Questions to those that collect video games

[ddaniels]

I have a small collection of various consoles/games (mainly early 80's stuff), two Mame arcade cabinets and two pinball machines that I have acquired over the years which has provided many hours of entertainment. The other day I got thinking at what point in ones life do you (let go) try to sell this stuff? Here is my situation, I'm 41, married with two young kids (6 & 3). I know my wife has no interest in my collection and my kids may or may not want anything to do with this stuff as they get older. It would be nice to know that I could just pass on my collection to my kids and they could enjoy it but that may not be the case. I realize that owning two Mame cabinets, pinball machines and various consoles does take up alot of space.

 

Call me crazy, because I enjoy the collecting part but not the idea or thought of getting rid of this stuff as I get older. I've put so much time into these items that I feel as if I can't part with them no matter what dollar amount I could get for them. My plan is to keep enjoying them now as long as I can and hope that my kids would one day enjoy acquiring my collection.

 

What do you other collectors plan on doing with your stuff as you get older? Do you hope of one day selling your collection for more than you paid for it? Pass it on to your kids? Leave it all to a loved one who can deal with it when your gone? Donate it all to charity?

[Recycled]

Maybe just not worry about it right now. Perhaps your answer will come with time.

 

I hope to find something useful to do with my stuff eventually.

Edited March 17, 2009 by Recycled

[Ian Primus]

Collecting video games should be about just that - collecting video games. Don't worry about how much the stuff might be worth in the future. The important thing is that you enjoy it. Bring your kids up right - get them playing some good games. Who cares if the stuff is worthless in 20 years? Have fun now. If at any point you find that you don't care about games or aren't interested in playing them anymore - then is the time to sell.

 

-Ian

[Mirage]

I agree with Recycled (and now Ian, who always types faster than I do). As long as it's not negatively affecting your life, just hang onto it and don't worry for now. Maybe occasionally play some of the games or pinball with your kids. They'll probably enjoy it, if not all the time, then sometimes, and will likely have good memories of the stuff when they get older. Don't force it on them, just enjoy it with them. If this is something you truly enjoy, you will probably regret letting it go, and will enjoy it later if you keep it. Just don't let it get out of hand. Maybe there's a reason you need 2 MAME machines, but if not, maybe get rid of one of those and anything else you dn't need so it doesn't get out of hand. Have a place in the house you can keep stuff, presumably the basement, but make it a nice area that's a part of the house, not something in the way that you won't use and your wife will wonder why you have it.

 

I don't think any of this stuff is going to get super-valuable, so don't keep it as some sort of pseudo-investment, but I also don't think most of it's going to go down in value either. People will always be interested in the good old games, machines, and computers, just like many people are still into old cars, even if they weren't even alive when the car (computer/game) was made.

Edited March 17, 2009 by Mirage1972

[ddaniels]

I agree with Recycled (and now Ian, who always types faster than I do). As long as it's not negatively affecting your life, just hang onto it and don't worry for now. Maybe occasionally play some of the games or pinball with your kids. They'll probably enjoy it, if not all the time, then sometimes, and will likely have good memories of the stuff when they get older. Don't force it on them, just enjoy it with them. If this is something you truly enjoy, you will probably regret letting it go, and will enjoy it later if you keep it. Just don't let it get out of hand. Maybe there's a reason you need 2 MAME machines, but if not, maybe get rid of one of those and anything else you dn't need so it doesn't get out of hand. Have a place in the house you can keep stuff, presumably the basement, but make it a nice area that's a part of the house, not something in the way that you won't use and your wife will wonder why you have it.

 

I don't think any of this stuff is going to get super-valuable, so don't keep it as some sort of pseudo-investment, but I also don't think most of it's going to go down in value either. People will always be interested in the good old games, machines, and computers, just like many people are still into old cars, even if they weren't even alive when the car (computer/game) was made.

 

You make good points. My logic for two Mame machines is that I wanted one dedicated to playing the horizontal games and the other one for playing vertical games.

[Mirage]

You make good points. My logic for two Mame machines is that I wanted one dedicated to playing the horizontal games and the other one for playing vertical games.

 

I figured it was something like that. I like keeping arcade machine conversions looking close to stock. I have a Galaxian cocktail that I'm going to install regular joystick into and something like a 60-in-1 board, but I'll want to get an upright like Centipede to install the trackball games into, that way neither will need to be extremely or irreversibly modified. I don't think that's bad if you have the space and money for it.

 

I hope your wife at least doesn't mind you having the stuff. Mine just looks the other way and sometimes enjoys a game or two with me. In any case, family is more important than any gaming stuff, which should go without saying.

[mcge0053]

This hobby that we all share here does have a relatively low WAF, or Wife Acceptance Factor. I'm struggling with my wife on just how much money a grown man should spend on 25 year old video games, where to keep them, and so on...

