Ever felt remorse after opening a sealed game?

[Dr. Dib]

I, like many other people in the topic, own sealed games that are sealed because I haven't gotten around to play them. I've slowed down on this habit, however, so I only have one sealed game. Of course I've never found any classic sealed games.

I did have some second thoughts on opening a game. A few months ago I was planning on playing Viewtiful Joe. I had purchased a copy at Target when they had a deal on Player's choice games, but never got around to playing it. I thought to myself that it might be worth something someday if it reaches cult classic status. I did decide to open it though as I really wanted to play it.

[jb143]

I highly doubt that most people here would open a rare/expensive game if they bought it for a buck at a thrift store...just sell it and buy 20 of the opened games you want.

But my question is...is there really that much of a price difference for sealed game and a complete in box game if they're not rare or otherwise highly sought after?

I'd have no problem opening a sealed game if it wasn't worth much and I wanted to play it. But opening a sealed game that's only worth a lot sealed...that's kind of like using a 1943 copper penny as a penny...and not an $80,000 investment.

But...ah well...let the debate continue

[SkiDragon]

Unfortunately, I do feel remorse in opening a sealed game. I don't place great value in them myself, but since so many other people do, I am forced to consider the value loss in opening a game. When I am trying to decide on a game to play, I tend to skip over the sealed ones and thus they continue to sit on my shelf. It's one of the reasons I prefer to buy used games.

EDIT: I would gladly trade a sealed copy of a game for a complete opened copy, plus a little cash.

[Niku-Sama]

HELL NO!

and i have opened some pretty desireable sealed games too!

[suppafly]

Thanks for your replies

Itss been really interesting.

I have to recognize Im not sure either of when to open a sealed game

I guess that if its a VERY expensive game I´d rather sell it and buy it CIB and keep the rest of the $$$$

[Lemmi_Is_God]

i have about 30+ games sealed for my 3DO, and about 25 or so for my atari 2600/7800

the only reason they stay sealed is because i havent had a chance to sit down and play the sealed ones for my 3do (also some of them are the edutainment titles so they arent really worth opening to begin with)
and the ones for my atari 2600/7800 are games i got really cheap and ive played them already or had an extra loose one

example: i have a sealed 2600 Ice Hockey and a loose one... etc
i have many sealed 7800 titles because osheas was selling them for $2 each back in the day, and all of them i had already loose but i couldnt pass up the $2 for a nice boxed copy

the only one i would have regretted opening up would have been the 3do dinopark tycoon (if i had one sealed that is) i had a complete one but i could have got alot more money if it was sealed

so the more expensive the game is the less likely i would open it, but since i dont buy games that are sealed normally this wont be a problem for me so i would rip off that wrap and play

[sirhansirhan]

The only opening remorse I can think of would be some games that I got cheap($2-$4) and made good trade credit on during the last PS2/XB/GC trade-3-get an extra $10 deal at Gamestop. I opened and traded copies of Star Wars: KOTOR, Pikmin 2, Zelda: Four Swords and several others that I probably should have kept sealed.

If you want your remorse to get worse, check the completed auctions on eBay for Pikmin 2--since the last time I checked (about a year ago), it went from $15 to $70, and that's for an opened copy.

The only non-current generation sealed game I ever opened was a big box Sega CD Lethal Enforcers about a year or two ago, because I wanted a non-junk Justifier to play my newly-acquired Snatcher with. I don't regret it.

[thetoxicone]

If you want your remorse to get worse, check the completed auctions on eBay for Pikmin 2--since the last time I checked (about a year ago), it went from $15 to $70, and that's for an opened copy.

The only non-current generation sealed game I ever opened was a big box Sega CD Lethal Enforcers about a year or two ago, because I wanted a non-junk Justifier to play my newly-acquired Snatcher with. I don't regret it.

Not about opening but selling, I got a copy of Pikmin 2 for 1.99 new on clearance before the price increase and sold it for $10, fast forward awhile later its worth a crapload.

On the side of sealed games, like others here, I keep them sealed until I will play them that way if I decide to sell it is worth a bit more than otherwise. I could easily name 10-15 xbox games I got for cheap through their retail program when I worked at Best Buy that I opened immediately and I'm pretty sure most of them didn't get played until months after that and some didn't even get played until after I sold them.

[DefaultGen]

.....

[Ed Oscuro]

Yes. Orcs & Elves for DS - remorse mostly at having bought it. The inability to return it makes me sad.

