Top 10 Reasons That Game Collecting Is Dying?

[theshaka2]

hey all, i thought you might like this article

http://diehardgamefan.com/2010/02/03/gaming-under-construction-0-03-top-10-reasons-that-game-collecting-is-dying/

of course i wrote it :) but as someone who loves games and still collecting, it's a summary of my struggles with not being able to collect full collections due to changes in the games market

[backguard]

Wow. No.

[jcalder8]

I hope I'm not insulting you but that was satire right?

[buzz_n64]

I hope I'm not insulting you but that was satire right?

Sounds like it to me. I just read the article, and I can't take it seriously. I just have the feeling that the writer lost his love of collecting and is trying to justify it to others. Collecting for me is not about the value, having the box, or playing a game upon hours, it's about having a game you like in your collection.

[Snapple]

You (the TC) have a lot of balls to say an entire hobby is dying just because YOU want classic games to be more expensive (huh?). Don't try to impress your personal and largely ridiculous gripes onto the rest of us. You're not the voice of the majority.

Games appear for different systems? oh noes. This certainly wasn't the case ten years ago! So classic gaming must be dying.

[theshaka2]

Sounds like it to me. I just read the article, and I can't take it seriously. I just have the feeling that the writer lost his love of collecting and is trying to justify it to others. Collecting for me is not about the value, having the box, or playing a game upon hours, it's about having a game you like in your collection.

that was my point exactly actually - it only matter to have the game in your collection. i have mega man 7 in the gamecube megaman collection. it's instantly playable on the wii, on my hd tv, without a long setup and maybe-working cart/snes. i'm saying if you remove these factors - the attachment to a physical box, the perceived value of having a rare game - it can be freeing

this is my realization that to collect and enjoy a library of games, it doesnt have to be by hoarding tons of older carts and physical games. most of the time is then spent in maintenance and shelving and setup. if the end goal is to play lots of awesome games, there are better ways... i can replace with downloads, compilations and what i truly play, not just having every game for the sake of it

[theshaka2]

You (the TC) have a lot of balls to say an entire hobby is dying just because YOU want classic games to be more expensive (huh?). Don't try to impress your personal and largely ridiculous gripes onto the rest of us. You're not the voice of the majority.

Games appear for different systems? oh noes. This certainly wasn't the case ten years ago! So classic gaming must be dying.

classic gaming is booming and amazing! collecting old physical games is dying

[shopkins]

Holy shit man, Super Widget! I must have looked at the box for that dozen times in the video store I rented games from every weekend, but I always rejected it for something else figuring I'd get around to it later. Later never came, I guess. If I had that in my collection I'd play it in a heartbeat just to see what it was like.

[G-Boobie]

Good read. Also, I didn't know Diehard GameFAN was around anymore. You learn something new everyday.

[The 1 2 P]

Although some values are going down, game collecting as a whole will never die. It doesn't matter if this current gen(the 7th) is the last gen of consoles or the one before the 8th starts, I will continue to collect until I play everything......or die. Which ever comes first.

[Fuyukaze]

While trying to avoid sounding a total dick, I must say way to go captain obvious. These things apply to damn near everything that can be collected. Every year the sports card market gets new sports cards but the collector keeps on buying em anyway. Even though complete sets drop in price untill long after the players are out of the game. Download games having just poped up effects collectors diffrently. Some dont even count them as games twords a collection. Some love buying the same game all over again. Modern systems that still get support can never be completed as they are STILL seeing support. The reason collectors can get everything on dead systems is because they have a defined number of titles to purchase and have a goal to work twords. Be it the low 30's like the 32x or the 700's like the NES, collectors know what's out instead of what may come out. I'd go on and on attacking each and every point with reason but instead, I'll point out the blaring omisions you obviously overlooked.

1.budget-the economy is tanking and people are having to take hard looks at their collection. it's kinda hard to give a shit about owning every nes game when you could get fired and loose your house.

2.relationships-yeah, blame the woman. or the kids. or the parents. or god. thing is, not everyone looks at your games like they are the most important thing in the house. yeah, it aint nice but when you take away the emotional attatchment and break it down to the basics, there are more important things you can do with the money and the space. not all are anywheres near as fun but that's life.

3.life changes-sometimes people change. what they used to think was the most important suddenly isnt. something they used to love and cherish suddenly isnt.

4.space-we'd all love to live in a wharehouse where we can stash our collection but even with our own home we have to live within our means. most times that applies to money, but sometimes its the amount of space you can store stuff.

