Jump to content
IGNORED

A reality check on the box craze.


homerwannabee

Recommended Posts

I have noticed that recently that it has become either box or nothing at all for more and more collectors. This craze has driven a lot of loose games prices down and box prices way up. When a boxed rarity 6 ot 7 game goes up for auction people are :lust: :lust: :lust: but when a loose rarity 9 game goes up for auction more and more people are like :| :| :| I guess since I collect primarily loose games this has not been that bad since the rarer ones seem easier to come by. But honestly should a boxed frontline really be worth more than a loose Waterworld :ponder:

Edited by homerwannabee
Link to comment
Share on other sites

But honestly should a boxed frontline really be worth more than a loose Waterworld :ponder:

 

If somebody's willing to fork over the dough, then absolutely.

 

Atari collecting is at the point where on one hand you've got veterans who have amassed quite a bit over the years, and on the other hand you've got newbies who are just starting out. The veterans are running out of holes to fill in their collections, so a lot of them decide to go for boxes to take care of all that disposable income burning holes in their pockets. Meanwhile, the newbies either don't care about the rarer games (possibly just wanting a round of Space Invaders or Adventure to satisfy their nostalgia) or figure they're out of their price range.

 

So, the veterans fight over the boxes, the newbies are happy with the cheapies, and the unboxed rarities just sit there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As a newbie i collect loose games because they are 1)Cheaper and 2)I do actually play my games on a daily basis so i dont need to have my games boxed.Now i do own a few boxed titles but nothing thats super rare.I just buy boxed stuff as i come along it but for the most part i just stick with loose games(except with Turbografx-16 games i do like them to be with case and manuals).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm with Homerwannabe here.

 

I've always collected loose, but will take a box if I see it.

95% of my collection is loose.

 

The only exception is Starpath games where I feel (for some reason) the box is necessary.

 

I have seen this unfolding too.

In the last 6 months I have got games that I never thought I would own only a few years ago.

In the last few months alone I added Qubes, Waterworld, CtC, and Tooth Protectors. All for well under the old $100 mark.

 

When I started collecting, I never thought they would be obtainable.

 

I don't know if it's boxes or what, but prices have dropped a considerable amount the last year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also I understand the quality over quantity standpoint in collecting, but there are just so many more games you can buy with $1,000 loose than with $1,000 boxed.

$1,000 boxed gets you Waterworld, Halloween, and Texas Chainsaw Massacre

$1,000 loose gets you Waterworld,Halloween, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Quadrun, Qberts Qubes, Mr. Do's Castle, Tooth Protectors, Crazy Climber, Chase the Chuckwagon, and Cakewalk.

As you can see there is so much more gaming goodness that can be had with your $1,000 if you go the loose root. :D :cool: :D :cool:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think as with anything else, there's a line that can be crossed... but yeah, generally I will always prefer boxed to anything loose, and I *will* pass over loose rarities for something that's more common but boxed.

 

There are a few reasons for this:

 

a) In most cases, I feel like I will eventually find a boxed version of the rare game in question. So why waste money on the loose one?

 

b) It probably sounds dumb but I think long-term with my collection, and I mean loooong-term. In 100 years, it's not really gonna matter what's considered rare now and what's simply "uncommon". It'll *all* be rare, and nobody's going to be left (and nobody else will care) to distinguish between games with production runs of 100 or 10,000. (Really major games like Pac-Man might be a different story). But having a box will make a big difference in value, just as it does with antique toys now. There are always people that argue with me about this, but I don't consider early game consoles any different than other toys from yesteryear - I mean they've already made an Antiques Roadshow appearance!

 

c) I just like the feeling of getting something old that's just the way it was when I would have gone to a store to buy it new 30 years ago.

 

I do play my games, though, even the boxed stuff. I just take good care of my boxes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i like having a boxed copy for all the loose games in my collections......but i'll never have a boxed copy for every loose game in my collection.....i know it's a far-flung fantasy for me (unless i win the lotto).

i do want to make sure i have EVERY activision game CIB (almost there).....same with Imagic games

other than that.....i just like getting CIBs of games i like

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think as with anything else, there's a line that can be crossed... but yeah, generally I will always prefer boxed to anything loose, and I *will* pass over loose rarities for something that's more common but boxed.

 

There are a few reasons for this:

 

a) In most cases, I feel like I will eventually find a boxed version of the rare game in question. So why waste money on the loose one?

