Time to start collecting 6th gen or even 7th gen games?

[WelcomeToTheNextLevel]

The retro gaming scene has been around for a long time now, and the prices of systems/games tend to follow a certain curve:

1 - Start out high when new and drop.
2 - Bottom out (from what I've noticed, this is about when the games are 10 years old)
3 - Appreciate due to increasing scarcity and retro gamer appeal. This peaks around 20 year games.
4 - Depreciate once again and level out. This tends to happen when the game is 25 years old or more.

So that puts PS4/Xbone/Wii U (8th gen) firmly in Step 1 with much of the 7th gen still in Step 1. The 6th gen is firmly in Step 2 from what I've noticed, I got 100 PS2 games (disc only) for 20 bucks a year and a half ago. 5th gen is going into Step 3 (it was FIRMLY in Step 2 in 2008, when I got 63 4th and 5th gen games for just $17).

So it seems the 6th generation is at its cheapest. Good idea to focus collecting on it?

[Niku-Sama]

actually kind of missed the boat on 6th your now in that waiting period for 7th.

I've noticed a lot of game cube stuff has become heavily sought after lately, game boy advance player for instance is going for a little more than its when new price as long as you have the disc with it, a year or so ago they were dirt cheap.
a lot of it seems to be happening with PS2 games instead of hardware and accessories, a lot of the games are gaining in popularity again and getting more and more pricier and that people prefer fat systems over slims and the fats seem to be getting more money than the slims.

it seems almost to me though that although right now both of those consoles are still considered cheap the fat PS2 with hook ups and controller is getting ~$25 on average where I am at and the gamecube is getting ~$35.
a year or 2 ago I was able to get them around $5 and $10 bucks but gamecube was usually the cheaper, little bit of role reversal at the moment

edit:

well crap I just re read that after posting it and I realize now its 3am and time for sleep, i'll fix it later but you get the jist if what I am saying

[xelement5x]

The problem with your step 4 is a limited data set.

NES has been out for almost 30 years and shows no sign of slowing down with pricing, and Master System is actually continuing to go UP in prices within the last several years actually.

I'm not saying all games will continue to rise no matter what, but the difference between Atari/Coleco/Intellevision and NES/SMS is quite large in terms of game quality, quantity, and variety. In my opinion, later generations will hold their own better than the very early ones because of their continued play-ability, the only exception to that being early/bad 3D games.

As for when to buy games, get them when they're cheap enough for you to not balk at it. There's no magic formula involved in it. If you're going to try and time everything perfectly to get the maximum return, go to the stock market instead.

[WelcomeToTheNextLevel]

The problem with your step 4 is a limited data set.

NES has been out for almost 30 years and shows no sign of slowing down with pricing, and Master System is actually continuing to go UP in prices within the last several years actually.

I'm not saying all games will continue to rise no matter what, but the difference between Atari/Coleco/Intellevision and NES/SMS is quite large in terms of game quality, quantity, and variety. In my opinion, later generations will hold their own better than the very early ones because of their continued play-ability, the only exception to that being early/bad 3D games.

As for when to buy games, get them when they're cheap enough for you to not balk at it. There's no magic formula involved in it. If you're going to try and time everything perfectly to get the maximum return, go to the stock market instead.

Hence the "or more" in the "25 years or more" statement.

[ProjectCamaro]

I 've been picking up early Xbox 360 and PS3 games left and right for less than $5.00 in great condition lately.

[kupomogli]

If you don't care about most of your games not being in pristine condition then purchasing them at the end of the gen is fine, but if you're one of those that has an OCD where the game has to be perfect or near perfect condition, it's best to look into these games when there are more available. It may not be $10 or less per game, but even used you'll have an easier time finding even the most uncommon games in near perfect condition.

[Atarileaf]

If you don't care about most of your games not being in pristine condition then purchasing them at the end of the gen is fine, but if you're one of those that has an OCD where the game has to be perfect or near perfect condition, it's best to look into these games when there are more available.

I remember seeing a video quite a while back about a collector who was so OCD about the condition of his games that he kept returning newly sealed games if there was even the slightest wrinkle, crumple, tiny tear in a seal, basically any micro-defect you could possibly think of. I'd hate to live in his head. Must be impossible to be a collector with thinking like that. Wish I could find the video.

[bioshockfan]

I have seen that the generation before the current one generally has the cheapest prices because everyone wants the newest titles. There seems to be a drop in prices fast on the xbox 360, wii, and ps3 games. I picked up 10 (not great quality titles mind you) wii games for just under $30 complete. A lot of the ma and pa pawn shops are starting to lower their prices on ps2, xbox and gamecube titles. So it may just be a demographic thing as well. All I know is that I am constantly broke from the games that I buy on a weekly basis hehe.


