understanding sealed collectors

[mr obscure]

Ok first up this is a serieus question .

What is the appeal of a sealed collecting? Games are ment to be played and enjoyed.
So why would you have a hudge collection of sealed games? they are only collecting dust.
I never understood this type of collecting.On top of that these games are going for big bucks.

[Zoltor]

Ok first up this is a serieus question .

What is the appeal of a sealed collecting? Games are ment to be played and enjoyed.
So why would you have a hudge collection of sealed games? they are only collecting dust.
I never understood this type of collecting.On top of that these games are going for big bucks.

I agree with you for the most part(until everything started being CD BS, nomatter how careful you are, you will always end up with scratches on your CDs, if they are used. Buying sealed will ensures in stays in prestine condition).

However I would love a Factory sealed DW3(NES), It's my all time favorite game, but unfortunately it also happens to be one of the most sought after Sealed games(and one of the rarest as well, for the mere fact, that the game is so good, pretty much all of them were opened).

Due note though, just because someone has a factory sealed game, doesn't mean they don't also have another copy to play.

PS. I personally think It's really only worth collecting games(in general) that you love, which goes triple for sealed games(if you don't find the game to be good, unless It's like a proto-type or something, It's pointless to collect).

[baraka]

I agree with you for the most part(until everything started being CD BS, nomatter how careful you are, you will always end up with scratches on your CDs, if they are used. Buying sealed will ensures in stays in prestine condition).

However I would love a Factory sealed DW3(NES), It's my all time favorite game, but unfortunately it also happens to be one of the most sought after Sealed games(and one of the rarest as well, for the mere fact, that the game is so good, pretty much all of them were opened).

Due note though, just because someone has a factory sealed game, doesn't mean they don't also have another copy to play.

PS. I personally think It's really only worth collecting games(in general) that you love, which goes triple for sealed games(if you don't find the game to be good, unless It's like a proto-type or something, It's pointless to collect).

Yea thats really the way I feel about it too. And of these people also have playable copies of the games they love.

I personally only collect sealed games that have meaning to me. Like Battletoads for NES, after beating it I bought a brand new copy of it on eBay and put it into one of those CGA cases so its sort of like a trophy to me. And a sealed copy of the Super Metroid Big box, just because its my altime favorite game. I dont have any other sealed games (except for Turtles in Time, but I'm selling that someday).

But theres people out there trying to collect as many sealed games as possible. If youre superduper rich that might be a fun hobby, but if youre not is it a good investment? Everything is being sold for rediculous prices nowadays so I highly doubt that.

[jonebone]

Personally I get CIBs of all the games that I want to play or have fond memories of. Then I get sealed copies of my real favorites.

I'd assume that most sealed collectors always have a "to play" copy backup of their favorites.

[houstonlibrarian]

Are sealed toy collectors any different?

[FantasiaWHT]

For anyone actually investing in video games, expecting to return a profit, a sealed video game is much more likely to appreciate, and appreciates more rapidly.

[portnoyd]

Oh god, a dutch topic and Zoltor is the first reply. This will not end well.

[Dangerboy]

"no matter how careful you are, you will always end up with scratches on your CDs, if they are used."

That's the biggest piece of bullshit rationalization in the history of gaming. It's also the lamest excuse pirates use to burn CD games (along with 'preservation' and 'I only burn the ones I'd never buy anyway').

My entire collection sans NES and Neo Geo MVS is all CD based: Saturn, over 2000+ PSX games, Neo CD, Sega CD, etc. If you're not an animal, you're games go scratch free. I still have my original 15 to 20 year old CDs, they're all fine an dandy.

Back on topic -

I can understand a sealed game or two just to have it for nostalgic sake (I'd kill for a sealed Metal Gear NES), but there are those who do it for the sheer fact of artificially inflating the value of the item, attempting stupid profit from those who can not resist the nostalgia, or have no other way to boost their self esteem.

That will ruin it the industry and crash the gaming world. Just like baseball cards, comics, and collectible card games.

A sealed game or two on the shelf for conversation is fine. Slabbing an entire library and than bagging the slab to protect that is sheer lunacy.

[TonyTheTiger]

Why do you like Apple Jacks when it doesn't taste like apples?

Same kind of thing.

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

I don't have a single sealed game, but I can understand the appeal. It's something fun that hasn't been unleashed. It's sort of like having and ultrasound picture printed before the actual baby comes out.

For those who think of it as an investment, I'd have to say it's a risky investment. Remember all the Beanie Baby collecters who kept the tags on? Also, with the advent of downloadable games, who's to say the values will continue as they are now.

As for me, for the money I would have to pay for an unopened item, I'd rather purchase several used items. The game itself (on the screen) is what is valuable to me.

