Do you play your collections?

[HourGlass97]

Do you play your collections or no?

[Solo_Skywalker]

I wish I could say that my collection gets a lot of play time but with all of the new games coming out and trying to keep on top of and finishing those there is very little time left to go back to the classics. I buy way more games then I actually play but I figure maybe one day I will get to go back to the oldies, at least I have them just in case.

[ProjectCamaro]

Do I play my games as opposed to buying them to look good on a shelf, absolutely.

I unfortunately don't have the free time to play them as much as I'd like but my collection is made to be played, not looked at.

[sloan]

Not at present, other than to test some that come into my collection. Notice I said, 'some', because I don't have time to even test them all.

When I was growing up, I was always impressed by my aunt's library room. She had walls of bookshelves, and was nowhere near having read all her books. I see my game collection as nothing more or less than a library of books, only in electronic format.

One day when I retire and have more time...

[wiggyx]

Most definitely! Not as much as I'd like to be able to, but that's life as an adult.

[Xander]

I play it as much as possible.

But there are just so many titles and so little time. I too have the dream of spending my retirement playing games..

[vrikkgwj]

Yes, I do... but I've come to realize that there's only so much time in the week for an adult male who is both a full-time student and employee. Plus add in family, friends, and girlfriend time... voila. Week is over. Therefore, if I have 10 hours a week to game then I'm sitting pretty.

Because of this, I've been selling off a lot of my physical games and staying mainly to digital ones that I can't sell. The good news? I've made $2,000 at least that I've put towards bills :)

[Gunstar Hero]

100% yes. I only play my games i dont display them or anything i get the games just so me (and my friends) can have a ton of fun with the games! :D

[BydoEmpire]

Yes, I hardly ever play modern games. That said, I don't have tons of time for games these days so if i squeeze in 10-15 minutes every couple weeks that's it.

I, too have a retirement list. The FF Chronicles series on PS1 being at the top.

[LimitedEditionMuseum]

Not at present, other than to test some that come into my collection. Notice I said, 'some', because I don't have time to even test them all.

When I was growing up, I was always impressed by my aunt's library room. She had walls of bookshelves, and was nowhere near having read all her books. I see my game collection as nothing more or less than a library of books, only in electronic format.

One day when I retire and have more time...
Exactly!

[Ed Oscuro]

Do you play your collections or no?
I like to stare at my food until it whimpers and runs away.

[Dashopepper]

The vast, vast majority of my games I have never played and probably never will. Time of course is an issue, but the real thing that's stopping me is the hand full of games that I keep coming back to instead of trying something new. Mario 3, Zelda lttp, bubble bobble. I have a bookcase full of games but its hard to try something new when I think I can make another good run in Contra Hard Corps...maybe.

[Mr Mort]

Do I play my games as opposed to buying them to look good on a shelf, absolutely.

I unfortunately don't have the free time to play them as much as I'd like but my collection is made to be played, not looked at.

This pretty much sums up how I feel. That's why I only collect games I'd actually want to play. Like others, I wish I had more time to play them, but I do want to play them, not just display or collect them.

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

Yes, I didn't buy the games to look at them. I usually work on a couple of games at once, and depending on how much free time I have, I try to "complete" them in a couple of weeks. After I complete a game, I "retire" it. Essentially, it means I've had my fill of it and I will eventually resell it. A handful of games I'll never get rid of, because they are the kind of games I want to go back to one day.

Sometimes though, I get out of the groove and end up not playing a single game for two or three weeks. It's usually when I'm in the middle of a project around the house, like installing insulation, etc.

[kupomogli]

Yes, but current gen titles get more play time than any previous gen titles. Then again, I've finished most of the previous gen titles that I own, some of them multiple times.

[JSoup]

Yes. I generally only buy games I intend to play. I only own a few games that I've never played.

[MachineGex]

Do you play your collections or no?

Of course not, what would hold the doors open in my house if I played with my games???

[Collector_Gaming]

I wish I could say yes but I am like another person in what they said too many modern games coming out I wanna play and not much time to catch up with them.

[Ed Oscuro]

Of course not, what would hold the doors open in my house if I played with my games???
hahaha good one!

Eat that, VGA crew. Very true all the same.

