collectors: do you buy two copies of the same game?

[ADG566]

Do you gamers buy two copies of the same game, one remains sealed for the collection, and the other to play? Or do you just buy one to keep sealed and perhaps rent it? Or what? How do gamers handle this?

[G-Boobie]

Games are games first, so I buy one copy and take good care of it. I understand the attraction of sealed games, but I don't really care about the value of a game, except for when I'm paying to buy a game I want to play.

[Leo_A]

I do the unthinkable, buy 1 copy, open it, and actually play it.

[bunnybum]

Same here. The way I "collect" games are by buying and playing games.. and just never getting rid of them again

[Oobgarm]

I do the unthinkable, buy 1 copy, open it, and actually play it.

Must not be too unthinkable, as I follow the same train of thought.

If you've got enough money to blow on TWO copies of a newly-released game, more power to you, though I think I'd rather spend it elsewhere on something that might have a more immediate benefit or more a defined investment value.

[PapaStu]

If I bought TWO of most things (especially the new stuff) i'd not be in too good a shape. See i've got this cornerstone of my life, better known as my wife who puts up with enough games as it is. I don't need to push my luck much more than I do.

Besides I like getting a greater number of different games, rather than repeating the same ones over and over, it helps make it a bigger collection that way.

[debian4life]

I collect games for fun not profit. So for me it doesn't have to be boxed or sealed just playable and only one copy is necessary.

[TheDomesticInstitution]

While I don't have as many games, as others on here. I only buy one copy, as usually it's all I have money for. Buying 2 of the same game means thats one less differet game I could buy. Of course, unless it's a super good deal. But I don't have the patience to sit on a game and wait for it to collect value. I don't really like seeing more than 1 copy of the same game on my shelf.

[suckerpunch5]

Sometimes I do, but it is always more on accident than anything else. usually what happens is I'll get a sealed copy of a game cause I want to play it, but then other things get me distracted from the game for a while. Then I'll find a cheap copy of the game that is used, so I'll pick it up. I don't have much use for sealed games, but I know some people will pay more for them, so I just sell it to someone looking for a sealed copy and keep the used one.

[skaar]

Actually, I kinda cheat the system a little. Every console I've got is modded, and I tend to burn what I buy, leaving the originals sealed a lot of the time.

I mean, not ALWAYS, but I have a lot of sealed titles I've bought weeks/months/years (sometimes years, but not usually) after I've beaten the burn. Also helps not to have to pay $80 for a game I can get for $20-30 a year later.

Most of what I collect are RPGs and the like - sports games I'll buy one years worth and usually burn subsequent years. Generally if I play it more than a day or two I'll buy a copy if I can afford at the time.

The bigger titles I tend to open though just to look at, or if I really want to look at the goodies.

[Damaramu]

I only buy multiples if I plan on reselling the extra copies. Which I rarely do, so to answer the OP's question: no. Buying and hoarding games for "profit", IMO, is not a good way to spend your money.

[marcus12024]

I mean, not ALWAYS, but I have a lot of sealed titles I've bought weeks/months/years (sometimes years, but not usually) after I've beaten the burn. Also helps not to have to pay $80 for a game I can get for $20-30 a year later.

This method of purchasing hurts the developers (and everyone else involved in making/producing games) an awful lot. I can't believe that someone could think this behavior is acceptable - I mean, you're getting something for free, and then just picking it up cheaply at your leisure in the future. You may want to argue with something like "at least I'm picking up a copy eventually", but unless you are buying a copy from a store at full price down the line, you're hurting the industry...especially if you're buying used copies. The only way this practice would be okay is if you were buying a new game near release (or at least at regular price in a store) and then simply kept it sealed. Maybe I'm just nitpicking, but piracy's always been a sore spot with me.

Back on-topic, I usually buy games new, but I only buy about one a month nowadays - I lack the free time to play much more than that. I don't ever keep a sealed copy, as it seems a bit silly, and there are much more lucrative things that I could invest in!

