A whole new world of VGA idiocy

[recorderdude]

The thing you're missing completely is that video games as a collectible have a greater purpose; using them. You can say "I just bought this sealed, slabbed copy of battletoads, isn't it awesome?" but I can say "I just bought this copy of Battletoads. Let's play it!" In the end, I spend far less money than you on something I'll enjoy playing for far more hours than you'll enjoy looking at. I respect that some people enjoy buying these for bragging rights, but there's even less logic than buying a game you can download for free in buying a game you can't play even if you want to open it and you can download for free.

It's the same thing with laminated, graded comic books. What good is a collectible when you can't spend a lazy Sunday enjoying your collection?

[Bojay1997]

The thing you're missing completely is that video games as a collectible have a greater purpose; using them. You can say "I just bought this sealed copy of battletoads, isn't it awesome?" but I can say "I just bought this copy of Battletoads. Let's play it!" In the end, I spend far less money than you on something I'll enjoy playing for far more hours than you'll enjoy looking at. I respect that some people enjoy buying these for bragging rights, but there's even less logic than buying game you can download for free than buying a game you can't play and you can download for free.

It's the same thing with laminated, graded comic books. What good is a collectible when you can't spend a lazy Sunday enjoying your collection?

I'm sorry, but that's a very judgmental and ridiculous argument. How do you know that someone who collects sealed games can't enjoy their collection as much as you do? Do coin collectors miss out on something critical just because they don't carry their coins in their pocket and buy snacks with them? Do stamp collectors miss out because they can't mail letters with their collections? People enjoy collecting things for different reasons and I know plenty of people who have lots of loose games and tons of consoles who are completely miserable. I also know plenty of people with games and consoles who feel very happy. Similarly, I know people who have small sealed collections that have little interest in playing games but get a great sense of history and enjoyment from their collection. I know sealed collectors who no longer see the point of collecting sealed. The point is, just because someone collects in a way that is different from the way you collect doesn't make them less valid or less fulfilled by their collection.

[Bronty-2]

very well said.

[dgdgagdae]

http://www.sealedgameheaven.com/index.php?/topic/5111-vga-100-showcase/

Thanks for sharing that. I wonder if people who don't understand my hobby think I'm as crazy as I think the people at that forum are.

[The 1 2 P]

The thing you're missing completely is that video games as a collectible have a greater purpose; using them. You can say "I just bought this sealed, slabbed copy of battletoads, isn't it awesome?" but I can say "I just bought this copy of Battletoads. Let's play it!" In the end, I spend far less money than you on something I'll enjoy playing for far more hours than you'll enjoy looking at. I respect that some people enjoy buying these for bragging rights, but there's even less logic than buying a game you can download for free in buying a game you can't play even if you want to open it and you can download for free.

It's the same thing with laminated, graded comic books. What good is a collectible when you can't spend a lazy Sunday enjoying your collection?

You are making the assumption that everyone who collects sealed games doesn't have loose copies of the same games to play and (in your own words) enjoy. In my case you would be very wrong. I have loose copies of atleast 80-90% of my sealed games. I'm not saying everyone is like that but theres nothing wrong with collecting both ways or one or the other way. Different things make different people happy.

[recorderdude]

I couldn't help but think people would have conflicting opinions over that.

Anyhow, I suppose sealed games do have their margin of appeal. It's not for me, but hey, if you want to display your childhood (or simply something rare) as a trophy for all to see, at least for this generation, I can't think of a better way than your favorite game(s) looking the same way it did when you first discovered it on your Xth birthday/christmas/whatever.

[Nature Boy]

Live and let live I always say.

I don't get why people get all crazy over something like this. Who cares if someone wants to do something you don't agree with that doesn't affect you in any way? Is grading a game (regardless of whether it's current gen or classic) really that harmful to any of us? If someone wants to pay more than I would pay for that game, let them. If someone else decides that game is worth more than I am and is willing to pay for it, so what? I can still decide for myself what I'm willing to pay for something, regardless of what someone thinks it's worth. And it's a freaking video game - I can live without it until I can find one at a price I'm willing to pay.

Seriously people, stop trolling.

(I honestly hadn't even heard of VGA before this - I thought this thread was about the idiocy of modding a classic console to support VGA monitors :) )

[WelcomeToTheNextLevel]

Collecting CIB - fine. Games came CIB.

Collecting sealed - fine. Sure it's pricey, but games DID come sealed.

Collecting loose - fine. Yes, it seems silly, but the loose game comes with what you need to PLAY it.

Collecting it all - fine. I used to collect it all. I collect CIB now.

Collecting manuals - fine.

My point is, that stuff came with the game.

Collecting VGA seriously worries me. What if this catches on? Will people suddenly think that games worth $10 now are worth $50, $100, $500, even worse? VGA looks like a fly by night to me.

I have 700 games, and a collection worth $6,000 or so. If I knew I could sell it all for 100 grand to VGA lemmings, would I? No. If I was to sell it, I'd sell it for it's fair market value of $6,000, and piece by piece.

[Robocop2]

I could not care less if someone likes collecting sealed games personally. That's your thing and that's cool. You can slab said game to preserve it in its current state ( makes sense to keep it protected if you intend to keep it that way.) what I think is utterly ridiculous is how gaga some get over a slabbed game. Sure it's cool to have a sealed out of production game. But paying the utterly ludicrous premium for a "graded" game is just silly IMO. But hey it's your money to spend and if you want to trade your opportunity to have a myriad of open playable games to have a display piece then by all means please do, it makes it easier for those of us who just want the game to get it.

[Carnby]

I collect sealed games. I even buy certain current gen games to keep them sealed. The way I see it, its much easier to find a disc only copy of a game, but finding a sealed copy of Ni No Kuni White Wizard Edition or Xenoblade Chronicles is much harder. There's no way I'm ever opening those.