Selling It All....

[Steven]

Since I've been a part of gaming boards (2001), I notice every year (or it seems more like every 6 months) there's another (usually, long time, well-respected member of that community) who steps forward and sells it all away. Drastic life changes blah blah blah.

I never thought I'd sell it all away, but last week I was feeling weird and almost sold all 260 games between my 8-bit NES and Genesis libraries. I felt like taking that money and doing something else with it, invest or something.

Somehow, as I was crafting a list of prices, I put it off after pricing 50 games or so because well, god damn 260 games is a lot of work to price, especially when I am not too up-to-date with the prices on these particular systems, so I slept on it and somehow cooler heads prevailed.

I popped in Shining Force the next day, fell in love with it, and decided to keep it all, at least... for now.

So, how many here have come close to selling it all, like I have? I assume those who did sell it all, are no longer present with us (after all, I believe those who sell it all... also get completely out of the scene, so to speak). Anyone anticipating selling it all one day, or is it a "I'll take it to my graveyard" mentality?

Or, any interesting stories you can recall about a close friend (real life or internet) who sold it all, and how shocked you were, etc.?

It's funny... the hardcore gamers we known since 2001 or whatever... always odd to see them selling everything years later. In an instant, everything can change....

I would ideally like to keep my Saturn/SNES collections for a long time, like... into my 40's. NES/GEN/DC I cannot say the same for, as I enjoy those systems but I do not love them the way I do the Saturn and SNES. But... you never know... as with life.

[briskbc]

I went from 250 games to 50 games a few years back. I had t sell becuase I needed the money. I didn't want out. There always seems to be a portion of your collection thats hard to get rid of due to being very common.

Now that I can afford to keep what gems I find, I still get tempted to get rid of it all again as the collection increases in value with every purchase. The lure of cash money can be powerful, especially when you have a young family.

[Richter Belmount]

Heh i got some personal family probs and considering selling my stuff away to , it depends on what just happens in the long run . :/

[Windy Miller]

I sometimes go through phases of wanting to sell everything, so what I do is pack it all away in my loft. And then 5 days later unpack it all & start playing again. LOL I know that the second I sell it, I'd want to play a specific game, so that's why it goes to the loft instead.

[Jimmy Yakapucci]

My story is a little different. I had been trying to collect Genesis games and anything else that caught my eye. The problem came when I had to downsize and realized that I had never played most of them. I am still in the process of getting rid of most of my collection. I am only holding on to really good games and those that I might actually play. Also, I have told myself that since I have limited room for games, I can only get a new game if I get rid of an old one. I kind of cheated on that since I have a bunch of Sega sports games that it won't hurt me to part with.

[johno590]

I've never thought about getting rid of ALL of my games, but I am thinking about downsizing... hell I don't even play half of my games.

[YoshiM]

There are moments when I buy titles for my classic systems but never play them and I think "Why am I buying this stuff? I don't really play any of this". Then I remind myself that one day, after I sell whatever it is I feel should go on the chopping block, I'll probably yearn to play that whatever again.

I've repurchased maybe four Genesis systems and about three Sega CD units (though one was a CDX but I still count it) and three Turbografx units, three Atari 2600's and I'm on my second Sega Master System. Because of this trend my wife told me I couldn't buy a Turbografx again (for why I can't remember-maybe because of a fast buy-to-sell turnaround time).

There are always thoughts of selling for me, especially when I get into a modern game kick. Then I fire up some old title or page through an old magazine and remember why I got what I have.

[MachineGex]

I felt like taking that money and doing something else with it, invest or something.


I think you would be hard pressed to find an investment/stock (on average) that would have a return as good as games.
The stock market has been flat the last 7 or so years. If you have a few grand, I would invest in quality games that have always held a good demand. Maybe land in a few areas would be a good investment, but the price on real estate is flat and over valued in most areas.

So many people who sell their games end up regreting it and buy them back for a higher price down the road.

[cyberfluxor]

I'd never give up my Saturn collection, I'll hang onto it til the last possible day. Same goes with my DS, Gamegear, and complete Genesis games. Nintendo has some important games and systems for me but everything is always loose and is tempting to sell off pieces of my collection later on as I beat groups of games. I've been pondering it for a good amount of time and may still take several more months to decide. But once again, Saturn is #1 and won't go, I'd say the same with my Gamecube and the better of my Playstation collection.

[Icarus Moonsight]

I felt like taking that money and doing something else with it, invest or something.


I think you would be hard pressed to find an investment/stock (on average) that would have a return as good as games.
The stock market has been flat the last 7 or so years. If you have a few grand, I would invest in quality games that have always held a good demand. Maybe land in a few areas would be a good investment, but the price on real estate is flat and over valued in most areas.