[o.pwuaioc]

I have a total of 5 games for current systems (14 if you count Wii, 15 if Wii and PSP, 25 if Wii, PSP, and DS). Despite that, I feel overwhelmed with modern stuff. I'm happy to revisit over and over again my 8 and 16 bit stuff, and Saturn/PS1/N64 is all the modern I really need (excluding handhelds).

So yeah, I play my collection. Not as often as I'd like with time constraints, but often enough. There's nothing I have that I wouldn't want to play (or that my fiancée wouldn't want to play).

[The 1 2 P]

Absolutely. There are obviously titles that will stay sealed but I game for atleast 5-15 hours a week. Lately I haven't played nearly as much as I would like but as long as I can get a controller in my hand atleast every other day I'm good.

[brainerdrainer]

Hell yeah everyday

[Satoshi_Matrix]

Is this a joke thread? Of course we all play our collections. Game hunting is meaningless if you don't actually play your games.

[needler420]

Is this a joke thread? Of course we all play our collections. Game hunting is meaningless if you don't actually play your games.


You can't play a collection of sealed or slabbed video games though. Not till you open them. Also a whole lot of people hardly play games at all compared to the amount they collect. I'm sure some people only play like 1-5 hours a month yet buy tons of games.

Another example is Pete Dorr since he's a member here. I love his youtube channel btw.

Anyway I'm sure some people with collections as big as him will never play all their games. There isn't enough time to play the amount of games some people own even if they retired right now.

[JSoup]

You can't play a collection of sealed or slabbed video games though. Not till you open them.

Which is why several collectors partake of a simple level of emulation to play games they either only have one copy of or no longer have working equipment for.

[jonebone]

Well I work a full time job, I'm in grad school and I'm married. So no.

I do go through gaming spurts from time to time... might get hooked on a good game and play it a few hours a week until I beat it, then several weeks of nothing. I also do little gaming during the summer these days.

[Atarileaf]

Interesting, some have mentioned retirement as a prime time to play through their collections.

Question is this - will you still be interested? Will you even still have them?

What you're interested in during your teens, 20s, 30s, etc may not be what your interested in during your 60's.

We can all SAY that we'll still own, play, and be interested in gaming but in the twilight of our life, is that really what we're going to want to do? I'm hoping to spend time with future grandkids, travelling, etc. Not sitting in a room playing a library of 50 year old games that may or may not even be working by then.

[o.pwuaioc]

Which is why several collectors partake of a simple level of emulation to play games they either only have one copy of or no longer have working equipment for.

That's not playing their "collection", then, it's just playing emulated games. At least, that's a distinction I assume was inherent in op. Perhaps not.

[o.pwuaioc]

Interesting, some have mentioned retirement as a prime time to play through their collections.

Question is this - will you still be interested? Will you even still have them?

What you're interested in during your teens, 20s, 30s, etc may not be what your interested in during your 60's.

We can all SAY that we'll still own, play, and be interested in gaming but in the twilight of our life, is that really what we're going to want to do? I'm hoping to spend time with future grandkids, travelling, etc. Not sitting in a room playing a library of 50 year old games that may or may not even be working by then.

Reminds me of this, from Nintendo Power issue #1
http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l516/o_pwuaioc/grandma.png

[mailman187666]

I will go through spurts of playing games from my collection, but mostly from my systems that are easily accesible. I have things like my NES, dreamcast, and 2600 in a bin. My 3DO, SNES, and Saturn are hooked up right now. I've got tons of games for the systems that are hooked up right now, so I haven't had a need to swap them out in a long time.

[sloan]

Interesting, some have mentioned retirement as a prime time to play through their collections.

Question is this - will you still be interested? Will you even still have them?

What you're interested in during your teens, 20s, 30s, etc may not be what your interested in during your 60's.

We can all SAY that we'll still own, play, and be interested in gaming but in the twilight of our life, is that really what we're going to want to do? I'm hoping to spend time with future grandkids, travelling, etc. Not sitting in a room playing a library of 50 year old games that may or may not even be working by then.

During later 80's, when NES was king, my wife's grandmother bought her husband, my wife's grandfather, a NES action set for Christmas. They were in their 70's at the time. I went over and hooked it up and he thoroughly enjoyed this newfangled device. In fact, he still played it up until he passed away in the mid 90's.