Bioshockfan

[WelcomeToTheNextLevel]

I may have to stretch Category 3 and 4 a few years.

A local game store where I live has a Master System on sale for $150. I got my Master System on March 29, 2006 for $47.

Mind you, the $47 was from a different game store that usually had lower prices (That game store, Video Games Etc, closed on July 14, 2009).

A Master System would never have had a chance to sell for $150 in 2006. I seem to remember the store with the $150 Master System selling Master Systems in the $50-$70 range in 2006.

So the Master System has more than doubled in price in under 9 years.

Also, my boxed copy of Golden Axe Warrior - $15 on July 12, 2009 - is worth over $100 today. Mind you, it was worth about $60-70 in 2009, but Video Games Etc (which was two days from closure) had it for $15.

[Rickstilwell1]

I think part of the problem is that local stores see a boxed Sega Master System going for $150- $200 so then they try to sell a loose one for that, not knowing the difference that most of the value came from the box due to boxes being discarded so often.

[Atarileaf]

I remember seeing a video quite a while back about a collector who was so OCD about the condition of his games that he kept returning newly sealed games if there was even the slightest wrinkle, crumple, tiny tear in a seal, basically any micro-defect you could possibly think of. I'd hate to live in his head. Must be impossible to be a collector with thinking like that. Wish I could find the video.

Found the video I was talking about. We all want items in as good shape as possible but having this kind of ocd makes collecting anything near impossible

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaQilHbijdM

[bioshockfan]

Found the video I was talking about. We all want items in as good shape as possible but having this kind of ocd makes collecting anything near impossible

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaQilHbijdM

That guy on that video has a serious illness if he is complaining about a crease in the box of a game.

Just saying. I love my stuff in near mint condition. But this guy takes it to a WHOLE new extreme.


Bioshockfan

[jonebone]

The best time to collect something is right near the end of when Gamestop carries it. Once they stop carrying it you are too late and prices are already going up due to unavailability. But if you catch it at just the right time, especially when they run sales like Buy 2 get 1 free, you can really clean up before the spike.

[xelement5x]

The best time to collect something is right near the end of when Gamestop carries it. Once they stop carrying it you are too late and prices are already going up due to unavailability. But if you catch it at just the right time, especially when they run sales like Buy 2 get 1 free, you can really clean up before the spike.

So in other words, now is the time to collect for the Wii! UNfortunately, the ones near me are already throwing out the cases for games worth under like $3 anyway.

PS3/360 will be in the next couple years I think, that'll be fun.

[Gameguy]

Just start going around to garage sales. I've already been finding DS/3DS/PSP games or Xbox 360/PS3 games in the $1 range. Really just a single 3DS game that I can think of finding, from everything else nothing much really that good overall though. I'd rather be finding older console games or PC games. I honestly pass on most of these $1 games as they're mostly near worthless junk and usually aren't worth the effort to sell, and aren't worth playing.

I actually know someone who recently found Xbox One and PS4 games at a thrift store, apparently all lousy crap though.

[Niku-Sama]

yea I have seen a few xbone/ps4 games at goodwill recently

[Tanooki]

Just start going around to garage sales. I've already been finding DS/3DS/PSP games or Xbox 360/PS3 games in the $1 range. Really just a single 3DS game that I can think of finding, from everything else nothing much really that good overall though. I'd rather be finding older console games or PC games. I honestly pass on most of these $1 games as they're mostly near worthless junk and usually aren't worth the effort to sell, and aren't worth playing.

I actually know someone who recently found Xbox One and PS4 games at a thrift store, apparently all lousy crap though.

Not entirely, you know you're missing one good thing for the $1 price -- spare cases if they're in great shape. You never know when you'll buy or find a used game that's in great shape but someone just thrashed the case, or because how cheap and thin at least the Nintendo stuff is these days when something will break. When gamestop cleared out GC I bought a couple 50 cent games to replace some bad cases. When you figure buying a case online may be that price but then have 2-3 more in shipping on it, it makes sense to pick up a dollar or two game for a solid case.

[WelcomeToTheNextLevel]

The best time to collect something is right near the end of when Gamestop carries it. Once they stop carrying it you are too late and prices are already going up due to unavailability. But if you catch it at just the right time, especially when they run sales like Buy 2 get 1 free, you can really clean up before the spike.

Game Stop is very ubiquitous nowadays!

From my house:

Nearest Game Stop: 3.7 mile drive

Nearest classic game store: 14.4 mile drive

That alone makes me want to collect what I can from Game Stop. If I'm getting classic games, I better have enough money to get enough games to make the 28.8 miles on my 2011 Honda Accord worth it :D Plus that game store is a little overpriced and kind of in a sketchy area. Plus I'm only 22 years old, but I'm a little developmentally delayed, so I have the maturity of a 20 year old :(