So many people who sell their games end up regreting it and buy them back for a higher price down the road.

Steven, if your wanting to invest your money please do. You will never regret a well planned thoughtful investment. Video games ARE NOT a wise investment PERIOD. They're not a waste if they are what you want but don't go buying up games thinking you can retire off them... *sigh* You might as well be buying commemorative "I Love Lucy" plates on QVC as an investment. If I had a bunch of extra cash, I'd be buying gold notes, broke gold and coin silver like mad right about now... would have been better 6 or more months ago though.

It's not healthy (mentaly or finacially) to treat a hobby as an investment. I've always thought that is how a hobbyist that is guilty about how they spend their time and money rationalizes their behavior, that they in some way have a problem with.

Anyway, I'm considering a hefty down-size in games on hand. At least half or a little more. DS and Wii are going to cost me an arse load fairly soon and I'd like to be able to afford my wants the rest of the year. :)

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

Ask me again in about two weeks. :/

[Soviet Conscript]

dureing my college years i taded a ton of games, mostly PS to ebgames just to get a quick "new game fix". i unloaded games like both lunars (new and complete), tactacs ogre, tales of destiny...ect. mostly alot of rpgs that go for at least 60+ these days on ebay. anyways it was shortly after that i decided to start really collecting, go figure.

these days i'm mostly trying to buy back all the games i traded away for a few bucks. now i can't really imagine selling anything off

[Steven]

Acid, ah naw man it's not like that. I am not in this hobby to make a living off it or anything like that. But I do need to downsize my collection. Games like Greendog are a dime a dozen, and I simply don't have the interest/time to invest in all these games -- every game I buy I buy with the intention of playing them some day. I did play Green Dog, and a host others, and I knew if I sold them I would not wake up tomorrow going "Oh no, what have I done?"

I'm not selling it all any time soon. And if I do, it will have to be because of drastic changes in my life (i.e. marriage, having kids, working full time, and loss of interest all combined)

[delafro]

Also, I have told myself that since I have limited room for games, I can only get a new game if I get rid of an old one.

It's funny, that's the advice women usually use when cleaning out their closests LOL . As one who's spent more time in the women's shoe business that I'd like to admit, there are a lot of parallels between women buying shoes and collecting games- buying stuff and only using it once, then throwing it in the closet forever; having a tough time getting rid of old stuff you really don't use anymore, not being able to tell how many shoes/games you actually own, etc. But we need not go there too much!

Actually, that is pretty good advice you are trying to keep your inventory under control- you have to give up something to get something. There's the negative impact to balance out the quick gratification. I should probably start doing that myself one of these days... I just don't have the room for it anymore, and I'm having a tougher time justifying the expenses. Old habits die hard I guess.

[Felixthegamer]

Right now most pretty much all my classic stuff is in the extra room which I never go into. I have thought of selling it, but I wouln't have the heart. I would only sell if I had to. Other than that, I just keep some of the stuff out of the way. Every now and again, it comes back into favour and I make room for it in a better spot. We are also planning on moving and when we do, I want a better set up for the classics.

If I were to give up collection, I would either box it all up and put it away or just give it all to friends who would enjoy it.

[onyx]

I only collect sega master system games and around six months ago i sold 70% of my collection as i realised that i had so many dupes (box variations ect) and games that i was never going to play on so i sold everything that had no real value or the games that i never played

I kept all the rare games i had that were worth good money, games that could not be replaced like sample carts, box variants that were unique and brand new sealed games from europe, and of course games that i loved playing on :P

I had over 650 master system games and tons of other stuff, now i have just over 100 games and a couple of systems, plus all my boxed controllers, ltd edition sets, magazines ect

Thats the thing with giant collections, theres not much point having 300 games your never going to play on unless there super rare and take pride on shelf unit

[chaoticjelly]

I've been close a couple of times, swore Id get rid of a lot of it.. then I wake up the next day and the enormity of it sets in, so I decide to get rid of my "stock" / dupes / anything else I can get rid of first.. and then see whats left LOL

[MachineGex]

I felt like taking that money and doing something else with it, invest or something.


I think you would be hard pressed to find an investment/stock (on average) that would have a return as good as games.
The stock market has been flat the last 7 or so years. If you have a few grand, I would invest in quality games that have always held a good demand. Maybe land in a few areas would be a good investment, but the price on real estate is flat and over valued in most areas.

So many people who sell their games end up regreting it and buy them back for a higher price down the road.

Steven, if your wanting to invest your money please do. You will never regret a well planned thoughtful investment. Video games ARE NOT a wise investment PERIOD. They're not a waste if they are what you want but don't go buying up games thinking you can retire off them... *sigh* You might as well be buying commemorative "I Love Lucy" plates on QVC as an investment. If I had a bunch of extra cash, I'd be buying gold notes, broke gold and coin silver like mad right about now... would have been better 6 or more months ago though.

