Ever get the urge to sell your entire collection? [Archive]

fishsandwich

11-06-2006, 10:43 AM

Does anyone here have the urge to sell part or all of your collection even when you are STILL collecting?

I'm getting older... 36. I have about several thousand games from the 2600 all the way to the Dreamcast. My college days of booze, grass, and video games are far behind me, my partner isn't a gamer, and this stuff takes up a lot of room. I don't get to play that much anymore.

I've been thinking about purging... maybe getting rid of all my Genesis and Master System games. They take up a lot of room! Speaking of room... 200+ domestic Saturn games and 100+ Sega CD games and 200+ complete N64 games take up a lot of space, too. I live in a tiny loft and it's bursting at the seams.

And I'm STILL buying games... mostly handheld stuff like the Gizmondo and N-Gage but that takes of precious room, too. The systems I mostly PLAY are the the DC, N-Gage, and my PC (I just got into GTA3... DAMN I'm behind the times.) I still shop eBay regularly and have switched my obsession to Retro Gamer magazine and other similar publications (I also have hundreds and hundreds of game magazines in storage... thanks, Mom and Dad!)

I flip-flop between keeping it all, selling part of it, or selling the whole damn thing and be done with it. It's consumed a big part of my life (and my salary) for so long now it's hard to think about moving on but I'd like to be in that old lifestle again... the kind where I could pack most of my belongings in my Jeep and just move if I had to (not that I have any plans of doing so, but with the world the way it is...)

Does anyone else have feelings like these? How do you deal?

:?

itobandito

11-06-2006, 11:13 AM

I would try to pack up as much stuff as possible in boxes, store them and not think of them for a while. I always find myself wanting what I had then having to re-buy them. This is why I sell nothing now. I have certain parts of my collections boxed up and am always excited and happy when I eventually get back them. Some stuff I tottally forgot I had and am even that much more so excited. I myself am married and getting older and have thought maybe I should just get rid of this stuff, I don't use it. But then I find myself wanting to use it laterd down the road. Even if it's just for short periods, I am always glad I kept the stuff.

cyberfluxor

11-06-2006, 11:16 AM

I always flip-flop between the idea of selling off certain systems I own but not the whole deal. Whenever I bring it up with my friends they tell me not to because it's a bit of character I have in my room and there's always plenty to choose from. They have however told me a better choice is to slow down and only buy certain games on systems I really want to further on, like the Saturn. Other systems I need to become more picky on, like only buy complete NES games (which are �ber rare around here). Also stop buying things online because you could spend a ton of money in no time at all online and cuts the entertainment out of finding a rarity.

One big idea that came to me was to play the hell out of a game until you can't really stand it anymore. If you believe there's nothing else to do in that game and it just isn't worth a replay later down the road and isn't a collectable game just sell it. It really is a good idea because then you can say you owned it, played it, beat it, and just couldn't go farther with it. If you ever did have a random niche to play it again either start up an emulator and play it for a bit or purchase it at a store or online (depending on how common it is at the time).

fishsandwich

11-06-2006, 11:26 AM

Flack

11-06-2006, 01:21 PM

Does anyone else have feelings like these? How do you deal?
I deal with this on a pretty regular basis. I'm don't have any answers for you; in fact, I have little more than a "I hear ya" to throw in.

One example for me is NES games. I wasn't a big NES gamer growing up (I didn't get my first NES until the Christmas of 1991, in fact). I have every single NES ROM available for play on several locations: on my laptop, MAME my cabinet, my Xboxes, my GBA flashcart, and so on. I currently have around 200 NES games and to be quite honest I rarely ever put in a real cart and play them. Everytime I look at them I think of all the money I have invested in games I never play. Then I go to thrift stores looking for more. I may pick up a couple here and there, then when I get them home I put them in the pile and say, "well that was stupid."

I think the majority of collectors have some nostalgic tie to what they collect (Atari collectors used to own Ataris, NES collectors used to own NES consoles, etc). So if you're thinking about hanging onto that stuff for a big payday someday, I don't think it'll ever come. You might get lucky and find someone who wants a Dreamcast collection in 10-20 years but more than likely it's going to sit there forever. If you play the stuff then hey, that's great, but I find myself questioning why I buy so many games that I'll never play.

Pantechnicon

11-06-2006, 01:33 PM

And what about bit rot? CD degradation?

This is why I stick mostly to the carts 8-) .

I never get the urge to sell it all off, but I have on occasion trimmed a considerable amount of fat from the horde.

Look hard at the components of your collection and ask yourself the following questions:

1. Do I have some deep-seeded personal affinity for this system? (e.g. - Did I play this when I was a kid? Does it remind me of some happy memory?)

2. Is this something that makes me go Wow? (e.g. - Is this a piece of hardware that does something unusual? Do I like the music or cutscenes of a particular game? Can I play this over and over and never get bored of it?)

3. (optional question) Is it worth a lot as a collectible item?

If the answer to at least one required question above is yes, then keep it. If the answer to both requireds is no, sell it now.

Applying this criteria, I parted ways recently with modestly sized collections for the NES, SNES, Saturn and TG16. It felt great, and freed up critical space to pursue the things that for me hold greater personal siginificance.

I'm the same age as you, fish. And although I feel like I'm slowing down considerably as a collector, that doesn't mean I'd ever want to fully give it all up. Slowing down as a collector jsut means you have more time to play.

In a pinch I could whittle it all down to one system (Atari 2600) and ten games (from a current collection of 290). Just take some time determine what's really important and what's not.

I have justified my excessive spending with the misguided belief that my collection will be worth big bucks some day, or at least give me the return on my investment.