[Bojay1997]

This topic has been done to death. It's like collecting anything else in new condition, whether it's stamps you'll never use, coins you'll never spend, toys you'll never play with, records you'll never listen to, baseball cards you'll never put in the spokes of your bike and comics you'll never read. Who cares? Lots of sealed collectors own plenty of play copies of games as well. We have had this same topic come up over and over and over again. If you don't want to collect a certain thing, you don't have to. There is nothing to understand. Some people just like collecting brand new games. For me, I like the idea that nobody else has ever played with the items and that there is at least a very good chance that if I do ever open the game, it is complete and new.

[Jorpho]

For anyone actually investing in video games, expecting to return a profit, a sealed video game is much more likely to appreciate, and appreciates more rapidly.This strikes me as most unlikely.

I rather suspect the only ways to turn profits in video games is to either hunt down games that have been priced by people uninformed of their true value, or to buy large lots and sell them off in parts (which amounts to the same thing). Buying an expensive sealed game and expecting it to get more expensive? I think not.

[Ze_ro]

http://astrocadeage.com/notaninvestment.jpg

--Zero

[c0ldb33r]

This topic has been done to death...
Agreed, someone lock the thread

[Zoltor]

"no matter how careful you are, you will always end up with scratches on your CDs, if they are used."

That's the biggest piece of bullshit rationalization in the history of gaming. It's also the lamest excuse pirates use to burn CD games (along with 'preservation' and 'I only burn the ones I'd never buy anyway').

My entire collection sans NES and Neo Geo MVS is all CD based: Saturn, over 2000+ PSX games, Neo CD, Sega CD, etc. If you're not an animal, you're games go scratch free. I still have my original 15 to 20 year old CDs, they're all fine an dandy.

Back on topic -

I can understand a sealed game or two just to have it for nostalgic sake (I'd kill for a sealed Metal Gear NES), but there are those who do it for the sheer fact of artificially inflating the value of the item, attempting stupid profit from those who can not resist the nostalgia, or have no other way to boost their self esteem.

That will ruin it the industry and crash the gaming world. Just like baseball cards, comics, and collectible card games.

A sealed game or two on the shelf for conversation is fine. Slabbing an entire library and than bagging the slab to protect that is sheer lunacy.

And you're a fucking moron or did you forget that the actual console can scratch the CD, not to mention even a partical of dust can scratch a CD. If you barely handle a CD, It's still "very" likely that it will still end up with light scratches.

Consoles are infamous for scratching CDs(I had to replace games dozens of times, due to that crap).

[rpepper9]

And you're a fucking moron or did you forget that the actual console can scratch the CD, not to mention even a partical of dust can scratch a CD. If you barely handle a CD, It's still "very" likely that it will still end up with light scratches.

Consoles are infamous for scratching CDs(I had to replace games dozens of times, due to that crap).

Wowza McTrowza! This thread turned ugly quickly. Do I smell a troll?

Seriously though, baseball cards lost all value because companies started printing three or four sets a year, and started printing hundreds of thousands of each card.

[Arthur-Otaku]

Open high valuable sealed games are a stupidity, they loose the high value, and for what? You can easily found another loose copy or backup of same game and play it, so why you will open a rare sealed game just to play?

Serious collectors really care about the collection value, if you are not a serious collection you will never understand that

[phreakindee]

I have gathered a few sealed games, simply because they were a favorite of mine and I couldn't find it some other way. Sometimes, I will open it. It's fun to do so, like opening a time capsule into another decade past. I have never gone after a sealed game in particular, but if I find a game I really want for a nice price, I'll get it, sealed or not.

[Arkhan]

Zoltor: What console scratches your discs? If you keep the bay area clean and aren't slapping the thing around while its going, you aren't going to scratch your disc.

Its not like the CD is contacting anything other than a Laz0r beem.

besides, those light surface scratches that might happen from dust/etc. are meaningless.

Buff that shit out with novus. That top layer is MEANT to get oopsy little knicks. It protects the actual data. You'd be surprised how well a laz0r b33m can read past little surface knicks.

--------------------------------

collecting sealed games is mind numbing. The only sealed game I own is Cosmic Fantasy 2. Pretty much everyone has a sealed copy of that game. There are more sealed CF2s in circulation than there are PCE CD owners on the planet. Thats why they go for 5$ sealed and anyone trying to profiteer off them is an idiot.

I often find the case is that the "sealed collectors" spend so much time fapping over sealed purchases, and maintaining their site/online database of sealed crap, followed by flailing around on the internet about it like people care, that they don't even PLAY games, and usually have no idea what theyre talking about.

I bought a sealed star ocean 2 at a convention (someone borrowed my original copy and wrecked the piss out of it. the manual had soup spilled on it and the discs looked like they were used as coasters for a month), for 60$ and proceeded to rip it open right in front of the guy and sniff the manual. He flipped his shit and screamed at me saying I just ruined the value of the game. "I could have sold it to someone who knew what it was worth". He says.