[Daria]

This method of purchasing hurts the developers (and everyone else involved in making/producing games) an awful lot. I can't believe that someone could think this behavior is acceptable - I mean, you're getting something for free, and then just picking it up cheaply at your leisure in the future. You may want to argue with something like "at least I'm picking up a copy eventually", but unless you are buying a copy from a store at full price down the line, you're hurting the industry...especially if you're buying used copies. The only way this practice would be okay is if you were buying a new game near release (or at least at regular price in a store) and then simply kept it sealed. Maybe I'm just nitpicking, but piracy's always been a sore spot with me.

Just think of it this way, he's offsetting all the jackasses that buy two copies brand new. :P

[blissfulnoise]

I've bought two copies of a couple of games with the intentions of keeping one sealed for my own personal satification (not for profit or for "collectors impulse").

These games are ICO, Katamari Damacy, and Shadow of the Colossus.

I have, however, ended up with multiple copies of some games when I buy them super cheap and forget that I already owned a copy.

[RadiantSvgun]

It depends. If I see something at a good price, I'll pick up another copy. I had 3 or 4 copies of Nocturne for a while, because I found them at pawn shops for 10-15 bucks. If you mean buying a new game when it comes out and an additional copy; the answer to that would be no.

[skaar]

This method of purchasing hurts the developers (and everyone else involved in making/producing games) an awful lot. I can't believe that someone could think this behavior is acceptable - I mean, you're getting something for free, and then just picking it up cheaply at your leisure in the future. You may want to argue with something like "at least I'm picking up a copy eventually", but unless you are buying a copy from a store at full price down the line, you're hurting the industry...especially if you're buying used copies. The only way this practice would be okay is if you were buying a new game near release (or at least at regular price in a store) and then simply kept it sealed. Maybe I'm just nitpicking, but piracy's always been a sore spot with me.

I have no issue buying A-list titles new. Recent purchases were Nights, Mario Galaxy, Phoenix Wright 3, FF12 DS, Bioshock, Rock Band 360, GH2 360 ... and I burned GH3. I've since bought a copy of GH3 online, but didn't want to wait. I also burned Rock Band in November because we got fucked in Canada on release dates.

I "pirate" the games I'm unsure of, or know I probably will just rent/borrow. I haven't rented a game since about 1997, so maybe that policy needs review.

The industry hurts itself with the bullshit sales tactics it follows nowadays. I refuse to pre-order (especially since even though I've paid for a title they'll give it away 24 hours later if I don't go pick it up) or stand in line for any game or console. I pick it up when I can afford it, or when I see a copy. I'm happy with the way I get my games, and considering the amount of games I end up just buying and never actually playing or opening these days (freaking collecting bug) I have no qualms about how I do it.

Also, the people with the most burned/copied software I've ever known have all worked with me in the games or music industry. It's all rather hypocritical.

[skaar]

I also never buy used games unless it's mint (and never from a retailer - just collectors/ebay/pawn shops)

[xtremegamer]

Usually buy a game and play it. Will keep a game sealed if it is harder to find and a game I might not play more than once or twice, example: Fallout Brotherhood of Steel for Xbox, found it brand new for $4.99 last month, don't plan on opening it since it is harder to find and a game that I won't really enjoy playing more than once or twice.

[Dreamc@sting]

I always buy a game and play it, if it drops in price to like $20 or lower..usually lower and becomes a rarity I will buy another copy, but I'd never buy 2 brand new games for collecting purposes. I use Sears and Target as my collecting hot spots, I worked for both and they will mark games down to 0.99 cents in order to get rid of them. At one of the Sears near me that I used to work at I picked up 2 copies of FFXII and Dirge of cerberus...for how much? a nice clarency price of $4.99 each. Now thats a deal. =D Every store is different though.

[skaar]

Yeah a retailer here marked down all their PSP/360/PS2 games that were discontinued to $5. I picked up $200 worth. Kingdom Hearts II was the highlight of that one, and Dirge, bunch of 2007 sports titles... it's really sad how games have started to be treated like DVDs now. Bargain bin clearance of anything that isn't new...