Are we living the twilight of Classic Gaming as we know it?

[Damon Plus]

I've been thinking for quite some time, classic gaming doesn't feel what it used to be. I started back in 2001 to become interested in this hobby, and 2002-2008 were the best years if you were a classic gamer, imo. Prices were a lot lower, there were lots of discussions and every message board was very busy (Gamefaqs console boards were great, I remember fondly the Nes board). Emulation helped a lot of people discover games they didn't try in its infancy, and the magic was still there.

Of course, some of you might think I've just gotten older and I'm ranting like an old man in his backyard how 50's were a better time. But you only have to look at classic gaming actual state: Prices have skyrocketed for almost every system (Snes prices are just stupid), and getting games is harder and more expensive as time passes. A lot of the older web pages about classic systems have dissappeared, never having been replaced by more modern ones; the few that remain have a lot less posts than a few years ago. Individual boards for games older than 2000 are dead. I know there's just so much you can discuss about old games, but still, with the resurgence of Classic gaming thanks to Virtual Consoles and such, there should be a whole new lot of people interested in it.

Life goes on, I guess, but it's sad to see that Classic Gaming will never be the same.

Do you think I'm exageratting, or not?

[CastlevaniaDude]

Hopefully, you're right.

If it destroys itself then all of the problems that you mentioned will go away and it will be like a time warp.

[bigbacon]

Like most things it will bubble up and then burst, just a matter of time. A lot of the problem is just nintendo stuff, sega stuff is still priced well for the m ost part and iseaasyto build a good library of games,especially if you want CIB.

[RyanR]

Like most things it will bubble up and then burst, just a matter of time. A lot of the problem is just nintendo stuff, sega stuff is still priced well for the m ost part and iseaasyto build a good library of games,especially if you want CIB.

This is one of the reason I started collecting for the Genesis/Mega Drive. A lot of the games are reasonably priced, and its easer to find CIB.

[bigbacon]

This is one of the reason I started collecting for the Genesis/Mega Drive. A lot of the games are reasonably priced, and its easer to find CIB.

same here, I went pretty much SMS, GG, Genesis as nintendo stuff is just outrageous in price especially since almost everything out there is a loose cart. I mean the mark up on popular and most widespread games is crazy. I would like to own a copy of contra and super metroid but not at 30+ bucks. For $30 bucks i could get 3 or 4 CIB genesis games.

I think a lot of the problem is resellers and people with a HUGE nostalgia footprint on what they have. New retro gaming stores are popping up left and right around here, they come up with the most amazing finds and then turn it around and sell it for big money (or try to) and those with the huge nostalgia problem see those prices and also they just feel that because of their attachment that it is worth huge money. At the same time there are those that just don't know and you see them selling stuff at their garage sale for stupid money. I see that a lot.

obviously there must be a lot of people out there paying the money because the prices don't seem to be dropping.

though, I would like to hope for a huge crash....

[RyanR]

New retro gaming stores are popping up left and right around here, they come up with the most amazing finds and then turn it around and sell it for big money

I found a retro gaming store in my area not to long ago. So I decided to stop by and look at some games.

I asked the guy behind the counter about a price of one of the games. Then he reached into his pocket got out his phone and started messing around with it. I asked "what are you doing" he replied "I'm looking up prices on ebay." I just laughed and walked out of the store.

[Guyra]

Prices go up and down. A lot of the high prices has got to do with the fact that those who had these consoles as kids are now adults with steady incomes. Right now it seems to be that everything from the NES to the PS1 is what is currently getting inflated, while systems both older and newer than those are much cheaper. At least that's how I see it. Of course there are other factors as well, but I believe this is a big part of it.

Another factor is that game collecting has become a more widespread phenomenon, and therefore there is more competition driving the prices up.

At the same time, even games from the NES and SNES are generally lower priced than if you were to buy used games back when the systems were new.

As for boards and sites about classic systems and games, there are a couple of things to take into account: The amount of information on classic systems and games available has increased tremendously during the last decade. It is also much easier to find. People don't have to ask for help on boards to find out how to get to the next part of Super Metroid when they can just look up a walkthrough or a Let's Play video that explains it or shows how. People don't need ask others to find out what games are the ones to get for their older systems, because there are already tons of lists and videos about top games and hidden gems, etc.