I says to him "the value of the game comes from having rena punch things in the face, and the cooking contest".

He went O.o and had NFI what I was going on about. Case in point.
---------------------------------

Sealed game nonsense is the exact reason I opted to not have Insanity shrinkwrapped.

That way no putz 10 years from now can go OMG LAST SEALED COPY IN EXISTENCE and put it on ebay for 1000$. If anyone ever sees a sealed Insanity for PCE CD, you're being duped.

[Rogue]

Are sealed toy collectors any different?

This.

People collect anything. Why botter how other people spend their money.


And you're a fucking moron or did you forget that the actual console can scratch the CD, not to mention even a partical of dust can scratch a CD. If you barely handle a CD, It's still "very" likely that it will still end up with light scratches.
Consoles are infamous for scratching CDs(I had to replace games dozens of times, due to that crap).

Lol.
Really, learn to accept the differences.

My disks are intact too. Also, all my N64 controllers are in excelent condition lol. People just treat the things different than others.
The world is big, man. Just because you can't do something/never experienced something don't mean it doen't exist.

[Dangerboy]

And you're a fucking moron
Polish / Bohemian, thanks. Where did you get your debate skills from, the internet?

or did you forget that the actual console can scratch the CD
See my previous post. 20 years of CD, nothing. Not even my 360. All happy times.

not to mention even a partical of dust can scratch a CD. If you barely handle a CD, It's still "very" likely that it will still end up with light scratches.
And it'll still play just fine even with the minor scratches. I had a Dreamcast game that was scratched to shit, played like a dream. Yet I had a 'just opened' factory sealed DC game that wouldn't work at all. It's the nature of the beast.

If you want play things to stay mint, don't open the box and let it collect dust. If you're an actual human being that understands the concept of 'taking care' of something, let the games age gracefully.

I can't wait till we get to the slabbing babies argument, to keep those childhood memories absolutely perfect.

[jb143]

I don't understand all the hate for sealed collectors I see on here. I also don't understand all the hate for specific systems some people have. I would think that a site dedicated to classic games and gamers would have people who can appriciate all aspects of the hobby. Unless someones idea of collecting was to see what happens when they set them ablaze, why can't we just let people do their own thing?

[coreys429]

I know a lot of collectors that have sealed items: coins, cards, records, video games. To a lot of people to have something mint and original is what they prize in their collection. In my personal quest to find things for myself, as long as its mint I am happy with it. But there's a quite of feeling to open something that hasn't been opened in 20, 30, or even 40 years.

[megasdkirby]

Open high valuable sealed games are a stupidity, they loose the high value, and for what? You can easily found another loose copy or backup of same game and play it, so why you will open a rare sealed game just to play?

Serious collectors really care about the collection value, if you are not a serious collection you will never understand that

Which easily divides those who collect to those who appreciate and play a game.

From what I've seen, MY PERSPECTIVE, is that those who collect sealed games are the same ones that sell later on, with the ideal to "invest" (gosh I hate that word).

Like Dangerboy says:


I can understand a sealed game or two just to have it for nostalgic sake (I'd kill for a sealed Metal Gear NES), but there are those who do it for the sheer fact of artificially inflating the value of the item, attempting stupid profit from those who can not resist the nostalgia, or have no other way to boost their self esteem.

That will ruin it the industry and crash the gaming world. Just like baseball cards, comics, and collectible card games.

A sealed game or two on the shelf for conversation is fine. Slabbing an entire library and than bagging the slab to protect that is sheer lunacy.

To which I agree 100%. There is no purpose of sealed game collecting, other than personal satisfaction, bragging rights, and to sell at a later future (you know it's going to happen, no matter how many times one tried to deny it).

[Steven]

I understand why some collectors buy sealed games. Do I think it's a smart move? Personally, HECK NO. But it's their money, their concern. I don't really think much of it. I just know I would never do it myself because most sealed games are worth TERRIBLY MORE than an unsealed version. There are exceptions to the rule, though. For example recently I bought sealed Space Invaders SNES for about $8. 4 years ago I got a sealed Magic Boy for like $10. (they are common cheap sealed games).

Sealed collecting -- definitely not for me. Waste of MY money, but maybe not a waste in the eyes of another guy. All good... as long as it ain't coming from my wallet you can do as you please. Worrying about others is a quick way to "lose the magic" with this hobby. Just me 2 cents..

[Arkhan]

why can't we just let people do their own thing?

because those people "doin their own thing", jacks everything up for everyone else.

[buzz_n64]

It doesn't bother me. If someone wants to only collect sealed games, then that means less demand for loose games, and CIB opened games. CIB is good enough for me, so I don't care if the sealed price sky rockets. I own a couple sealed games, but not because I sought after them sealed, I just found them sealed, and even opened one sealed game I bought for $60. With sealed you know you're getting a good product, that's all it means to me, but I respect sealed collectors. Everyone's different.