[recorderdude]

To be honest, my pops is nearing 56 now and he spends half of his days working and the other half watching old corny live action movies from his kidhood even if "nothing good's on" while panning everything animation and video gaming. I don't game that much now and I don't want to game a ton my old age. I do play my collection, but I doubt I'll play all of it to completion and that's completely allright with me; there are finer things in life than gaming, but having a nicely sized collection ensures that, on a rainy day with nothing better to do, I'll always have something new to go through.

I hope I'll be able to enjoy at least some of my collection with my wife/kids but I'm aware that they may cease functioning by then and that those I love may not have the same hobbies or interests I do; pushing my own on them would be no better than when pops pushes his slow-moving uninteresting 50s movies on me.

[Polygon]

I do, but like others I don't have the time to play my games as much as I'd like. I collect other things as well and I never collect anything that I don't use as well. If I had the disposable income I would love to collect cars, I have a few but I would hardly call that a collection. That aside, I wouldn't buy a car without the intention to drive it. I just think it's silly to collect things simply to look at them. The exception to that rule are things like art which have no other purpose beyond being looked at.

[segafan1989]

100% yes. I only play my games i dont display them or anything i get the games just so me (and my friends) can have a ton of fun with the games! :D

X100...what's the point in having classic games if you don't enjoy the fun they provide! I play my games at least an hour every night. I miss the 16 bit era. It was truly the greatest era in gaming IMO because the games have stood the test of time. I don't see people collecting the modern games 20 years from now, they just don't have the same feel or replay value. Classic games are simple, take no time to learn and best of all....NO LOADING TIMES!!!!

[segafan1989]

During later 80's, when NES was king, my wife's grandmother bought her husband, my wife's grandfather, a NES action set for Christmas. They were in their 70's at the time. I went over and hooked it up and he thoroughly enjoyed this newfangled device. In fact, he still played it up until he passed away in the mid 90's.

That is awesome and will probably be me and my wife when we are 70 something. My 10 yr old girl loves the classics. Her favorite right now is Dig Dug.

[xelement5x]

You can't play a collection of sealed or slabbed video games though. Not till you open them.

Yeah I don't really get this. I've got a ton of opened PSP games, but I have a lot of sealed PSP games as well. And regardless, all of them are played using ISOs instead because it's just a much better experience.

[KREATIVEassassin]

Not really. I buy a lot of games never intending on playing them. I clean them and then box them up. The only game consoles I even have with me are Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Everything else is boxed up at my parents' house. I just emulate if I want to play something old.

[JSoup]

That's not playing their "collection", then, it's just playing emulated games. At least, that's a distinction I assume was inherent in op. Perhaps not.

Splitting hairs, really. If I own 10 specific games that are sealed and I download those 10 specific games so as to play them, I'm still playing games I can factually say are part of my collection. More to the point, collectors are becoming more accepting of emulation, simply because the required equipment and the games themselves aren't getting any younger. It won't be many more years before the notion of only using "original systems and games, bleh emulation is yucky" becomes a dream.

[Nesmaster]

Splitting hairs, really. If I own 10 specific games that are sealed and I download those 10 specific games so as to play them, I'm still playing games I can factually say are part of my collection. More to the point, collectors are becoming more accepting of emulation, simply because the required equipment and the games themselves aren't getting any younger. It won't be many more years before the notion of only using "original systems and games, bleh emulation is yucky" becomes a dream.

Agreed. I've got many NES games I never play. No point when I have the Powerpak that saves time changing carts and wear on the system's pins.

I am getting an SD2SNES when Stoneage Gamer eventually has them available again, and maybe an Everdrive 64 sometime down the line.

It shouldn't matter "how" I play, while still showing love for collecting. In the age of these types of carts it just makes more sense from all angles.

Emulation I'm still fine with, when it comes to something like hacks that don't run on real hardware. Many Super Mario World hacks crash on real hardware and thus emulation is the only way.

[needler420]

Yeah I don't really get this. I've got a ton of opened PSP games, but I have a lot of sealed PSP games as well. And regardless, all of them are played using ISOs instead because it's just a much better experience.

Illegal emulation isn't exactly what I would call a better experience.

