Do you think arcade games will become valuable over time?

[ddaniels]

With arcades long gone from the scene do you think that people who own arcade games (I'm referring to the real thing either stand up or cocktail) could see these become more valuable in time?

 

I own two arcade games that I have converted into Mame games but I have maintained as much as possible the original cab. I recently discovered when I went to order a new 19" CRT arcade monitor these are no longer being manufactured. It appears CRT monitors are being replaced by LCD screens. This situation made me wonder if people looking to buy a real arcade game would pay more for one with a CRT monitor rather than a LCD screen.

 

For me, playing pacman on a LCD screen just isn't authentic as playing it on a 19"CRT arcade monitor. Just my opinion.

 

What do you guys think?

Edited May 8, 2009 by ddaniels

[atarian63]

With arcades long gone from the scene do you think that people who own arcade games (I'm referring to the real thing either stand up or cocktail) could see these become more valuable in time?

 

I own two arcade games that I have converted into Mame games but I have maintained as much as possible the original cab. I recently discovered when I went to order a new 19" CRT arcade monitor these are no longer being manufactured. It appears CRT monitors are being replaced by LCD screens. This situation made me wonder if people looking to buy a real arcade game would pay more for one with a CRT monitor rather than a LCD screen.

 

For me, playing pacman on a LCD screen just isn't authentic as playing it on a 19"CRT arcade monitor. Just my opinion.

 

What do you guys think?

Hard to say, for collectors I would say CRT all the way. Even a flat crt/vga monitor just looks wrong. For those who didn't grow up on arcades flat crt or lcd probably is fine.

[godslabrat]

I don't know about them becoming more valuable... yes, supply will shrink, but I'm not sure how far below demand it could ever get. Arcade collectors are a small number, and even smaller are the collectors who MUST have everything factory original. The sheer size and maintenance of those beasties keeps casual collectors far away. More than anything else, what might drive up the price might simply be location. It's so hard to ship those that the price might fluctuate on a regional level depending on how many buyers are nearby.

 

As far as authenticity, I'm usually a stickler for it, but I DESPISE the curvature on 80s era CRTs. Anything that gets rid of it is OK in my book!

[Video]

Yeah, CRT is one thing, but some people don't remember just how curvy the old arcade screens were. I've seen lots of older games with newer screens.....uh....that aside.

 

I figure they never will be getting much more valuable, considering that there is currently WAY more arcades out there than there are buyers, for the simple facts that were already stated. I mean, come on, some of us are running out of (or already have) for much smaller consoles and games. Arcade cabs are huge, heavy, expensive beasts, and there just isn't that many people who can take up that hobby.

[brojamfootball]

Even as bit rot settles in on more and more circuit boards and chips over time, I'd say that demand will dwindle with supply and high value will only ever come to certain 'special' machines(Pac-man etc) in pristine condition.

[mos6507]

In the late 90s I think a lot of GenXers like me were jumping on the bandwagon, but these days with the proliferation of emulation, and the downsizing of people's lives due to the depression, I don't see a big market for them. It's probably a good time to buy most collectibles because I have to imagine people are liquidating their nonessential assets. Just buy it because you want it, not as an investment.

[vdub_bobby]

Even as bit rot settles in on more and more circuit boards and chips over time, I'd say that demand will dwindle with supply and high value will only ever come to certain 'special' machines(Pac-man etc) in pristine condition.

Agreed. Only popular, well-known cabs in very good condition will ever become valuable (i.e., worth significantly more than you paid for them).

[VectorGamer]

With arcades long gone from the scene do you think that people who own arcade games (I'm referring to the real thing either stand up or cocktail) could see these become more valuable in time?

 

I own two arcade games that I have converted into Mame games but I have maintained as much as possible the original cab. I recently discovered when I went to order a new 19" CRT arcade monitor these are no longer being manufactured. It appears CRT monitors are being replaced by LCD screens. This situation made me wonder if people looking to buy a real arcade game would pay more for one with a CRT monitor rather than a LCD screen.