 

b) It probably sounds dumb but I think long-term with my collection, and I mean loooong-term. In 100 years, it's not really gonna matter what's considered rare now and what's simply "uncommon". It'll *all* be rare, and nobody's going to be left (and nobody else will care) to distinguish between games with production runs of 100 or 10,000. (Really major games like Pac-Man might be a different story). But having a box will make a big difference in value, just as it does with antique toys now. There are always people that argue with me about this, but I don't consider early game consoles any different than other toys from yesteryear - I mean they've already made an Antiques Roadshow appearance!

 

c) I just like the feeling of getting something old that's just the way it was when I would have gone to a store to buy it new 30 years ago.

 

I do play my games, though, even the boxed stuff. I just take good care of my boxes.

a) Fact is yes you will find the boxed rare game in question, but be prepared to battle against 10 other die hard collectors who will pay almost anything to get that game. You will have a lot of times where you will become extremly frustrated because of losing so many times.

b)Hate to break it to you, but most likely within the next 100 years from now either your kids or grandkids are going to sell off collection. Your collection will be partioned out to whole bunch of rich people. Also 100 years from now yes everything will be rare but the very rare stuff will be extremly rare and still highly sought after. Case in point. look at the baseball cards from 100 years ago, back then a Honus Wagner baseball card was considered rare and now it is still considered rare and a lot more valuable then other baseball cards from this bygone era.

c) If you have the money to do that more power to you. To tell you the truth if I had the disposable income that Wonder007 has I would also by boxed games left and right. But I do not have the income to do that at this moment. Also, I do have some boxed games around 70 is a good guestimate. Of those I have one really rare one that being my Rescue Terra I game (CIB). I am pretty sure I can get alot more for it now than what I paid for it back in May, but that sucker is a keeper. :) Hmm, I wonder if my Atlantis II with the box sticker on it counts as a boxed game :ponder:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Atari collecting is at the point where on one hand you've got veterans who have amassed quite a bit over the years, and on the other hand you've got newbies who are just starting out.

 

And then there are those who only need mostly XONOX boxes. :x

 

:ponder:

 

:(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I myself ,like the boxes,if i go on say, ebay and see a game i want that happens to have the box included,ill buy that one,but i can take it or leave it,like someone already said,some, like me ,would have to win the lotto to get a boxed game for every loose one i have.And yes ive noticed the boxed games are like twice to three times the price as the sellers realise they're highly sought after by collectors,especially the factory sealed ones.I try to get a boxed game,that is on the rare side,or games that i consider exceptional,having all boxed games is too STRESSFULL for me,plus i want to have enough money saved for retirement!,which seems to be approaching faster than i thought!

Edited by Rik
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think as with anything else, there's a line that can be crossed... but yeah, generally I will always prefer boxed to anything loose, and I *will* pass over loose rarities for something that's more common but boxed.

 

There are a few reasons for this:

 

a) In most cases, I feel like I will eventually find a boxed version of the rare game in question. So why waste money on the loose one?

 

b) It probably sounds dumb but I think long-term with my collection, and I mean loooong-term. In 100 years, it's not really gonna matter what's considered rare now and what's simply "uncommon". It'll *all* be rare, and nobody's going to be left (and nobody else will care) to distinguish between games with production runs of 100 or 10,000. (Really major games like Pac-Man might be a different story). But having a box will make a big difference in value, just as it does with antique toys now. There are always people that argue with me about this, but I don't consider early game consoles any different than other toys from yesteryear - I mean they've already made an Antiques Roadshow appearance!

 

c) I just like the feeling of getting something old that's just the way it was when I would have gone to a store to buy it new 30 years ago.

 

I do play my games, though, even the boxed stuff. I just take good care of my boxes.

a) Fact is yes you will find the boxed rare game in question, but be prepared to battle against 10 other die hard collectors who will pay almost anything to get that game. You will have a lot of times where you will become extremly frustrated because of losing so many times.

b)Hate to break it to you, but most likely within the next 100 years from now either your kids or grandkids are going to sell off collection. Your collection will be partioned out to whole bunch of rich people. Also 100 years from now yes everything will be rare but the very rare stuff will be extremly rare and still highly sought after. Case in point. look at the baseball cards from 100 years ago, back then a Honus Wagner baseball card was considered rare and now it is still considered rare and a lot more valuable then other baseball cards from this bygone era.

