The Earthbound Inflation Thread

[soloman]

Valkyrie Profile didn't see a drop either after the PSP version was released. If anything the more you talk about EarthBound the more the price increases because the demand skyrockets.

I sold a loose copy last week for $120 buy it now. It sold in 8 hours. A lot more people will buy it now if available so they don't have to wait the 3-5 days to out-proxy someone.

[DuckTalesNES]

I bought a loose copy from DP member "HappehLemons" 18 months ago for $60. That seemed really fair to me at the time. I can't believe a loose copy is going for twice that now.

[Mayhem]

Chrono Trigger looks like it might be coming to the Wii VC so that could stem its price.

[kupomogli]

Chrono Trigger looks like it might be coming to the Wii VC so that could stem its price.

and PSN. Hopefully without the load times for those that are interested.

You know. If Nintendo really wanted to make money off this they would manufacture new copies of Earthbound. No one has to know they're reprints when it comes directly from the source. Just make sure everything is identical. They'd make a ton selling them as like new condition under an Ebay account.

[Oldskool]

The game sucks. I don't know why it's even so popular and why it costs so much. I'd much rather play Chrono Trigger anyday.

[SpaceHarrier]

My only experience with Earthbound is a scratch-n-sniff-sticker in a game magazine I bought as a teen. It smelled like garbage, stale potpourri and pepperonis. It made me not want the game -- and I threw the magazine away. Amazing to see it soar ever upward in price. So now, as a collector, when you win this on ebay, do you celebrate? Or sulk?

[Oldskool]

Even as a collector I wouldn't want this game. Only reason why I'd ever get this game is to make money on it. Especially if it keeps getting inflated like it has.

[jonebone]

Why is this thread exclusively about Earthbound? Some of the other RPGs like Chrono Trigger and Ogre Battle have also trickled up in price either loose or as a CIB. Ogre Battle is a bit rarer than EB / CT, but I've seen it sell complete at damn near EVO prices, and EVO is much rarer.

The only thing that has gone down has been the sealed copies of CT. Those used to be $2k ungraded and raw, and now a VGA85 has problems selling at $1300-$1500, probably would auction closer to $1200. People are realizing that there's a bunch of guys sitting on multiple copies of that one sealed, and it's definitely not as rare as initially thought.

[exit]

Another Earthbound Inflation Thread

Fix'd

[Icarus Moonsight]

Can I deposit copies of Earthbound into an IRA?

Earthbound, it's a geeks store of value.

[pseudonym]

Forget Gold and Silver, Earthbound is where it's at.

[Dr. Dib]

They don't need anyone's permission to change anything in the game.

Guess I should've explained more. The supposed reasoning behind it is that Nintendo of America does not have Nintendo of Japan's permissions to change anything in the game

[fahlim003]

and PSN. Hopefully without the load times for those that are interested.

Interesting, PSN and VC. Although this hasn't happened yet so it's best to see what develops. Sorry to go OT but even though there are no cinematics and additional features like what is found on PS1 and DS, SNES is still the best version out there and that has meant it will and likely remain steady for a while to come.

[old_skoolin_jim]

Sold a loose copy for $140 about 6 weeks ago, in relatively good condition. Sold another one in less than desirable condition (part of the board at the contacts was chipped) for $125 2 weeks ago. I was the cheapest Buy It Now Price both times for a loose copy.

Seriously? I paid $5 for my loose copy at a flea market in western MA 3 years ago. I played through it again last summer (still an amazing game)... perhaps I should hop on the "eBay EB" train? I've got a baby on the way so it's highly doubtful I'd have spare time to give it another run-through...

[old_skoolin_jim]

My only experience with Earthbound is a scratch-n-sniff-sticker in a game magazine I bought as a teen. It smelled like garbage, stale potpourri and pepperonis. It made me not want the game -- and I threw the magazine away. Amazing to see it soar ever upward in price. So now, as a collector, when you win this on ebay, do you celebrate? Or sulk?

If memory serves me right, this ad goes for crazy money, too, as it only ran once (mine was in an old GamePro). I remember saving the ad because I thought it was cool, but I don't know if I still have it lurking anywhere or if it (very likely) got tossed anytime in the last 16 years.

[fahlim003]

Seriously? I paid $5 for my loose copy at a flea market in western MA 3 years ago. I played through it again last summer (still an amazing game)... perhaps I should hop on the "eBay EB" train? I've got a baby on the way so it's highly doubtful I'd have spare time to give it another run-through...

Or you could pass the buck and sell it privately for a fair and reasonable amount (wink wink). No matter, nobody would blame you for selling at market value when it's ape crazy at present - almost everyone else would do the same.

[Gameguy]

If memory serves me right, this ad goes for crazy money, too, as it only ran once (mine was in an old GamePro). I remember saving the ad because I thought it was cool, but I don't know if I still have it lurking anywhere or if it (very likely) got tossed anytime in the last 16 years.

Seriously? I passed on an Earthbound promo that sounds similar to that in an old gaming magazine I saw in a thrift store. I thought only the stuff that came with the game went for crazy money, not some ad/promo thing in a magazine.

Also still kicking myself for passing on a loose copy for $7.99 around 10 years ago, I didn't have a SNES at the time and never heard of it before.

[tom]

One of the worst RGPs ever too, but as someone here mentioned already, the worst games demand the highest $s, Air Raid and Stadium Events can confirm.

[Vlcice]

... SNES is still the best version out there and that has meant it will and likely remain steady for a while to come.

Makes me wonder actually, has anyone hacked the SNES script into the DS version? I'm kind of attached to Woolsey's script at this point, and I'd love to play the DS version using it.

[SparTonberry]

EB is one of my favorite games, but I am willing to see someone not liking EB, but I have a hard time seeing how anyone can say EB is among "the worst" games ever. Worse than the average LJN or THQ excrement?
Worse than Action 52? Caltron 6-in-1?

Might as well pick on another (so I hear) $100+ game: Family School. Boring, and I seriously doubt it would be any more fun if I could read the questions.
Mobile Suit Gundam Zeta: Hot Scramble: Final Version for Famicom. People detest the side-scrolling segment so much they'd rather pay the cost of 500 normal copies, for a version without it?
Well, at least it's a bigger difference than A TITLE VARIANT.