[mr obscure]

best comment so far.Games are not an investment.
I can understand having a sealed copy of your favorite game.
But why would you have 100+ sealed copies? do you touch your sealed copies how do you clean them?its bavelds my mind.

[jb143]

I just think it's funny that half of the arguments against sealed collectors could also be said for completest collectors(full collections, not CIB...well, maybe them too). Buying games they aren't going to play, owning them just to own them/show off their collection, etc... Yet those collectors are pretty respected around these parts.

I myself am neither. Maybe I can't completely understand either of their ways but I can respect both.

[mr obscure]

uhm still havent heard whats cool about sealed collecting

[csgx1]

I never understood sealed collections either. I do somewhat collect some sealed games but they are usually new from the store or relatively cheap if it's an older game.

Having or collecting a full set of sealed games is crazy IMO.

Maybe for the super wealth.

[megasdkirby]

uhm still havent heard whats cool about sealed collecting

I don't think you will find a solid answer for pro-sealed collectors. Or at least one that is satisfying to hear.

To me, it makes as much sense as the VGA fiasco.

[DonMarco]

I have a couple sealed games myself. I bought them new and either forgot to play them or never got around to it. As time passed, the reason I never opened them is that they are potentially worth some big dollars f I ever re-sell them years or decades later as "sealed" games. So in a sense I'm a sealed game collector by sheer laziness.

Honestly, what's the difference between someone who collects games and someone who collects games in mint condition? Both are spending money on a hobby, having fun and keeping the community alive. Mint games are also harder to come by, so maybe sealed collector are just pacing themselves picking up a few games in a time frame then they could pick up many or all games on their wish lists. Despite the higher price tag per game, I'm willing to bet that less is spent over time. Especially if they aren't going by system and more by personal taste (choice RPGs, chldhood favorites, etc.).

Comparing a not-sealed collection to a sealed one is like comparing apples to oranges. Both are fruits however one can last up to six months in a fridge and the other makes a more tasty beverage.

[nectarsis]

And you're a fucking moron or did you forget that the actual console can scratch the CD, not to mention even a partical of dust can scratch a CD. If you barely handle a CD, It's still "very" likely that it will still end up with light scratches.

Consoles are infamous for scratching CDs(I had to replace games dozens of times, due to that crap).

As said before I have cd games 20 years old..been played by multiple people I'm sure and not a mark on them (system, dust whatever). Try takking care of your games/systems. Not to say there aren't stories of systems scrathing games, but yes PLEASE live in eternal fear of damage :sob:

[UnpluggedClone]

Google 4 Gaga

[Icarus Moonsight]

AFAIK, there's nothing to understand. My mostly loose collection is like kryptonite to them I bet. Then again, having a bunch of sealed games that I would want to play would be a nightmare for me. I'd want to sell them and buy used CIB or loose ones to replace them... Then get a whole bunch more games than I had before! Although, that'd be a lot of work and a pain in the ass. In the long run, doing it would suit me better.

I have three games sealed that I got intending to keep them that way. They're on display, when my room isn't razed. DS; G&W, Etrian Odyssey 1 and 2.

I can't collect toys anymore, unless they're cheap, like hotwheels. The whole one on the card, one on the shelf/in the drawer thing gets old, fast. You soon realize, you're double spending and only half enjoying what you spend. When I liquidated my toy stuff, I didn't even get half back what I put in. That's all the evidence I needed to know that that was worse than a zero sum game.

[TonyTheTiger]

The double spending is what amazes me about high rolling sealed collectors. Not because I think it's a waste (well I do in the sense that I wouldn't do it myself but far be it from me to tell somebody else "you're doing it wrong" if it makes them happy) but because it feels like the amount of disposable income necessary to maintain that kind of collecting style is out of reach for most people.

So even if somebody wants to collect sealed games it might be out of the question for practical reasons. Piracy helps matters, I suppose. I can imagine somebody buying games new and just burning play copies.

But I feel the same way about completionist collectors and they don't have the luxury of piracy. In that case the need for walls worth of space adds another dimension making it impossible for most to manage.

[ScourDX]

Taken from a website


7.) When did you start collecting games and why?

I think most videogame collector’s strive to obtain games in the best possible condition they can, which in most cases means complete in box with manual, but there are some collector’s who prefer to take it one step further and collect games in their original factory sealed condition for posterity, and to preserve this condition for future generations or as an investment.

Source (http://www.sealedgameheaven.com/2009/11/11/weekly-sealed-collector-interview-gemini-phoenix/)

It all depends on the type of collector. Some people are into the money, others just have to have sealed copies and other just don't have time to play them.

[Arkhan]

being into game collecting for the money is kind of moronic though, isnt it?