5.moving-every item takes up space. everything. house furniture, your clothes, your collection. even if you has a surplus of boxs, it can be hell boxing it all up knowing you'll have to unbox it all. getting rid of a collection before a move can be a liberating feeling cause you know you'll only have to unpack what you need and not have to search thru 50 boxs just to find an alarm clock. think it doesnt add up to all that much? try boxing everything in your gaming collection up then. you'll find it adds up super damn fast and suddenly you've got more shit then you could imagine. I've done it before. I'm doing it now and it scares the hell out of me how much crap I got and I still havent even got half of one room finished. 28 boxs used and not even half.


I do apologize if your insulted or offended as I dont intend either but damn man, couldnt you atleast try to do better? I read it expecting atleast something interesting. I havent been this disapointed sense watching paranormal activity thinking it would be good.

[Richter Belmount]

hey all, i thought you might like this article

http://diehardgamefan.com/2010/02/03/gaming-under-construction-0-03-top-10-reasons-that-game-collecting-is-dying/

of course i wrote it :) but as someone who loves games and still collecting, it's a summary of my struggles with not being able to collect full collections due to changes in the games market

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSSxSmm9tFM

My counter

[ryborg]

yeah, i pretty much stopped playing video games b/c some manuals were in black and white. also there are a lot of ps2 games, which is a total bummer -- i need them all.

GOOD ARTICALLL KEEP UP TEH GOOD WOORK

[ryborg]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSSxSmm9tFM

My counter

I see, I see. My response:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbZMnF1VNlE

[Ed Oscuro]

"Battery backups are dying"

lern 2 soder

Ain't nothin versus the troubles arcade collectors can run into.

p.s. guys you can't have a true half-life or even counter-strike experience without the full size Taito and Namco arcade games and networking, this is heartbreaking to the extreme

Anyway I'm not seeing that game prices "plummet" when digital distribution comes in; people have been pirating PSX games for a long while, to use your example, and the minor price dip (reflected on eBay) in copies of SotN is nothing compared to all the free press it's gotten online over the years.

Also, "digital only" Contra games didn't start with the Wii release. There's been at least one BREW-based version (that may or may not be an adaptation of a BlackBerry version) since at least 2006, and that's a format that I still don't think has been cracked, let alone shared 'bout the Internet.

Nothing is permanent, but it won't stop people from trying. Until the papers and plastics crumble to dust (long after we're gone) people will collect the physical relics of gaming. (James 5:3 from the Bible seems appropriate perhaps.)

[rodarkone]

Are you a game collector or are you a gamer ?

If you are a game collector -> your objectives are - buy all the game for a specific platform (or all platforms of interes) at the lowest price posible, to conserve resurces/money needed in other purchases.

If you are a gamer -> your objectives are - play all the games that are WORTHY to play - try a game for a few minutes, or a few levels - if you don't like .. don't play anyfurther - the time is your main concerne here.

The 2 concepts doesn't exclude themself but - one is strictly material concept (the collector) and one is spiritual (the gamer).

Regards.

[Ze_ro]

if the end goal is to play lots of awesome games, there are better ways... i can replace with downloads, compilations and what i truly play, not just having every game for the sake of it
Well I hate to say this, but I'm afraid you've missed the point entirely.

--Zero

[Icarus Moonsight]

1) It is impossible to have a complete collection of physical games for any current-generation system.

And so what? Things change... Evolve, quit or die.

2) Most PS3 games require large hard drive installs, making regular play of more than a few dozen games arduous

Fair enough... That's one reason that I don't have one... YET! I'll enjoy playing on one when these things will no longer be an issue. That's even if I care.

3) Older systems and games have a limited shelf life

Nothing is forever. Nature of existence. Deal.

4) The value of older games plummets when they are released as digital downloads

Great time to buy huh? If this model gets more games out and exposed to more people, this is a good thing. Examine your priorities if this bothers you.

5) It’s unwieldy to continue collecting forever

See my response to #3. Highlight, bold, italic and double underline it in your head to save me the trouble.

6) It’s impossible to play every game in my collection

If you're a collector... Not so bad. If you're a player first, well, it's got two edges. Better way to look at things is you'll never be at a loss for a new experience.

7) It’s redundant to have the same game on many systems

Sure, so where's the problem? Redundancy is not always waste or bad. Set your bounds and priorities.

8) Most game companies produce black and white manuals

But no black and white games right? Odd. It's PAPER! Want colorful paper? Collect Lisa Frank shit.