In addition to that, people who are extra interested in a certain system often ends up on "specialist" sites. So a lot of the "traffic" that you were used to might also just have moved somewhere else.

I would also like to point out that "classic gaming" is a very vague and relative term. To some people, Atari 2600 is "classic gaming," while PS1 is "modern gaming." Another person might call the PS2 "classic gaming."

And in the end, the world around us is constantly changing. The society is constantly changing. Our lives are constantly changing. Technology, economy, politics ... And our world view is constantly changing. I think it would be very, very strange if something as small as "classic gaming" wouldn't. In fact, I'd say it has been changing the whole time. And it's certainly not just bad things about that.

[StarMan_NES]

I think classic gaming as a hobby is really strong right now and has been for a long time, but I agree about pricing for systems such as the NES and SNES. Sellers have gotten out of hand asking crazy prices for common games and we as collectors are giving in and driving this practice. In retrospect we really have ourselves to blame because the more we spend on these games the longer these games will come with a high price tag.

I don't see the bubble bursting for a while. Maybe once the PS2/Xbox/GCN generation starts to be seen as nostalgic we will see older systems games drop in price and those systems rise, but I don't think classic games will ever be as affordable as they once were 5-10 years ago.

[treismac]

Do you think I'm exageratting, or not?

Prices of collectibles rise and fall, websites wax and wane, but retro gaming remains whatever you make of it. With emulation and flash carts, you can play whatever you like, which means that although collecting classic video games might have become more costly and less pleasurable, the games of yore are still within reach and as much fun as ever.

[sloan]

The upward price death spiral and games-as-investments have killed a lot of the fun for sure. If investors and flippers would leave the hobby alone, everybody would be better off for it. Twilight? No. Emulators and flash carts will always mean the games are available to play. Just that the wealthy will be the ones with actual games and original hardware.

[thegamezmaster]

Me myself still enjoy my classic games, sometimes more than the new stuff. And classic games will always hold a special place for me. Back in the day, there was something magical about it.

[zakthedodo]

Prices have gone up, way up, but as time goes, I don't see them getting cheaper, if anything more expensive.
Nothing deemed collectable rarely ever gets cheaper with time.

I paid some pretty good prices online for some Japanese Mega Drive games, but titles like Battle Mania, Pulseman, and other games in that bracket such as Gleylancer you're lucky to find for under $140.00

I recently sold most of them, for about 80 dollars each which was 30 dollars cheaper then the next cheapest copy maybe a year ago.
I wasn't looking to make money, I actually lost a small amount, but I just wanted to flip them and move on to another system.
Now these same games have shot up at least 50% more and I'm kinda kicking myself but these listings for 200 dollar games just sit there on Ebay forever.

You can catch a break if someone doesn't know what they have most likely from an estate, but if it goes to bidding that can get pricey as well.

The best time to collect is when a system is wrapping up it's lifespan.
Consoles are everywhere.
In 1997 or so, the EB Games here had literally a wall full of model 2 Genesis complete with the sidecar Sega CDs and 32X for about 60 dollars.
I bought a Nomad in 1995 for 180 dollars in 1995 and another in 1997 for 40 dollars.
Back in the early 2000's used Genesis and both NES and SNES games were also sold in much more retail stores.

If I really, really want a game badly enough to the point it's itching at me, I can afford about 80 to 100 dollars once a month to throw away on it, but that's rarely the case.
The fact is, less consoles are working, most retro games were owned by children, especially NES.
Sega sold the Genesis to an older demographic , signing deals with Joe Montana, Tommy Lasorda, and Arnold Palmer. ( The kids loved them some Arnold Palmer back in the day).
The system was expensive and heavily sports orientated as well as arcade.
Probably the 1st system whose majority of owners took care of.

But to wrap whatever point I think I might me making up, time is no friend to the serious collector and to some point even the casual one.

[JakeM]

You guys do know that in 5 decades people will see the Atari through Genesis era of gaming as the stone age? Retro is always going to be around as gaming goes forward, its not like its gonna disappear as long as people can see with their eyes and use their hands to do stuff. Hell there will be games when were doing everything with just our minds with computer chips. There will also be games, and games that are 20 years to 30 years old will be retro. Ps2 will be someones 2600 and at the end of the PS4's life time youll see those $10 copies of God of War be $50.

