sixteen-bit
Member
would that be NISB?
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Retro-GAF unite!
- Thread starter IrishNinja
- Start date
davidwhangchoi
Member
i think that's true, i'm so used to collecting Macross and it's all MISB sealed in never opened brown shipper box =P
You're not going to open them and play them?
Agreed. Open your games and play them.
You don't pay sealed game prices to open them and play them. You leave them sealed and buy another open copy to play while leaving that sealed copy in your collection.
If this seems odd to some, that's ok.
MISB is normally a better descriptor than NISB for a lot of collectors. New in sealed box gives no indication of the condition, other than it hasn't been opened. Mint in sealed box gives an indication that it is in perfect condition as well as never having been opened.
But why keep two copies of the game? Buying sealed games is for the assurance that it's really CIB, with all the leaflets etc. You can then open it and enjoy it. No need for an extra used copy.
The last sealed copy I bought was Sub-Terrania a few months ago, thanks to a gaffer. I tore away the plastic wrap right away like a kid I still have couple of unopened games on the shelf, but it's only because I haven't taken the time to play them yet.
The last sealed copy I bought was Sub-Terrania a few months ago, thanks to a gaffer. I tore away the plastic wrap right away like a kid
I still have couple of unopened games on the shelf, but it's only because I haven't taken the time to play them yet.^Same here. I got the Sub-Terrania game because I never got to buy a new Genesis game and crack it open. All I ever had were used games. I have a couple of unopened games by coincidence... Killer 7, a Blitz game, Rodea for Wii/Wii U. They will be opened when I get around to them.
It goes beyond seeing it as odd. Some don't see any merits in paying inflated prices for an extra bit of plastic wrap. Not even using the game for its intended practical purpose... only leaving it on a shelf to collect dust and be glanced at a few times per year (if even that often). Buying duplicates is taking a copy out of circulation that someone else could've bought to play, increasing scarcity and directly driving up retro game prices. These prices continue to become worse because so many are getting into the hobby for the sole purpose of building a collection they believe will become more valuable with time.
You don't pay sealed game prices to open them and play them. You leave them sealed and buy another open copy to play while leaving that sealed copy in your collection.
If this seems odd to some, that's ok.
It goes beyond seeing it as odd. Some don't see any merits in paying inflated prices for an extra bit of plastic wrap. Not even using the game for its intended practical purpose... only leaving it on a shelf to collect dust and be glanced at a few times per year (if even that often). Buying duplicates is taking a copy out of circulation that someone else could've bought to play, increasing scarcity and directly driving up retro game prices. These prices continue to become worse because so many are getting into the hobby for the sole purpose of building a collection they believe will become more valuable with time.
Danny Dudekisser
I paid good money for this Dynex!
I think there's a pretty big distinction between buying up games because you're a collector and genuinely like the stuff, and buying games as a purely speculative activity. The former, I think, is fine.
blast processed
Member
I purchased a sealed Tempo a couple of months ago. It was out of the package minutes from my mailbox. Felt good lol
Zoloft Sonic
Member
So I want to buy this but Jesus man some of these Ebay sellers I don't know what the hell is up with them.
Guy might be busy but when I see stuff like this
Damn the SMS was a handsome console.
This is why I'll never be a collector. If I buy a game I'll play it, no need to get the same game twice definitely if it's expensive.You don't pay sealed game prices to open them and play them. You leave them sealed and buy another open copy to play while leaving that sealed copy in your collection.
If this seems odd to some, that's ok.
Danny Dudekisser
I paid good money for this Dynex!
Of course he's from Brazil. Way to fight that stereotype, guys!
Nothing wrong with that, the judgmental tendencies in these conversations are generally from the other direction. You don't see many collectors giving those that play games a hard time. The opposite is true just in the last 10 posts.
It's fine if people don't understand collectors or collections, but their problems often stem from not being able to see a situation from a perspective other than their own (why would you do that?) to apparently selfish motivations (stop buying up things I want and driving their prices up!).