REminds me of this guy Worldlam that went apeshit in the Commodore computer market, and racked up tens of thousands in debt buying up all sorts of stuff and planning to cash in on it.



It didn't work out for him and all the actual users just sat back and giggled.

[kattare]

Four reasons I think sealed collectors are chumps:

1) Yes, consoles (especially the ones that have trays that slide in and out) will damage discs. But... that's what CDR's are for. Buy it, burn a copy, use the copy.

2) They drive up the prices for people that actually want to play the games.

3) You have no idea what's really inside that sealed package. Even back when these games were retailing, some peeps would get boxes with just nuts and bolts in them of just the right weight... and...

4) A shrink-wrap kit is around $40 on ebay.

[Jorpho]

1) Yes, consoles (especially the ones that have trays that slide in and out) will damage discs. But... that's what CDR's are for. Buy it, burn a copy, use the copy.A great idea - if your only console is a Sega CD. It's not exactly trivial otherwise.

[kattare]

A great idea - if your only console is a Sega CD. It's not exactly trivial otherwise.

I do have an X'Eye. I also have a TurboDuo (TG's my personal fav) a PS1, PS2, and a Wii.

Pretty much every console has a simple mod that gets around the CDR/DVDR issues last time I checked?

The only one you're really screwed on is Dreamcast. In which case, sure, get two copies. I wouldn't keep the backup one sealed tho, who knows what's in there? Especially if you've picked it up off the internet.

[Arkhan]

I do have an X'Eye. I also have a TurboDuo (TG's my personal fav) a PS1, PS2, and a Wii.

Pretty much every console has a simple mod that gets around the CDR/DVDR issues last time I checked?

The only one you're really screwed on is Dreamcast. In which case, sure, get two copies. I wouldn't keep the backup one sealed tho, who knows what's in there? Especially if you've picked it up off the internet.

Youre not THAT screwed with Dreamcast.... and yeah, its easy to get things to use burns on consoles. If youve got the cash to drop on games, and are anal about disc quality, you should have the spare cash to do this as well. It usually costs less than a game!

Either way, unless youre a total frigging mongoloid, keeping your discs playable is pretty easy.

Step 1): Wipe doritos off hands
Step 2): open disc tray
Step 3): carefully remove from case and gently put in tray
Step 4): close and play

Step 5): Repeat to get out of console.

If you can't handle that and in 3 months your disc is trashed, go get one of those leapfrog consoles at toys r us and stop complaining to normal disc users . :)

[kgenthe]

uhm still havent heard whats cool about sealed collecting

I don't think there's every going to be an answer that satisfies you. I also don't think anyone would argue it's "cool."

I don't collect sealed games myself. I think people collect sealed games for the same reason people collect high end art and exotic cars that sit in a garage unused. Perhaps it's a status thing. Who knows. Different strokes for different folks, move on.

[The 1 2 P]

For me I started collecting sealed games before I officially "started" collecting sealed games. What I mean is that I started my current game collection is 1998 when I had my PS1. For the next two years I bought several games that were on sale and eventually reached the point where I couldn't open and play them all. That escalated over the last 10 years.

Now I actually go out of my way to buy certain classic games sealed(Ninja Gaiden Trilogy, Super Metroid, etc). But I won't spend top dollar on them. If their current market value is $100+ I would have to spend half that or less. I also have playable copies of atleast 90% of all my sealed games. It's fun to collect them as long as they are affordable. And in the case of cd games, it means they will be in perfect untouched condition when I finally decide to play them.

As for the OP's question, theres not much to understand. With 6 billion people on this planet, everyone has their own interest and methods to doing things. That includes those who collect sealed games to keep, those that collect sealed games to sell and those that don't collect sealed games at all.

[MrRoboto19XX]

The only issue I have with sealed games (hey, to each their own, if you dig sealed stuff, power to you) is the actual appearance of them on the shelf. That cellophane is so bloody shiny, and always sticks out like a sore thumb among other games.

For aesthetic reasons, I'd rather simply have complete, non sealed games on my shelf.

[TonyTheTiger]

Funny you should mention that. I was in a store not too long ago and trying to look at the games but the lighting from the store and the sun was just so that the glare made it a struggle to read the damn titles. So I know exactly what you mean.

[Voliko]

My take is that CIB games are much more practical, but for sealed games, it's like owning a piece of video game history that has never seen the light, just like it was back when it was released (As long as you know that one's copy of a game is real, and not just a rip-off, but then again, you will never truly know unless you open it, which one most likely won't, so it leaves room for doubt)

[MarioMania]

I don'r know why the waste Money buying like Sealed Games to Complete there XX Collection

What happened if your house going to be foreclosed ...

You need for Food, Bills ect

[darkslime]

http://astrocadeage.com/notaninvestment.jpg

--ZeroHA! If you think that's true you are retarded.