 

For me, playing pacman on a LCD screen just isn't authentic as playing it on a 19"CRT arcade monitor. Just my opinion.

 

What do you guys think?

 

I think it's an easy question to answer because they certainly will not drop in price.

 

The number of cabinets that hit the landfill over time will increase the value and so will inflation assuming that the value keeps up with it.

 

I'm with you on the CRT monitor. May I ask where you purchased yours as I am in the middle of a cabinet project myself?

 

Lastly, on the topic of MAME - to each their own but the sight of a cabinet with the "MAME" marquee and the control panel with 50 buttons sure looks bad, IMHO. From my point of view, if you're going to put the effort into building a cabinet then make it look like the real thing.

 

Now I'm sure I will get flamed for those comments and you can tell me all the great reasons why to build a cabinet like that but it won't sway me in the least bit.

[akator]

When the economy picks back up and your local car salesman can afford to buy a boat or an arcade machine to impress his friends, that's when the prices for recreational goods and collectables will go back up.

 

Right now we're seeing a depressed collector market for obvious reasons. Locally I've seen dozens of good condition machines going for as little as 10% of what they were being sold for 2-3 years ago. Two months ago I saw 7 pristine machines for $1000 on Craigslist, all from the same guy who was forced to downsize. Less money, smaller house, and no room or money for a private arcade. I've already seen several beautiful examples discarded during evictions and foreclosures. I can't save them because I don't have the space. Each one of the machines sitting on a curb that gets vandalized by teenagers and/or hauled to the landfill is sad, but it's a happy thing for some types of collectors -- fewer surviving machines will increase their long-term value.

 

In 50 years the arcade generation will be gone, most of the arcade machines will be gone, and the machines that are left will be on Antiques Roadshow 2070 with someone talking about how their great uncle cherished it and the game was a family heirloom. They'll act surprised when Pac-Man is valued at $30,000, the same way they do now when grandma's art deco toaster gets appraised. I won't be around to see it, though

[VectorGamer]

When the economy picks back up and your local car salesman can afford to buy a boat or an arcade machine to impress his friends, that's when the prices for recreational goods and collectables will go back up.

 

Right now we're seeing a depressed collector market for obvious reasons. Locally I've seen dozens of good condition machines going for as little as 10% of what they were being sold for 2-3 years ago. Two months ago I saw 7 pristine machines for $1000 on Craigslist, all from the same guy who was forced to downsize. Less money, smaller house, and no room or money for a private arcade. I've already seen several beautiful examples discarded during evictions and foreclosures. I can't save them because I don't have the space. Each one of the machines sitting on a curb that gets vandalized by teenagers and/or hauled to the landfill is sad, but it's a happy thing for some types of collectors -- fewer surviving machines will increase their long-term value.

 

In 50 years the arcade generation will be gone, most of the arcade machines will be gone, and the machines that are left will be on Antiques Roadshow 2070 with someone talking about how their great uncle cherished it and the game was a family heirloom. They'll act surprised when Pac-Man is valued at $30,000, the same way they do now when grandma's art deco toaster gets appraised. I won't be around to see it, though

 

I will still be around at that time since I am immortal.

[Video]

I'll be around then, I just hope I can remember "pac-man" when I get that old Hey wait, that looks like my nephiews on there....WHAT, those little no good BASTARDS, I want my Pac-Man back

 

I look forward to getting some arcades, probably only some of my faves though, DK pac-man, Ms Pac-man, most are fairly easy to find and cheap, the most expensive one would likely be Tempest or Gravitar, and I may never own either of those.

 

Other than that, I do plan on makeing an arcade cab, but probably with a PS2 or mame in it, but I do plan to make it much more realistic looking than most I've seen. (though Game Xchange has some good looking cabs for their demo displays, just to bad it's got a controller sticking out the front rather than arcade controlls built in.

