Heads up to buyers, Racketboy updates Gamecube Guide with higher prices

[Blazing Lazers]

If you're in the market for Gamecube games, the time to act is sooner rather than later, as Racketboy just updated their Rarest and Most Valuable Gamecube Games Guide:

 

http://www.racketboy...-gamecube-games

 

All of their Rarest and Most Valuable guides are a huge reason for the spiking prices on a lot of games in recent years, especially for Nintendo systems. I was shocked at what they now have as the price ranges for some Gamecube games, and was even more shocked when I looked at what is currently being listed on Ebay. Utter insanity, but I am very tempted to splurge a lot now before prices on some things go even higher than they already are, and wanted to give anyone else looking for Gamecube stuff a heads up on this.

Edited May 23, 2013 by Blazing Lazers

[bennybingo]

I just bought my first gamecube recently...it figures I would hear this sort of news.

[fiddlepaddle]

I believe we have entered the "fad" phase of a video game price bubble lately. I've seen this kind of thing happen in other collectibles.

 

Very common games are appreciating faster than rare games, at least for NES, SNES, and N64. People also seem much more interested in NES than Genesis for some reason, even though they were both very well received and have similar size libraries. Neither of these trends seem rational to me. The introduction or pervasiveness of a respected price guide WILL often boost prices, for a while, maybe even years. Eventually though, rationality will prevail, and commons will drop in price again.

 

If you buy games for the fun value, then you'll never feel ripped off, no matter what happens to "values". If there is something truly rare that you really want, then maybe it's worth getting whenever it becomes available to you, but I wouldn't depend on a long term return on your investment here.

 

What price guides DO WELL, though, is clearly define which items are actually rare and/or desirable. So, regarding Game Cube games in particular, you may be right that this is a good time to find those games you want that are rare.

 

Of course, I could be wrong, and all video games may be at the beginning of a permanent long upward trend in values, but I doubt it.

[Hydro Thunder]

Glad I snapped up a copy of Phantasy Star Online Eps 1 and 2 when I did, yikes! I didn't even know about the "Plus" version fixing bugs & adding adventures, but that's okay, I've never hit a bug or run out of fun with it. Even having had the DC version. Just love that the GC version is true widescreen and 480p. Plus I love the GC controller, esp the wireless Wavebird.

[Blazing Lazers]

I just bought my first gamecube recently...it figures I would hear this sort of news.

Well, you might want to make a move sooner rather than later if there's anything on that list you're interested in. Ditto for the ones on their Hidden Gems list as well.

 

I believe we have entered the "fad" phase of a video game price bubble lately. I've seen this kind of thing happen in other collectibles.

 

Very common games are appreciating faster than rare games, at least for NES, SNES, and N64. People also seem much more interested in NES than Genesis for some reason, even though they were both very well received and have similar size libraries. Neither of these trends seem rational to me. The introduction or pervasiveness of a respected price guide WILL often boost prices, for a while, maybe even years. Eventually though, rationality will prevail, and commons will drop in price again.

 

If you buy games for the fun value, then you'll never feel ripped off, no matter what happens to "values". If there is something truly rare that you really want, then maybe it's worth getting whenever it becomes available to you, but I wouldn't depend on a long term return on your investment here.

 

What price guides DO WELL, though, is clearly define which items are actually rare and/or desirable. So, regarding Game Cube games in particular, you may be right that this is a good time to find those games you want that are rare.

 

Of course, I could be wrong, and all video games may be at the beginning of a permanent long upward trend in values, but I doubt it.

 

I hope you're right, but I'm very concerned that prices will only keep going up, in general as there are dwindling numbers and finite copies of these games that will become more desirable with the rise of digital downloads and restricted games of the upcoming PS4 and Xbox One, in addition to countless YouTube videos, websites like Racketboy, and forums (even those here on AA) that highlight the best games and drive up prices accordingly so that even local sellers at yard sales, flea markets, and secondhand stores also price accordingly. So far, that's what seems to be happening, and it strikes we as wise to gather up what I can while I still can.

[dendawg]

I personally think it's time to recognize that price guides are precisely that....a GUIDE. Not a bible, not set in stone. Just because somebody declares something to be a certain value, does not automatically make it so.

Edited May 23, 2013 by dendawg

[BassGuitari]

Very common games are appreciating faster than rare games, at least for NES, SNES, and N64. People also seem much more interested in NES than Genesis for some reason, even though they were both very well received and have similar size libraries. Neither of these trends seem rational to me.

 

I suspect the reason is because Nintendo is still a visible, popular company. I call it the Coca-Cola Effect; people eat up all kinds of merchandise related to the earlier history of a long-running and still-powerful company, and often have no problem paying far out the ass for it. If Sega were still in the hardware business, demand for legacy Sega stuff would probably rise. But as it is, Nintendo is Coke, and Sega is Moxie. The Moxies of the gaming world are left mostly to people like us, while everyone on Earth today recognizes Coke products.

 

At least, that's my take on it. I agree that it's pretty stupid. It's got to be great if you're a Genesis collector, though!

[Donnicton]

Good god, that's a bubble just asking to burst.

 

Most of those games aren't even rare, or even hard to find - or even good, in the case of a few of them. They're just inflated "because game", is the best logic I can find.

 

I certainly don't want to be in that blast zone when that crash hits.

[goldenegg]

Prices for GC games have always baffled me. I've found that common games can get ridiculously expensive. I kind of expected prices to increase when the Wii was released with backwards compatibility, but that no longer can be used to explain the current trend.

 

I think the fact you can pick up a near mint system for $20 - $30 doesn't help much, as it gets a lot of new people in to the hobby who are more willing to pay these high prices as they don't know any better.

[Rhomaios]

I personally think it's time to recognize that price guides are precisely that....a GUIDE. Not a bible, not set in stone. Just because somebody declares something to be a certain value, does not automatically make it so.

Especially since a couple of those games are inflated. I'm glad I have most of the important ones already, though. Not looking forward to getting Skies of Arcadia any time soon.

I think the fact you can pick up a near mint system for $20 - $30 doesn't help much, as it gets a lot of new people in to the hobby who are more willing to pay these high prices as they don't know any better.

Consoles are dirt cheap, but everything else is expensive, including controllers.

[number six]

Yay I have a few of these.

 

I always like to look at these 'rare/valuable' lists just so I can keep an eye out at flea markets, etc.

 

No way i'm paying $200 for a Gamecube game.

[Blazing Lazers]

Yay I have a few of these.

 

I always like to look at these 'rare/valuable' lists just so I can keep an eye out at flea markets, etc.

 

No way i'm paying $200 for a Gamecube game.

 

Well unfortunately more and more sellers at flea markets and Craigslist are also using these Guides, and all it takes is one idiot to actually pay those prices to cause others to do so.

[Taskmaster99]

Im glad I jumped on the GC version of Twilight Princess. In fact the only 2 games I am missing from that list are NCAA basketball and the Pokemon Box.

[Taskmaster99]

Well unfortunately more and more sellers at flea markets and Craigslist are also using these Guides, and all it takes is one idiot to actually pay those prices to cause others to do so.

 

Oh yeah. I can just see the flea market people jumping for joy with their price sticker guns in their hands....lol.

[Greg2600]

I've been collecting hard core for the last 7 years, hardly ever use of these value guides.