Which i'm not saying is a bad thing but youtube personalities and the expansion of the www in general are adding to retro prices surges. I love watching a lot of the shows, heck I even learn about "new" old games watching their shows. Game Sack and Classic Game Room come to mind as large channels. Also our own Adam K and pcwzrd13 does a great job covering retro stuff.

I have observed some interesting things... Like when Pierce Bronson was on the Jimmy Fallon late show and they played Goldeneye together. Haha I checked ebay and copies were "flying off the shelves". I'm sure the same happens when a big youtuber or someone in social media reviews a retro game. Anyways that's probably nothing in the big picture but in general I think younger people are discovering retro stuff more and more these days.

I remember Adam Koralik saying something interesting about game collectors. Like when you were a kid you had a game console, say it was a snes. Then when n64 came out you said fuck it and sold it off cause you needed money. Now that you're older and have a decent job and some spending money you can buy it all back. I have actually witnessed this happen with a few of my friends. Not me though I kept that shit haha. So this stuff could come in cycles.

For the most part I've kept my games, but I really notice when a big Youtuber mentions a completely unheard of game (AVGN comes to mind), the demand for them skyrockets, which of course drives up prices.

I can't stand when that happens to a game I have on my wish list

[Unorthodocks]

Also as the old games get remasters demand for those games will go down significantly since people will update their collections and sell of their old/physical as well as people looking to get that game will likely go for the remaster driving demand down further. And that's part of why prices will always fluctuate because supply and demand is always changing.

Supply never goes up in terms of how many units are in existence but it does go up in how many are in circulation. Alot of a OOP games value just has to do with the fact its really good and no one wants to sell it.

Best example of that is Melee. Its the highest selling GC game by a ways but its also the most valuable just cuz no one wants to part with it even 15 years later. You're hard pressed to find a copy for less than $60 today even though you can find it any GC owners home, almost always in the system. They just won't sell you it.

Its like lastcall said there arent that many copies of sports games but theyre so common because people upgrade and sell their old one more than any other game. Whereas games that have stayed on a specific console and have high replay value they become "rare" regardless of how many there really are just cuz people don't want to sell it, the game isn't rare just the sale of one is and therefore the prices are less competitive.

[SMiTH]

Rarity and scarcity that is the issue.
Supply and demand is what raises the cost of retro games.
Nostalgia plays a huge factor in the supply and demand.
Youtubers and game reviewers help raise prices.
And as many have said it is now "cool" to collect retro games...

Retail game shops love to put a "RARE" title sticker on anything that is popular and mass-produced.
My point is still valid.
The prices are insane at this point.
I don't care about the semantics involved.
I understand how things work in the real world.
Therefore, I am determined to never pay retail for anything unless it is truly rare.

I could give a damn about a video game or video game hardware being CIB, sealed, having a torn label, missing manuals, missing artwork.
Don't even mention how the game collecting hobby actually has people putting CIB sealed games encased in plastic protectors and graded.
I understand that with comic books, sports cards and sports collectibles, coins, stamps, non-sports cards, books, vinyl records, etc.
But, for video games????
OMFG this guy has a CIB sealed copy graded 9.5 of Clayfighter Sculptor's Cut for N64!!!
C'mon with that utter bullshit.

I don't collect for a nerd trophy piece or to box everything away.
I don't collect to display everything and let others know how epic my collection is.
Most of the video game consoles I find are broken and have to be fixed.
I also then have to spend time hunting down cables, controllers, etc.
Then after this clean up the console and then fix it.
It is work but in the long run I can only afford to collect this way.
I collect because I like to actually play the video games I find.
I also collect because I enjoy restoring vintage electronics.

I will leave with this...
We all know that there is enough of this retro gaming stuff out there for anyone who takes the time to find it.
Its not like there is a shortage of people that have boxed up their old systems and stored them away in the attic.
There is probably more I could rant about.
At the moment I think this is enough.
What do you think?

[lastcallgames]

Going off that, something I've wondered about for a long time, what percent of retro games/hardware are in landfills now?

[craziestrufis]

Going off that, something I've wondered about for a long time, what percent of retro games/hardware are in landfills now?

i saved 22 box dreamcast kiosk

[Unorthodocks]

Responding to Smith I only buy stuff that's in NM condition and it really doesn't get that expensive you might just have to be a little more patient but pretty much my whole collection is NM and never really cost much. I never buy new stuff and the most I've paid for a used game was probably $30-$40 at some point years ago. But I really like having a nice collection not for anyone but myself. I guess alot of it comes from just being a little kid and being blown away by my older cousins game connection and I've just always wanted one. I only buy games a like so I like to have a little bit of merchandise to go with it in the way of art and a box. I admit its silly but I like having that stuff. I just got Max Payne 2 and American Wasteland in the mail today and there's always something a little exciting about getting a new game and opening it and seeing the art and adding it to your collection. For the games a I really like, I like getting the special editions if they're not alot more than the standard one.

I don't even understand that boxing and grading stuff though (mainly who grades it?) But I also don't get why that's silly for video games but not vinyl or another kind of art, what's the difference?

[Aleron Ives]

Vinyl is an analogue medium, so having an idea of how many times it's been played and whether the surface of the disc is still in good shape from being stored properly is very important for anyone who might want to buy an LP.

It's true that "grades" are entirely subjective and based upon the seller's preconceived notions of what constitutes good and bad quality, though. Pictures are always the best indicator.