9) Battery backups are dying

Ed, you da man! LOL

10) It’s better to have downloadable versions

In some ways, true. But this is not absolute.

Pretty much, it's a litany of your problems with game collecting... Not fatal problems with game collecting itself, which it was billed. Sorry dude, you missed. All your issues are solvable, if you got the stones.

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

hey all, i thought you might like this article

http://diehardgamefan.com/2010/02/03/gaming-under-construction-0-03-top-10-reasons-that-game-collecting-is-dying/

of course i wrote it :) but as someone who loves games and still collecting, it's a summary of my struggles with not being able to collect full collections due to changes in the games market

I agree with a lot of your points, but your idea of game collecting differs from mine, and probably from a lot of other gamers. For myself, I don't collect for profit, so if the value goes down on something that I own, I dont care because I'm keeping it. I also don't collect unopened boxes because I like to play the games. Most importantly, I don't try to collect EVERY game. If I know that a game is bad, I have no need to own it.

I think we all agree that digital downloads have changed collecting though.

[neuropolitique]

Damn, I could have sworn Game Boy game prices have been through the fuckin roof lately. Weird.

[Mister_Pal]

hey all, i thought you might like this article

http://diehardgamefan.com/2010/02/03/gaming-under-construction-0-03-top-10-reasons-that-game-collecting-is-dying/

of course i wrote it :) but as someone who loves games and still collecting, it's a summary of my struggles with not being able to collect full collections due to changes in the games market
This is a joke right?

[Xtincthed]

i couldn't agree less on most points

but the retorts have allready been made in this topic :)

[portnoyd]

I like what Icarus did, so I was going to follow suit with my thoughts. After going through this, I realize that your thread title is misleading. It should be 'Why I don't want to collect games anymore'. Your argument does virtually nothing to support the thread title, save for some pointless comments at the end. I will leave just my response to point #1 and #4 as it is relevant to your comments after the 10 point list. The rest of your list is either personal gripes (Waaa, I can't organize my possessions, waa I have to install a game like it's a PC game, waaa old things break, waaaa batteries die) or misleading comments that fall on the gamer end of things instead of the collector end. The bulk of your argument is without any examples, let alone proof.


Of course it’s bold of me to declare that game collecting is dying simply because I’ve decided to move away from it. However, game values are going down, and less games are apt to be produced in physical form in the months and years to come. Game collecting will almost certainly exist for decades to come, but it might simply be limited to antique-like collectors looking for relics.

1) It is impossible to have a complete collection of physical games for any current-generation system.

Your argument jumps randomly between two points without backing up either. First, you say it's impossible to finish a collection CIB. While there are systems where this is the case due to rising costs (2600, NES), there are many, many more where it is not (Genesis, PS1, etc). Genesis CIB is cheap and not difficult. If anything, it proves that collecting is gaining speed as demand is exceeding supply and values are rising.

The second point is that it becomes impossible to have a complete set of Mario games, as an example, as SMB1 on the Wii doesn't physically exist. That's almost meaningless. Do you think any collector is going to be deterred from collecting because they can't have a physical copy of Mega Man 9 or 10? Fuck no. If you do, then you have self-imposed standards that do not match the bulk of the collecting community. Most will get every physical game and call it a day.

4) The value of older games plummets when they are released as digital downloads

Then why did I just sell my grey NWC for a possibly all-time top price when a professional repro is made and the ROM is available? SotN is a poor example because it's NOT RARE. It's POPULAR. BIG BIG BIG DIFFERENCE. The fact that you don't understand this really takes a shit in your argument. Don't complain about your Panzer going down in value when you're taking stock in a popular game, not a rare one.

[TonyTheTiger]

Don't complain about your Panzer going down in value when you're taking stock in a popular game, not a rare one.

I don't understand why this is an issue in the first place. Are people really buying gold NWC carts solely because they have a deep desire to spend $20,000 on a single game? There has to be some other reason.

Most people who are game to collect something generally won't set out to collect things they care nothing about. I doubt many video game collectors utterly hate playing video games just as much as I doubt many baseball card collectors are only in it for the money rather than for a love of baseball.

If that's the case, then presumably obtaining Panzer Dragoon Saga is special for reasons beyond it's $150-$200 price tag. People presumably want the game because it's either A) A really good game, B) Relatively hard to obtain thus giving it that "challenge" factor, or C) Some other personal reason.

A and B will never change. B can only eventually lead to more difficulty finding one as copies get destroyed or lost over time. Well, B could technically swing the opposite way but only in the sense that the game code might become more obtainable but physical Saturn copies probably won't start popping up and the two can be mutually exclusive.

