Are Beta Versions of Games Worth anything?

[AJay17]

I have a beta version of Monster Hunter, a game that should be coming out soon for the PS2. Think it will be worth anything in the future?

[jdl]

no it won't ...
just give it to me :D

[digitalpress]

They're most commonly referred to as "prototypes" and YES, there's a market for them. There are people who specialize in collecting protos. We've even got an entire sub-forum dedicated to it.

Which, by chance, I'm shuffling this message to!

>> shuffle <<

[geelw]

given what i've been offered for a certain xbox game recently (and i've turned it down because i really wouldn't sell it anyway), i'd have to say betas are worth a small fortune to some folks, and nothing to others. the experience of playing a game that's never coming out is pretty exciting to say the least, so that's a consideration point you're dealing with (among others)...

[Queen Of The Felines]

What about PS2 online beta testing discs? Apparently if you registered a broadband adapter Sony sent you some pre-release beta versions of the online games to test out. I have a Resident Evil Outbreak disc/papers (thank you gamegirl79! :D ) and I know there's a few others.

Kristine

[digitalpress]

A PROTOTYPE could be worth as much as ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS!!!

[nesman85]

or even more! sometimes twice that much!

[Ed Oscuro]

Or 2.5 times as much! (http://www.shibuyagame.fr/liste.php?rub=8&lang=fra)

Assuming that somebody really did buy Castlevania Resurrection at 2,500 Euros, that is...I do remember when it had said "for sale," though :P

[FantasiaWHT]

Not to criticize, I really am ignorant, wouldn't that be breaking the NDA that you ( I would imagine) had to sign to get into the beta?

[Ed Oscuro]

Yeah. Those are more common "betas," after all. The really rare (if not always as much sought after; that's on the game's merits after all) betas/alphas/etc. are those straight from devs or review copies - I don't see an NDA being broken there.

I haven't seen an NDA in a while, but I'd doubt they'd be enforced after the game ships (if indeed there isn't some clause releasing you from the NDA after a certain amount of time...wouldn't bet on that one though).

[nesman85]

Not to criticize, I really am ignorant, wouldn't that be breaking the NDA that you ( I would imagine) had to sign to get into the beta?
what? having a game that's worth a little bit or asking what it's worth?

[FantasiaWHT]

I meant selling it :)

But I thought the original question was askign about selling them BEFORE commercial release. After commercial release yeah I suppose there wouldn't be a problem.

*looks around for his Stronghold: Crusader beta*

[PapaStu]

Like said above they are and arnt. The problem that i've come into with disc based Beta's/Prototypes is how are they considered authentic. With the internet its quite easy to go and find stuff floating around on the net, burn it onto a blank disc write its name on it and POOF, instant Beta/Proto.

Where they become valulable (in my mind) is when they have some sort of printed/screened cover on the disc. QoF's Online PS2 Beta's are a prime example (of which ive got a few other ones) and the prototypes that I got from a fellow DP member for the PSOne that came out of EA all have printed logo's on them (as well as paperwork for the games). See without a lockout chip on your development units most comapnies just throw the game onto the same type of blank CD-R's that we do, and go off to play test it, or do whatever with it. So you get one of those discs, how do you know that it came from where it was said to come from (unless your friend who works there gave it to you blah blah kinda thing...). It just makes modern Beta/Proto collecting a little more difficult because of the ease to create one, and little source to prove its history.

[Queen Of The Felines]

Most (if not all) PSX protos/betas come on "official" media. I used to have a few Activision titles that looked like a plain gold disc but had an obvious "Activision" label stamped on it. However, I also have a reviewable copy of Hoshigami that's on a regular cd-rom with "Hoshigami reviewable" hand-written on it, so who knows.

Basically if you find a Thrill Kill burned on a Memorex cd then odds are you've got a bootleg. ;)

Kristine

[DreamTR]

If anyone wants to purchase some of these disks, I have a small amt that I can part with, PM me!

[nesman85]

Most (if not all) PSX protos/betas come on "official" media.
it seems like near finals / review copies usually come on official media, but nearly all early betas that i've seen are on regular cd-r's.

[rbudrick]

It seems cartridge protos tend to go for more than disc based protos (usually, noit always), but this may change in the coming years. Opinions?

-Rob

[Ed Oscuro]

It seems cartridge protos tend to go for more than disc based protos (usually, noit always), but this may change in the coming years. Opinions?

-Rob
The more exotic the medium, the more awesome the proto, right? :P

I'd sure love to get a development hard drive from, say, Super Shinobi II, oh yes I would. The tapes they use to transport games to a duplication center (or for storage, I would assume...) are nice, too.

[SegaAges]

I have 1 official beta. It is my one and only, so technically, HELL YEAH, you guys just informed me that i have a proto, even if it is just 1 that is disk based. i bought one of those ready 2 rumble round 2 betas from some guy that was selling them a month or 2 back in here. i paid about $15 for it, but the game was complete to my knowledge, plus i used to pirate dc games, so i can tell pirated copies apart from others pretty easily.

[nesman85]

It seems cartridge protos tend to go for more than disc based protos (usually, noit always), but this may change in the coming years. Opinions?
I don't see most disc protos ever being worth too much. they're much easier to fake than cart protos.



I have 1 official beta. It is my one and only, so technically, HELL YEAH, you guys just informed me that i have a proto, even if it is just 1 that is disk based. i bought one of those ready 2 rumble round 2 betas from some guy that was selling them a month or 2 back in here. i paid about $15 for it, but the game was complete to my knowledge, plus i used to pirate dc games, so i can tell pirated copies apart from others pretty easily.
That's a neat little item, but not a proto.

[Jehuty]

I have two prototype discs but one is for the PC.

PS2:
Splinter Cell

PC:
Age of Mythology production beta that happens to refuse to load after the game was officially released. Somekind of Time lockout.

I also have a Gold Master of the above pc game but it's not exactly a proto but pretty cool to have.

[gamegirl79]

My favorite beta. Sorry the pics are a little dark.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v232/gamegirl79/FFXIbeta.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v232/gamegirl79/FFXbetainside.jpg