I also play video games, but they can be a great investment and gather more "interest" than putting money in a bank. My collection is worth A LOT more than what I paid for it.

[TonyTheTiger]

I have a sneaking suspicion that's not true.

[darkslime]

UR RETARDED tHEN DURRRRRR

[T2KFreeker]

I got my hands on a sealed Moonwalker. Guess what? I opened it and played it. Was awesome because it is now complete and sitting in my Genesis collection. Groovy.

[Jorpho]

Pretty much every console has a simple mod that gets around the CDR/DVDR issues last time I checked?No, not that I'm aware of - at least, depending on your definition of "simple".

[darkslime]

I got my hands on a sealed Moonwalker. Guess what? I opened it and played it. Was awesome because it is now complete and sitting in my Genesis collection. Groovy.I don't understand the people who think I'm so great because I opened an expensive sealed game and stuck it to the man or the sealed collectors or something... They really just screwed themselves over. Sell it and get a used complete copy of the game plus have money left over for more games makes more sense.

[TonyTheTiger]

UR RETARDED tHEN DURRRRRR

That does sound like a perfect Monty Python skit. You need to plan for the future! Bank? Investments? Bah! Video games!

[Jorpho]

My collection is worth A LOT more than what I paid for it.I suppose that could potentially be true. But what if you factor in the monetary value of the time you spent attempting to obtain some of the more valuable items?

[allyourblood]

I suppose that could potentially be true. But what if you factor in the monetary value of the time you spent attempting to obtain some of the more valuable items?

For myself, even if I factor in time and gas for travel, my collection is worth significantly more than I paid for it. As long as you're patient, and not paying retail, this really isn't that lofty of a goal.

Plus, finding great games for cheap is half the fun, for me. Playing them is the other half.

[Arkhan]

I don't understand the people who think I'm so great because I opened an expensive sealed game and stuck it to the man or the sealed collectors or something... They really just screwed themselves over. Sell it and get a used complete copy of the game plus have money left over for more games makes more sense.

its not a matter of thinking "im so great". Its a matter of showing how meaningless sealed games are.

Your collection may be "worth" more than you paid for it , but to who?

The values of games can change (FFVII?), and are still only as valuable as the buyer of said game wants to pay.

Your collections worth more assuming you get what you think each game is worth, AND that every game sells.

So nope. I dont believe it. You know how long it would take you to sell your entire collection and cash out on it? So long that it wouldnt even matter.

[allyourblood]

Your collection may be "worth" more than you paid for it , but to who?

The same could be said of anything.

And if you don't think someone can sell several thousand games in a reasonable amount of time, you've obviously never visited a little website called Ebay. Heck, I could sell my entire collection in a single auction and make much more than I paid for it, even if each game sells for less than it's "worth".

[Famidrive-16]

I also don't understand all the hate for specific systems some people have. I would think that a site dedicated to classic games and gamers would have people who can appriciate all aspects of the hobby.

several years back i was mocked a bit for trying to start my own n64 collection

now everyone conveniently has near complete N64 collections now

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

[mr obscure]

Remember the movie: speed with K.Reeves? (1994)
In this movie the crazed bomber played by Dennis Hopper says:
A bomb is made to explode. Thats its meaning. Its purpose.

Its the same with sealed collectors there doing something unnatural. Video games are ment to be played.thats there meaning .There purpose.
What sealed collectors are doing is unnatural and unhealthy.
Games are made by factories and deliverd factory sealed.
They should be released from there seal and played.There now kidnapped and hold hostage and kept from there purpose.
So i sugest that we track down these sealed collectors,knock down some doors and free these games.

On a more serieus note i havent got a satisfying anwser and don't think i will.

[Icarus Moonsight]

When you liquidate a collection of sufficient size where piecemeal is impractical, you won't get market value, let alone top dollar. A liberal estimate would be take the going rate, and cut it in half... You can pitch off the 'hot' items at market value individually, then lot out the floaters (and the straggler 'hot' stuff that didn't sell individually) wholesale. For every Valkyrie Profile I paid $5 for I have about 20-30 games I paid $3-4 dollars for that I would be lucky to get $1 back each in a fire sale situation. Jorpho nailed it though. You pay, time or money, even both. Your choice.

And if video games are an investment, where is the futures market and short game? All that is held by speculators... Operative word there is HELD. There's only two modes, hold and dump. That's not investment.

Any takers on a contract sale of X amount of my games in 10 years? Only 3 times current market value!... Naw, didn't think so. LOL

[jonebone]

Your collection may be "worth" more than you paid for it , but to who?

The values of games can change (FFVII?), and are still only as valuable as the buyer of said game wants to pay.

Your collections worth more assuming you get what you think each game is worth, AND that every game sells.