It's not just gaming, it's found in most collectible markets. Comic collecting forums have their own debates over CGC slabbed books. Why buy a comic that's encased and can't be read? Who would want to actually read a comic worth thousands when their are other ways of reading it? Same applies here. People have different desires and motivations. I find myself in the middle, I like to play and collect, so I sometimes do buy two copies of a game. I feel drawn in both directions, and if I have the desire and the money, I feel fine supporting both.
I'm sure many don't see the merits in buying sealed, not sure why that matters? Collectors have different motivations, unfortunately, they can be at odds with your motivations. They're no less valid than yours though.
Retro games aren't some magic economic situation though. It's as basic as it can be, and relates to any other commercial goods in the world. Supplies of everything are limited in a sense and demand varies. It sucks when the things that interest you are driven up in price, but it's not going to change.
Do you find no value in museums, art exhibits and the like?
blast processed
Member
if people want to collect sealed, go for it. That's not my thing, but if others enjoy it, that's great! What annoys me the most is people like this
InfiniteNine
Rolling Girl
That's fucked up. ):
Danny Dudekisser
I paid good money for this Dynex!
But kinda awesome to see.
I'll take one of each, please and thank you.
I'll take one of each, please and thank you.
sixteen-bit
Member
lmao
Is anyone in this thread coming to Classic Game Fest?
http://classicgamefest.com
July 30 - 31
Edit: Don't see it in the OP unless I'm too caffeinated. What is the criteria for retro in here? Is it just not the current consoles (Wii U/3DS/PS4/XO)?
http://classicgamefest.com
July 30 - 31
Edit: Don't see it in the OP unless I'm too caffeinated. What is the criteria for retro in here? Is it just not the current consoles (Wii U/3DS/PS4/XO)?
blast processed
Member
Genius.
Oh boy! Let's no all bid at once. lol
I agree they're not the same person. But the former can get caught up in it and end up being no different than the latter.
What judgements? These are basic truths. If anyone wants to buy sealed and multiple copies, they can go right ahead. Never told anyone not to (except that they should consider opening and playing them as intended). But that person should be cognizant of the fact (not judgment, not opinion) that he's contributing to retro game price inflation that is pricing out gamers with less deep pockets from enjoying the hobby in ways that were possibly a mere few years ago.
Collectors don't give people who only buy to play a hard time because there's not much to complain about. People who buy to play generally have smaller and modest collections, made of games that are common, used and beat up, not CIB, etc. They have a comparatively negligible impact on prices.
Come on, those are a lot of assumptions you're making. Let's drop the pretense that collectors are misunderstood and that some of us don't get it. I'm fully aware of why a collector does what he does and I'm not even commenting on what drives a person to do so. Like Chacranajxy touched on, people have their varying motivations. I'm more concerned with the effects of large numbers of people joining the hobby with a hoarding mentality for the prior mentioned reason that people are being priced out of a once very affordable hobby. I didn't comment because I'm selfish or personally jealous (I'm not).
I agree with all that except the last part. A crash is still possible and highly likely. When? Who knows... maybe when we're all old, no one new is left who cares about this stuff and our kids and grandkids won't give a second thought about chucking our collections in the trash (they will collect and value something else). Collectors do move on, or they die.
A video game is a mass produced consumer product with a practical use purpose for an end user. It's not a painter's unique one-of-a-kind work for display in a gallery and for the explicit purpose of being viewed. There are exceptions with one of a kind protos and extremely rare games and hardware that benefit from being in a public venue for the public to view, but those are unusual situations. The comparison you're trying to draw is not the same and this aspect of the discussion seems tangential to the rest of what we're talking about.
D
Deleted member 12837
Unconfirmed Member
Serious question: How can you tell the difference between a legit unopened copy of a game, and a mint-condition case with a blank CD inside that someone just shrinkwrapped back up, if you never open it?
