How do you lose the sleeve of a video game?

[jedimind7]

At Gamestop over half of the used games have missing sleeves. That baffles me. I guess I can understand losing the instruction booklet but the sleeve? Has this happened to anyone here? And how so?

[thetoxicone]

Some people keep their discs in binders and either keep the boxes in storage or toss me. Then when they decide to sell the games if they are in storage its probably just easier for them not to go through the trouble of finding the case.

[Fuyukaze]

Also, some stores like to toss the extra stuff as well. Not every customer's into collecting and not everyone has a problem paying 25-70 for a disc only game.

[jedimind7]

ahhh ok I see. Two valid answers. I never thought of it that way.

[Fuzzball24]

I don't see how anybody could lose any of that crap. How do you you even lose a manual for Christ's sake? People treat their games like trash. :|

[thetoxicone]

I don't see how anybody could lose any of that crap. How do you you even lose a manual for Christ's sake? People treat their games like trash. :|

Some people just put different values on different aspects on the game. Just last week for example I was at a rental store looking at used games and there were two copies of a game, one was 3.99 without manual and one was 4.99 with manual, and I being the ultimate cheapass went the no manual route and saved me a dollar (the game ended up having the manual in the case anyway so the point didn't matter). For the same price I'll always buy complete but when you can easily look up information online the manual doesn't matter too much to me and the game still works the exact same with or without it. I keep all the cases and manuals I have for current systems but to most its just a case and they wouldn't keep it the same way they wouldn't keep the box and instructions to the blender in their kitchen.

[Trevelyan]

Well, i crushed my mate's Goldeneye box! I think I trod on it, i was about 15-16. He was so mad, but we've known each other for ever and he got over it. Dos'nt play video games anymore.

But i've trod on my own before (jumping about, playing in my room etc), back when I was young and a little more careless. I mean, when i bought a game back in the day when i was younger, i never envisaged re-selling it, so it didn't break my heart if the box/manual got lost or damaged. Saying that, very few of mine rarely did. Me and another one of my friends (he was worse than I, and it rubbed off on me) were quite vain about video games and keeping them in good condition, but some kids i remember just didnt give a shit.

[emceelokey]

Also a lot of people trade in games that they stole from either a rental store or from a Target or Wal-Mart. I know Hollywood Video at elast used to have live boxes on the floor and apparently even kids could find a way to get into those because when I worked at Gamestop back in the day there were these kids that would always have multiple copies of fairly new games to trade in but never had any boxes for them... Hummmm...

[Dreamc@sting]

Unless you collect cardboard based games, IE most nintendo games...I don't understand either how you can loose manuals/cases etc...but..

When I worked for gamecrazy..going back oh...4 or 5 years ago..the one day my manager came in and was like hey..guess what? any duplicate games loose there case and manual! I did a double take and couldnt believe what I was hearing....if someone traded in genesis or nes games..right away we tossed the cases (ha - yeah...i put that to an end by bringing them all home) and then when it came to newer gen - like psx/ps2/gc/dc/xbox if we had 3 copies of like..FFX we would keep one boxed and toss the other cases/manuals...that pissed me off to no end

[tom]

My second-hand shop in town has a nice selection of SNES and N64 games on display (Since 3 years they haven't moved). When I asked about the boxes and manuals, he said they were tossed, to save space. Which I don't understand, would he have kept the boxes/instr., I would buy them without hesitation. Since they are un-boxed, each hanging from a rack in a PLASTIC BOX (So he takes the game out of the (cardboard) box to put the cart into a (plastic) box....German logic I suppose, no wonder we lost the war), they will still be there in 5 years time, TAKING UP SPACE.

[Oobgarm]

I used to toss my boxes as a youth. Only the cartridge was important to me.

Now, if I trade in to GameStop, I try to keep cases and trade in just the game itself. If they're going to resell the game I traded them for 400% more than the gave me for it, I'd rather them have to work for that sale a bit more. And it's nice to have the case/package in the event I come across a loose copy on the cheap somewhere down the line.