[Niku-Sama]

most of my sealed games are just games i either forgot i had and bought another copy or a game i picked up for cheap and never really bothered with it.
i have a sealed copy of Odama, Pole Position (2600), ChroroQ (PS2 $1.95), and various other PS2 games all because i got them hella cheap or i already had another copy OR i fogot i had them and bought another (choroQ)

[Sosage]

Although my stance is that "games are meant to be played", I'll admit that I do have a few sealed titles. Such as my signed Lost Planet LE (shrinkwrap is off, but the sticker that seals the game closed is still in tact) and some older PC games I can't run on my system.

What is the real regret here? Loss of possible future profits or that you feel there is one less sealed copy of Sega CD Road Rage to archive for future generations? The latter is something I don't see people bring up much in these discussions, yet I think it is probably very relevant. Especially considering we could easily emulate most of this stuff via one X-Box, yet we feel compelled to archive and own the real media (usually at the cost of valuable living space). Playing on the real thing may be a big motivator, but I think we are trying to do our part to save something from being lost. In that sense, I could see cracking a seal being slightly difficult.

[Ed Oscuro]

[...] or that you feel there is one less sealed copy of Sega CD Road Rage to archive for future generations? The latter is something I don't see people bring up much in these discussions, yet I think it is probably very relevant.

But does having shrinkwrap around a game truly "preserve" it? Not if it has a leaking battery. What'll be important to future gaming historians are the games and their development histories, not sealed copies of games. Shrinkwrap just slightly protects a game from the elements and is supposed to keep the box art/jewel case from getting messed up, but that's all.

[Trevelyan]

Well i do nowerdays! I have a fetish for sealed goods, so i do kinda feel a bit gutted when their out of the shrinkwrap. Still, i can't afford to buy two copies of everything, so the show must go on.

I'm always on the look-out for sealed games for consoles I collect for. But I'd always make sure (in 99% of cases) I had the game to play as well.

[Sosage]

But does having shrinkwrap around a game truly "preserve" it? Not if it has a leaking battery. What'll be important to future gaming historians are the games and their development histories, not sealed copies of games. Shrinkwrap just slightly protects a game from the elements and is supposed to keep the box art/jewel case from getting messed up, but that's all.

True. That is probably the best way to look at it if preservation is the reason people are keeping the shrink on. So tear away. =)

[suppafly]

True. That is probably the best way to look at it if preservation is the reason people are keeping the shrink on. So tear away. =)

Talking about preservetion Ive got another tough decision right now.

I just bought 3 sealed genesis games: strider, ristar and granada.

I *think* I will open them...

[Coleman]

I guess I will jump in here...

Sealed games suck!

No really... My favorite part about the beggar prince game was that there was no plastic wrap on it! I buy games to play them not to sit them on a shelf some where - any time i buy ANYthing that is not current gen I can't bring myself to pop the shrink on it. I mean if i really want to play a game and my copy is sealed - someone out there has a copy that is complete - minty fresh - and would not mind upgrading so i will trade and hopefully make a profit!

That being said - what does a copy of road rash cost if it is complete but used? Lets say it goes for $30... that means your plastic wrap distruction cost you what - like $15? Was it worth it??? Sure there is a certain amount of enjoyment everyone gets from that new game smell that you don't get to re-live very often but other than that - factor in the cost of shipping / time spent searching / frustration from not wanting to open the game you really want to play... all of this should have a monetary value for you...

For me that monetary value >$15! but for me the regret comes from knowing that if I just would have waited that I could have traded my sealed road rash to someone that really wanted a "Sealed" copy for a complete copy + other cool stuff - chances are the value of the other cool stuff > $15!x

[calthaer]

I sit on top of my hoard, like Smaug upon his heap of jewels in the heart of the Lonely Mountain. I caress the goldwork in my hoard, looking at this sealed copy of one game, that sealed copy of another. I twitter and cackle with glee as I savor each and every one of My Preciouses.

At night, I lie awake thinking of the minty freshness of my games, and when I eventually do sleep, I dream of the thrilled judges at some rating organization who would bestow upon My Preciouses a glorious plastic case.

But no, I never PLAY my games. I keep all my systems in sealed boxes, too - they are all limited-edition ones that are accruing in value even as we speak. I installed a gas fire suppression system in my house to protect my gaming collection in case of fire, and have a sophisticated alarm system.

Bow before my leetness, little hobbitses who crave my hoard!

[The 1 2 P]

I should have never opened my copy of FF7. I played it for like 15 minutes before I got bored. Had I kept it sealed I could have gotten quite a bit more than the $15 I paid for it back in the day at Best Buy.

[scooterb23]

Hell, sell it anyway...even open some crazy person will pay way too much for it.

I should have never opened my copy of FF7. I played it for like 15 minutes before I got bored. Had I kept it sealed I could have gotten quite a bit more than the $15 I paid for it back in the day at Best Buy.