So nope. I dont believe it. You know how long it would take you to sell your entire collection and cash out on it? So long that it wouldnt even matter.

LOL. Every single "smart" collector easily has a collection that is worth FAR more than they paid. The only ones who don't are the people who collect like it is a race and buy their collection game by game. If you take the methodical approach of buying lots and selling off duplicates, hunting cheap Buy It Nows and actually do a bit of reselling, it's cake.

I went from 0 to 600 NES CIBs from November 2008 to mid summer 2009. The entire collection was funded through reselling and didn't cost me a dime. I will admit that it was almost a part-time job though and it did cost me quite a bit of time. I decided to scale back to only my "favorites" like Mega Mans, Contras, etc and also decided to keep my entire Black Box collection. But it was time to buy a house and I wanted to get rid of the other 500 CIBs.

I sold in waves over on Nintendo Age, about 75-100 games a week. Set a fair price, then drop your price about 10% at the end of a week. At the end of it all, drop your price even more for those repeat buyers. At the end of the month, take it all to eBay at 0.99 with a great combined shipping policy.

I made over $7k after paypal / eBay / shipping fees and paid for all of the furniture in my new home which I bought October 2008.

And the whole "but what about time spent?" argument is ridiculous. All of us are "wasting time" by posting on this forum are we not? It isn't time wasted if you enjoy doing it, and I did enjoy collecting.

EDIT to add: Here's a link to my now outdated sell-off, just so you realize I'm not talking out my ass.

http://www.nintendoage.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=6&threadid=21890

[Bojay1997]

Remember the movie: speed with K.Reeves? (1994)
In this movie the crazed bomber played by Dennis Hopper says:
A bomb is made to explode. Thats its meaning. Its purpose.

Its the same with sealed collectors there doing something unnatural. Video games are ment to be played.thats there meaning .There purpose.
What sealed collectors are doing is unnatural and unhealthy.
Games are made by factories and deliverd factory sealed.
They should be released from there seal and played.There now kidnapped and hold hostage and kept from there purpose.
So i sugest that we track down these sealed collectors,knock down some doors and free these games.

On a more serieus note i havent got a satisfying anwser and don't think i will.

That's because you are completely close minded to any rational argument. Nothing in the world whether it's video games or anything else is black and white. Collecting is inherently something that doesn't necessarily involve using items for their intended purpose. As I said earlier, people who collect coins and paper money don't spend them, people who collect stamps don't mail them, people who collect comics don't necessarily read them...the list goes on and on. Just because you can play video games doesn't mean there is anything invalid or improper about keeping them sealed and collecting them that way. If your argument was taken to its logical conclusion, nobody should ever collect anything but loose carts and discs because a box and instructions are worthless and have little or nothing to do with playing games. I think ultimately, there is a lot of jealousy involved in this whole discussion. I understand that not everyone can afford to collect sealed, but there are lots of expensive things I would love to own or collect that I can't, that's just the reality of the world and simple economics. Sealed collectors don't prevent anyone from buying games and there are many, many more times the number of loose and complete games in the world than sealed copies. As such, you just need to learn to deal with your insecurity and jealousy and stop posting.

[mr obscure]

uhm instructions do have a purpose don't you think?
Im not jealous? im confused.
Picture this: you can have cib copy of simcity for the nes. (unreleased)
would you
A: have a cib copy you are aloud to play or B: have a sealed copy you are not aloud to open.

[scooterb23]

aloud?

Anyway, I had a sort of epiphany last night.

I finally get sealed game collecting.

For 35 years, collectors have been collecting and playing the games because we wanted to preserve the history of video games through being able to share stories about great games, easter eggs and other secrets, high scores, and many other aspects...especially the communal aspect of video games. In 50 years, when all the systems are dead, and none of these games work anymore...those of us that have been playing these games can still at least share those memories with our grandkids.

Obviously, we've been doing it wrong. The true way to preserve the history of video games is to never touch the games. That way in 50 years, when nobody has a system that can play the games...we can stare at the still plastic wrapped copies. Of course, the shrinkwrap has yellowed, and constricted even further, crushing the boxes. That's not important right now, though.

That is truly how we preserve the history of this hobby.

I'm going to start only buying sealed games from here on out. It's the only way to save our past. Thank you sealed game collectors for showing me the light.

[mr obscure]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RAINs59eSQ

[Bojay1997]

uhm instructions do have a purpose don't you think?
Im not jealous? im confused.
Picture this: you can have cib copy of simcity for the nes. (unreleased)
would you
A: have a cib copy you are aloud to play or B: have a sealed copy you are not aloud to open.

Most games have built in tutorials now. I know I haven't looked at an instruction book in probably a decade or so. You also haven't addressed why people need to own a box.