[zakthedodo]

You guys do know that in 5 decades people will see the Atari through Genesis era of gaming as the stone age? Retro is always going to be around as gaming goes forward, its not like its gonna disappear as long as people can see with their eyes and use their hands to do stuff. Hell there will be games when were doing everything with just our minds with computer chips. There will also be games, and games that are 20 years to 30 years old will be retro. Ps2 will be someones 2600 and at the end of the PS4's life time you'll see those $10 copies of God of War be $50.

In 50 years, maybe sooner, video games ( or the equivalent thereof ) might be indistinguishable from anything that's been on the market up til now.
If in 1963 you tried to explain the internet or a current gen console, or even earlier, most people would have no frame of reference of what you were talking about.
Then tell them there will be over 500 stations on the television that is now shaped like a movie theater screen.

Thankfully however, these games now are being archived digitally as in 50 years from now, most of the cart based games will inevitably corrode regardless of how much care is taken care of them and I don't think optical drives will be around in 10 years, much less 50.

[Gameguy]

You guys do know that in 5 decades people will see the Atari through Genesis era of gaming as the stone age? Retro is always going to be around as gaming goes forward, its not like its gonna disappear as long as people can see with their eyes and use their hands to do stuff. Hell there will be games when were doing everything with just our minds with computer chips. There will also be games, and games that are 20 years to 30 years old will be retro. Ps2 will be someones 2600 and at the end of the PS4's life time youll see those $10 copies of God of War be $50.

If it ends up like comic books, people will always be after the golden and silver age. Most things after that you might as well burn as it's all next to worthless(some exceptions obviously). At a certain point most games will just lack the early fresh feel and will just feel old and obsolete years later, like most early 3D or FMV games do now. Unless a person grows up with certain games there will be little attachment to it, and those who focus on that because of nostalgia alone will get bored and sell it off afterwards. Right now video games are really popular, they won't always be just like with Beanie Babies. With Beanie Babies there are a handful that are still worth a decent amount even today, but most are worthless.

[Aussie2B]

Prices have gone up, way up, but as time goes, I don't see them getting cheaper, if anything more expensive.
Nothing deemed collectable rarely ever gets cheaper with time.

Have you ever seen one of those Antiques Roadshow update episodes? "Collectables" lose value pretty commonly, if interest in those types of items wanes. There is always an ebb and flow. Or just look at pre-crash collecting. The truly rare stuff isn't getting any cheaper, but interest in pre-crash games in general has definitely cooled, as have the prices on the common stuff.

Anyway, getting back to the main topic question, it's all relative. For those of us who have been collecting and a part of the scene for a long time, things may seem worse and less interesting, but I'm sure a new collector/retro gamer can find a lot to be excited about. Also, us older collectors are stuck in our old ways. We're go to the same old boards and the same old sites and wonder why things are dying off, but things change and move on. Message boards and fan sites are old news. Young collectors are connecting on social media, Youtube, blogs, etc. Personally, I don't think these outlets tend to foster as thoughtful discussion and thorough documentation/research, but what can ya do.

[Scotterpop]

I got into collecting games in about '97 or so... right about the time I gained access to the internet. Information I would get from message boards and eBay really stoked that desire to collect all the stuff I wanted as a kid but never could afford. And those first couple of years of collecting were GLORIOUS! I would find great stuff every time I headed out to the thrifts, yard sales, estate sales, and flea markets. And there were so many different game stores back then, little mom 'n pop places that would eventually get run out of town by big corporate stores like Gamestop. Around the early to mid-2000's is when things really started to cool off here. Prices went up, finds became scarcer and less frequent, and everywhere I go now I see speculators with barcode scanners and cell phones frantically looking up eBay prices. Yep, the Sumguy has become high-tech... God help us all!

Classic gaming as we know it will, in my opinion, continue to shift toward digital emulation. I simply can't afford to collect physical copies of games and systems like I did before because most of the stock is now in the hands of resellers. I have a hacked PSP Go and a Dingoo and they do a pretty good job of providing my classic gaming fix. Sure, nothing will EVER replace the experience of playing a cart on the original hardware, but that's a luxury I now have to start to let go of. So, barring another catastrophe like the crash of '83, it looks like the glory years of affordable collecting are behind us.