There's really nothing wrong with this thinking. But if you decide to start selling off stuff in large batches then do it with the mindset that you're liquidating as opposed to building a retirement fund. Otherwise you'll be setting youself up for twice the disappointment, if you follow my meaning.

ccc---

11-06-2006, 01:37 PM

Oh yes, I am dealing with that too regularly. But so far I haven't sold a single system of my collection. I have way more thatn 1,000 games that I never played and maybe will never play, I buy most of the stuff "just for collecting" - and to be honest, I don't know why. At the moment I don't have the space to display my stuff - it's all in many boxes in the cellar. In a few years we will have a house and hopefully a game room there where I can display all the games. I would love to see all the games on display. I am not sure tho if I will actually play them then.

Selling some systems or even my whole collection (except for Videopac maybe, because that was my first system) would bring me a lot of money, a lot of free space and some kind of "freedom". I could make some nice travels with that money, oh well ...

I do it like Flack, I can only say "I hear ya" and here is someone more who has the same thoughts. But I have no solution ...

NES_Rules

11-06-2006, 01:40 PM

Sometimes when I look at my shelf I sometimes see a lot of potential cash sitting there. But I figure a shelf full of games looks a lot cooler than a bank account with some more money in it. Although if/when the new Camaro comes out, I may be a little more tempted to sell.

ccc---

11-06-2006, 01:40 PM

Btw: I just bought 7 not so common (at least here in Europe) Intellivision games for $135 ... so far my regular thoughts of sizing down ... :roll:

VACRMH

11-06-2006, 02:20 PM

I consider selling it all every so often. But in the end I usually end up trimming.

My suggestion, play the games.

Just sit down with a box of games, and play them for a little bit. If you don't like one, get rid of it. That's what I do.

WanganRunner

11-06-2006, 02:23 PM

I think about it occasionally.....but my collection isn't worth all that much money and I'd much rather have the games than the cash.

I sold off a ton of stuff a couple years back and now I regret it immensely, so I'll probably never do that again.

CD Degradation scares the crap out of me though, as I really only collect CD-based games. The only thing that I seriously collect that's cart-based is portable stuff.

Steven

11-06-2006, 02:26 PM

fish, take it from me man sit down and compile a list. Make a note of ALL the games you *know* you would NOT regret selling. And then sell those.

the rest, keep.

Since 2005 I've sold 130 Saturn games, 130 Genesis games. These were games I no longer had an interest in... and the clutter was driving me mad. A month ago, I made $412 off just 45 CIB GEN games by selling to 1 person. The money you can get off these no longer wanted games can be great.

Bottom line, keep that you love. All else, sell 'em. I have no regrets whatsoever because I carefully evaluate each game I sold, and knew I couldn't care less.

These gaming lulls happen, and we all at some point ponder selling it all. Unless you really changed your tune on gaming, don't sell it all. I know there are some games you gotta still love. Keep those.

Kitsune Sniper

11-06-2006, 02:50 PM

... I've been considering selling off my Dreamcast collection. I love the system, but I've been buying games left and right and I keep getting scratched discs... and those suck. :\

I dunno. I've built up a sizable collection (49 games, with one duplicate Hot! New! variant and Bleemcast: Gran Turismo 2), but... the system also holds some significant emotional value to me. One I don't want to have.

I dunno.

Sweater Fish Deluxe

11-06-2006, 03:35 PM

I think this is something that anyone who collects stuff has to think about ocassionally. I mean, the concept of a collection is so materialistic and in my opinion materialism just goes against the grain of nature, though it's obviously also an attraction to a certian part of the human psyche as well, so we're caught between our contradictory wills, so to speak.

With video game collections the pressures take all the forms people have mentioned so far in this thread: hedging on which games you'll want to play in the future, enjoyment of the systems and games simply as a material collection, emotional nostalgia, on the one hand, and on the other, the burden that would be lifted in terms of space and attention. Add in the money concerns on both sides of the equation and it gets pretty damn complicated.

I myself decided to be rid of my collection a few years ago. The need for money played a big part in that decision, though it was something I'd been moving towards for a long time previously. I sold my Intellivision, most of my 2600, Sega Master System, Genesis, Sega CD, 32X, SNES, Jaguar, Jag CD, 3DO, Saturn, Neo Geo Pocket and altogether at least six or seven hundred games that went with those systems as well as accessories and sundry other things like Pong machines and stray games. Some of those like the Master System, Neo Pocket or Jaguar had previously been the jewels of my collection and some of my favorite systems. And most importantly, I had never payed a high prices for any of the stuff, I'd been able to piece together nearly complete collections (by my definition, which is all the games I'm interested in for a system, not simply all the games on the system, period) by finding things in the wild or for unusually cheap online, which is something I know would not be possible again should I ever choose to re-acquire that stuff.

However, three or four years later, I have no regrets really. Sometimes I think about something from my old collection and would like to have it temporarily, but I know that those are just passing feelings and they're not very strong anyway. It's not anything like the biggest mistake I ever made or anything like that that people say. I feel like I got far more benfeits out of selling the stuff than I would have gotten from keeping it all.

Of course, I didn't sell everything. I kept my Dreamcast with a huge collection of games I kept my Coleco with a lot of games including the 2600 Module and a box of 2600 carts. I kept my N64/64DD with a backup device that allows me to play any games I want. I kept my original Tele-Games C-100 Pong unit. I also recently picked up a DS and I've bought a lot of plug & play style systems, though I need to go through that box and clean a bunch of those out, actually.

One thing that certainly helped me make the decision to sell all that stuff is the realization that I can play almost all the games I sold via emulation either on my Dreamcast or through my laptop which I can hook up to my TV. This has been true and has been just as good so far really, though I know a lot of people seem to hate emulation, it's been fine for me. Great actually, since it's also opened up arcade systems through MAME that I never would have been able to own.

As for magazines, I had already sold most of those off long before I sold off the mass of my console and game collection, though I do still have one box of EGMs running form 1990 to 1995 that I can't seem to part with. I'm selling off some of the rest of the magazines that I still have right now actually on the Buying & Selling forum.

Well, those are my feelings on the matter. Not really trying to make any suggestions about what you should do in your own case, just saying what my experiences have been, oh fishy brother.