I do think that games are worth preserving for historical purposes, so I kinda disagree here... However no way some guy's basement with 10 copies of PDS qualifies as some sort of high minded historical institution for the greater good of the public in mind.
Besides, I doubt most physical games will last much more that 100 years. Unless the data is preserved on an M-disc original game presses will be window dressed coasters.
I agree with both, all games should be preserved in some form. I meant before that my personal copies (or some collector's copies) of the Mega Mans and Castlevanias and whatnot are not the equals of truly rare and unique pieces in a museum... and that drawing such comparisons was kinda pointless and unrelated to a talk about collecting gone awry.
theSlacker
Member
if people want to collect sealed, go for it. That's not my thing, but if others enjoy it, that's great! What annoys me the most is people like thisonly motive is to corner the market and drive the price up.
I wish I could forget seeing that picture.
Mostly because resellers would get them first and then it would be right back to their fixed price. But I've complained about this way too much already. :c
What that probably comes down to is the same problem we have now of low supply and high demand. I imagine that would go away if say, thousands or even tens of thousands of copies were uncovered, for example. But I doubt that many are with collectors sitting sealed on shelves. I don't think even hundreds would make much of an impact, it'd need to be a pretty large number to affect prices significantly... enough for everyone who wants one and then a huge surplus as well.
Kind of depends on what you're buying, but this is probably better handled with a google search. I've been buying sealed PS1 games lately, and some of the best ways of telling are if they're not heat sealed, but are fold and glue sealed with the pull string (not the security sticker, but that's important too) around the bottom of the wrap. Nothing is impossible to duplicate, but that's way more effort than many counterfeiters would be able to reproduce or be capable of reproducing.
These are judgements and your choice of descriptions speaks towards that. Most collectors aren't hoarders and having two copies of a game is by no means extreme. I can think of many items in a normal persons life where having two of something would never be considered extreme. And while we're being honest, this doesn't have the devastating impact on people that just want to play some games as you would imply. Many games are available to be played in multiple ways through multiple avenues. Obviously not all, but many. If you just want to play a game, get it digitally as a re-release or a compilation. Otherwise, they're just trying to add it to their small and modest collection like the rest of us.
Retro games aren't only collectible now because of 'shelf collectors' either. They're popular because they're a part of pop culture now that appeals to a far wider age demographic than they did when we were children. The number of gamers grows every year and the number of retro games available diminishes every year. The market forces on that extend far beyond some people buying two copies of something. By your example they're not even competing for the same games. 'Collectors' generally aren't going for the same copies of games that you're describing. But even then, the people that just want to buy a game to play it and not collect it, the kind that are buying the loose, used, beat up copies are still adding to the demand and thus driving up prices too.
Most people buying higher priced games like those games just as much as you do, regardless of what they're ultimately doing with them.
blast processed
Member
About $100
theSlacker
Member
I lol'd.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1549719931/the-arkade-a-classic-christian-video-game-plug-and
who's up for funding the dreamcast port of super noah's ark 3D
who's up for funding the dreamcast port of super noah's ark 3D
Eh.. I open every shrink wrapped game I buy and don't see the value in keeping something from being played, myself.
But if people want to waste their money buying and hanging onto shrink wrapped games for the sake of it, who am I to stop them? I think people overestimate these collectors' impact on retro game prices, and really, such collectors are only wasting their own time and money in the end.
There are so many more valuable ways to invest money than in shrink wrapped games. I see the whole practice as financially and emotionally idiotic.
Buying one game to keep and another to play makes no financial sense for this reason: Sealed lots of classic video games are illiquid and the market for them is far too small to be worth your time. Furthermore, they take up valuable storage space, and don't bring much fulfillment to simply look at. You may get a big return on parts of your investment, but the opportunity cost is way too high to make predictions on what type of sale you can make on each of your sealed games for the practice to be truly worthwhile.
While yes, you can make money this way, there are far faster and more efficient ways to make money than this. Furthermore, other investments won't succumb to bit rot and will be far more insurable than your factory sealed copy of Panzer Dragoon, for example.