We know for a fact that video games are a wholly poor investment, especially today when the market is so saturated. The famous list of OMG $$$$ games happens to be infamously short. If a drop in market value is enough to render the personal value of Panzer Dragoon Saga nil then maybe it really is just a job and it's not worth continuing as a hobby.

The threat of the "collector mindset" always scares me because I know it can break at any moment and for any reason. I generally don't buy things I don't plan to use or appreciate on a deeper level but I know that I spent money on things I'm just sitting on a shelf. A Mega Man 9 Press Kit and a signed copy of Lunar: SSSC Fan Edition come to mind.

I know that at some point it's possible my appreciation for these trinkets will dissipate and I'll be left with a bunch of junk I either pack away and forget I have or sell off for probably much less than what I spent on it all. It's a calculated risk and it's why I'm usually very careful with my money. When buyer's remorse strikes it strikes hard.

Because of that, I find it necessary to have a goal. I know that for me personally collecting just for it's own sake will eventually lead me to a painful lack of space and a lot of buyer's remorse since I wouldn't attach much value to what it is I'd be buying.

The result are goals that happen to be A) fairly doable, B) relatively inexpensive if done right, and C) more meaningful to me than just having something worth X dollars. If the value swings then, hey, I still got the personal appreciation there.

Right now I have two goals. First, I want to obtain every Working Designs game. I generally like them and it's was a publisher I appreciated.

Second, and this is the big one at the moment, I want to obtain every officially licensed Genesis clone. I'm actually working on a project related to it. I want to compose a "bible" of sorts detailing all the video/sound differences with recordings among other things.

I made sure that these goals are tailored to my space/money limitations and are somewhat "useful" to me.

[j_factor]

I hope game collecting "dies" some more. Maybe someday I can get Psychic Assassin Taromaru for a reasonable price.

[pwpcody]

I think everyone here is mising the most important part of this thread...


a Lisa Frank reference!

[s1lence]

It is impossible to have a complete collection of physical games for any current-generation system

You apparently don't know many 360 or PS3 owners that collect. I have nearly a complete 360 collection and that is including German/Japanese/Korean games as well. I'm talking about the RETAIL titles, not DLC/XBL/etc etc.

I guess it is impossible though as I don't have them all or is that maybe just because I'm waiting for price drops instead of increasing CC debt.

Sorry, I'm not buying that its dying.


) Older systems and games have a limited shelf life

A few months ago, I went to test an NES system I could lend to a friend and lo and behold, it didn’t work. Not worried, I went to another NES I had stored, and it too did not work. Only my top loading NES was working at all. The NES systems were likely over twenty years old, and I can probably clean them again or do something to jumpstart them into temporarily working condition. But the clock is ticking, not only on older cartridge based systems, but especially for disc-based systems with tons of moving parts any of which are failure points for the system’s operation.


Really, electronics fail over time?? No way. Amazing that most of us here FIX them or know someone that fixes them.


6) It’s impossible to play every game in my collection

I don't know I think I'm doing pretty well at it, but if you are talking about "Collecting" then playing them all isn't the point.


9) Battery backups are dying

For many cartridge games, long games could be saved directly to the cartridge with a battery backup. However, with many of these games now over twenty years old, the batteries in these cartridges have run out of power, rendering the game unsavable

They were failing when the game was 5 years old and people learned how to fix them then. An inconvenience sure but a reason to stop collecting.........really?

I think you should stick to making Flash based titles....

[Famidrive-16]

"8) Most game companies produce black and white manuals"

...what?

Anyways, not a bad article, but pretty poorly-thought out. Even some of the stuff I agree with can be easily countered. (Dead save batteries are hella annoying but it's not impossible to fix)

[badinsults]

I'm sorry, this was a poorly written, poorly researched article. I seem to recall Diehard Gamefan being a publication for the hardcore, and this just doesn't make the cut.

1) It is impossible to have a complete collection of physical games for any current-generation system.

- This is a silly point to make. If someone wants to download every digital game released on a system, it is simply a matter of buying extra hard drives or other memory devices. Assuming future consoles are backwards compatible, digital games should be available as long as Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo exist. And I think that most people who collect do it for the purposes of having a physical item.

2) Most PS3 games require large hard drive installs, making regular play of more than a few dozen games arduous

- You mistake the mindset of the collector with that of the gamer. It is a silly point to make in this article. I'm surprised you didn't say "most NES games require you to take the cart out the console before inserting another game, making regular play of more than a single game arduous". Really, it has nothing to do with collecting.