...word is bondage...

YoshiM

11-06-2006, 04:05 PM

Oh yes indeed. Looking back at my history I know I can't do a complete selling of everything as I'd probably buy the stuff back again. My wife regularly reminds me about this. So I've been trimming my collection down to the stuff that means something.

If you have that urge to purge, start off with the titles you got on a whim and probably never played since you bought it. Give them a few test plays and if nothing trips your trigger, put it in a sell/donate pile. Then wait a bit to see if you dive into that pile or not. If you don't, then you know that stuff can go out the door.

Massimiliano

11-06-2006, 04:13 PM

I have justified my excessive spending with the misguided belief that my collection will be worth big bucks some day, or at least give me the return on my investment.

Now I'm not so sure... Emulation is getting bigger and bigger. Stuff that used to be exclusive to one system are making their way onto classic compilations. Prices for classic stuff are going down. Who knows how prices will be in 20 years?

And what about bit rot? CD degradation?

Hell, I've been thinking the same way than you for months...
And started to sell everything I didn't use for ages and/or I did know I wouldn't ever again use (playing or anything else that has something to do with my sega website project)
Been bored to sell every games one by one so I've decided to get rid of the stuff in bulk lots.
Fortunately, I can roughly estimate the price I did pay for each game and I just try to resell without loosing money.
But, like you, I still buy games (anything sega related)

Nesmaster

11-06-2006, 05:47 PM

Recently I've started to think this way as well. In fact I liquidated about 75% of my PS2 collection just recently, in favor of playing some new 360 games coming out. I might just be burned out on classic games for a while (or even the next five years..), but I just can't bring myself to get rid of my older games. PS2 sure, but anything older, no matter how much I might feel like getting rid of it from time to time, I just can't do it and forget I ever had the thought. And that might just be for the best ;)

Synergy

11-06-2006, 06:42 PM

As I've stated before, I used to have 100+ PS1 games, 100+ PC CD-ROMs, and hundreds of other games for other consoles. I ended up selling them all, and now I feel sick just thinking about it. Especially those PS1 games. Damn it. :(

95% of 'em were in like-new condition, and now that I want to collect again, most, if not all of those titles I want back now. :roll:

Now THIS time when I amass the Synergy collection "2.0", I highly, highly doubt I'm going to sell it all ever again. I don't buy games hoping they appreciate in value or any of that jazz, I do it for nostalgia and games I just love playing.

What it really comes down to, for me anyway, is how much "gaming" is in your blood. I've accepted it's permanently in my blood for a long time at least.

Think about it for a long time, pack it up, and throw it in the basement/attic for a while first. You may be glad you did. I wish I had. Ugh!!

ganondorf

11-06-2006, 06:53 PM

I did the other day...
Im 14 and have about 200 games, I had the urge to sell for wii and 360.

nebrazca78

11-06-2006, 09:27 PM

I've been thinking about selling out lately to get a down payment for a home. But at the same time I'm still collecting rabidly. I've also been thinking that I have enough games and hardware to start a Sega museum. Which is a better idea (more practical)? Definitely selling out and getting a place. But wouldn't it be great to run a video game museum?

boatofcar

11-06-2006, 09:35 PM

Darren870

11-06-2006, 11:36 PM

I've come up with problems like these in the past too. Recently I completed the Dreamcast set. Yay! Go me! However, I think out of all the Dreamcast games I have played maybe 5 total. Never have I beat one.

However to say I own a complete Dreamcast set makes me happy and I know one day at some odd point in my life ill pick up a DC game and play it and beat it.

I've thought about selling everything, as I mostly play on my Neo Cab and my 360. I'd love to buy a nice new cab and maybe another modded xbox. However my tastes come and go and I know that I would regret selling something big that would be hard to replace or take time.

IDK, reading this makes me want to sell my stuff, buy a new cab, my wii and just bank the rest. However, I rather keep it because one day I know ill want to play one of those dreamcast games.

Steven

11-06-2006, 11:48 PM

Been there, done that, and couldn't be happier. About a year ago I started selling off everything I didn't have a personal attachment to. I made a nice little bundle on ebay, and was able to buy the last few games that I did have an attachment to. Now my collection is lean and mean, and I can easily get to everything and actually have room to move around my room of doom!

It's either you or wavelflack, but I'm pretty sure it's you. Your copy of SNES Fatal Fury II went to a good home =P

I'd like to add 1 more thing: simplifying can do wonders for your life and your hobby.

A few months ago I gave up on the notion that I'll have time to play all the games I had... so the ones I cared the least for -- I sold.

You can't play every great game there ever was, you just can't. Find the system you cherish the most and keep that. The rest? Move 'em.

zektor

11-06-2006, 11:57 PM

I hear yah too, and I HAVE sold it off...multiple times. The thing is, now some things I will never attempt to "re-collect". I once had every SMS game (USA releases) and a very rare store kiosk unit. I sold everything off. Now, even tho I think about the SMS here and there, I will never re-collect it because I know (or think I know) that I will never get back all that I had. Same goes for other systems (thinking Neo-Geo, Vic-20 and some more), and the selling of my collection basically ruined the re-collecting aspect for me for these systems forever.

I am now collecting another computer (console?)...namely the Atari 800. I have a pretty decent collection thus far, and am pretty proud of it. I have learned my lesson, and will not sell it off...no matter how much I feel like I want to. Because I know for a fact that if I do, I will someday reminise on how good my collection was here as well...and make myslef upset that I ended up getting rid of it.

I say, if you TRULY do not care (or think you will never care again) about your collection(s), then go ahead and sell. BUT, if you have one single solitary doubt in your mind (which you most likely do as you started this topic), then leave it be. Ask someone else if they can store your stuff for you and then revisit it in a few years. If you are a gamer at heart, I think you'll be glad you did.

Atari 5200

11-06-2006, 11:58 PM

I've had the urge to sell my entire collection...ever since I got a girlfriend...