Piracy has killed sales on the PSP. It's actually killing the industry all toegther. Some of you think it's ok and legit to use ISO's of old games. I know every current gen system to this date can play illegal roms expect for WiiU and Vita. Haven't got into the piracy scene with those.

Some of you might as well just pirate new games since you already commit an illegal act with old games. I know for a fact I use to burn xbox360 games and my friend would load full games of his PS3 HDD and still could play online.
Just steal new games and movies,music too. I really should consider it and save a lot of money since tons of collectors do it anyway.

[bb_hood]

Agreed. I've got many NES games I never play. No point when I have the Powerpak that saves time changing carts and wear on the system's pins.

Right. I used to play my collection, now for NES I play my Nes powerpak, for SNES I play my SNES powerpak, for Saturn I play my burned games on my modded Saturn, SegaCD I play burned games. I do play my turbo/pc engine games and genesis games (rarely), but I will probably buy flash carts for these systems eventually. These are the only systems I really want to play when I sit down to play games.
Saves much time not having to switch carts. Don't have to worry about discs getting scratches when playing burned games.

[recorderdude]

Some of you think it's ok and legit to use ISO's of old games.

I owe at least half of my legitly-owned collection to pirating older video games. "Try before you buy" is a bullshit excuse that a lot of pirates use to justify what they do but it's legitimately true for me; I wouldn't dare sink $7 on a McDonalds genesis game if I hadn't played Treasure Land Adventure on an emulator first and discovered how great it was. That, combined with Dynamite Headdy and Ikaruga, gave me a huge amount of appreciation and respect for TREASURE, to the point that, even though I could easily do so, I'm holding off on playing Gunstar Heroes all the way through just because I want to experience it for the first time on real hardware after trying about ten minutes of it emulated.

[needler420]

I owe at least half of my legitly-owned collection to pirating older video games. "Try before you buy" is a bullshit excuse that a lot of pirates use to justify what they do but it's legitimately true for me; I wouldn't dare sink $7 on a McDonalds genesis game if I hadn't played Treasure Land Adventure on an emulator first and discovered how great it was. That, combined with Dynamite Headdy and Ikaruga, gave me a huge amount of appreciation and respect for TREASURE, to the point that, even though I could easily do so, I'm holding off on playing Gunstar Heroes all the way through just because I want to experience it for the first time on real hardware after trying about ten minutes of it emulated.

I'm sure if anyone could get free rentals all the time then they wouldn't waste money on games they don't like.

You missed the entire concept of that's still copyright infringement. There is such thing as legal emulation and roms,ISO but most of you are in it illegally.

[o.pwuaioc]

Splitting hairs, really. If I own 10 specific games that are sealed and I download those 10 specific games so as to play them, I'm still playing games I can factually say are part of my collection. More to the point, collectors are becoming more accepting of emulation, simply because the required equipment and the games themselves aren't getting any younger. It won't be many more years before the notion of only using "original systems and games, bleh emulation is yucky" becomes a dream.

Another thing I imagine is that many completionists won't play the majority of crappy games for the system they're collecting for. I never understood this, tbh.

[o.pwuaioc]

I'm sure if anyone could get free rentals all the time then they wouldn't waste money on games they don't like.

You missed the entire concept of that's still copyright infringement. There is such thing as legal emulation and roms,ISO but most of you are in it illegally.

Who cares? Christianity is illegal in Saudi Arabia, doesn't make it either reprehensible. If you're going to wag your fingers at folks, at least say something more substantial than "well, don't do it because it's illegal". Plenty of stuff is illegal but entirely acceptable.

[recorderdude]

I think it's come to the point that nobody gives a crap about piracy of older games anymore because it's not directly affecting the business of new game development. Let's consider the only way to legally buy games that still benefits the company; Virtual Console/Download Services. These games, aside from one team's emulator made to run every title on a given system to be sold, take zero effort to port, and the only costs for making these games available for purchase are that of data servers to keep them available; if anything, retro games selling well on download markets are a nice little side bonus, but nothing to get hot and bothered about if piracy is present; the profits from selling them to those who buy, at the very least, outweigh the costs of hosting them (especially for companies like nintendo who sell majorly cartridge-based games on VC and don't have a lot of data to host in the first place)

New games with teams that worked on them and everything, though, are a different story. There's a lot more that needs to be funded there and I fully support actually buying them if you want to play. Excellent games like LA Noire have the entire dev team kicked because they don't sell enough.