3) Older systems and games have a limited shelf life

- You complain about NES systems "failing" when in reality a new 72 pin connector fixes the problem, which sets you back only $10. Replacing it is trivial. Although you are correct in saying that disc based systems have moving parts that have the potential of failing, this certainly is not a widespread issue. This point really shows the lack of research you did for this article.

4) The value of older games plummets when they are released as digital downloads

- As a SNES guy, I have to disagree with this 100%. I have yet to see any game decrease in value on ebay due to re-releases and digital downloads. Guess what, a complete Chrono Trigger still pulls in over $100 (among the top 10 in price for the system)! Sure, if there were no re-releases, I'm sure that the prices would have continued to rise higher than that, but a contemporary example like Secret of Mana did not affect the SNES prices. Again, lack of research.

5) It’s unwieldy to continue collecting forever

- Sounds like a bunch of whining to me. There are people who dedicate garages to their collections. Though I'll admit this is a legitimate complaint, I'm sure there are many people who have far more than 3000 games and have found ways to solve this issue.

6) It’s impossible to play every game in my collection

- I'm sure that if you are collecting games, the motivation is not gameplay, but to "catch 'em all". Nobody is going to spend much time on something like John Madden Football or Bebe's Kids, but if you want every SNES game, you have to have them. Super Widget isn't a bad game, btw. If you just want to play games, why not just use an emulator?

7) It’s redundant to have the same game on many systems

- This is also a very silly point. Are you collecting every game for every system that interests you? Yes? Then you have to have them. If it isn't your goal, then don't get them. That is the beauty of the hobby, only get what you want! It isn't like anyone is forcing you to get every version of Mortal Kombat.

8) Most game companies produce black and white manuals

- Black and white manuals have existed since the dawn of video games. What is your point? This has nothing to do with the "death of collecting".

9) Battery backups are dying

- I can't see why this is an issue. Replacing batteries is a simple operation, and there are devices being made, such as the Mash Mods SNES cart reader that allow you to backup saves on a computer. This point has nothing to do with game collecting, either.

10) It’s better to have downloadable versions

- Why is it better? More convenient? Sure, there are many classic games being re-released on the Virtual Console for the Wii and such, but in the end they are still emulated and will not be a perfect representation of what they are on the original console. Plus if you want to own Earthbound, you are going to have to cough up the $80 for a SNES cart, because it is not being re-released. As I said in an earlier point, most people collect because they have a physical item. Why else do you think there are people who collect sealed games?


Really, game collecting is not dying just because you decided to lose interest in it. If anything, collecting has never been more popular than now. Just look at the rising prices of complete NES games during the past year. Your article is a piece of crap and should never have been published in something that is trying to be a legitimate video game publication.

If you want to know the real reasons why game collecting could be dying, type in "?? cancer" in #vbender.

[GarrettCRW]

It's dying because I bought an NES Powerpak with my tax refund money, and I'm going to sell off a great majority of my collection because of it, using the 2k monies I get from Bubble Bobble Part 2 and Surprise at Dinosaur Peak to build the ultimate weapon and conquer the universe.




Oops.

[jcalder8]

It's dying because I bought an NES Powerpak with my tax refund money, and I'm going to sell off a great majority of my collection because of it, using the 2k monies I get from Bubble Bobble Part 2 and Surprise at Dinosaur Peak to build the ultimate weapon and conquer the universe.




Oops.
Deep down I always knew this is how it would happen.

[Icarus Moonsight]

I sense a race to megalomania laced apocalypse brewing... Must be tax season.

[RCM]

I interviewed the EIC (not sure if he's still there) a couple years ago: http://j2games.com/new/forum/index.php?topic=2229.0.

Not to be a dick, but that piece is fuckin' awful. I don't read the "new" Gamefan and still question why it's around. Hopefully this collector piece isn't reflective of the site's overall quality, but I suspect it probably is.

[pseudonym]

I have to agree with the consensus here. That article wasn't very good at all. I think Evan G hit all the major points better than I could have, so I won't say anything else.

[SegaAges]

I still haven't played Jack Bros on Virtual Boy and I was told that the game is not bad at all. I spent $100 for it. I am very satisfied with the fact that I even own it.

I agree with what many others have pointed out, where it sounds like you are more of just a gamer and not as much into collecting.

I have hundreds of games that I have never played, and might never play.