Mainly so she couldn't see it... LOL

Steven

11-07-2006, 03:51 AM

Cauterize

11-07-2006, 06:05 AM

Its tempting to get rid of all my generic-non-played games, including all the sports ones (apart from senisble soccer)

However i keep asking myself what would i do with the money?

Similar to what Flack said, id probably only end up buying other games with the money!

The games which we accumulate that we hardly play are usually the ones we get in the sales/cheap deals or trades which we wanna try at least once, then just never part with.

Ive always had the mentality of keeping a copy of every game i find. For example, i have aqquired Sonic 1, ill sell any spares that i get from this point onwards...
But im now starting to ask myself if that was a good idea...
With Megadrive it was as i was aiming for a PAL Set, same for SMS and 'attempting' for SNES and NES... However i look in my PS1 collection...
Titles like 'The Dalmations' (A Cheap budget release featuring various shite mini puzzle games which shouldnt have been released)
Stuart Little 2 (Im sure this game is somewhat playable, but its not one which appeals to me in the slightest)

I know for a fact that probably a good 30%+ of my collection has been unplayed, not a good percentage...
and probably 5% of them will never be played either

Then it gets worse, the same game across lots of systems...
PacMan/PacMania/MsPacman for NES, Gameboy, Gameboy Colour, Gameboy Advance, Amiga, 2600, Lynx, Megadrive, Master System and god knows how many others...
This i can say for quite a few games...
But dont get me wrong, Pacman is gamign perfection in the simplest form... But do i really need the 2600 version?
Do i really need a version on every gameboy there is? or every console....

I will admit though, i do have a weakness to varying artwork on carts and boxes for the same game

I guess ill have to think about selling some of it at one point, im a 20 year old student lodging at my parents... What will i do when i have a place of my own!?
Luckly though, as apposed to fishsandwich my girlfriend is quite into her games and has a mini retro collection herself so i cant ever see it being a problem.
She collects Disney DVDs and Lilo and Stitch merch too, so if anything she understands the collecting gene!

But then again, my collection isnt concealed in one room... I have taken over a large part of my parents attic storing console boxes and spares which i need to get roudn to sorting out...
I have also taken over part of the garage to store my ebay shop stock too...
I feel like im taking the piss a little, however theyre totally fine with it as theyre not using the space themselves.
But if i did get a place of my own, where would it all go?
My parents (getting old) have a fairly spacey house (luckly for me) and i dotn think the first place i buy will have enough room for all the games! Let alone myself!!

I think if i had to sell lots, i would still keep my Megadrive, SNES, Gamecube and PS1 collections.
The Xbox would be kept for emulation too...
But i know deep down i would miss everything i have accumulated so far...

Its such an upseting thing to think about in someways...
Something we all work hard on, enjoy and love... disappearing!

Right now though, i think ill enjoy it all until the time comes where i HAVE to sell it, for reason XXXXXX

:)

cyberfluxor

11-07-2006, 09:22 AM

Chiming back in.

Emulation is a really large contributor to why people dislike buying older games. Why pay some people so much money to play on the original unit when you can fork out $20 easily on an older computer that can emulate an entire venue of games and consules. You can purchase USB controllers that even have the same shape and lay-out to those older systems too for cheap second hand, then have audio/video cables go to a TV and boom, similar instance as owning the original without the bleeps and cleaning. It really is trival why people even purchase older games, very simply entertainment of the hunt and feeling your brining back a childhood memory. Without those it's difficult for people to decide to get into physical collecting of games.

I myself have entire collections of systems in ROM format on my computers but I just don't touch them unless I wish to try the game before purchasing it at the store. There have been times where I've thought about selling off all my cartridge games (because I can't stand emulators of CD based systems) and buy an X-arcade stick for playing them emulated, but I don't. The main reasons I guess I've been continuing to purchase games are:
1) To have the originals at hand whenever I want to play.
2) To decorate my game room when I have my own place.
3) Whenever people come over it strikes up conversation.

zektor

11-07-2006, 11:38 AM

Predatorxs

11-07-2006, 06:05 PM

At the beginning of this year i sold off my whole NTSC Gamecube collection roughly 480 games (Complete), i wanted to sell but also wanted to keep, it came down to the fact i was never going to play all of those games, they where taking up space, and by selling them i made a good amount $$$ and made space.

I always tell people to ponder the question to sell or not to sell? And tell them NOT to sell, since at some point you'll think WHY? did i do that, then it's mission impossible to get it all back!

But what i have done is narrow it down to what i want more, and i'v sold off 2 collections and kept my snes collection, some one also mentioned how they tell themselves it will be worth big bucks in the future, you took the words right out of my mouth LOL

Do what you think is best, there are many more things in life that are more important, and having less stuff and more cash can help with other things.

PS. I'm moving house and maybe even country, and once that was all set in place it was easy for me to let alot of my stuff go, Especially if you come too a fork in the road and you need choose! Those difficult decisions become easy all to quickly!

In the end if there is no rush and you having nothing pushing you to sell some of your collection, keep it for now, you might look back and think sh!t i nearly sold all this stuff and those good folk at DP kept me in line! :D

diskoboy

11-07-2006, 07:16 PM

I'll only consider it if I'm having financial trouble and am about to become homeless. But I honestly don't think I could ever have the heart to sell my collection.

Espeically since I have most of my entire 80's collection, still...

fishsandwich

11-08-2006, 09:29 AM

At the beginning of this year i sold off my whole NTSC Gamecube collection roughly 480 games (Complete)

You know what the incredibly stupid thing is? I might have tried to buy your Gamecube collection had I known it was for sale! Here I am talking about selling part or all of my collection while thinking about how great it would be to have a huge Gamecube library. I live in a 600 square foot loft... that's about the size of a living room and dining room in a large house. You would never be able to tell I was a serious gamer by walking it... the only things out are an N-Gage by the bed and a Dreamcast hooked to the TV. Just don't look in my huge dresser, my two wardrobes, or under my bed. Hell, I've got some stuff packed away in the BATHROOM.