It's not healthy (mentaly or finacially) to treat a hobby as an investment. I've always thought that is how a hobbyist that is guilty about how they spend their time and money rationalizes their behavior, that they in some way have a problem with.

Anyway, I'm considering a hefty down-size in games on hand. At least half or a little more. DS and Wii are going to cost me an arse load fairly soon and I'd like to be able to afford my wants the rest of the year. :)

Acidic_Pain-
I am wondering where you are getting your information? How is it not healthy (mentaly or finacially) ?
There are several people who make a living on buying and selling games. Saying games are not a wise investment is well....wrong. When you buy/invest, you have to know the market and what you are buying. Sticking to an area you know like games is smart. I do not recoomend people thinking they can retire off of their game collections, but I never said that to start with.

Plus, most people regret selling their games and have to end up buying them back at a far greater price. Steven said he has only 250 games. Unless they are all rare games, he isn't gonna have much to invest with no matter if he picks stocks, real estate or gold .

I paid for a bunch of nice stuff on video game "investments". Now if you do not have the interest in gaming or the room to store games, sell them.

[CosmicMonkey]

I thought I'd be really gutted to all my stuff go. But, tbh, it's more of a relief than anything.

The last few auctions are finishing soon, and then that's it; no more Megadrive/Mega CD, PC Engine or PSone. I've kept the best of the Saturn shooters, but the rest of that's gone too (including the console).

The only thing that is staying under the TV is the Dreamcast.

I got to a point where I realised that I have shelves ful of games, and I don't play them. The only thing I have been playing is the MVS, and the NGPC. I'm here-there-everywhere during the week, so I need a handheld (and something to collect for). But I just don't have the time at home to sit there and spend 60+ hours on an RPG. I'd really like to play some of the SNES/PSone RPGs but I don't have the time or patience. My gaming tastes have changed heavily and I'm more into arcade games. Hell, most of the console games were arcade conversions of shmups, or a similar arcade style gameplay. And really, when I have my 2 small children staying every other weekend I can't have all these delicate, expensive white boxes connected to the TV. And it scares women too :eek 2:

Since the Missus went, I've just been collecting like mad. Probably something to keep the mind occupied, but it's not worked. She never was happy about only 3 things connected to the telly, and I can sort of understand that. But when I sat down the other day after moving the living-room round (finally) and hooking eeeeeverything up, it really did look (imho) like a 12yr old's paradise. Not the front room of a 27year old!

Plus, I've been stuck in the past for too long. The only reason I have a CRT is 'cos a MD looks shit on an LCD. So, now all that's gone, the bloody great 32" thing that takes up the entire corner of the room is going.

So that's it. End of the consoles, other than the beloved DC (and a Wii).

The answer: nice sexy white Japanese Candy Cabinets.

A Super Neo 29 with a 4-slot MVS and the PGM, in fact. Best thing ever. And in about 10 weeks I'll be getting another Candy with a tri-synch monitor for Atomiswave and the CPS2 (probably a BigCentury, unless something else pops up, like a Blast City), and an Egret II for some PCB/Saturn/DC based shmuppery.

I'm ordering a 32" LCD to hang on the wall. I'll just have a MacMini connected for a media centre, the Dreamcast via VGA box and a Wii via Component. Wii really does seem to be the answer to everything. I'm sold.



So um, yeah. That's it.

[Carey85]

I know the feeling. I had to sell of a large part of my collection a couple years ago to pay tuition costs. I've since just devoted my energy to focusing on the Atari systems, as that's always been my primary area of collecting. I'm sad to see the stuff I sold gone, but I've been able to manage.

[Icarus Moonsight]

Acid, ah naw man it's not like that. I am not in this hobby to make a living off it or anything like that. But I do need to downsize my collection. Games like Greendog are a dime a dozen, and I simply don't have the interest/time to invest in all these games -- every game I buy I buy with the intention of playing them some day. I did play Green Dog, and a host others, and I knew if I sold them I would not wake up tomorrow going "Oh no, what have I done?"

I'm not selling it all any time soon. And if I do, it will have to be because of drastic changes in my life (i.e. marriage, having kids, working full time, and loss of interest all combined)

Those comments were not directed at you Steven. Sorry for the confusion. :) I'm in the same position you're in, seriously looking at a hefty downsizing. I'm going to be a gamer for the foreseeable future so I'm not in the "Sell it all" camp at the moment.

@Pac-inator: I never said games are a waste of time or money. If you have very little money and want to spend it on yourself and you like games then have at it. You're just lying to yourself when you go out and spend your money on games and rationalize the practice by telling yourself and others that it's an investment. Hence, not healthy.

