Sellers who open old sealed games to see if they work

[James]

I don't know about the rest of you guys but it really pisses me off when eBay sellers do this. Its not like there is an unlimited supply of sealed games out there. I don't know what they're thinking but if you leave the games alone someone will bid on them still sealed and I don't think the person bidding has any intention of opening the game up and using it.

[slapdash]

I hate it when they still call the game "new" after doing this. And I REALLY hate it when they call it "brand new" after doing it. But yeah, I wish they'd leave it alone.

A lot of sellers are opening up the Bongos games to "make sure it's all there". I know they're doing it because of dishonest buyers, but it drives me nuts.

[jajaja]

I guess some sellers really dont know that the value drop alot if its just tested once, even if its 100% mint.

[philosophyst]

I'm sure some sellers just say this on occassion when they find an item in absolute mint condition.

[XianXi]

Idiot!!!!, Gawd!![/Napoleon]

[mills]

I would open it and play it.

[Elusive]

So what can you do? With a sealed game there's no telling what's inside. You're either getting a proof of what you are getting - but without a thin layer of plastic, or a paper seal or whatever on top. CRIKEY HECK REPORT SELLER TO EBAY. Or, you can accept it's sealed, but then find out later CRIKEY HECK NOTHING INSIDE REPORT SELLER TO EBAY.

My point is, you can have a guarantee either that you are definitely recieving the item, or you are getting a sealed box. You can't have both, and it's up to you to decide which is worth your money more.

Also: not every single seller on eBay is a collector; Joe Average selling off his old stored-in-attic stuff probably won't know that his old games are worth anything.

[Whiskers the Wonder Cat]

I don't know about you guys, but, most of the time, I buy games to play it. Not pay loads of money just to keep it sealed. Some games I do keep sealed are the ones I have double's of. Like a import and a U.S release. I play one, and I keep the other one sealed.

Here are the ones I have now that are sealed. I plan on getting rid of them soon though.

[Lemmy Kilmister]

I would open it and play it.

Why? Just buy another loose copy and play that.

I don't know about you guys, but, most of the time, I buy games to play it. Not pay loads of money just to keep it sealed.

umm, but you probably are wasting more money buying a sealed copy as apposed to a mint used one. Not to mention you'd be opening a sealed vintage game.

[yok-dfa]

Not to mention you'd be opening a sealed vintage game.

Yeah, that's the cool part. I have opened so many sealed games i lost track of how many. Just recently i opened a sealed PAL Custer's Revenge (Atari 2600). As far as i know it is (or was) the only sealed copy ever found

[Darth Sensei]

I'm sure some sellers just say this on occassion when they find an item in absolute mint condition.

I think this is a majority of cases. They're not really new.

[kevin_psx]

[quote="testament89"]

I don't know about you guys, but, most of the time, I buy games to play it. Not pay loads of money just to keep it sealed.

umm, but you probably are wasting more money buying a sealed copy as apposed to a mint used one.

They lie. Many "mint" are scratched or damaged in som way. Only guaranteed way to get a mint game is always buy sealed versions.

[Whiskers the Wonder Cat]

Only guaranteed way to get a mint game is always buy sealed versions.

Or buy from me.

[Lemmy Kilmister]

[quote="kevin_psx"]

I don't know about you guys, but, most of the time, I buy games to play it. Not pay loads of money just to keep it sealed.

umm, but you probably are wasting more money buying a sealed copy as apposed to a mint used one.

They lie. Many "mint" are scratched or damaged in som way. Only guaranteed way to get a mint game is always buy sealed versions.

Or, I don't know.. ask for a picture of the game.

[Gemini-Phoenix]

Yes. I hate the people who eMail the sellers with "Can you test the game so I know it will work" or something like that. Or sellers who say "Brand New, Factory Sealed... But I opened the game to take pictures of what you get inside..."

I know it is not unheard of for a cartridge or disc to not function after a specific period of time, but I basically go on the assumption that if a game is sealed, then there is a high chance that the game inside is perfect. Only exception being, is if there are loose pips inside (Dreamcast games for example) where the loose bits could damage the disc surface.

The way I see it, if you buy a sealed game from eBay, and open it to play and it is faulty, then I am pretty sure that you are still within your rights to return it straight back to the developer / manufacturer (Ie, Microsoft) for a refund or exchange, under the 30 / 60 / 90 day guarantee. As you have proof (In way of the eBay transaction) that the game was recently purchased brand new, then strictly speaking they should still (In theory) honour the guarantee agreement.

After all, what difference does it make if you opened a Dreamcast game back in 1999, or last week? If games are indeed supposed to have a certain shelf life, then they should be sold with labels clearly indicating this, and perhaps have a "Use by date" stamped on them like food does. As they do not, I think it's safe to assume that your rights are exactly the same now as they would be had you opened a game the day it was released.


I can understand buyers of NESgames being concerned though, as the technology back then was not as sophisticated as it is now, and certain components in the carts may deteriorate over time even without any use. I know rubber perishes easially, as do a few other materials which may or may not have been used in the carts production... I also know that older CD's are prone to "Bronzing" which is now evident in some very early 1982 discs, due to the process and materials used back in the day.


Even in fifty years time, when the contents of the sealed game is probably no longer usuable, people will still pay high prices for a sealed copy of Silvergun, Samba De Amigo, or Final Fantasy VII for the pure fact that it will then be a piece of history. Regardless of whether it is still usuable in theway intended, it remains a reminder of how it used to be. In this case, an owner of such an item would be preserving a piece of gaming history, in exactly the same way as the Louvre or the Tate does with paintings and statues...

There will always be a market, and always be collector's for these things. Example: Car collector's pay big bucks for historic cars. What about the car that James Dean crashed and died in? That is (Obviously) no longer usuable for it's intended function, but remains a piece of history that some people would like to preserve. No body would judge the owner of such a collectable, so why should the situation be different for people who collect sealed games?

[Whiskers the Wonder Cat]

Damn. Gemini.

That is deep.