[Dreamc@sting]

I used to toss my boxes as a youth. Only the cartridge was important to me.

I'm guilty of this as well and trust me when I say I'm kicking myself later - when I got new NES games the boxes were treated like the plastic packaging on a new action figure, shredded and tossed. When your younger you don't know any better though =/

[Dangerboy]

Not only do gamers buy from Blockbuster, but at least in the EB days, they used to buy old stock from rental companies. We'd get in huge direct-from-warehouse used shipments of all disc only games.

Also, after 10 years of retail, I can safely tell you a lot of people don't give a crap. We had one guy trade in 7 games, 5 of which were in the wrong cases. "Just toss the cases" he said.

The world is not a collecting world, but a gaming one.

If you wanna ask how someone does something, ask how no one stopped this one customer from peeling off all of his dvd game labels.

Yes...I mean the printed side of the disc itself.

I thought he was trading in blank DVD-Rs...had to turn them away.

[Flashback2012]

In my experience, about a 1/3 of the people who come into Gamestop don't really care if I have the original box/book for a game so long as I have a cart/disc that's in good condition.

On the flipside, Gamestop is pretty lenient with it as the more items to trade in increases the store's trade-in percentage, something the store gets graded on similar to the number of reservations/subscriptions sold. GS/EB's stance is that it's easier for them to take the game in trade, use a generic case with a generically printed insert and slap it on the wall. As much as I despise it, I'm not supposed to turn anyone away with loose CD/cart trades. GS/EB does however charge for lack of case and/or book, usually .50 cents a game. A small price but it adds up when a kid brings in his CD binder of PS2 games to trade in.

If I'm shopping for games, the disc has to be immaculate and it has to have a non beat up case w/instructions inside. The whole generic case thing just won't do for me. ;)

[PentiumMMX]

I used to toss my boxes as a youth. Only the cartridge was important to me.

Same here. If I had a little more money on me, I'd defiantly track down boxes for my copy of Diddy Kong Racing and a box and instructions for my copy of Pokemon Crystal (The only older games I really care to have CIB, though it's a nice bonus if I find a game I've been wanting CIB when out garage selling and such). I still have the instructions to every N64 and GBC game I ever bought new.

I've always assumed the reason for disc-only games are (1) the person keeps the discs in a notebook, and have the cases stored in a box, like how my older cousin does with his PlayStation games, (2) people stealing from clearance bins, or (3) people like Oobgarm.

[zemmix]

Same here. If I had a little more money on me, I'd defiantly track down boxes for my copy of Diddy Kong Racing and a box and instructions for my copy of Pokemon Crystal (The only older games I really care to have CIB,

Dang for some reason that line makes me feel so old.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

We simply didn't have space for game "boxes/sleeves/etc." at the Funco I managed.

We would throw out HUGE garbage bags full of Genesis cases and NES cardboard boxes every night from trade-ins.

I know, I know, crazy right? Bottom line was we simply didn't have the shelf space / back-room storage space.

[HYB]

I didn't get into games too early in my life, so I'm glad I still have the boxes and instructions for every game that I own (that hasn't been bought loose) except Super Mario 64. Got that game complete for a dollar or so but the box was so destroyed it was falling apart everywhere. It had been under all the games a local store was selling for a penny. I also have the inserts in all but Pokemon snap.

For some reason I cannot comprehend people loosing instructions, even better yet the boxes. The people in here tend to take good care of their stuff I guess, even the Gamestop. I haven't seen a single loose CD or cart in the nearest GS.

[Streetball 21]

Its hard for me to buy a game with out a sleeve or instructions. But after reading these posts I can see why games are sold like that. I guess one of those persons who keeps everything with the game (instructions, registration card, stickers, posters etc etc)

[DefaultGen]

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