[Mark1983]

Like what a bunch of other folks have said...I'd love to play more, but I'm usually busy after work. When I'm not busy I will sit down with something, or hop on my game boy. Usually only for a few hours, or however much free time I get. I doubt I'll ever fully complete every game I have...but that's alright. It's fun just to collect, in general. I just wish I had more free time to play.

[needler420]

I think it's come to the point that nobody gives a crap about piracy of older games anymore because it's not directly affecting the business of new game development. Let's consider the only way to legally buy games that still benefits the company; Virtual Console/Download Services. These games, aside from one team's emulator made to run every title on a given system to be sold, take zero effort to port, and the only costs for making these games available for purchase are that of data servers to keep them available; if anything, retro games selling well on download markets are a nice little side bonus, but nothing to get hot and bothered about if piracy is present; the profits from selling them to those who buy, at the very least, outweigh the costs of hosting them (especially for companies like nintendo who sell majorly cartridge-based games on VC and don't have a lot of data to host in the first place)

New games with teams that worked on them and everything, though, are a different story. There's a lot more that needs to be funded there and I fully support actually buying them if you want to play. Excellent games like LA Noire have the entire dev team kicked because they don't sell enough.

In that theory old movies are fine to pirate as long as it's not new releases.

[recorderdude]

In that theory old movies are fine to pirate as long as it's not new releases.

That's completely wrong. While most movies are all accessible digitally, they take up WAY bigger servers and companies still produce physical DVDs and Blu-Rays of many old movies. They're still investing in physical production, cover design, remastering and taking losses when people don't buy them. There's much more to lose there than old games that few rerelease in physical form anymore, save for a rare compilation disc/cart.

That's not to say the old movies OR old games are guaranteed hits or good at all, if they suck and don't sell it's their own damn fault, but the movie's got a lot more to lose.

[bb_hood]

I think it's come to the point that nobody gives a crap about piracy of older games anymore


I dont think anybody EVER gave a crap about file sharing when it comes to older games.

[needler420]

That's completely wrong. While most movies are all accessible digitally, they take up WAY bigger servers and companies still produce physical DVDs and Blu-Rays of many old movies. They're still investing in physical production, cover design, remastering and taking losses when people don't buy them. There's much more to lose there than old games that few rerelease in physical form anymore, save for a rare compilation disc/cart.

What's the difference if the company invests in physical reproduction or digital? The point is if any reproduction is done from the content owners they will take a lose related to piracy. Hence why it's illegal and you trying to keep justifying it keeps sounding dumber and dumber.

If Nintendo ported a game to the Wii shop that was never ported like earthbound then everyone who used illegal roms and emulations detered sales. It doesn't have to be reproduced physically. Hence music and Itunes etc.

[bb_hood]

What's the difference if the company invests in physical reproduction or digital? The point is if any reproduction is done from the content owners they will take a lose related to piracy. Hence why it's illegal and you trying to keep justifying it keeps sounding dumber and dumber.

If Nintendo ported a game to the Wii shop that was never ported like earthbound then everyone who used illegal roms and emulations detered sales. It doesn't have to be reproduced physically. Hence music and Itunes etc.

Kinda, its arguable that the content owners 'will' lose income due to the existance of 'free' reproductions. Generally speaking file sharing is illegal because the people sharing files just do not have the right to do so. You can argue that many people would not buy the rom even if it was available, and they might still download and play the rom for free. No real loss if the customer wouldnt buy the rom from nintendo in the first place. That however does not change the fact that file sharing copyrighted or otherwise protected material is illegal.

[recorderdude]

Without a doubt. It's all still illegal, but it's so minimal especially with digital rereleasing that it's not worth the trouble of trying to control.

[sloan]

I dont think anybody EVER gave a crap about file sharing when it comes to older games.

Umm, Nintendo used cease and desist letters to shut down quite a few ROM sites in the late 90's and early 2000's. Is that evidence of not giving a crap?

