Activision Label Degradation

[buick]

Of my current 20-odd Activision cartridges, all of them suffer from varying degrees of label degradation. My cleanest cart is a copy of Ice Hockey and even that has specks around the edges.

 

Does anyone have any theories of what causes Acti-Plaque and how to prevent it?

[AAA177]

I don't know the answer to that, but it is very unattractive. I'm assuming there's nothing dangerous/toxic about it, is there? It makes me not want to handle the cartridges sometimes.

[buick]

I don't know the answer to that, but it is very unattractive. I'm assuming there's nothing dangerous/toxic about it, is there? It makes me not want to handle the cartridges sometimes.

 

I doubt it's toxic, whatever it is. Some say Activision just used crappy glue that destroyed the labels over time. I don't know if that's true though. It's possible that there are other factors at play.

[Keatah]

The glue absorbs itself into the paper label and makes this funky chemical reaction.

[mmervine]

I replaced all of my Activision labels with new ones from Phil!

 

https://retrogameguy.com/2018/08/08/refurbishing-old-carts/

[TrekMD]

i'm very tempted to do this with my Activsion carts. Those labels look awful with the glue sipping through.

[jaybird3rd]

I replaced all of my Activision labels with new ones from Phil!

 

https://retrogameguy.com/2018/08/08/refurbishing-old-carts/

I can also vouch for the quality of Phil's labels. They have a nice glossy finish which protects them better from oily fingerprints and dust, and although Phil will have to confirm this, I believe that the paper he uses is also acid-free. I started a thread which describes the process that I have successfully used to clean off my cartridges and to prep them for re-labeling. I've now done this with (almost) all of my Activision carts, as well as the carts from Epyx and Absolute which used the same style of shells and labels.

 

If one were to be exceedingly picky, one could look closely at the new labels and find minor deviations from the originals in typography, artwork, etc., but these are minor indeed compared to the pleasure of having cartridges which don't look as if they were left outside to bake in the sun and then rubbed all over with dirty motor oil, which is how the old Actiplaqued labels look to me. It's so nice to finally see all my cartridges together in a nice shiny stack, looking brand new—and, in some cases, better than new.

[+pboland]

I can also vouch for the quality of Phil's labels. They have a nice glossy finish which protects them better from oily fingerprints and dust, and although Phil will have to confirm this, I believe that the paper he uses is also acid-free. I started a thread which describes the process that I have successfully used to clean off my cartridges and to prep them for re-labeling. I've now done this with (almost) all of my Activision carts, as well as the carts from Epyx and Absolute which used the same style of shells and labels.

 

If one were to be exceedingly picky, one could look closely at the new labels and find minor deviations from the originals in typography, artwork, etc., but these are minor indeed compared to the pleasure of having cartridges which don't look as if they were left outside to bake in the sun and then rubbed all over with dirty motor oil, which is how the old Actiplaqued labels look to me. It's so nice to finally see all my cartridges together in a nice shiny stack, looking brand new—and, in some cases, better than new.

 

 

Yes, my label media is acid-free also the ink used is UV resistant. I don't want to clog up this topic, so I'll just say if you are interested in reproductions labels please PM me.