If I had 500 Gamecube games it would be all over. I intentionally STOPPED collecting at the Dreamcast... I let a whole generation of consoles pass me by because of my obsessive-compulsive tendencies.

And the new generation of consoles is looking mighty tempting.

:help:

KingCobra

11-08-2006, 10:18 AM

Yes, I have had these thoughts too :/

Soo I've sold mine off! Except for a few things, I just can't part with some of my older Atari and Homebrew stuff.

I say play through your suff and whatever stuff doesn't have the magic? Dump it, plus it's not like your throwing it in the garbage, you'll be passing it along to other gamers and putting smiles on other gamers faces :D Just like when you find games.

CosmicMonkey

11-08-2006, 02:41 PM

I'm certainly a lot happier since I sold off my collection.

I only kept the Dreamcast hooked into the telly, and I've got a Super Neo 29 Candy with a 4slot MVS in the corner.

I'm finding that I'm playing games a lot more now I have a smaller selection.

Although I must admit I was hoping the Wii would help with some of the older games I'll miss for PC Engine and Megadrive etc... But I'm waiting to see how the VC region locking affects this issue. I've resisted and been good so far, but I'm about to put a PCE, SNES and MD emulator on the Xbox. At least then I can choose my top, say, 15 - 20 games for each system and just have those sat on the HDD.

CosmicMonkey

11-08-2006, 02:41 PM

n8littlefield

11-08-2006, 03:42 PM

nebrazca78

11-08-2006, 10:19 PM

Hell, I've got some stuff packed away in the BATHROOM.

You are a sick bastard and I love it!

Now all you need is a little T.V. in there and you can play while you take a crap. Hardcore.

zektor

11-08-2006, 11:52 PM

I've actually considered going entirely handheld. I only have an NES and Atari with about 100 games each, a PS2 and then my wife and I both have DSs. I've strongly considered ditching all the consoles and just going DS entirely. I find the handheld games in terms of pick-up-and-playability really suit my lifestyle better. I know I'd regret it though - once my son is past the toddler stage I'll want to play more.

I did this for a LONG while...to the point in which I almost did not even remember what games looked like on a screen larger than 2 1/2 inches! :) But, all it took was to see a game on a 32 inch TV again to make me drop the handheld scene like a brick...

qbertandernie

11-09-2006, 07:40 AM

i kick it around now and then, but the trouble is i dont need the money. i think it would be easier if i had debt i couldnt pay, but i rarely play ANYTHING, as i dont have time to. some ds or psp here and there, but of the 4200+ games i have, ive honestly played less then 10 in the past 6 months.

i get into feeling im denying people the right to play some rare games sometimes, but having this stuff makes me happy, and i like to find games i dont have. so i guess that serves some type of purpose.

even sets ive completed and never intend to play i dont want to sell for some reason. this stuff contributes nothing to my life, and could be a liability because it cant be insured(noone around here will appraise it, and insurance wont give a rider without and appraisal). problem is i see the market slacking off a bit, and know every day im probably losing money by keeping it. at the same time is see CMOSFM, who is selling his whole collection and making good money, with a TON of extra work selling that much stuff.

ah well...good to know im not the only one wondering if selling is best.

bluenote

11-09-2006, 09:36 AM

I've actually considered going entirely handheld. I only have an NES and Atari with about 100 games each, a PS2 and then my wife and I both have DSs. I've strongly considered ditching all the consoles and just going DS entirely. I find the handheld games in terms of pick-up-and-playability really suit my lifestyle better. I know I'd regret it though - once my son is past the toddler stage I'll want to play more.

I totally feel the same too. I mean, you can get, what, 2000+ games for the Gameboy (original, advance, etc), and all the current gen stuff on top of that, that might be good enough for me. It's so easy to play for an hour with a handheld, then it is with a console, at this stage of my life anyway.

Keir

11-09-2006, 10:13 AM

I hear yah too, and I HAVE sold it off...multiple times

I swear it was you... you were the guy who built up an SNES collection in early 06, about at the same mad rate I was, but ended up selling it in May-ish? I recall being very shocked that you got out of the scene that quickly. But it's all good. We all gotta do what we have to do sometimes.

That was me dude :) I even had DK ountry and Starfox competition carts! These items I had to sell to pay off some debts, but I bet if I had really tried I could have kept the stuff and found other alternatives. Yet another instance of my selling it all off...Yeah, I remember when you were hardcore into VIC-20, for like a week! LOL OK, it was longer than that but I was shocked when you just gave up and sold it off.

However, I've actually been trying to sell my collection for over a year now, mainly because I need the space but it's also due to a loss of interest. Selling it is a lot of work! I had this fantasy that someone would just come to my house hand me a check and take it all away! Actually I have had a few people come by and buy a couple boxes full off of me, but there's just so much stuff.

I've sold stuff here and on eBay, sold a few boxes of games to a comic book store down the street, donated to Salvation Army and even thrown stuff away. The trouble with eBay is that if I sell individual items or even small lots it takes forever and hardly makes a dent in my collection, but bigs lots don't make any money (e.g. this lot: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130010371816). Then there was that disaster of a dollar sale I had here... x_x

Another trend that I've noticed in my collecting is that whenever I get close to completing a system, I sell it! I've come very close to completing Sega 32X, Atari 5200 and Odyssey 2, and each time I asked myself "Why?" The answer was always "because I can." So I sold them all.

sickdrummer420

11-09-2006, 10:40 AM

I sold of my entire collection years ago and Im mad I did it so Im trying to get it all back. I quit playing games after being on the road with my band all the time. Never had much time to sit and finish them at all. Im still out always doing shows and stuff but now Ive been forcing myself to find time for these games as of lately. Too many great games have been coming out lately and I dont want to miss these Nex-Gen Times.

fishsandwich

11-09-2006, 11:14 AM

I've sold stuff here and on eBay, sold a few boxes of games to a comic book store down the street, donated to Salvation Army and even thrown stuff away. The trouble with eBay is that if I sell individual items or even small lots it takes forever and hardly makes a dent in my collection, but bigs lots don't make any money (e.g. this lot: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130010371816). Then there was that disaster of a dollar sale I had here... x_x

DAMN that sucked... I mean, there were quite a few sports games in there and it very honest of you to disclose the true condition of the lot but there were a few darn good games in there, too! That is one pile of stuff for .99!

