Rare PS2 collection website

[jtcrew88]

I've started a new website to build up a database on Rare Playstation 2 games accesories and consoles. Check it out http://rareps2.wikispaces.com

Please contribute anything you can.

Thanks

[Oobgarm]

None of the US games you've listed are rare, with the exception of the MGS3 Subsistence LE. Disgaea, Rez, and Gitaroo Man were all reprinted. Ico, Vicotrious Boxers, and Fatal Frame were never hard to find. Marvel vs. Capcom 2, Firefighter FD18, Shin Megami Tensei, and Robot Alchemic Drive are kinda uncommon, but definitely not rare. They're on eBay often, and do command some cash, but are locatable with a bit of looking.

The Linux kit is tough to find, but the HDD is quite common.

[orrimarrko]

None of the US games you've listed are rare, with the exception of the MGS3 Subsistence LE. Disgaea, Rez, and Gitaroo Man were all reprinted. Ico, Vicotrious Boxers, and Fatal Frame were never hard to find. Marvel vs. Capcom 2, Firefighter FD18, Shin Megami Tensei, and Robot Alchemic Drive are kinda uncommon, but definitely not rare. They're on eBay often, and do command some cash, but are locatable with a bit of looking.

The Linux kit is tough to find, but the HDD is quite common.

100% agree with everything Oobgarm said.

Problem is, people are quick to say that a game is rare, because it's in demand and commands money.

Not necessarily the case. In fact, there are plenty of hard to find games that aren't in demand at all - mostly because no one cares about them.

The games that you've mentioned that aren't rare (Ico, VB, FF, MVC 2, FF FD18, SMT, etc) are in demand for two main reasons.

1. They're actually fun to play.

2. Mystique grows as people speculate. Most missed these at retail, so in order to get them, they have to bid - bidding gets higher, and fewer people part with their games. Thus, the supply is less than the demand.

When that happens, the price increases, and people automatically assume that these games are now "rare".

Not the case, necessarily.

There could have been 500,000 copies of a game that were printed - hardly making it rare. However, if everyone is hanging on to their copy, then it becomes "in demand" when additional people want it. Since the supply never increased, people are willing to pay more for it.

It's not any more or less "rare", but simply not available to match the demand.

Since you asked for input, that is...

[tom]

Cool stuff anyway, I don't even have a PS2 yet (got DrumMania though)

[jtcrew88]

thanks for the help trouble with the Rare PS2 is finding the production numbers for each run of the games, anyone know where I can get those?

[Oobgarm]

Guilty Gear X is in no way rare. I'd honestly say that it is common, and there is no Greatest Hits release for it.

PK is uncommon, but not rare.

Also, I'd make sure to note what territories you're taking each game from, like the Castlevania 'Special Edition' and ICO.

I know of no place to get production numbers, though I really haven't looked. I'd be intrigued if anyone knows this info as well.

[norkusa]

Guilty Gear X is in no way rare. I'd honestly say that it is common, and there is no Greatest Hits release for it.

Are you sure you don't mean Guilty Gear X2? I see that one everywhere but NEVER see GGX. Think I've only seen it 3 or 4 times max in just as many years.

I don't know about print numbers, but I've always thought the Gallop Racer series (with the exception of 2006) were some of the hardest to find games on the PS2. And G1 Jockey 3 is even harder to find than those.

[ProgrammingAce]

Out of curiosity, what are you defining as rare? Sony has a mandated minimum print run, actual released games won't really fall under the "rare" category. At least not when compared to other systems.

[Oobgarm]

Are you sure you don't mean Guilty Gear X2? I see that one everywhere but NEVER see GGX. Think I've only seen it 3 or 4 times max in just as many years.

I don't know about print numbers, but I've always thought the Gallop Racer series (with the exception of 2006) were some of the hardest to find games on the PS2. And G1 Jockey 3 is even harder to find than those.

Nah, I meant GGX. I think it's a regional thing. I've seen it in 75% of the stores I've been in recently, both here in Cincinnati and Toledo this past weekend. Most of them are in poor shape, though. Usually the covers are sun-faded.

I hate using eBay as a reference, but there are a good number of GGX auctions running and completed that didn't go for much. Judging by that, though, GGX2 is worth more. :confused:

[backguard]

isn't it guilty gear x2 that is the rare(ish) one?

[mailman187666]

I bet if you were to use the words hard to find rather than rare, it may make more sense. Also, World of Outlaws: Sprint Cars seems to fetch a good amount and I don't often see them in used stores. Is that a supply and demand type deal? or is it actually rare.

[jtcrew88]

yes judging rarity certainly is difficult without production numbers, im pulling what i can find off the net trying to keep in mind that high prices doesnt neccesarily reflect rarity, the minimum print run for sony is interesting does anyone know that exact figure?

also because of the scale of playstation 2 1.54 billion games sold in the North America alone, a game with a seemingly high production run in comparison to other classic systems can be considered rare in PS2 terms.

I think it is especially difficult to judge at this point because the system is still active, I'm trying to get something established early on in the phasing out of PS2 so that as it becomes more popular to collect there will be information out there.

I personally am more interested in the console and accessories side of things, I don't know to much about games.

Anyone who wants to can become a member of the wiki and put up their own information directly to the site, they can also edit any of the information that is currently up there.

[orrimarrko]

I think the problem here is this.

By you putting out a website that identifies certain games as "rare", you are propelling a growing problem.