[bb_hood]

Umm, Nintendo used cease and desist letters to shut down quite a few ROM sites in the late 90's and early 2000's. Is that evidence of not giving a crap?

Kinda. Diddnt change anything, Nintendo roms were never hard to find at all. They might have sent out letters but were charges filed?

[needler420]

Umm, Nintendo used cease and desist letters to shut down quite a few ROM sites in the late 90's and early 2000's. Is that evidence of not giving a crap?

It goes way beyond that. I know of a few people who have been arrested,fined and had their operation shut down. You see it more with movies and music but it still happens with games.

It just takes the original content owners to see something fraudulent and a little legality to stand on.

I see cease and desist letters all the time from interent providers because people use bait torrents on pirate bay and similar file sharing sites. And I'm talking on a personal level. Not just distributing.


Kinda. Diddnt change anything, Nintendo roms were never hard to find at all. They might have sent out letters but were charges filed?

Compared to the amount of people who use illegal content it's probably impossible to regulate it all. They go for the big fish.

Not to mention a lot of file sharing sites are off shores to the USA and not in our jurisdiction to pursue legal action.

[o.pwuaioc]

Kinda, its arguable that the content owners 'will' lose income due to the existance of 'free' reproductions. Generally speaking file sharing is illegal because the people sharing files just do not have the right to do so. You can argue that many people would not buy the rom even if it was available, and they might still download and play the rom for free. No real loss if the customer wouldnt buy the rom from nintendo in the first place. That however does not change the fact that file sharing copyrighted or otherwise protected material is illegal.

I really wish we would go back to our original copyright length of 14 years. That's right, 14 years. Fuck the greedy bastards who want to milk us for every penny. I care not at all whether a copyright owner gets a single penny 70 damn years later. This current obscene length is merely in order to protect Disney's ownership of Mickey Mouse. Sickening what/who money has bought.

[Gladiator316]

games are meant to be played. not stored away hoping to gain monetary value.

[VACRMH]

I find it funny that needler420 started his little anti piracy rant about someone who said he owned each game he was playing ISO's of. Also, I assume that 420 stands for something that isn't quite legal everywhere yet? :-P

Anyways, back on topic. Yes, I play whenever I have a chance. I am however, moving towards more and more backups and ROMs. A large portion of my game playing is on the Wii playing NES, SNES and so forth. I do pick up current games when it's something I really want however (Shmup, RPGs, Fighter).

Currently playing through Policenauts, Super Metroid and taking on whoever I can find in 3rd Strike online on PS3. (Hint hint, send me a friend request!)

[JSoup]

Is that evidence of not giving a crap?

Did it go anywhere and do they still do it? There's your answer.

[sloan]

I haven't checked in a while, but last time I looked, NES/SNES ROM sites were hard to come by. Short of torrents and underground sites, I would say Nintendo's tact worked to some degree. And just saying that your perception is that it didn't have much impact in no way negates Nintendo caring about piracy of their IP. If they did not care, why would they have bothered to shut down any sites at all?

[scaleworm]

games are meant to be played. Not stored away hoping to gain monetary value.

yes yes yes yes yes!!!!!!!!!!!

Play them, play them!!!!!!!!! Play them all!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ProjectCamaro]

yes yes yes yes yes!!!!!!!!!!!

Play them, play them!!!!!!!!! Play them all!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stop holding back and tell us how you really feel. LOL :bareass:

[otaku]

this question seems absurd to me why would you not play games? I mean maybe if it were sealed and you could find an unsealed copy but if there were no unsealed copies I'd most likely rip open and play :)

[retromario]

My collection is always being played!

[Gunstar Hero]

X100...what's the point in having classic games if you don't enjoy the fun they provide! I play my games at least an hour every night. I miss the 16 bit era. It was truly the greatest era in gaming IMO because the games have stood the test of time. I don't see people collecting the modern games 20 years from now, they just don't have the same feel or replay value. Classic games are simple, take no time to learn and best of all....NO LOADING TIMES!!!!

I agree 100%! I try to play at least an hour a day and I love retro games over modern games. Now it is difficult to find a good modern game but it is much easier to find a good retro game.

[JSoup]

I haven't checked in a while, but last time I looked, NES/SNES ROM sites were hard to come by. Short of torrents and underground sites, I would say Nintendo's tact worked to some degree.