c) If you have the money to do that more power to you. To tell you the truth if I had the disposable income that Wonder007 has I would also by boxed games left and right. But I do not have the income to do that at this moment. Also, I do have some boxed games around 70 is a good guestimate. Of those I have one really rare one that being my Rescue Terra I game (CIB). I am pretty sure I can get alot more for it now than what I paid for it back in May, but that sucker is a keeper. :) Hmm, I wonder if my Atlantis II with the box sticker on it counts as a boxed game :ponder:

Exactly,couldnt have said it better myself!but i seriously doubt society as WE know it will still be around in 100 years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited by Rik
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have been taking an interest in CIB stuff from my childhood lately, nothing to rare except that KID VID and Snoopy and the Red baron. Snoopy seems to be a little harder to find complete than I thought it would be. I remember back in the 80's I bought a loose Rad Racer NES from my friend so I took a large magic marker and wrote "RAD RACER" in huge letters on my Red Baron box and stored it in there - LOL - actually if anyone ever finds that box LMK, I would love to buy it back :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Having boxes is cool, but it's not as necessary with 2600 games as it is with later disc based systems.

 

I've got a goal in mind of having all the Arcadia/Starpath boxes and having all the gatefold Atari boxes.

For the rest of the games, I simply want to have the cart, manual, comic book, and occasional catalog like I used to have in the family collection.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've got a goal in mind of having all the Arcadia/Starpath boxes and having all the gatefold Atari boxes.

 

With Starpath games and some disc-based games, there are two "boxes" for each item. In games which package a jewel box inside an otherwise empty cardboard box, I wonder how much value the outer box has or will have?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really like having my games boxed. Mainly it's an aesthetic thing for me, but I've got so many boxed titles for the 2600 that I'm starting to get into some rare stuff, and with prices dropping on loose carts, I have shifted into getting some loose titles that a year or so ago would have been amazingly expensive, just to keep that ol' Atari collecting engine a-chuggin'.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm one of the ones who doesn't care. I will pick up a boxed game if it's affordable, but there's no way in heck I'm gonna pay three times the asking price for cardboard. I prefer them loose just because they're easier to grab and play, which despite the whole room devoted to piles of games, is still my primary motivation.

 

I do understand the impulse to get the boxes, I just don't share it. I think it's just a personality thing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

b)Hate to break it to you, but most likely within the next 100 years from now either your kids or grandkids are going to sell off collection. Your collection will be partioned out to whole bunch of rich people.
:skull:

 

Hmm, I wonder if my Atlantis II with the box sticker on it counts as a boxed game :ponder:

Absolutely. While the boxed Rescue Terra I is rare, the Atlantis II box you have is rare and unique all from one little cheap sticker. :D I'm not sure if even Wonder has one of these boxed yet. :cool:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm one of the ones who doesn't care. I will pick up a boxed game if it's affordable, but there's no way in heck I'm gonna pay three times the asking price for cardboard. I prefer them loose just because they're easier to grab and play, which despite the whole room devoted to piles of games, is still my primary motivation.

 

I do understand the impulse to get the boxes, I just don't share it. I think it's just a personality thing.

 

Amen Brother.

 

If i see a cart only R9 i WILL BUY IT. Granted, the boxes make em worth more, but that dosnt the overall rarity of the game.

 

Also i dont like some of the implications skunkworx made That poor people are noobs because they cant afford to go after the boxes or dont think its that a big a deal) or live your life style. A complete collection in my eye is one of every game boxed or not or some boxes and some carts.

 

i define complete as one of every game boxed or not, so boxes are irrelevant. thats not to say i dont like em. for example if i run accross a game i dont have, and its boxed, i will buy it, but i refuse to buy boxes for those i already have unless they are part of a lot . i bought a boxed reactor and qbert along with pole position, space invaders and robot tank boxed despite having the carts already. i bought the lot for the qbert and the reactor. the boxes for the others was just a side bonus.

Edited by rheffera
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Boxes? Thats that cardboard thing you rip open to get at your game so you can actually play it right? :ponder:

:woozy:

 

 

Come on dude, You do remember that the point of video games is to play them not just look at the box on a shelf and say "thats pretty" right? ;)

:ponder:

 

 

 

God, I've been wondering why they weren't doing anything up there. I've been staring and staring...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...