[VectorGamer]

I'll be around then, I just hope I can remember "pac-man" when I get that old Hey wait, that looks like my nephiews on there....WHAT, those little no good BASTARDS, I want my Pac-Man back

 

I look forward to getting some arcades, probably only some of my faves though, DK pac-man, Ms Pac-man, most are fairly easy to find and cheap, the most expensive one would likely be Tempest or Gravitar, and I may never own either of those.

 

Other than that, I do plan on makeing an arcade cab, but probably with a PS2 or mame in it, but I do plan to make it much more realistic looking than most I've seen. (though Game Xchange has some good looking cabs for their demo displays, just to bad it's got a controller sticking out the front rather than arcade controlls built in.

 

Have you seen the dude's arcade at http://www.lunacityarcade.com/? I signed up to his mailing list!

[WilsonCat]

I bought my monitor right from the manufacturer:

 

http://www.wgec.com/

[ddaniels]

With arcades long gone from the scene do you think that people who own arcade games (I'm referring to the real thing either stand up or cocktail) could see these become more valuable in time?

 

I own two arcade games that I have converted into Mame games but I have maintained as much as possible the original cab. I recently discovered when I went to order a new 19" CRT arcade monitor these are no longer being manufactured. It appears CRT monitors are being replaced by LCD screens. This situation made me wonder if people looking to buy a real arcade game would pay more for one with a CRT monitor rather than a LCD screen.

 

For me, playing pacman on a LCD screen just isn't authentic as playing it on a 19"CRT arcade monitor. Just my opinion.

 

What do you guys think?

 

I think it's an easy question to answer because they certainly will not drop in price.

 

The number of cabinets that hit the landfill over time will increase the value and so will inflation assuming that the value keeps up with it.

 

I'm with you on the CRT monitor. May I ask where you purchased yours as I am in the middle of a cabinet project myself?

 

Lastly, on the topic of MAME - to each their own but the sight of a cabinet with the "MAME" marquee and the control panel with 50 buttons sure looks bad, IMHO. From my point of view, if you're going to put the effort into building a cabinet then make it look like the real thing.

 

Now I'm sure I will get flamed for those comments and you can tell me all the great reasons why to build a cabinet like that but it won't sway me in the least bit.

 

I purchase a 19" Betson Imperial monitor from a seller on Ebay named CrazyHugo. I paid $180. It looks like he may have sold them as I couldn't find him selling anymore. I'm not sure if $180 is a rip-off or fair but I was finding that ordering a new monitor was looking to be a difficult find so I settled for this. The monitor has worked well for me as I'm using it with the arcadevga card.

 

I also agree with you when it comes to the control panel with 50 buttons. Not to knock the people who go this route (I think anyone with a Mame machine is pretty cool) but I prefer the authentic look and feel.

[ddaniels]

When the economy picks back up and your local car salesman can afford to buy a boat or an arcade machine to impress his friends, that's when the prices for recreational goods and collectables will go back up.

 

Right now we're seeing a depressed collector market for obvious reasons. Locally I've seen dozens of good condition machines going for as little as 10% of what they were being sold for 2-3 years ago. Two months ago I saw 7 pristine machines for $1000 on Craigslist, all from the same guy who was forced to downsize. Less money, smaller house, and no room or money for a private arcade. I've already seen several beautiful examples discarded during evictions and foreclosures. I can't save them because I don't have the space. Each one of the machines sitting on a curb that gets vandalized by teenagers and/or hauled to the landfill is sad, but it's a happy thing for some types of collectors -- fewer surviving machines will increase their long-term value.

 

In 50 years the arcade generation will be gone, most of the arcade machines will be gone, and the machines that are left will be on Antiques Roadshow 2070 with someone talking about how their great uncle cherished it and the game was a family heirloom. They'll act surprised when Pac-Man is valued at $30,000, the same way they do now when grandma's art deco toaster gets appraised. I won't be around to see it, though

 

Wow, I couldn't agree with you anymore. Good points.