 

I always figured that this should be a topic for this forum: How do YOU keep the WAF level high enough to keep collecting?

 

I agree with all of the other authors here that give the advice that if you love your hobby, hold on to it regardless!

[Recycled]

Gotta find the middle ground.

 

(maybe being divorced ISN'T so bad? )

[dommie]

This hobby that we all share here does have a relatively low WAF, or Wife Acceptance Factor. I'm struggling with my wife on just how much money a grown man should spend on 25 year old video games, where to keep them, and so on...

 

Oh man, I hear that. My wife dreads when the UPS man drives down our street. She was never big into gaming, with the odd exception of the Paper Mario franchise for Nintendo and Pole Position for the 2600. Which is strange because Paper Mario is more or less intended for the more hardcore (Japanese) gamer. I dunno, but she liked that one since it first came out on the N64.

 

But keeping on topic, she understands that this is my hobby. And as far as middle-aged men hobbies are concerned, it's not the most expensive one on the block. If you take up golf for example, expect to spend a lot more on average between equipment, country club memberships, greens fees, etc.

[shadow460]

the WAF is not a problem at all. My first wife collected Beanie Babies, my current wife collects movies and books. I can't sit still for 2 hours and I'm too lazy to hold a book. No man in his right mind would have any interest whatsoever in a cutesy stuffed doll unless it involved buying something his wife wanted.

 

So, all that said, if she wants to collect (insert item here), the I get to collect my video games. 'Nuff said. Now if I could just learn the knack to collecting money...

[+Ransom]

No problem here with WAF. My wife's been playing videogames since the NES came out (so, about 8-10 years after I started). She favors the platform style games, and isn't much for the games that came out prior to the NES. And last year, she and I played PS2 Baldur's Gate I and II, plus the two Champions of Norrath games, about 50 hours a week for about eight months straight, going through the four games, then starting over again, and again, and again. No, I didn't drag her along -- she enjoyed it at least as much as I did.

 

This year, we've decided to go through all of our games, and give each a fair shake. We'll see if she ends up enjoying any of the early games (2600/Inty/5200/etc).

[ddaniels]

When I purchased my first Pinball game (Fish Tales) I was shocked to see my wife playing this game every night for a few weeks. That's been it ever since period! I've added two mame games, another pinball machine, an Arachnid dart game and various consoles and she has never touched or showed any interest in them. My 2 & 5 year old show more interest. All of this equipment is in my basement and one could argue that I'm lucky that my wife allows this even if she never shows interest in it.

 

I've learned my lesson, one time I made a comment on how much "junk" (scrapbooking stuff) she has and boy was she quick to point out all of the gadgets in the basement that I have. Needless to say, I never talk about her scrapbooking stuff anymore.

[Recycled]

I've learned my lesson, one time I made a comment on how much "junk" (scrapbooking stuff) she has and boy was she quick to point out all of the gadgets in the basement that I have. Needless to say, I never talk about her scrapbooking stuff anymore.

 

Good thinking.

[genesisguy]

Your wives should all be happy your spending your money on games. At the very least its a hobby you can enjoy at home. Point out your friends into fishing who drop 100s on lures that can be lost with any cast, and go away for hours on end to pursue their hobbies. How about the guys who go to strip clubs? At least your not hiding something from them

 

I also wouldn't worry about what's going to happen to all that stuff when you die. Collect all you can and enjoy it while you can. You never know, you may not make it home from work one night.

[SRGilbert]

I have to think that when your kids get older, they will really appreicate the mame cabs and pinball machines.

 

I'd say the only thing you should worry about is when you are no longer concerned whether a game is fun (or at least cool) and are more driven by rarity or completeness or completing a collection.

[shadow460]

When I purchased my first Pinball game (Fish Tales) I was shocked to see my wife playing this game every night for a few weeks. That's been it ever since period! I've added two mame games, another pinball machine, an Arachnid dart game and various consoles and she has never touched or showed any interest in them. My 2 & 5 year old show more interest. All of this equipment is in my basement and one could argue that I'm lucky that my wife allows this even if she never shows interest in it.

 

I've learned my lesson, one time I made a comment on how much "junk" (scrapbooking stuff) she has and boy was she quick to point out all of the gadgets in the basement that I have. Needless to say, I never talk about her scrapbooking stuff anymore.

 

I'm not surprised she took interest in Fish Tales. That game's hilarious one liners will catch anybody's attention long enough for them to drop a few quarters. One that comes to mind it the dude telling how big a fish he caught "It was this big!" then the LCD prints out "Total Lie!"