Finally, for people that say looking at a sealed game on your shelf brings you enjoyment, I have to say, you should probably look into more fulfilling ways to spend your time. Yes, I'm judging you because your pastime of looking at a sealed package does nothing to enrich your life. The experience of seeing a sealed game on your shelf is not akin to owning a piece of art on your wall or anything remotely meritorious.
It's one of the most childishly materialistic ways in which one can possibly spend their money, and such collectors don't really appreciate the significance of their own hard earned cash. Worshipping mass produced pieces of plastic that have no additional artistic merit due to the fact that a seam of shrinkwrap remains undisturbed is totally a fool's game.
So to recap, the financial aspect makes no sense, and the "fulfillment" you feel from collecting and not opening factory sealed games is a shortsighted farce. You're lying to yourself if you think this practice is anything but wasteful. But hey, you do you.
But if people want to waste their money buying and hanging onto shrink wrapped games for the sake of it, who am I to stop them? I think people overestimate these collectors' impact on retro game prices, and really, such collectors are only wasting their own time and money in the end.
There are so many more valuable ways to invest money than in shrink wrapped games. I see the whole practice as financially and emotionally idiotic.
Buying one game to keep and another to play makes no financial sense for this reason: Sealed lots of classic video games are illiquid and the market for them is far too small to be worth your time. Furthermore, they take up valuable storage space, and don't bring much fulfillment to simply look at. You may get a big return on parts of your investment, but the opportunity cost is way too high to make predictions on what type of sale you can make on each of your sealed games for the practice to be truly worthwhile.
While yes, you can make money this way, there are far faster and more efficient ways to make money than this. Furthermore, other investments won't succumb to bit rot and will be far more insurable than your factory sealed copy of Panzer Dragoon, for example.
Finally, for people that say looking at a sealed game on your shelf brings you enjoyment, I have to say, you should probably look into more fulfilling ways to spend your time. Yes, I'm judging you because your pastime of looking at a sealed package does nothing to enrich your life. The experience of seeing a sealed game on your shelf is not akin to owning a piece of art on your wall or anything remotely meritorious.
It's one of the most childishly materialistic ways in which one can possibly spend their money, and such collectors don't really appreciate the significance of their own hard earned cash. Worshipping mass produced pieces of plastic that have no additional artistic merit due to the fact that a seam of shrinkwrap remains undisturbed is totally a fool's game.
So to recap, the financial aspect makes no sense, and the "fulfillment" you feel from collecting and not opening factory sealed games is a shortsighted farce. You're lying to yourself if you think this practice is anything but wasteful. But hey, you do you.
Agreed with everything you said man.
davidwhangchoi
Member
yeah me too, agree with the above
Agreed 150%. I didn't wanna go there yesterday because I didn't wanna start fights, but all of that is hard to swallow for some but absolutely true. I don't care if your game is worth $80 or $800 or $8000. That's peanuts in the grand scheme and a garbage "investment" and you're gonna end up poorer than you realize years from now if that's where you're dumping your money. This is all assuming you're in the category of collectors who are treating this like an investment strategy.
Regarding art, I would rather commission a local artist to create a unique piece for me, maybe even video game related, than to put a piece of consumer plastic with no artistic value on my shelf and act like it's something deep and worthy of admiration. I like the packaging and covers on some game related stuff, but there's rarely anything else there under the surface to admire and study. It's commercial crap for selling a product to targeted consumer demographics. Lemme put my Macbook's packaging and Tide box on display, because that's the same thing.
PETLZ,
You're making a huge assumption that everyone that is buying sealed games is doing so to profit from it. Completely wrong. That's what a reseller does, but then they aren't collecting the games are they?
I do enjoy seeing my game collection in my game room. As I would guess many do. I have no aspirations to ever profit from it, its a hobby. It's not the only thing I enjoy, people aren't as one dimensional.