I'm guessing the last time you checked was sometime in early 2001, then, as you can Google up a number of ROM (and WAD and ISO) sites. I only say 2001 because (public) ROM sites were hard to come by in general up until around 2003 and there has been a never ending stream of them being created since.


And just saying that your perception is that it didn't have much impact in no way negates Nintendo caring about piracy of their IP. If they did not care, why would they have bothered to shut down any sites at all?

You've misinterpreted my blah blah blah you know the meme. Sure, they cared at one point. Then they caught on that stamping piracy out was just a hair above completely impossible and stopped dumping money on keeping people from playing old games and started focusing on piracy of current stuff. Then that tapered off too. I don't know if you've ever sat a case in a copyright/trademark court or not, but "not doing it anymore" is legally tantamount to "not caring".

[8-Bit Archeology]

Like what a bunch of other folks have said...I'd love to play more, but I'm usually busy after work. When I'm not busy I will sit down with something, or hop on my game boy. Usually only for a few hours, or however much free time I get. I doubt I'll ever fully complete every game I have...but that's alright. It's fun just to collect, in general. I just wish I had more free time to play.

Something I have noticed, since my wife and I bought our house is portable gaming is getting really convenient. Whether the LYNX the GBA or the 3DS. I love playing my games in my collection, and my friends browse as if in a library to pick our weekend game. But for me, when i get home and have down time the portable is just there. All 14 of my consoles are hooked up to the tv ready to roll. Still I guess it's just knowing a round of QIX or playing a bit of Prof. Layton will not take up my pre dinner down time. The games I miss playing from my collection are the RPGs. I have Earthbound for the SNES, One of the more popular titles and I have still not played it. <---My inner child wants my head on a spike for that.

But to get back to the point of my answer to this thread....Yes I play my collected games. The classics are played once a month for our gaming drinking high score battle night.

[PapaStu]

Some, but I own (and continue to get) more than I can play without quitting my job and any other responsibilities so that I can catch up in any reasonable amount of time.

In the end, I really play some systems (the modern stuff) while others have moved almost exclusively to 'collection' only things or sporadic play when at a friends house.

[Zing]

What's the difference if the company invests in physical reproduction or digital? The point is if any reproduction is done from the content owners they will take a lose related to piracy. Hence why it's illegal and you trying to keep justifying it keeps sounding dumber and dumber.

If Nintendo ported a game to the Wii shop that was never ported like earthbound then everyone who used illegal roms and emulations detered sales. It doesn't have to be reproduced physically. Hence music and Itunes etc.

I can't believe that someone posting on a video game forum in 2013, with essentially the entire contents of the Internet going back 15 years at their fingertips, is still using the argument that every download equals a lost sale.

[Xander]

I can't believe that someone posting on a video game forum in 2013, with essentially the entire contents of the Internet going back 15 years at their fingertips, is still using the argument that every download equals a lost sale.

I think he is trolling, honestly.

[needler420]

I can't believe that someone posting on a video game forum in 2013, with essentially the entire contents of the Internet going back 15 years at their fingertips, is still using the argument that every download equals a lost sale.

When did I say "every"?

It's never 100%, if you don't think they lose revenue to piracy that's kind of ignorant.

https://ap.nintendo.com/

You see that mario in that link? his frown is upside down :(

[Ed Oscuro]

I am continually amazed that a thread asking if gamers play games continues to grow at three posts.

Maybe I should be more amazed, though, that like Stu I still get more than I have time to mess with...

[sloan]

It seems to me that some players find it hard to come to grips with some collectors. If you don't go by their set of rules, then you are some miscreant or malcontent. I just don't get the controlling mindset that lets a person feel that he/she can define terms on which everyone must relate. It bothers me none that some will play every game they get their hands on, but it also bothers me none that people like myself collect with little to no intent to play those games. Similarly, it almost bothers me none to see the slab crowd asking impossible prices for games encased in acrylic shells. I say, 'almost', because I do believe it creates a falsely inflated market an could potentially drive up game prices in general.

[Ed Oscuro]

A hearty round of applause for everybody who took the time to write about how they don't have time to play their games (myself included, as I wrote)!