[Recycled]

Your wives should all be happy your spending your money on games. At the very least its a hobby you can enjoy at home. Point out your friends into fishing who drop 100s on lures that can be lost with any cast, and go away for hours on end to pursue their hobbies. How about the guys who go to strip clubs? At least your not hiding something from them

 

I'm a cheapskate fisherman as well as a cheapskate gamer.

 

and yes, it all keeps us outa the titty bars.

[Rik]

If anyone wants their kids to enjoy their classic game collection,better get them interested very early on,I say.I myself would hate to give them away to just anyone,better in the family IMO.I'm not married nor to i ever want kids,so i'm not sure what will come of my collection.My sisters arent into that stuff,neither are my nephews and nieces.I would gladly give away to anyone here at AA for instance,at least i know they'd be appreciated and cared for right.

[keilbaca]

I have a slight problem but its not the reason why I have the marketplace thread. ^_^

 

She knows how I stand with games, in both collecting and playing, and she also found out that I have more fun collecting than playing lately.

 

She also knows that I ESPECIALLY love working on projects.

 

As far as actual gaming goes, she loves bomberman on xbox live.

 

She feels bad for having me sell my stuff for our situation, but we both feel that its best, I can always get the games back.

 

She knows that I REALLY want a pinball again, since I sold the one I had, so we are saving up for one of those for what we don't spend on the wedding from the selling of my stuff.

 

Another words, the WAF slightly goes in her favor, but she knows where I stand about everything, and is willing to accept it, and enjoy it when I finally get her away from her tv shows. ^_^

[madhatter667]

Hmmm... find a signinficant other who also enjoys video games. Perfect solution. Just make sure that you aren't into ALL the same stuff... that way you don't squabble over the consoles or cabinets!

[keilbaca]

When I purchased my first Pinball game (Fish Tales) I was shocked to see my wife playing this game every night for a few weeks. That's been it ever since period! I've added two mame games, another pinball machine, an Arachnid dart game and various consoles and she has never touched or showed any interest in them. My 2 & 5 year old show more interest. All of this equipment is in my basement and one could argue that I'm lucky that my wife allows this even if she never shows interest in it.

 

I've learned my lesson, one time I made a comment on how much "junk" (scrapbooking stuff) she has and boy was she quick to point out all of the gadgets in the basement that I have. Needless to say, I never talk about her scrapbooking stuff anymore.

 

I'm not surprised she took interest in Fish Tales. That game's hilarious one liners will catch anybody's attention long enough for them to drop a few quarters. One that comes to mind it the dude telling how big a fish he caught "It was this big!" then the LCD prints out "Total Lie!"

 

Ah nice, I didn't see this post.

 

Fish Tales is an ok machine, pretty fun and yeah that is why she most likely got into it. What you should do is find out what types of games she likes. If she liked fish tales, she would love No Good Gophers or Family Guy.

 

What's the other pinball you have?

Edited March 18, 2009 by keilbaca

[Ross PK]

I'll give all my stuff to someone on Atariage when I die. I want it all to go to a good home, and hopefully they too will pass it onto someone who will look after it and enjoy it when they die too, and so on.

[ddaniels]

When I purchased my first Pinball game (Fish Tales) I was shocked to see my wife playing this game every night for a few weeks. That's been it ever since period! I've added two mame games, another pinball machine, an Arachnid dart game and various consoles and she has never touched or showed any interest in them. My 2 & 5 year old show more interest. All of this equipment is in my basement and one could argue that I'm lucky that my wife allows this even if she never shows interest in it.

 

I've learned my lesson, one time I made a comment on how much "junk" (scrapbooking stuff) she has and boy was she quick to point out all of the gadgets in the basement that I have. Needless to say, I never talk about her scrapbooking stuff anymore.

 

I'm not surprised she took interest in Fish Tales. That game's hilarious one liners will catch anybody's attention long enough for them to drop a few quarters. One that comes to mind it the dude telling how big a fish he caught "It was this big!" then the LCD prints out "Total Lie!"

 

Ah nice, I didn't see this post.

 

Fish Tales is an ok machine, pretty fun and yeah that is why she most likely got into it. What you should do is find out what types of games she likes. If she liked fish tales, she would love No Good Gophers or Family Guy.

 

What's the other pinball you have?

 

The other pinball that I have is a 1975 Hokus Pokus. I bought this locally for $50 but it was in bad condition. I knew it was going to be a project but that to me is the fun part. I actually took some before pictures and after I cleaned/fixed it back to working condition.

[pinball22]

How do YOU keep the WAF level high enough to keep collecting?

 

Easy... I'm the wife. My husband's not as big a gamer as I am, but enough that it works out well. [Though he's not really the "collector" type, and sometimes thinks I'm nuts for having six different copies of Space Invaders.]

[madhatter667]

Are they label variations? Ports? Updates? These are all logically justifiable... that should work as a justification without too many hitches.