:puke: :monkey:

If you're wondering what I store in the BATHROOM... it's a boxed set of Samba De Amiga maracas. I have them wrapped up in case of excessive moisture. I do live in a loft and my bathroom is abnormally large for such a small place plus the ceilngs are very tall... I have a big storage platform above the washer/dryer that may soon be home to more games. Dammit.

What to do, what to do.

:?

tom

11-09-2006, 03:21 PM

I sold my VCS collection when I still lived in the UK. Went for GBP 1200.- ($ 2200.-) in 2003.

Trying to re-collect, but very difficult nowadays (especially boxed).

Jasoco

11-11-2006, 04:59 PM

I do. And I am. Well, not soon. But eventually. The urge to collect is gone for me. Has been for almost 3 years. I'm more about just gaming and playing rather than spending all my money on any cheap game I can get my hands on.

When the time to move out of this cramped room in my parents house (I'm 27 for Pete and Pete and Ellen's sake.) and into some better place I won't be taking 75% of this stuff with me. Will I sell the remaining stuff? Maybe. Maybe not. Either way it'll be easier to weed out what I don't want if I just take what I actually want with me. Leave the rest behind until I'm sure I'm ready to sell/store it.

BydoEmpire

11-11-2006, 05:19 PM

I've definitely felt that way from time to time, but having regretting selling systems back when I was 18 or 20 (I'm 33 now) I've held off. Earlier this year I had some specific things I needed money for, and realized I rarely played my Saturn, n64 and0 Colecovision so I sold those systems. Which actually kind of worked because it focussed my gaming - fewer systems and games I actually play. I used to end up spending a surprising amount of money on games I rarely if ever played, just because I'd say "oh, I'd like to try this Saturn title, it's only five bucks". I also got rid of a bunch of ps2 & xbox games that I knew I'd never play and had no emotional connection to. It worked for me, I haven't regretted those sales (and now I have a nice home studio for music work). :)

I would say it's much easier to feel good about selling the games if you use the money for something specific.

zektor

11-11-2006, 09:54 PM

Yeah, I remember when you were hardcore into VIC-20, for like a week! LOL OK, it was longer than that but I was shocked when you just gave up and sold it off.

I can deal with the parting of my SMS stuff and my SNES stuff, but THIS is the collection that I regret the most. Never again will I have all four VIC Xonox double enders boxed, or Jelly Monsters...Polaris...damnit.

This is exactly my point. This is something that I did not think twice about selling then, but regret it dearly right now. My solution was to start collecting something I always wanted to but did not..the Atari 8-Bit. I have a nice 100+ cart collection as I type, as well as some R9's. I'll be damned if I ever sell these. Of course I have said that before, but I have certainly learned my lesson regarding the regret of selling.

Steven

11-11-2006, 10:01 PM

I would say it's much easier to feel good about selling the games if you use the money for something specific.

I kinda agree with this. Anytime I had a fire-sale it was with some sort of 'prize' in mind. I recently sold the likes of Taromaru and Astra Superstars among others just to use that balance on SNES games... and I have no regrets. It was a great trade in my opinion because I no longer play those games I sold, while I cherish the ones they help brought in for me without me having to "use money out of my backpocket" so to speak.

However, with me now being 95% done buying, I have no need to sell or any of that.

So you've got a point there, Bydo.

petewhitley

11-13-2006, 03:21 AM

Never.

Vroomfunkel

11-13-2006, 09:39 AM

Been there, done that - no regrets. Sold off my collection once, because I was broke and I really wanted a digital camera.

Then built up an even bigger collection. About a year ago, I decided to start trimming down to just the things I played. Then about January time, I realised that I didn't actually play anything very much any more. So I sold off the lot. I've kept a Saturn with Death Tank Zwei and Bomberman, multitaps and joypads to accompany - it's in a box in a wardrobe, and hasn't been used for months.

I didn't necessarily "need" the money as such, but it's all gone into savings - on the basis that some day I might want to do something like buy a house, or get married, or something similarly crazy. And I don't want to have to start saving from scratch for either of those, if I can help it.

Haven't missed the games - have just been reading more. Still browse eBay & message boards when I'm bored, but I don't think I'll be collecting again. But who knows ... !

gamesniper

11-13-2006, 10:45 AM

I think about this regularly. I sold everything except my INTV and games (everything was an SMS, Genesis, Sega CD and ~100 games) when I was starting high school. I regretted it almost immediately and have since. I've steadily re-acquired most of what I lost, plus another 2000 games on top of that. I've got games in shrinkwrap, games I've never touched, games in storage, and I often think about selling it all. Then I buy more games. My wife would probably appreciate it if we had less, but she encourages me not to sell it all off, b/c she knows that I really do like parts of my collection. There are plenty of systems and ~1500 games or so that I don't care about strongly, so I could certainly cull out the good stuff and simplify things a little. I hate not being able to display but a fraction of it, and I would like to see everything in one place at least once before I start liquidating, if/when I do.

jpark203

11-15-2006, 09:20 PM

I've thought about it before and did it with my entire collection a few years ago because, well, I felt overwhelmed by it all and didn't seem to be having that much fun with it all. I mean, I could never decide what I wanted to play next. I sold off everything and at the time, it didn't really seem to bother me. I got rid of an NES, Genesis, 32X, Saturn, Dreamcast, Master System, SNES, PS2, X-Box, and Gamecube. Also got rid of all my games. I must've had over 500 of them, over 100 for the DC alone. Then a year later I longed to play some of my favorites, mostly for the Saturn and Dreamcast since those were my faves, so I innevitably ended up buying them again. The difference now? I only buy and keep games that I truly enjoy rather than try to complete a checklist. There's no point in a hobby if you can't have any fun with it so maybe you should consider keeping the systems and games that you enjoy the most and sell of the rest.