Despite many resources available to most people, there is a large portion of the video game community (player, collector, etc.) that is succeptible to "myths and legends" in terms of what games are hard to find or "rare".

When people hear enough times that a game is rare, then it automatically becomes public perception. Even if it isn't true.

Next thing you know, people are paying way too much for overpriced games, and so on.

It's just something that many of us are tired of. Especially those of us who have been collecting/whatever for a long time.

So, if you're going to put out a site that identifies games as "rare" - you better be able to back the claim up. For each game.

Otherwise - it's simply a matter of your opinion, and will carry no weight.

By providing actual data, you lend your opinion credibility, and actually do the gaming community a service. That service is information.

Otherwise, its just another person lending to the growing problem of OMG! this copy of Mister Mosquito is so RARE!! LOL

Just my two cents.

Orri~

[orrimarrko]

Oh, and a couple of things.

It would help if you separated US releases from Japanese, etc.

For example:

The Castlevania: Lament of Innocence Limited Edition release was Japan only.

It won't work with the US machines, and only a multi-regional collector would care. Same thing with DJ Box and the Alien Hominid: Eurogamer Signature Edition.

Also, Disney's PK Out of the Shadows was not a limited release.

Finally, and someone mentioned this earlier - NONE of the Guilty Gear games (X, X2, Isuka) are limited in any way.

Regional distribution lends itself to this misconception. Just because Town or City A doesn't get that many, doesn't mean that Town or City B didn't receive a lot.

Like Oobgarm - Guilty Gear X is available almost at every Gamestop in my city.

And there was NEVER a greatest hits release of any GG game for the PS2. That is 100% for certain.

And just so you know - I'm not picking on you, I promise - I'm just trying to help, since you asked for it.

[ProgrammingAce]

yes judging rarity certainly is difficult without production numbers, im pulling what i can find off the net trying to keep in mind that high prices doesnt neccesarily reflect rarity, the minimum print run for sony is interesting does anyone know that exact figure?

Assume, for the sake of argument, that the number is in the ballpark of 50,000. Sony gets kind of pissy with that kind of info, so we'll leave it at that.

[FantasiaWHT]

It won't give actual print run numbers, but the DP guide should give you a relative idea of rarity, right?

[Oobgarm]

It won't give actual print run numbers, but the DP guide should give you a relative idea of rarity, right?

I've not put any rarity up yet for the titles since it's still kinda tough to judge. Searching the forums for RARE PS2 GAMES would yield some good discussions on the topic.

[FantasiaWHT]

Oh, lol, that would be difficult then, wouldn't it! Sorry, I have reflexive reactions... "RARE?" "CHECK GUIDE!"

[jtcrew88]

Thanks for the input guys, I'll be sure to remove the games that are not for sure rarities Guilty Gear and PK were too that were from other threads on this forum about building a ps2 rarity guide. I tracked down a copy of the contract that Sony has with game producers, the mininum production run figure is confidential and edited out by the securities and exchange commision :(

Also good point about seperating the games by region.

Thanks

Also are any of the video game collecting publications good for production numbers, or any information other than prices?

[Oobgarm]

Also are any of the video game collecting publications good for production numbers, or any information other than prices?

I'd say no, since that info would be online SOMEWHERE as a result of it being published in a printed publication.

[backguard]

to reiterate ---- guilty gear x2 is more rare than guilty gear x

[Richter Belmount]

thank god guilty gear x2 might not stay rare , i heard the newest update is gonna reach stateside.

[orrimarrko]

to reiterate ---- guilty gear x2 is more rare than guilty gear x

No, it's not.

[backguard]

are you sure? x2 goes for twice as much as x on ebay.

[walrusmonger]

And final fantasy 7 sells for more than Final Fantasy 12. $ doesn't = rarity.

[portnoyd]

are you sure? x2 goes for twice as much as x on ebay.

Dude, you completely missed the point of the thread. See post #3.

[orrimarrko]

Dude, you completely missed the point of the thread. See post #3.

Hey Port - glad to see you're still around. Wasn't sure how many of the eldestatesmen were still here... ;)

[Oobgarm]

http://30lives.blogspot.com/2007/03/defining-rare.html

A good read (and I wrote it)

[backguard]

Dude, you completely missed the point of the thread. See post #3.

all things being equal, price is the best indicator of rarity (low supply = high price).

i guess i spoke to soon, but does anyone have any actual evidence of which one is more rare?

[FantasiaWHT]

all things being equal, price is the best indicator of rarity (low supply = high price).


I hardly know where to start...

Low supply by itself does NOT create a high price. Example- I found a pretty rock the other day. It is unique, and has the lowest possible supply of any real item- 1 in the entire world. I could not sell it for billions of dollars because nobody wants it, there is no demand.

There's tons of rare (very low supply) games and prototypes that nobody really cares about, and since there is no demand, the price for those games is much lower than the high demand titles like Final Fantasy VII, of which there are millions upon millions in the marketplace.

[badinsults]

High price is a pure indicator of demand outstripping supply. For instance, Earthbound is a relatively common game. Yet, it is likely the most expensive snes game out there right now, due to a strong fanbase promoting the game. However, a game like Fun n Games, which is one of the top 10 rarest snes games can still be had for less than $20.

[jtcrew88]

I agree. Demand is definitely the driving factor in video game collecting, certainly there are games, mainly for the classic systems which are highly priced because of their limited supply, but these prices are driven even higher by demand.