There is money to be made on games, but calling it an investment is laughable. Game trading is a hobby and not a financial occupation. For those hobbyist that have taken their hobby in started a business from it (ie open your own game shop) now your invested in games. Even then you're actually investing in yourself rather than the product you sell.

[Mr.FoodMonster]

For awhile, I've been thinking about selling the majority of my 2600 collection. I'd keep 20~30 games, and sell everything else off. I started collecting videogames with the 2600, but only because, at the time, it was the easiest thing avalible. Now that I've got so many games, finding a 2600 game I dont have is either rare or would cost quite a bit of money. And, flat out, I think it's been 1 1/2, maybe even 2 years since I've even fired up my 2600. I dont even know which one of the 3 I have works the best, and the last time I set it up was to test a couple games I picked up.

The more I think about it, the better it sounds. I know I could get alteast a couple hundred out of it, and that would be such a nice thing to throw in the bank at the moment.

But, the later systems like NES, SNES, Genesis ect I really LOVE to play, and play often, and I dont have nearly as many games for these systems as I do the 2600. So, maybe I should get started on selling my stuff. I'm going to be moving soon, so it'd be a perfect time...

[smokehouse]

I think that selling a complete collection is foolish. Selling select items is not. You have to ask yourself…do I play my systems more or do I look at them more? This is the question. I sold some things I can never get back (at least not a decent price)…a mint in box Jaguar, a mint in box Dreamcast and many others. Why? Because I never used them, ever. I simply didn’t like them. Unlike others thought I took the funds from the sale and bought a Neo Geo and Duo R…something much more desirable in my book.

[slip81]

I've never really wanted to sell it all. But I do quite frequently sell/trade of lots of stuff to get new things.

I'm more of a gamer than a collector, so unless if it's a game I really love, if it's not getting played I get rid of it for something that I will play.

Because of this my collection is never too big, but it's always comprised of games I like and play often.

[MachineGex]

I guess buying my gold NWC was a not wise investment and the bubble bobble 2 I just got for $3 was not a good investment either. If you really know what you are buying, games can be a very good investment. It all depends on what you buy and when you sell it.

Saying it is not healthy can be the case if you have no idea what you are investing in, but if you buy and sell the right games at the right time you can make a good profit.

Several members make a living buying and selling games. It all depends on the price you pay and the price you sell.

Oh well, to each their own.

[NES_Rules]

When the Gamecube came out (and before I was into collecting) I almost sold my entire collection of childhood NES and SNES games, which was more than 30 great games for like $20. Luckily my friend (who was supposed to buy them) lost interest and I kept them.

[bangtango]

I generally buy games that I want to play. Since I don't collect, I don't have a super-huge collection that I have to agonize over selling. I have over a dozen systems/consoles but no more than 20 games for any of them. That is not to say I haven't blown up my collection and started over before, though. Sometime back, I got rid of my 3DO, Genesis, Super NES, Game Gear and NES collections (systems, games and all). I eventually replaced all of the systems (and most of the games I once had), except for the Super NES collection, I am still looking for a cheap SNES system.

[mailman187666]

I don't want to get rid of any of my games that I don't have doubles of at the moment. But I know that if somewhere down the line I need to move into a new apt. or have a bill that needs to be paid or anything like that, I'm going to go through and sell the stuff I don't think I will ever play. When the wii/ps3 comes out, I'm going to sell all my doubles and some of the other games I have laying around to be able to buy the new systems. All of my PS2 Suikoden games can go because I have yet to play any of them. I've got doubles of Marvel VS. Capcom 2 for PS2 that will bump me up a bit. Throw in my 2 copies of World of Outlaws: Sprint Cars, Ikaruga, and Final Fantasy Tactics, that gets me pretty close to halfway to a PS3. Those are just games I have doubles of. Now if I went threw even more games, I could pick out plenty that I wouldn't have any trouble getting rid of. The more psyched I get about the new systems, the less I will care about parting with some of my older games. But trust me though, what it is that I am going to sell wouldn't even put a dent in my overall collection.

So I guess the answer to the original thread, no I will not sell my collection as a whole. But will I sell off certain items at certain times as long as they are things I am willing to part with? yes. Say I went to a flea market and bough $50 worth of games that have a value of $75+. Those would be a stack of games I would sell because A) They hold no sentimental value to me, B) I could sell them for more than what I paid. So all in all, its kind of a complicated thing from my perspective, but I'm sure most of you can catch my drift.

[AB Positive]

I've sold-boughtback-resold-reboughtback-reresold-etc... so many times... I think I have an internal need to 'reboot' my collections. Still, don't know if I'll ever get back to where I was.

However I just got a better job now. Maybe that'll help :D

-AB+