Picture this, in 100 years, all of us will be dead and buried, so what is the point of collecting anything? Collecting is a uniquely human phenonmenon which has been the basis of many research studies and articles. I don't fully understand why I collect or why people collect, but we do. There is nothing stopping me or any other sealed collector from opening my sealed copies of games (and in fact, if it's a game I really want to play, I will do so). The fact that some sealed collectors care more about owning games than playing them is interesting, but not confusing. I suspect you aren't really confused, you're just a troll looking to stir stuff up.

[Bojay1997]

aloud?

Anyway, I had a sort of epiphany last night.

I finally get sealed game collecting.

For 35 years, collectors have been collecting and playing the games because we wanted to preserve the history of video games through being able to share stories about great games, easter eggs and other secrets, high scores, and many other aspects...especially the communal aspect of video games. In 50 years, when all the systems are dead, and none of these games work anymore...those of us that have been playing these games can still at least share those memories with our grandkids.

Obviously, we've been doing it wrong. The true way to preserve the history of video games is to never touch the games. That way in 50 years, when nobody has a system that can play the games...we can stare at the still plastic wrapped copies. Of course, the shrinkwrap has yellowed, and constricted even further, crushing the boxes. That's not important right now, though.

That is truly how we preserve the history of this hobby.

I'm going to start only buying sealed games from here on out. It's the only way to save our past. Thank you sealed game collectors for showing me the light.

Wow, you are really witty and clever. I think I will go over to my neighbor's house today and demand that he start using all of the antiques he collects for the purpose they were originally intended for. I can't wait to use that old plow or put on that suit of armor or start playing with his vaguely racist vintage tin toys. I will also write to every museum I can find and demand that they stop preserving things since many of the things in their collections were meant for practical purposes at one point. Give me a break.

[allyourblood]

Well said on all accounts, Bojay1997.

[mr obscure]

Most games have built in tutorials now. I know I haven't looked at an instruction book in probably a decade or so. You also haven't addressed why people need to own a box.

Picture this, in 100 years, all of us will be dead and buried, so what is the point of collecting anything? Collecting is a uniquely human phenonmenon which has been the basis of many research studies and articles. I don't fully understand why I collect or why people collect, but we do. There is nothing stopping me or any other sealed collector from opening my sealed copies of games (and in fact, if it's a game I really want to play, I will do so). The fact that some sealed collectors care more about owning games than playing them is interesting, but not confusing. I suspect you aren't really confused, you're just a troll looking to stir stuff up.

Are there 8bit games with build in tutorials?The box is for shops, its purpose is more a commercial 1.
if nothing is stopping you then please make a youtube video opening all your sealed games.
Sealed collecting is a dead hobby

[jonebone]

My favorite part is when people try to say that sealed game collecting hurts the hobby, and that games are meant to be played.

My response would be that completionist collectors hurt the hobby. I mean think about it, stadium events is a crap game and would be worth a quarter based on its play value. But you have all of these people that want an entire set so they pay $1500 for the cart alone to be complete their set. How's that "helping the hobby" or "preserving history"? It's going to sit on a damn shelf just as our sealed games do.

The other point is "Games are meant to be played". Find me someone with a 700+ game library that actually plays them all the time. There isn't one. No grown man is playing Barbie or Color A Dinosaur on a regular basis. Maybe you pop it in the toaster to show friends and laugh but that's about it. Once again it just "sits on a shelf" as our sealed games would.

It seems that most of the anti-sealed responses stem from jealousy, but unfortunately that is to be expected whenever money is involved.

[Bojay1997]

Are there 8bit games with build in tutorials?The box is for shops, its purpose is more a commercial 1.
if nothing is stopping you then please make a youtube video opening all your sealed games.
Sealed collecting is a dead hobby

No, but I seriously doubt you need instructions for most 8 bit games. If the box is for shops, why do some non-sealed collectors keep them? Probably because they are neat and have all sorts of cool art and graphics on them. Kind of like the sealed games I own.

And so the true troll comes out. You really had no interest in why people collect sealed, you just wanted to make a statement that sealed collecting is a dead hobby. That's good news for me. I can't wait to get sealed games for a fraction of what they are selling for now. Anyone who agrees with Mr. Troll here, please feel free to PM me lists of your sealed games and I will be happy to offer you the current loose price for the games I still need. Thank you in advance.

[megasdkirby]

My favorite part is when people try to say that sealed game collecting hurts the hobby, and that games are meant to be played.



In a way, it does hurt the hobby.

For example, if a game goes for around $10 (say its CIB), and all of a sudden a "factory sealed" copy goes for $300, there is a possibility that people will start to increase their CIB copies to something near the price of the "factory sealed copy". It's worse if buyers, specially those who don't know better, start purchasing the game for extremely high amounts, when it used to be $10. And if the trend continues, it's price will go high, all thanks to those who did not know any better and the opportunists.

It's rare for this to happen, and I hope it stays that way.