You said that you play a bit of the Dreamcast? I know it's not the same as actually owning the games but there are some very good emulators that were ported to the DC for many of those systems. That way you could still play some of your favorite classics on the TV without all the clutter.

Good luck on making your decision.

Mattiekrome

12-02-2006, 12:23 PM

Reading this thread has got me thinking now :confused:

I just opened my closet yesterday and saw my shelves of games and thought, "90% of this stuff will just sit here forever taking up space". I dont have alot really, but just alot of odds and ends. I would keep my NES and SMS, and probably DC and GBA too, but would git rid of GENNY, PSX, GB, etc. With a 6 month old baby, seems like the time is right to trim down the shelves a little bit.

But my big problem is, I'll sell off all of something, for example, I'll sell all my PSX stuff.... Then I'll be a yard sale and find a box of PSX games for like .50 each and end up buying the whole thing... Just too good of a deal to pass up, and I would feel bad for leaving them there

dejapooh

12-03-2006, 03:44 AM

I collect Olympic pins and cutting back is the name of the game. For example, the best estimate is that for the 1996 Olympics there were between 20,000 and 30,000 designs made. There is no way to know what was made, much less what it is worth, so I've cut my collection back. I collect NOC pins (Pins given to athletes by their country). Maybe 2500 different designs. My goal is to get at least one from every country, dated if possible (down to maybe 200). Focus your collection on an area that interests you. I've just started collecting games. I am going for NES games that were sold and available in stores in the U.S. while the system was actively marketed. This keeps out contest carts, Prototypes, Foreign, and so on. It refines my collection to a more easily completed and rational collection. Refine what you collect. If it doesn't fit, trade it for things that do fit.

Steven

12-03-2006, 06:26 AM

But my big problem is, I'll sell off all of something, for example, I'll sell all my PSX stuff.... Then I'll be a yard sale and find a box of PSX games for like .50 each and end up buying the whole thing... Just too good of a deal to pass up, and I would feel bad for leaving them there

Always easier said than done, but you just have to be stronger than your temptations. Right now, I'm thinking of eventually dumping my NES and 130 games for it. I bought it 6 months ago but have barely played it and lost interest in it along the way.

Eventually, I'll probably own just 3 systems: SNES, Saturn and DC

Ed Oscuro

12-03-2006, 07:53 PM

I still get the urge to sell some of my Neo Geo games now and then. It'd be a quick buck (but usually, not quick enough)...but then someday I'd be going "shit, I wanted to play that game." If I only had some high-priced shit games to sell, I'd be all set. But unfortunately these are higher-priced good games (i.e. SSIV, FF3), and should be kept.

Mr-E_MaN

12-03-2006, 08:10 PM

I got the urge, and followed through with it. I collected NES games, and had close to 400 of them. I did not find any new games to add to my collection in MONTHS, so I decided to sell most of it off. I made quite a bit off of the games, and went to vegas for a week with the profits. :-)

I kept around 50 games I liked and packed them up in boxes. I think starting tomorrow I am going to unpack them, test them, and sell them all off. No more collecting for me. I'll focus on newer systems.

wrldstrman

12-06-2006, 10:41 PM

Yes and if anyone is interested I would sell off my entire collection for 45.000.00 ...

alec

12-07-2006, 12:57 AM

I've actually been thinking of selling some of my game collection lately. I just bought a new Neo candy cabinet today, its going to have a vertical monitor, so I'm going to need some money to buy Jamma boards. I also need the money for a lot of other stuff, because of this cabinet I'm dead broke and Christmas is just around the corner. I'm thinking of getting rid of my entire Genesis collection. I already traded my Sega Nomad for a PCB. I may sell my Sega CD1 and Genesis1 and the CD games and cart games I don't play so much and just keep my gen3 and the cart titles I like. I'm also thinking I may sell my Duo R and games. I'm not too sure if I want to do it because a modded Duo would be much harder to get back if I sell it. But that would bring in some cash I could put to good use, and its not like its the only DUO in the world or anything. I want to sell my xbox, but I powered it up just a few minutes ago and it gave me some kind of weird error message. :( Maybe I'll out the coolness of the Gameboy Micro. I'm probably going to get rid of some RPG's and MVS games too.

ozyr

12-07-2006, 05:59 AM

I get the urge every few months, especially after a large spend on some rare item. This hobby is expensive! :frustrated:

Synergy

12-07-2006, 12:05 PM

Actually, I'd like to rethink my last comment. I've recently made the decision that I like playing games a lot more then collecting. About 5-7 years ago, I literally bought game after game moreso for the package and just to have it in my room then actually playing it. I got so caught up in collecting that my time of actually sitting down and playing them suffered greatly. There's still NES, SNES, PS1, and N64 games I haven't even started that I want to beat, for God's sake.

This built up a little reputation from some of my friends to poke fun at me once in a while. We'll be talking about a new game, I'll mention how I might buy it, and they'll say something along the lines of "Why? For a shelf deceration? It's not like you'll actually play it!" :roll:

Not to mention I have more important stuff to spend money on right now like paying off my vehicle, buying some new furniture, clothes, etc. For once in my life I'd just like to kick back and enjoy a game rather then worrying about if the box is ripped, if the actual manual is there, if the case is cracked, if the disc is scratched, if the battery in the cartridge still works, etc., etc., y'know? Plus, the topics of digital distribution being the future and cd degradation still concern me a bit.