Being a collector is not just about playing them all. There is much more to it than that. I am sorry dude, if you think collecting is nothing but playing, you kind of missed the point.

I do not know about other collectors, but I bet they are similar to me, where we do it to own the game.

Here is a more recent example: I thought it would be cool to own all of the 2K football games. I know that Sega did not do the later ones, but I still wanted them. Yes, I even collect sports games. I wanted them. I thought it would be cool to own every 2K football game. Today I bought the last 2 that I did not own already: NFL 2K4 and All-Pro Football 2k8.

Don't get me wrong, video games are my life. I eat, breath, sleep, and do nothing but think about games. No, I have nowhere near the amount of games you do (I just hit 1400 yesterday), but it is not about how many you have. It is about enjoying your own collection.

Some people enjoy owning compilation discs, some want the originals. Some have over 10,000 games, some have 50. We are all different with our collections, but I think it is safe to say that we all share a common goal: the love of video games.

Whether new or old, it does not matter. If a battery goes out on an expensive game, it is safe to say that you should really teach yourself how to fix that issue.

Enjoy what you have or sell it off (I also currently take donations of games in bulk for free, so if you truly do not want to collect anymore, I would be more than happy to accept your collection as a donation).

[Ze_ro]

One thing that I don't think anyone really hit on is that playing retro games is all about nostalgia for most of us... but it's not just about the gameplay itself... it's the whole experience of sitting down in front of the TV with the controller, the console, the cartridge, everything. For some people, it's even the nostalgia of the box art and manual. No matter what you think, to people like us, playing games on Virtual Console is not even remotely the same... even if you have a NES controller hooked up with one of RetroZone's adapters.

If you can't understand that, that's fine. If you just want to play the games, then more power to you... leave the scene if you want, but we will still be here, paying stupid amounts of money for rare games that aren't much fun at all.

--Zero

[nebrazca78]

1) It is impossible to have a complete collection of physical games for any current-generation system.

This point is more valid than I first thought, but only in regards to future systems. Once games are only available via download this will be true because systems won't have physical media. Collecting "classic" games that do have physical releases are not affected by this though.



2) Most PS3 games require large hard drive installs, making regular play of more than a few dozen games arduous

So don't buy a PS3. It's just one system. None of the other systems have this problem that I know of.



3) Older systems and games have a limited shelf life

Your main example here is the NES. Everyone around here knows that model 1 NES systems were poorly deigned and have this problem. So what? Problems like that don't affect hardly any other systems and even the NES can be fixed cheaply and easily.



4) The value of older games plummets when they are released as digital downloads

Not true. You could say some games are slightly devalued or have leveled out in value but "plummets" is a very strong word to use here.



5) It’s unwieldy to continue collecting forever

This is the only statement I feel is somewhat reasonable, but it really comes down to a question of dedication. I just broke 3000 games so I know what it's like to have games EVERYWHERE. But if you really love your collection you will find room for it. I have moved the half of my collection that is not at my brother's house twice this year. It is a huge bitch but it really isn't THAT bad. If you really care about collecting and your collection you will take it in stride.



6) It’s impossible to play every game in my collection

This is really not true for everyone though. Most people don't have 1,000 or more games. Even if you have 1,000 that is just about one game a day for three years. And the more you have, like someone mentioned earlier, the more new experiences you will always have available. I love the fact that I can play a game I've never played before at any time and will be able to do so pretty much for the rest of my life.



7) It’s redundant to have the same game on many systems

"This is also a very silly point. Are you collecting every game for every system that interests you? Yes? Then you have to have them. If it isn't your goal, then don't get them. That is the beauty of the hobby, only get what you want! It isn't like anyone is forcing you to get every version of Mortal Kombat."

This was said earlier and I couldn't have said it better myself.



8) Most game companies produce black and white manuals

What systems do you collect for? Only a very small percentage of the games on the systems I collect for have black and white manuals. Some of the systems have none that I know of. I've never seen a black and white Sega CD, 32X, Dreamcast, Xbox or Xbox 360 manual.



9) Battery backups are dying

This only affects games that have battery back-up so it is not globally applicable to game collecting. Plus the batteries are replaceable so this is more of a minor problem than a reason why people would stop collecting games. If someone wants to collect games, they aren't likely to be deterred by a small issue such as this.



10) It’s better to have downloadable versions

Once a game plays just like it would on the original system plus has a decent controller to be played with this may be true, but only from a functionality standpoint. There's not as much nostalgia when playing an old game on a new system. It doesn't have the same "that takes me back" feeling.