Originally Posted by
Buyatari
I've been collecting since the 90's and it is always been about the money.
When DreamTr tracked down every NWC cartridge he could find.
When the race was on to track down every former (Atari,Coleco,Vectrex,etc) company employee before the next guy.
When Atari guys fought for prototypes just so they could be the one to re-release them in qty of 250 at $50 each.
It was always about the money.
Collectors pick which systems to collect not based on what they enjoy or had as a kid but what everyone else is collecting. What is hot and what is not. The N64 is the best example of this. The N64 was the worst of the generation but it is Nintendo and has Mario and Zelda and many guys who never touched the system when it was available collect or resell for it today. I know a long time local collector who has never played a single game of Mario on any system. He played Doom and then Halo and COD but for right now at least Nintendo is where the money is.
Bragging rights and reselling have always been a big part of this hobby and cash as they say is king. I remember the first time I saw a Atari game rarity list. Instantly in that moment it hit me that videogames were the next big hobby. If you got in early and bought the right stuff you could name your price. Last month I unloaded hundreds of new Atarisoft titles which I horded for 10+ years for $1.50 each to another local just to make room in the house. As you may have guessed not everything I expected to appreciate in value has but somethings have way beyond my expectations. Had I been BuyNintendo instead of BuyAtari I'm sure I'd be able to retire right now.
I like videogames but I can't pay the rent with them nor can I feed my family with them without converting them into cash. When long time collectors find themsleves in a rut they sell off the games they collected. In a way for some it is a part of growing up and setting priorities. It is selfish to keep a game that is now worth 10k when your family could use a new car?
The only difference today is that the money is bigger which happens in time with all hobbies that do not fade away and the transactions are more public. In the past many high dollar sales were private and not made public but now that they have become more obvious I can tell you that they have always been there and that money has been a factor for as long as I have been collecting.
That doesn't mean is has to be the hobby for you. You can just collect what you enjoy and there is plenty out there which is cheap.