What I'll take from your comments are that you think it's a waste of money. Fair enough. I think smoking, daily Starbucks, etc are too. I'm just not going to get on a soapbox and tell people the things they enjoy are wrong or not fulfilling for them. Hugely presumptious.
You're making a huge assumption that everyone that is buying sealed games is doing so to profit from it. Completely wrong. That's what a reseller does, but then they aren't collecting the games are they?
I do enjoy seeing my game collection in my game room. As I would guess many do. I have no aspirations to ever profit from it, its a hobby. It's not the only thing I enjoy, people aren't as one dimensional.
What I'll take from your comments are that you think it's a waste of money. Fair enough. I think smoking, daily Starbucks, etc are too. I'm just not going to get on a soapbox and tell people the things they enjoy are wrong or not fulfilling for them. Hugely presumptious.
Meh. I don't like judging one art is better than the other, or one investment is better than the other, etc.
My only problem with sealed games is that the owner can't even look into the box. I mean if you want your stuff mint I absolutely respect that, if you want it in "new" condition it's fine, but as soon as you have it, open it and enjoy its condition. You know the stuff is new, it has never been touched by anyone else, it's in absolutely complete condition so you can enjoy all the leaflets, adverts, manual, etc. Even if you don't really want to play the game itself and you collect the physical object, at least use the damn physical object.
This was the meaning of my question, what's the difference between mint and sealed? They are in exactly the same condition, except one is locked away and cannot be used.
My only problem with sealed games is that the owner can't even look into the box. I mean if you want your stuff mint I absolutely respect that, if you want it in "new" condition it's fine, but as soon as you have it, open it and enjoy its condition. You know the stuff is new, it has never been touched by anyone else, it's in absolutely complete condition so you can enjoy all the leaflets, adverts, manual, etc. Even if you don't really want to play the game itself and you collect the physical object, at least use the damn physical object.
This was the meaning of my question, what's the difference between mint and sealed? They are in exactly the same condition, except one is locked away and cannot be used.
But what sort of enjoyment do you get from having your games sealed instead of mint? What exactly prevents you from opening the sealed games you have? Buying sealed is not a problem, but keeping them sealed is strange.
To that, I respond by referring you to Khaz's post above.
I too enjoy a very large physical collection of games myself. But going all in on shrinkwrapped games only to never open them is when it starts to not make much sense if your goal is to actually enjoy your games.
Heck, we have people here that collect Neo Geo AES games and I would never think of criticizing that because I could see how that would be a very enjoyable endeavor even if it's too rich for my blood.
Playing original games on original hardware is simply the most authentic way to experience them and some people, myself included, want that.
But to buy only NOT to play or ever see the inside of the packaging? I don't agree that my opinion is presumptuous in saying that there's nothing fulfilling about that.
Cross posting from the DC thread. My sealed DC collection so far:
Koopas,
Sorry if I derailed this to much at the expense of your post. The games look great, keep posting anything else you add, it's fun to see them. Open or don't, whatever suits your goals.
Eh, I dunno. Someone who only has discs or carts (or even digital games) and couldn't care less about the box or manuals or physical bits and bobs might make the same assumptions about those who prefer CIB. It's all relative. People will draw the line in different places.
cyborgnumberblue
Member
People collect games to just look at?
I don't honestly know how to keep responding to this. People like different things. People like different foods, movies, clothes. If you're only interest in a game is playing it, I wouldn't expect you to agree with it, but I would hope you could understand why.
People collect lots of things: toys, comics,art prints,cards,cars,etc. Most collectors want the best condition of an item available. It doesn't get any better than an item that has never been handled.
These same conversations (open/sealed) pop up in the amiibo thread, but don't seem as lopsided. Clearly I'm one of the only people in this thread that has some sealed retro games in my collection with no intention of opening them. I'll go back to lurking so I stop making waves here.
Yes, but at least people who buy CIB can actually enjoy what they're buying because they are willing to open the packaging.
I don't see this as drawing a line at all. Video games are meant to be opened. I don't think that's a presumptuous or controversial thing to say.