I could never stop playing games, I just have no desire to dump thousands and thousands of dollars on older equipment anymore. I'm finally starting to realize you don't need a mint condition box and manual with a game to enjoy it.

So...this is what becoming a true adult feels like, eh? LOL

Sailorneorune

12-07-2006, 01:18 PM

I had entertained the possibility of selling off my collection, as I have a few "rare" games... but then I considered that I'm not the only person that plays these games so a) they're not all in perfect condition, and b) the other people who play them may have me shot.

Buyatari

12-08-2006, 03:51 AM

everyday

ProgrammingAce

12-08-2006, 05:56 PM

everyday

I'll make a shopping list and send it your way...

Juganawt

12-09-2006, 06:29 AM

I'd never sell the whole lot. Too many personal attachments to them. After all, I've been collecting games for the past 23 years.

However, about 2 years ago I sold off about 150 PS2 games, as my 3rd PS2 died on me and I had no intention of buying a 4th (until I was offered a brand new one with VF4, 2 pads and a memory card for �100 about 6 months later).

Last christmas I sold a few games dear to my heart to fund my Xbox 360, and I regret some of my sale choices (Deathrow for Xbox especially. I've been searching for another uncensored copy ever since), but I knew that I'd play my 360 a lot more than some sealed games that have been sat in the cupboard for 3 years... so I sold games that were sealed, that I didn't really miss (cos I never played them) and that I knew would make a fairly high price.

Do some trimming round the edges, but never think of selling your entire collection. you WILL regret it. If you've been collecting games for a fair amount of time like I have, you'd no doubt spend the next few years trying to buy half of the stuff back that you wish you never got rid of.

bangtango

12-09-2006, 11:09 PM

fishsandwich

12-10-2006, 10:01 AM

I think I'm going to do it... at least a bit.

I've got tons of Saturn, Sega CD, Genesis, Master System, and N64 games that are taking up FAR to much space in my tiny loft. Lots of these games are never going to be worth squat and I never play them... lots of sports games and really common stuff like mortal kombat. I'll keep the ones I enjoy playing and the ones with real value.

Problem is that i'm going to keep putting marginal titles in the "keep" pile... i can see it coming now!

I'm not going to purge any of the CD games I have... that means PS1, import Saturn, CD32, and Dreamcast are safe. I think handhelds will be safe too... the GB, GG, Zodiac, Gizmondo, and N-gage. I think I'll also keep the NGPC and TG-16.

What to do about all the loose NES and SNES? i have far too many crap games but they don't take up a lot of space.

This is going to be hard work and I suspect that i will ultimately get rid of very little.

DAMMIT

Iron Draggon

12-10-2006, 11:41 AM

The closer I get to "completing" all my collections, the more I think about it. Mainly because I figure if I already own every game I ever really wanted, then what's left to do with 'em all but play 'em or sell 'em? I know I'll never play 'em all, so I think to myself wouldn't it be cool to sell 'em all to some other collector who really wanted a ready-made collection full of rarities?

The main problem that I have with selling 'em all is I couldn't bear to split any of 'em up. If I couldn't sell 'em all to just one person, all at one time, I really wouldn't wanna sell 'em. And who could afford to buy about 1500 games all at one time? Who would want to if they could? There aren't that many rich game collectors out there, and the few that exist already have everything.

Sometimes I think that I might be able to split it all up by system, but even then I'd still have a hard time selling everything for each system to just one person. I have nearly 500 games for the Genesis alone, who would buy 'em?

I guess one day I'll get to a point where I know I'm never gonna play any of my games ever again, and then it will finally be time to sell 'em all. I'll get to a point where I feel that I don't have that much time left to live and still be able to enjoy doing other things, and then I'll seriously consider selling it all so I can use the money to travel the rest of my golden years away. But I'm not quite 40 years old yet, so that day is likely several decades away still.

But then I also have this fantasy of donating everything to a museum. If there ever was a museum that would be interested in it all, they might even name a wing of it after me or something. I could be their largest contributor.

Most likely I'll prolly go to my grave still owning all my games, and it will be left to my survivors to try and figure out what to do with 'em all. Which really sucks, because they don't know much about 'em. They wouldn't know what was rare and what wasn't, and they wouldn't know what went with what. Not that I would really care, if I was dead, but that would be an even bigger shame then me selling it all off myself before I died. But I'm still waiting. LOL

SEGA-SAMMY

12-16-2006, 01:26 PM

I had a little over 300 games this time last year but now i'm down to about 35. I'm just not really a collector always been a gamer first and i'd rather have that $$$$ towards a house i'm buying so it went. I feel really good about it too.

mizarkgram

12-17-2006, 12:09 AM

Yes

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=84878

eric nintendo

12-26-2006, 11:35 AM

Personally, I just try to limit what I collect. I don't have that many games right now (only about 150, mostly just built up from years of game playing), but I plan on continuing to build my collections.

I just have some set rules that I made for myself when I decided to get serious about collecting, which I think has helped me enjoy it so far...

1. I only buy games that are in good condition. If the label is messed up, or the cart really dirty/has writing on it, CD comes w/ no package, ect...then I don't buy it. This helps keep my collection lean since it's harder to find clean stuff out there compared to the stuff that was defaced.

2. I don't buy duplicates unless it's a good deal that I can make money on.

3. I only buy games that I want to acually play. If they have some sort of nostalgic value or are just really good games, I'll buy them. However, I won't buy all the crap licensed games, sports games, etc. It would be nice to say "I have a complete (blank) collection," but in the end, where will that get me?

The only people who would find that interesting/impressive are fellow collectors or enthusiasts. I'm not doing this for any materialistic reasons anyway. I'm doing it because it's fun and I love video games. So I only buy what I can see myself sitting down and playing. I'd only buy a crap game if it was really rare and I could sell it to fund buying actual good games that I want to play.

I think if you go in with a similar mentality, you'll keep your collection manageable AND you will have so much fun with it that you will never feel like you want to sell it.